The Motor Omnibus World,
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Our fortnightly census is given on page 291 this week : it was taken on Saturday last. All motorbuses in London were well patronised over the holidays, at least until the rain began on Monday afternoon.
Standing-room Wanted.
Discussion is still proceeding at Harrogate on the subject of a central standing place for the Chelmsford steam omnibuses which were purchased from Torquay same months ago. A resolution of the Hackney Carriage Committee in favour of the allotment of space in Station Square, adjoining the Monument, was referred back at the last council meeting by 16 votes to 7.
An Edinburgh Liquidation.
The petition, by Col. Mayhew, for the compulsory winding-up of the Edinburgh and District Motor Omnibus Company, Limited, has been withdrawn. Mr. Justice Warrington, in the Chancery Division of the High Court, in assenting to the withdrawal of the petition, refused to allow costs to various parties who were represented by counsel in support of the petition, although he made an order for the payment of the petitioner's costs out of the assets of the company. The voluntary liquidation of this undertaking will now proceed, and the liquidator will be allowed to sell such vehicles as are available for the purpose.
A Good Business Man.
Mr. Kenneth H. Buchanan, whose successful inauguration of the London Power Omnibus Company, Limited, will be well known to the majority of our readers, is at liberty to accept the managing directorship or general management of any commercial undertaking, and we shall be happy to forward communications from parties who may desire to be put in touch with him. Mr. Buchanan's business and organising ability are, to our knowledge, very considerable, and he gained a valuable experience; as a director of the Welsbach Company, during the long period of litigation and threatened litigation in connection with the struggle between various incandescent-lighting interests. Motor Omnibuses and Waterloo Bridge, The Highways Committee of the L.C.C. reparted, on May 14th, that, in accordance with a resolution passed by the Council in November, 7906, letters had been addressed to the Local Government Board and the Commissioner of Police with reference to the accidents to motorbuses which had taken place at Waterloo Bridge. The Commissioner had replied that special attention was being paid 1?y, the police to the traffic on Waterloo Bridge and that, in any case of infringement of the law which comes under their notice, proceedings will be taken. The Local Government Board forwarded for the Council's information a letter which it had received from the police, to the effect that no regulations, however carefully drafted, Would, in the Commissioner's opinion, prove effective to obviate entirely the occurrence of aLci
dents on motor-omnibus and tramway services, but that everything possible is done in the way of supervision, and a police constable is specially posted to patrol the bridge, to prevent or detect any offences by drivers ; further, that the existing regulations are not unsatisfactory and, in the light of experience, are amended from time to time. The Board adds that, if after consideration of this letter the Council is of opinion that further regulation of the motor traffic on the bridge is desirable, it would be open to the Council to proceed under proviso (a) of section m (t) of the Locomotives on Highways Act, 1896, which authorises a county council to make by-laws preventing or restricting the use of motorcars on any bridge where it is satisfied that such use would be attended with damage to the bridge or danger to the public. After careful consideration of the matter and having regard to the views expressed by the Commissioner of Police, the Committee did not propose at the present time that by-laws should be made under the section in question in relation to motor traffic on this bridge. Further consideration will, however, be given to the matter, and, should any incidents occur in the working of the traffic which may point to further regulations being desirable, the question of proceeding under the section referred to will receive the Committee's attention.
A Willesden Complaint.
At the meeting of Willesden Urban District Council, on May 14th, the Works Committee reported having had under consideration communications from the Clerk and Solicitor upon complaints made by residents in Malvern Road, Cambridge Road, and Cambridge Avenue, as to the annoyance arising by heavy traction traffic along the thoroughfares in question. The by-laws made by the Middlesex County Council under the Locomotives Act, 1898, apply to locomotives, but not to motors, which appear to be the chief source of complaint, and the Cons
mittee, therefore, regretted that it was unable to take any action in regard to the matter of this complaint.
Sheffield Corporation and Motorbuses.
The Sheffield. Corporation Bill was before a'Select Committee of the House of Lords, presided over by Lord Dudley, during last week, and was ordered to be reported for third reading. Among other objects, the Bill gives the Corporation power to provide and run motor omnibuses within the City, and also in connection with its tramways in any district adjoining the City, provided that it does not run motor omnibuses in the district of any Urban or Rural Council beyond the City except with the consent of such council. The Corporat:on may purchase by agreement, take on lease and hold lands and buildings, and may erect on any lands acquired by it omnibus, carriage, and motor-house buildings and sheds, and may provide such plant and appliances and conveniences as may be requisite or expedient for the establishment, running, and equipment of such motor omnibuses. The Corporation may make by-laws for regulating the travelling, and for the prevention of nuisances in or upon any Motor omnibus belonging to it. The Corporation and any Urban or Rural Council within whose district or part thereof the Corporation proposes to run motor omnibuses are empowered to make and carry into effect agree= ments with regard to the routes and running of such omnibuses. All expenditure in resoect of motor omnibuses shall be defrayed and all receipts shall be applied as if the motor omribuses were part of the tramway undertaking of the Corporation. Mr. . Balfour . Browne:. K.C., who applied for the promoters, said it was only proposed to run the motorbuses as feeders to the trams, and that part of the Bill Was unopposed. The Committee passed the section without amendment. Do Motorbuses Affect Local Trade?
People who think that motorbus services can be regarded indifferently will 3.e interested to know that the inhabi:ants of Haverfordwest (Pembroke;hire) are reported to be much per. :urbed about the proposed connection Jetween Fishguard and St. David's. It is regarded as certain that the estabishment of a service of motorbuses along the proposed route will injure :he Commercial interests of Haverfordwest, and it is probable that a special meeting of the Town Council will be ield to consider what can be done. Merchants and tradesmen in Haverfordwest chi a large business with St. David's and district, and they are ap. parentiy opposed to better facilities for communication with Fishguard.
Thornycroft's Meeting.
We are pleased that the Chairman if John. T. Thornycroft and Company, Limited, Sir William Beardmore, in his remarks to the shareholders at that :ompany's sixth annual meeting, which :uok place in London on Thursday last, he t6th instant, made it .fully clear :hat by no means all the blame for the iad results for the year 1906 was due o motorbus troubles. He laid chief ;tress upon the fact that the most serinis shrinkage in'the company's profits Irose•from the high cost of production • if five coastal destroyers for the British kdmiralty, although he announced that iettet terms had been obtained for fur:her orders of this class. A suggestion :hat a committee of shareholders should ie appointed to confer with the direc:ors, which emanated from Mr. Morley, one of the vendors of the business It Southampton which was acquired by :he Thornycroft Company towards the ?nd of 1904, was not pressed, and the report was adopted by 43 votes to 13. It should be noted that • Thornycroft motor vehicles are being constructed and sold for all parts of the United Kingdom, as well as for export, and that the company's policy of abstention is limited to the London market. • Novel Uses for /Viotorbuses.
Three examples are given herewith to illustrate the variety of purposes to which the motorbus is being put. Mr. Charles Frohman, the well-known theatrical expert, lessee, and manager, initiated a scheme of free conveyance for any playgoers who might have booked seats at the Hicks Theatre, and one of our illustrations shows the single-deck Milnes-Daimler vehicle as it was waiting to pick up passengers at Tooting on the night of the Isth instant. Various °titer suburSs of London were served on succeeding nights, but we have reason_ to believe that, probably owing to the lack of sufficient notification, the number of patrons of the play who aViiii&themselves of this offer of a free ride in a motorbus were not as numerous as it had been hoped would be the case.
The Envy of their Brothers.
The use of the motorbus for advertising purposes has attracted many who are the best judges of the elements
which go to make a successful appeal to the public, but the latest, craze for something new in this direction has been a short-lived one. A double-deck Milnes-Daimler omnibus was hired from the Vanguard Company by Mr. A. T. Worm, manager for Mr. E. W. Sothern and Miss Julia Marlowe, in order to attract attention to the theatrical company which is now performing at the Waldorf Theatre. The sandwichmen who found themselves accommodated on the top of the omnibus, much to their own amusement and to that of the public, did not enjoy their unaccustomed leisure for long, as the conditions under which they were carried round London, instead of themselves having to walk about with their boards, u ere put to an end by the instructions of the Chief Commissioner of Police. Similar objection, it may be added, was raised by the police to the parading of the streets by motorcabs containing loads of the same class, and the days when the sandvvichman is to be regaled with long cigars, and to spend his days in up-to-date vehicles, must appear to him to have been all too short.
Smart Advertising. •
The third example, to which we have to refer, is that of the Great Western Railway Company, whose omnibuses have been employed for like purposes on .numerous occasions, -aswilI be .re-. membered by those of our readers who may recall our illustration of the Straker-Squire omnibus which was at work in the London district during the Christmas holidays of reos (see our issue of 28th December, teos, page 320). The ph.p. Wolseley-Siddeley chassis, which is now being turned to account by the Great Western Railway in order to draw attention to its new route to Ireland, via Fishguard, and to its various holiday resorts in Devon and Cornwall, fully bears out the belief of those who argue that a perambulating hoarding, such as is provided by the sides and ends of either a motorvan or motorbus, is a valuable possession in the hands of those who know how to use it to advantage for both special and ordinary purposes. Mr. Frank Searle has been appointed chief engineer to the London General Omnibus Company, Limited, in succession to Mr: J. H. Fooks-Bale.
Any members or associates of the Society of Motor Omnibus Engineers who intend to go to Swindon on Wednesday next, the 2gth instant, in accordance with the notices that have been issued, can secure tickets by letter or telegram, up to three o'clock on Friday next. The telegraphic address is " Somobus; LondOn,", and the telephone number, gogo Gerrard. A remittance of 16s. 3d., which includes fare and luncheon, must be forwarded.
Scotch Activity.
The All-British Car Company, Limited, of Glasgow, whose works were recently visited by a representative of this journal, has in hand an order for 250 motorbuses for London. The shops bear evidence of full occupation and steady output, no less than 300 men being already employed, although the establishment is of -comparatively recent institution. Every provision has been made for rapid eXterisions, and the equipment of the works is thoroughly up to date in all respects. The first of the new All-British buses will be ready for the road in about ten days.
We understand that the plans of this bus have already been submitted to, and approved by, Scotland Yard. A leading feature will be the lowered floor Level, which has been dropped beneath the framework of the chassis, thus reducing the centre of gravity, and minimising the top-heavy appearance of the bus. It will be fitted with a four
cylinder horizontal, epth.p. engine, and The company expects shortly to-turn out six Complete buses per week.
London's Moibrbuses.
Total last Saturday, 915. TABLE A.—OWNERS.
Vanguard Motorbus Co., Ltd. ... 317 London General Onmil Co. ... 173
London Road Car Co., Ltd. ... 170 London Power Omnibus Co., Ltd. 63 Great Eastern London Motor Om nibus Co., Ltd. so Thorn as Tilling, Ltd. 33 Associated Omnibus Co., Ltd.' ... 29
Star Omnibus Co., Ltd. ... 24 Birch Bros., Ltd. ... . • I5