BUSES VERSUS TRAMS IN BELFAST.
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Important Developments in a Conflict Between Municipal and Private Interests, A. Belfast Firm Orders 100 Buses.
THERE have been a number of important developments in the past few days in the motorbus versus tramcar conflict in Belfast. Following the example of the Belfast Omnibus Co.
and Mr. H. M. S. Catherwood, who have introduced a 10-minute service on two of the principal city routes, other private bus companies have commenced Operations in other districts, and the serious threat to the tramways undertaking has resulted in daily meetings of the corporation tramways committee.
Several ways of meeting the •bus opposition have been considered and it is understood that a deputation waited upon the Northern Government to aseertqjn if by-laws could be framed to prohibit the buses using the streets. Whilst it is impossible to obtain any corroboration, it has been stated that the Government was reluctant to encourage any drastic steps being taken against the bus interests.
A deputation from the corporation travelled to England a few days ago with theobject of securing a new manager for the tramways and a statement was issued to the local papers to the effect that efforts would he made to improve the tramways system and increase its efficiency generally.
Another interesting development, and one which has caused a great sensation, was the placing of an order for 100 Leyland buses with Mister Kirk and Co., Ltd., the Belfast agent for the maker. This is probably the biggest bus order ever placed by an Irish firm, and its announcement resulted in Mr. Catherwood's Belfast offices being besieged by upwards of 2,000 applicants for positions as drivers, mechanics, etc. Police had to be called out to regulate the queue which was formed and officials of the company were occupied for almost five hours in taking the names and addresses of the people seeking work.
Fifty of the new Leyland buses will be of the Titan double-deck type and the others will be of the single-deck pat
tern. The double-deckers will have seating accommodation for 51 passengers and the upper deck will be covered. These vehicles will be similar to those for which the Glasgow Corporation recently placed a large order. The single-deck vehicles will be 32seaters fitted with four-cylindered engines having a. nominal horse-power rating of 32. The buses will be equipped with pneumatic tyres and servo-operated four-wheel brakes. They will be fitted in a most luxurious style. The corridor between the seats will be wide and the seats above the wheelarches will be placed longitudinally.
The history of the Catherwood firm might almost be termed a romance. The blue buses employed, which are now familiar practically all over Ireland, were first used on a small country service between Antrim and Portglenome. The firm • became more famous when one of the first Irish long-distance ear
_vices was introduced on the 68 miles of road between Belfast and Portrush. This service achieved popularity from the outset, and it was followed by the introduction of the Belfast to Dublin line, which was hailed by the fay press as distinctly novel because it crossed the frontier between NorthernIreland and the Irish Free State. Tim inauguration of the cross-Belfast service was yet another, notable move on the part of the firm.
Mr. Catherwood, the principal of the firm, possesses all the business acumen of the Ulsterman, combined with a personal rectitude which appeals strongly to Irish psychology. As an example of the latter it may be mentioned that he refuses to allow any of his services to operate on Sunday, but the result of that has been to the advantage of the firm, for what is lost on Sunday, traffic Is counterbalanced by the popularity of the week-day services.