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GLOUCESTERSHIRE BUSES.

22nd June 1920, Page 9
22nd June 1920
Page 9
Page 9, 22nd June 1920 — GLOUCESTERSHIRE BUSES.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Gloucester, Truck, Tram, Ledbury

The Development of Bus Services Demands the Attention of the Municipalities.

AT a meeting of the Gloucester Streets Committee there were applications for licences for 10 motor omnibuses for the year ending April 30th, 1921. Mr. Balchin, the local manager of the Bristol, Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., and dr. paws (of Messrs. Davis and Sons, 19, Westgate Street, Gloucester) conferred with the committee as to their proposals. It was resolved that licences be granted to the under-mentioned for motor omnibuses for the ensuing year :— Mr. E. H. Armstrong Eastmgton, Gloucester to Eastington •' Messrs. Davis and Sons, 19, Westgate Street, Gleueester (1) Gloucester, Newent and Ledbury, and (2) Gloucester, Staunton, and Ledbury; Mr. W. Gardner, Hardwicks (1) Gloucester, Hardwicke, Frampton, and Saul, and (2) ditto; Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., 45, London Road, Gloucester (1) Gloucester and Cinderford, (2) ditto, (3) Gloucester and Tewkesbnry, (4) Gloucester and Nailsworth, (5) ditto.

The town clerk read letters from the traffic manager of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., Sinethwick, intimating that, subject to the approved of the council, they proposed to _run a daily service of motor omnibuses between Birmingham and ,Weston-super-Mare, and asking if the council would give permission under Section 20 of the Local Government (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1916, so far as the route lay under their jurisdiction, and stating that they didnot propose to pick up or set down paesen. gars in the city, but merely to pass through; though they proposed to snake a halt in Gloucester to enable passengers to get lunch. The letters stated that the scheme was absolutely independent of • any other omnibus service, and that the company had obtained permission to run over routes coming within the jurisdiction of the county councils of Stafford, Warwick, Hereford, Worcester, Oxford, Montgomery, and Leicester, the question of road payment being left entirely to the Ministry of Transport. After . considering a report by the town clerk,' the committee instructed him to intimate that, under the circumstances, no objection will be raised to the company runsling through the city in connection with their proposed omnibus service, it being understood that the question of road payment will be left to the Ministry of Transport.

The town clerk read a letter from the secretary of the Gloucester Chamber of Trade stating that the Chamber, at a recent general meeting, passed a resolution asking the council to do all in ita power to favour a scheme for granting facilities for motorbuses to Ian from various districts into the city, It was resolved that a licence be eranted to Mr. William Gardner, of the Morning Star, Hardwick, for a third motor omnibus to ply for hire on the city portion of the route between Gloucester, Frampton and Saul, for the ensuing year. It was resolved, with one dissentient, that a licence be granted to Messrs. Hawksworth and Travail, of Staunton, for a. motor omnibus to ply for hir4on the city portion of the route between Gloucester and Redmarley, and also a. licence for a motor omnibus to ply for hire on the city portion of the route between Gloucester, Tirley cad Staunton, for the year ensuing. A letter from the manager of the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., asking the cemmittee to agree to an increase of the present authorized charges for motor cabs was considered. After considering the matter it was resolved: "That this committee cannot entertain the application, as the proposals are considered' excessive."

Mr. G. Matthews called attention to the grant of these licences, and expressed the hope that some representation would be made to the Government to get something substantial in respect of road maintenance.

Aid. Estcourt said the Ministry of Transport had the point under consideration, with a view to distribution to road authorities.

CLEARED 50,000 TONS.

Liverpool Freight Exchange Record. An Excellent Scheme Being Developed.

SCE the Liverpool Motor Haulage Clearing House has been in existence it has cleared nearly 50,000 tons of goods. At the outset, it should be pointed out, that this institution &ale only in surplus of lorries and loads, and this, added, to the tremendous carrying capacity of firms owning' their own fleets and the vehicles of hauliers, lend colour to the importance of the pert of LiverPool as a haulage centre. The coendter. eial man is somewhat conservative in-his ideas on theyquestion of transport, but the effect of ca; canny on the pert.of the railway men, the slowhandling of -rail traffic, and the increased rail rates, have undoubtedly compelled.him to ieek other means for ensuring quick delivery. Mr. J. F. Shaw told The Conimercia Motor that the remarkable progress which had been made in road transport during the last few months would be exceededif the suggeated 20 per cent. increase" on rail' rates came into operation, in which case he felt confident that it would 'result in nearly all goods travelling by road within a radius of 25

• miles of Liverpool.

" Supposing that there was plenty of work on offer to the Clearing House, what," we asked, "would be the maximum quantity you cou'd handle per day in the area you have mentioned? " With the lorries placed at our disposal by motor transport associations in Liverpool, we could, if necessary, remove as much as 3,000 tons per day, that is, of course, short distance work. '

"Each day motor lorries, which have brought gods to Liverpool from all parts of the country, as far south is Southampton and from Newcastle in the north, call at the clearing house, and apply for loads to their home towns or town an route."

As an example of the rapid and efficient service road transport offered, he mentioned that 300 tons of goods are daily forwarded through the clearing house by road, to a distant town and, delivered to the factory within two hours of being discharged direct from the ship. Previously this traffic went forward by rail or barge via the canals, and took three to four days to reach the factory.

One of the difficulties-which has previously confronted merchants, forwardiggeagents, etc., has been the collection and delivery in distant towns of entail parcels traffic. Arrangements have beenmade to collect and deliver small consignments daily to and from central depots in Liverpool and Manchester. •

WALLACE CHASSIS TEST.

Pebblecombe Hill Successfully Negotiated with Full Load Up.

N OUR ISSUE of last week we pub

lished the first details of Mr. S. A. Wallace's new venture—the Wallace chassis—and stated, at the =time, that a demonstration of the reserve pulling powers of the Continental engine of this chassis would be held on the Tuesday. We were present at this demonstration, and left convinced that the 30 cwt. Wallace is a little vehicle well suited to meet the most exacting needs of the large class of users, and _potential users, who find the 3 ton vehicle rather too large for their requirements.

This class of user has, until quite recently, been badly catered for in this country.' and there is still immense scope for reliable vehicles of from 1 ton to 2 tons capacity: Mr. Wallace himself estimates that, in Britain alone, there is a demand for 40,000, 30 cwt. chassis. Three Wallace chassis, two of them fitted with lorry bodies and the other with a platform body, and-all carrying full loads of 30 cwt, of coal, were employed far the de.monstration. When we arrived on the scene eV opeptions, the -vehicles were waiting at the foot of PebbleCombe -Hill, which, as most Londoners know, is the steepest. hill within 20 miles of Dorking,: Pebblecombe is a favourite rendezvous for tests, and was used as a test hill for 3 ton lorries during "the, war-but each carrying one ton only-as a test load.

Before' the trial -Commenced, we took the -opportunity for examining a few details in thee general construction .of the Wallace chassis which had. previonsly escaped., our _notice. As regards the engine, lee noted a neat micrometer adjustment.. and flexible fabric disc drive for the Magneto and 4 dial oil level indicator for , the sump. . The two piece propeller shaft has:threli universal joints, and has the rear sod of . its forward portiosi. supported ite a .bearing. ;Slung from a cross member,' The brake Compensating gear is of the differential type with a small bevel pinion 'between two bevel wheel segments. The silencer is one of the neatest we remember having seen; it depends upon centrifugal swirling of the exhaust gases, and, for this reason, is shaped like a. centrifugal water pump, than which it is little larger.

To continue with the trial—the first lorry started away in fine style, changed down to second gear after climbing about 30 yards from the bottom and into first gear a few yards further on,; after that it climbed steadily -at consideeably over walking pace—as we know, haying tried to keep up with it IL-until the top was reached. The road surface, which is always somewhat loose, was soddened, and this caused a small amount of rear wheel slip, but the engine did not hesitate. The second lorry stopped once or twice in the worst portion of the hill, but descended, and then made a clean ascent. The third vehicle not only climbed well, but was actually purposely stopped and successfully restarted on the Worst gradient. .

The company handling the Wallace chassis are known as Richmond Motor Lorries, Ltd., 222, Great Portland Street, London, W. They are fitting up a fine service depot at 1, Bloemfontein Avenue, Shepherd's Bush, W. 12, and are arranging to give free periodical inspection for two years of ala vehicles sold by them. The actual guarantee will extend, for twelve anoni-hs.


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