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One Day's Work (New Series)—No. 10.

23rd September 1909
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Page 6, 23rd September 1909 — One Day's Work (New Series)—No. 10.
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Town and Country Work with One of the Express Cab Company's 14-16 h.p., Four-cylinder Belsize Taxicabs.

Recounted by a Member of the Editorial Staff.

After my somewhat unsavoury sojourn on a municipal dustcart, as recorded a fortnight ago, my next "day's work." in one of the Express Motor Cab Co.'s 14-16 h.p., four-cylinder Belsize taxicabs, was both a surprise and a pleasure, and left a most favourable impression of the Belsize productions on my mind. The smooth running of the neat little engine, and the easy riding of the vehicle, at either slaw or fast speeds, left little to be desired. I boarded the taxicab, the registered number of which is L.B. 8221, just outside the District railway station at Hammersmith Broadway on a recent Saturday morning about 9.40, and instructed the driver to take me to THE COMMERCIAL Moron offices in Rosebery Avenue, at which offices I arrived at two minutes after ten-about seven minutes earlier than would have been possible had I travelled by +-lie train to Holborn Station, and thence by bus or tram to Rosebery Avenue.

After glancing through my letters at the office, I left again for the Royal Automobile Club at 119, Piccadilly, where I picked up the Editor, with whom I had my usual morning consultation while being driven to RollsRoyce and Company's show-rooms in Conduit Street. The Bedford Row branch of the Landon, City and Midland Bank was my next call, and, from there, having done more, than my usual amount of work in town for a Saturday morning, I instructed the chauffeur to drive me home by way of Kensington, Hammersmith Broadway, CastIenau and Barnes Common. I am afraid that many of my friends will assume, by my reference to the amount of work I do in town on a Saturday, I am more or less "slack " on that particular day, brit such is far from

being the case. Like the " Extrac

tor," I am a very strenuous individual, and, though i may not be at the office every day of the week, my work in connection with the preparation of " The Users' Journal " still goes on apace; in fact. I sometimes have fears for my future state, because, occasionally, business necessitates my attention when I should be performing other

duties. However, the fact that I labour on behalf of a good cause may have some influence in securing the mitigation of my future punishment. This by the wa:v of introduction. .

To return to the day of my run in the Belsize cab, I admit that that was one of my " off " days, and, in spite of the bad weather, I sought to make the most of it. My halt at home was a very brief one, and I was soon on the road again heading for Kingston, where I made a. business call on Mr. E. Turner, the local agent for Tielsize Motors, Ltd., at Coombe Lane Garage, near Norbiton Station. Resuming the journey, we travelled to Reigate, via Surbiton. Claygate, Tadworth, past Worcester Park, Ewell, Epsom, Ashstead, Leatherhead, Micklebam, Dorking, and Betchworth, making a. few lalls at places on the way. From Reigate, the route taken was through Redhill, Blechingley and Godstone to Oxted. at which place, although still early in the afternoon, I called a halt for tea at the Bell Hotel, an old hostelry which has been in existence a matter of 500 years or more. During the interval between our arrival there and the announcement that tea was ready, I obtained the photograph from which one of the accompanying illustrations has been produced, which view shows the chauffeur, Robert Colburne, better known amongst the Express Company's drivers as " Lord Bobs," standing by the machine. Colburne is the holder of a R.A.C. driver's certificate, and is reputed to be one of the smartest taxi drivers in London. Whether due to his capable driving, or to the really-excellent springing and upholstery of the Belsize cab, I cannot say—probably a combination of both —but I certainly have made less-comfortable cross-country journeys, on high-grade pleasure cars of repute.

When we resumed our journey, we kept to the Westerham road as far as Limpsfield, and, from that point, we made for the long and stiff climb up Titsey Hill, which has a rise of over 500 ft. in a matter of two miles. This is equal to an average gradient of 1 in 21, and certain parts of the hill are considerably steeper than that. The engine showed no signs of distress either on this hill or at any other part of the day's journey, but continued to run with perfect regularity and with plenty of 'life," notwithstanding that the load consisted of three adults and two children, in addition to the driver.

There are some very pretty stretches of country lane on the way from Titsey to Croydon, via Worms Hill, Warling ham and Sanderstead, and a typical view of this part of Surrey is reproduced herewith. Croydon's narrow streets, encumbered by the Corporation's electric trams, were in a most dangerous state on that day, as the surface of the roads was covered with a thick deposit of slimy mud. This borough has long been one of the dangerous places and a bottle neck in the main London to Brighton road, but there is evidence now that a serious attempt is to be made to increase the width of the thoroughfare, and, as a matter of fact, that part of the road north of Crown Hill has already been converted into a good wide street. The next halt was at Sutton, and from there I returned home by way of Mitcham, Wimbledon and Roehampton, arriving there at 6 p.m., after a most delightful 65-mile drive through Surrey lanes. I made nine business and other calls during the afternoon, and these were at places so awkwardly situated as regards railway stations or bus services that, had I attempted such a round by train and locally-hired traps or cabs from the nearest stations, the taskwould have taken not less than two days. My country round with a taxicab, including the nine stops to which I have referred, occupied less than six hours, yet at no part of the journey was the speed greater than that at which such cabs are driven along London streets. On my arrival at home, I found that the Bruhn taxi meter, which is fitted to these cabs, showed that a matter of 70s. 6d. was due for the hire of the cab, this

amount including the charges for both the running about town in the morning, and the subsequent 65-mile country run.

At a later date, I paid a visit to the Express Company's garage at Rochester Road, Camden Road, N.W., and was more than surprised to find that such a large concern had developed there since my previous visit to the buildings. Part of these premises was at one time occupied as a motorbus garage by the Associated Omnibus Co., Ltd., whilst another portion was originally the stables and bus depot for Messrs. French and Sons, Jobmasters. Considerable alteration has been effected in the premises, and the depot is now a most suitable one for a motorcab undertaking. I had a long conversation with Mr. J. T. Searle, the Manager of the Express Co., and ascertained that he holds a very high opinion of the Belsize cabs. At present his company's fleet consists of 93 Belsize cabs and 50 French-made Ballots, and, although we are not at liberty to publish any running costs for the Belsize cabs, all of which, by the way, are of the fourcylinder type, we understand from Mr. Searle that they compare most favourably with those obtained by other London companies that are operating partly a1 solely with cabs having engines with two cylinders. One of our illustrations shows a row of recentlydelivered Belsize cabs in one bay of the Express Company's garage, and we understand that this company's fleet is to be considerably increased within the next few months.

I should like to compliment the Express Cab Co., Ltd., of which Mr. Ernest Polden, a gentleman well known both in London and Aldershot for his business capabilities, is the Chairman, on the care which is taken to insure the perfect cleanliness and smart appearance of all its machines.


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