Passing Comments
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Southend Joins the 'TIME will undoubtedly show Ranks of the "NoL Southend Corporation that tram" municipalities it has acted wisely in deciding
upon the complete abandonment of its tramways system. Actually, this step is not altogether surprising, for the corporation has been operating services by trolleybuses since 1925 and, up to the municipal year ended in 1939, it had incurred a gross capital expenditure of £85,090 on the system. The continuance of the trams would have involved an outlay of £E,000 on repairs and renewals—too much to support an obsolete form of passenger transport! By its action, Southend comes into line with otherenterprising authorities which have adopted a similar course.
£12 A Valuable U.S.A. 'THE Public Roads Adminis
Inventory of Trans-L tration in the U.S.A. has
port Facilities . . sent thousands of question
naires to transport concerns in connection with its nation-wide inventory of goodsvehicle and passenger-transport facilities. Incidentally, an agreement was come to between the Administration and the American Trucking Associations, by which independent motor carriers handled the conveyance of the documents, and the envelopes in which they were mailed, from state capitals to the operators. The immense number of the latter can be realized from the fact that there were nearly 6,000 cartons, each some 12 ins. by 6 ins. Think of the paper represented by such a task! Added Danger HE regulation by which Through Use of Side I those lamps not equipped with masks are so strictly lirnited in their emission of light has rendered vehicles far more dangerous in the black-out unless Their masked lamps be employed. On light nights it is excusable to employ only the side lights, but to do so when it is really dark is courting danger, not only in respect of the vehicles concerned, but as affecting cyclists and pedestrians, the latter particularly, as so many still maintain the habit of walking in the road to avoid possible obstacles on the paths, whilst in some districts there are no paths and people are, consequently, compelled to adopt the more dangerous method. At the same time, great care should be taken to see that the mask is properly adjusted in accordance with the re.gulations, so. that the light is not showing above the height of the lamp. as, apart from the obvious risk, they can cause intense dazzle.
Lamps Only . . . .
How a . New Road FATE wails in many curious Peril was Only lust I ways. One sniall incident Avoided may lead to sosnething much greater or avert a dangeil. An example of the latter occurred recently to the Editor of this journal. During a,,car trip with Mr. R. T. Smith, of Pye Transport, a smell of burning was detected in the car. Stopping for 90 secs. to investigate, tlie former discovered to his annoyance that his hat had been burnt through by a cigarette end, Shortly after restarting an aeroplane overtook the car and disappeared over the brow of the next hill. Immediately following this there was a huge pall of smoke. It took about the period of the impromptd stop to reach the scene, when it was found that the aeroplane had crashed on to the road, flooding it with burning petrol and creating an enormous blaze. Mr. Smith turned to the Editor and remarked: "Thank goodness for the loss of your hat, otherwise we would have been just about at the spot."