The Motor Omnibus World.
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Fuel Charges.
We are advised that an all-round reduction of rd. per gallon in the price sf petroleum spirit took effect in respect sf any wholesale contracts or orders dated from Monday last the 22nd instant. Consumers of the best-known brands, such as Carless, Cape! and Leonard, Giant, Pratt's, and Shell will not fail to note this evidence of a relief in the tension that has unquestionably existed during the last twelve months. It is hard to reconcile the reduction in price with the view that a shortage is imminent : neither can we ascribe the reduction to the pUblication of the report of the Fuels Committee of the Motor Union (page 509).
Shorter London Stages.
The reports of combined action by the Whok of the London companies which own motorbuses have been premature, as no final agreement has yet been reached. Negotiations have been conducted, at the instance of the shallow railway and tube companies, with a view to the effecting of a reasonable compromise between existing penny stages and those which were in force two years ago, a course with which we are in entire accord. The effect of complications in fares, by any extensive introduction of half-penny stages, was illustrated with unfortunate suddenness in the case of the London Power Omnibus Co., whose fare receipts showed an alarming reduction when members of the public were asked to give their patronage to a service whose fares were beyond the average comprehension. The salvation of the motorbus in London will be found in a departure from excessively long stages, and, whilst there is evidence of a tacit understanding between the companies, a binding agreement has yet to be adopted. We have no reason for fearing that difficulties will assert themselves at the last moment, and we hope that petty jealousies will be allowed to sink, and that the policy of " live and let live " will triumph, the outward evidence being the revised penny stage.
The initiative in this matter of combined action has been taken by Sir George Gibb, the chairman of the Underground Electric Railways Company of London, Limited, who convened nine railway companies, one tramway company, and seven motorbus companies (including the Power Omnibus Company, Limited) to a conference at the beginning of the month. Our own view is that the omnibus companies will require to arrange the matter of fares amongst themselves, in the first instance, before they can carry through any satisfactory joint programme with companies int.res:e1 in other forms of passenger transport, whilst we cannot hide from ourselves the fact that a really definite settlement of the problem will not be possible until the results of the pending commercial audit of the accounts of the London County Council tramways are known.
Great public interest has already been shown in the several conferences, the latest of which was held yesterday (Wednesday) by the motorbus companies, and, although we had intended to make no considerable reference to the matter at this juncture, the fact that more than one of the daily papers has published the information justifies to-day's short paragraph, notwithstanding the fact that the parties to the conference do not Wish for publicity.
For Worthing.
In our issue of the 4th instant (page 446) we illustrated one of the Worthing motorbuses which are run by the Sussex Motor Road Car Co., Ltd., and (page 44o) we stated that the company had to Milnes-Daimler vehicles in operation on its three services.: Worthing Pulborough, WorthingBrighton, and Worthing-Littleharnpton-Arundel.
We are now able to announce that two additions are to be made to the Worthing fleet, in the shape of two motor-coaches, Or chars-a-bancs, one of which we illustrate herewith. Mr. Douglas Mackenzie, . A.M.I.Mech.E., M.I.A.E., consulting engineer and general manager to the company, accepted delivery of this vehicle on Wednesday morning of last week, and it is now operating between Worthing, Lit tlehampton, Arundel, and Bognor. The second vehicle will be delivered shortly, and will be put into service between Worthing, Brighton, Newhaven, and Seaford. The chassis are by Thornycrofts, of Basingstoke, and are fitted with 4-cylinder engines, the cylinders of which are 41inches in diameter, the piston-stroke being 5 inches. Forced-feed lubrication is employed, in conjunction with a simple relief valve which, by careful adjustment, may be made to avoid entirely any emission of smoke. A Hele-Shaw clutch, with plates 6 inches in diameter, transmits the power of the engine to the road wheels, through a four-speed gear-box, differential countershaft, and Hans Renold side chains
of is-inch pitch. All the transmission shafts are mounted on Hoffmann ball bearings, and the speeds are 3-i, 4L 7, and 12 miles an hour, with the engine running at goo r.p.m.
The body is by Dodson, and is fitted with Lee's patent seats, arranged in six tiers in such a manner that every passenger has an uninterrupted view of the road ahead. The side steps are particularly good, and afford a convenient and easy means of access to the seats : this arrangement of steps is the idea of Mr. Dodson.
A representative of this journal had the pleasure of accompanying the vehicle on its run from London to Worthing. The start was made from the Grosvenor Hotel, at 12.30 mid-day, and the route was via Tooting, Epsom, Dorking, Horsham, Pulborough and Storrington, arriving at Worthing just after 7 o'clock. A stop of just over an hoar for lunch was ,made at Burford Bridge. The total-distance is :between . 65 and 70 miles, And the, vehicle ran through without the necessity for mak-. ing any adjustment. Mest of the hills were taken on top gear, and the regularity of running, combined with the easy and springy seats, made the journey most enjoyable. The vehicle was "held up "in Tooting for the best part of an hour, through the abominable lack of arrangement which the L.C.C. had made to meet the traffic requirements during the laying of the electric tramway extensions. So bad was the block that it was found necessary to remove the granite kerbs and allow some of the vehicles to encroach on to the footpath in order to extricate a horse-drawn bus. It was in this close traffic that the Hele-Shaw clutch demonstrated its suitability for heavy vehicle work; the sight of the vehicle being moved smoothly forwards and backwards, a few inches only, was a thing to convince the average engineer of the flexibility of this type of friction clutch. A fierce clutch would have landed the leading wheels into a trench some 30 inches deep. The Victoria Omnibus Company, Limited, has withdrawn its nine "Old Vic " motorbuses from service between Victoria and Cricklewood.
Todmorden's Ryknield motorbus was delivered within 14 days of the date of reception of the order, and the vehicle is giving every satisfaction to its owners, the Todrnorden Corporation.
Mr. Justice Warrington, on Tuesday last, made an order for the compulsory winding-up of the Motor Car Emporium, Ltd., and remarked that he was not at all satisfied that the creditors would get nothing. It was stated that there was a debenture issue of about ,,4;13,500, and that the ordinary creditors totalled some £2,500.
"Electrobuses."
The electrobuses are well patronised, and it looks as though the vehicles might easily realise takings as high as Is. 6d. per mile. Six of these vehicles had been put in service by Thursday last, and it is expected that the total will be brought up to 12 before the middle of August.
Oil Droppings.
Sir E. R. Henry has written to the Commercial Motor Users' Association stating that he will watch the contest for the cup that has been offered in respect of freedom from oil droppings, in connection with the forthcoming road trials of the R.A.C., with the greatest interest, as he is convinced that it will prove most helpful, both to the police and to the industry, to have the aid of the Commercial Motor Users' Association in this matter."
Busy Drivers: The Berlin General Omnibus Company's manager has instructed chauffeurs to use up the waits at the termini in putting the chassis in order, polishing the radiator, remedying defects, testing brakes, and so on. As these waits average a couple of minutes, chauffeurs are wondering how they can perform all these duties. Evidently, the manager means to get the maximum amount of work from the men, who fail to appreciate the new regulation. The "Pioneer " Service.
Following our announcement of last week, we have to report that a meeting of ale shareholders of the London Power Omnibus Company, Limited, was held on Monday the 22nd instant, Captain the Hon. F. W. Stanley in the chair. After the chairman had informed the shareholders of the withdrawal of the company's omnibuses from service, and had intimated that, since the contractors threw up their maintenance contracts, the company had been spending is. 6d. per car mile to earn only I rd., the motion for voluntary liquidation was adopted. Mr. J. H. Stephens was appointed liquidator.
Motorbuses for Bulgaria.
In Varna, Bulgaria's chief seaport, a limited liability company—the Societe Anonyme par Action de Transport—has taken up self-propelled omnibuses for city traffic, making a beginning with a couple of N.A.G. vehicles. One of these is illustrated ; both vehicles are single-deckers, w ith sitting accommodation for 16 and 18 persons respectively, whilst each possesses a rear platform affording standing room for three additional passengers. The side-windows can be let down. The chassis embodies all the latest N.A.G. improvements, and is fitted with a four-cylinder engine of 28-3oh,p., giving a maximum speed of some 16 miles an hour on the flat. Four speeds and a reverse are fitted.
Alleged Property Depreciation.
We challenge the assertions of a Mr. Snell before Sir E. R. Henry on Monday. The majority of the flats facing Maida Vale have sprung up during the last few years, and they have, in our opinion, never fairly been valued at the rentals quoted by Mr. Snell, and we attribute their depreciation to overbuilding, and excessive optimism of the contractors, rather than to any direct evil effects from the motorbuses. How owners of barrack-like flats can expect to obtain rentals as high as L200, when roomy houses may be had "round the corner " at half the rentals, or less, is beyond comprehension, and we feel sure that the Chief Commissioner will not be misled by the ex arte statements that have been made.
nyknield Company Active.
Two double-deck motorbuses were used last week, in connection with the Staffordshire Agricultural Society's Show at Burton-on-Trent, when a total of passengers in excess of 5,00o was carried. No hitch occurred, and everybody seemed pleased with the arrangements, including the tramways manager.
Motorbus Direction Boards.
The campaign in our columns against the miserable insufficiency of some of the direction boards which grace, or disgrace, the ends and sides of motorbuses in London appears to
have had some effect already. The London General Omnibus Company, Limited, is taking the lead, for both the front and back boards of many of their omnibuses, as well as those along the sides of the vehicles, now bear letters of considerably increased depth,. and it does not require any argument to demonstrate the convenience which this change has proved itself to visitors to the Metropolis. Neither is the benefit limited to strangers, because the most hardened user of omnibuses is frequently in a dilemma under the older conditions of lettering.
A Sheffield Bombardment.
We learn that the Sheffield Corporation is very nearly mystified by the voluminous particulars of motorbuses which have reached the Town Hall during the last three weeks. There have been demonstrations as well, some of which have been recorded in our columns, and these have not been limited to double-deck vehicles, for Commercial Cars, Limited, of Luton, has given one of the most satisfactory series of tests to the committee with one of its chars:It-banes, when the most severe gradients in the district were satisfactorily climbed. Strangely enough, as though to show they had not been surfeited by the number of visiting vehicles, a request has been made to Commercial Cars, Limited, by the Sheffield Committee, that the same chassis shall be shown fitted with a double-deck body, and a demonstration with this vehicle will begin in the course of the next ten days.
Re-arranged Wages.
Last week's temporary disturbance in the employment of a number of drivers and conductors in the employ of the Vanguard Motorbus Company, Limited, never deserved to have applied to it the word strike, as the trouble was a short-lived one. The drivers, who. formerly received 25. 3d. per trip, were given notice of reduction to 25. per trip, and the conductors similar notice of a reduction from is. 6d. to is. 2d. per trip. The men were apparently not in possession of facts concerning certain compensating re-arrangements of their work, but the misconception was adjusted by the managing director, Mr. Clarence Freeland, within the limits of a single day, and work was resumed after suspension of the services had caused only temporary inconvenience to the travelling public. Our traffic returns show that the effect upon the week's receipts was very, small.