AIR TRANSPORT NEWS
Page 50
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POLICY OF THE RAILWAYS.
In some papers articles have appeared which claim to give authoritative information of the air policy of the railways, but we are assured by all four main-line companies and by the Railway Companies' Association that no statement can yet be issued.
There is fairly good reason, however, to believe that the G.W.R. Birmingham-Cardiff-Torquay-Plymouth air line will be reopened this season, and there is talk of negotiations with Imperial Airways, Ltd., about Empire line feeder services in this country.
-The Future of the Humber Ferry.
As things are at present, it is doubtful whether the Hull-Grimsby air ferry, operated last year by North Sea Aerial and General Transport, Ltd., Brough, East Yorks, will be run this season.
Hillman's Path Plans.
Hillmans Airways, Ltd., Romford, cannot at present announce its 1934 plans beyond saying that it has been decided to operate the Romford-Paris service twice daily each way as from March 28, departures from each aerodrome being at 10 a.m. and 1.45 p.m., and from King's Cross coach station, London, at 8.45 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. The fares will be the same as last year —namely, £3 10s. single, £5 10s. period return and £4 15s. Friday to Tuesday.
In the week to February 16 the company carried 47 single-journey passengers on this line.
Near East News.
In the week to February 6, 134 passengers were carried on the Misr-Airwork Cairo-Alexandria line and 16 on the Upper Egypt bi-weekly service.
The company's twice weekly CairoPort Said-Gaza-Jerusalem service was scheduled to start on February 15, taking 4i hours against 14 hours by train.
No S.M.T. Air-display Tour, The Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., Edinburgh, has not' finally decided its 1934 programme, but it will not organin any air-display tour.
Provincial /Airways: Capital Issue.
Provincial Airways, Ltd., Croydon Airport, with an authorized share capital of 210,000, is making a public issue at par of 7,294 71-per-cent. £1 participating preference shares. The directors are Fit.-Lt. Harold Thomas, Mr. R. L. Bowes, Mr. T. Joyce-Clarke and Mr. J. B. MacGeorge, whilst the secretary is Mr. S. J. Noel-Brown, A.I.S.A.
The company, it will be remembered, was formed to carry on the work unsuccessfully started last summer by International Airlines, Ltd., and pro B36 poses to operate an air service between Croydon, Southampton and Plymouth.
A feature of the idea is door-to-door service, passengers being picked up at their homes or hotels and delivered at destinations within reasonable radius.
Bouts Brothers London-Manchester Air Service for Freight.
Bouts Brothers, Ltd., London, associated with the Oswald Tillotson group, advises us that it intends to commence, within a week or two, an experimental air service for urgent goods traffic between London and Manchester. The Airspeed Courier has been chosen for this experiment.
British Klenun Developments.
The nominal capital of the British Klemm Aeroplane Co., Ltd., Hanworth Aerodrome, Feltham, Middlesex, is increased from £13,500 to £20,000. .A demonstration of the Swallow open two-seater monoplane was given at Hanworth on February 21, whilst the Eagle two-passenger cabin-type should be ready about the end of March.
Banco Beats the Tariff.
The Ford three-engined monoplane of British Air Navigation Co., Ltd., Heston Airport, carried hi ton of Columbia wireless equipment to Belgium on February 14 to avoid the 40per-cent. tariff imposed the next day.
Municipal Aerodromes : Commons Statement.
The Under-Secretary of State for Air stated in the House of Commons a few days ago that construction work on municipal aerodromes was about to begin, or had begun, at Shoreham. Hastings, Rochester, Birmingham, Walsall, Leicester, Southport, Doncaster and Carlisle.
. Norman Edgar's Plans.
It has been stated in the Press that Norman Edgar Western Airways, Ltd., Bristol, proposes to run a CardiffColwyn Bay air line, but the company is not, in fact, contemplating any scheduled operation on that route. A scheme is under consideration to link up Cardiff and Bristol with the Isle of Wight, Brighton, Bournemouth and Jersey. services.
Vacuum Oil Co.'s Investigations.
Capt. F. W. Haig, chief aviation officer of the Vacuum Oil Co., Ltd., is coming from Australia to study aviation development in Europe and America, and will tour Europe for a month in the company's Dragon G-ACGK. The information he collects is to he made available to the Australian air-transport operators. ORANGE BROTHERS RUMOUR.
Since a year ago there has been a persistent rumour that Orange Brothers, Ltd., a pioneer of the NewcastleLondon coach route and a branch of Thomas Tilling, Ltd., has contemplated running a Hatfield-Newcastle air service. We are officially informed this week that no plans have been made by the directors in regard to this matter, but the rumour persists.
Liverpool Airport Traffic.
At Speke Airport in the municipal year 1932-3 total landings were 8,933, an increase of 2,800 on the preceding year. The total personnel landed was 9,576, an increase of 7,100, and persons taking off numbered 9,620.
In the year to November, 1933, the number of trips to Blackpool, Dublin; Isle of Man, London, Hooton, etc., was 3,439 (2,550 to Hooton), and their aggregate distance 115,700 miles.
Birkett's Manchester Branch.
Captain G. Birkett, of Birkett Air Service, Ltd., Heston Airport, tells us that be is opening a branch of his private-charter business at Woodford Aerodrome, Manchester, yihich he has chosen in preference to Barton Airport because he thinks it is less subject to fogs. Mr. S. A. Thorn will be in charge and will use a Puss Moth machine. The branch will conduct mainly newspaper and photographic work in the north of Britain.
Insurance Rates for Freight.
The following insurance rates for freight by air are quoted to us by Dryden, Greenaway and Co., Charterhouse Chambers, London, E.C.1, the well known concern of insurance brokers. These rates provide cover for all risks, including loading, unloading and transhipment and are for transport by any approved company.
Hawker and Gloster Amalgamate.
The Hawker Engineering Co., Ltd., and the Gloster Aircraft Co., Ltd., both making R.A.F. machines, have amalgamated.
G.W.R. 1933 Air-transport Loss.
The G.W.R. Co. made a loss in 1933 of £6,526 on "air transport," i.e., the Birmingham-Plymouth air line. This was not altogether unexpected in view of the pioneering nature of the venture.