BbURNEMOUTH STUDIES THE WOLVERHAMPTON TROLLEY-BUS SYSTEM
Page 63
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Extracts from the Deputation's Report, Including Some Figures Which Reflect Favourably Upon the Trackless Trolley Vehicle
MHE Tramways Committee of Bournemouth Corporation is to hold a special meeting to consider the report made by members of the corporation appointed to inspect the trackless trolley-bus system of Wolverhampton. It has taken Wolverhampton Corporation eight years to replace the different sections of its tramways with a trolley-bus system, and it hopes to repay the whole of the outstanding tramway debt of £150,000 by March 31st, 1931. At present in Wolverhampton there are 70 trolley vehicles and 71 petrol buses. Of the 70 trolley vehicles, 32 are single-deckers and 38 are six-wheeled double-deckers. Of the 71 petrol buses, 46 are single-deckers and 25 are six-wheeled double-deckers.
It has been found from experience in this city that where a more frequent service than 20 minutes is required it is Preferable to install trolley-buses and to do away with the motorbuses.
In doing away with the tramway system, the road authority has tried two systems of road reinstatement, but sufficient experience has not yet been gained as to which is preferable. In the one case the rails urc taken up and the road
is made good by the road authority, at a cost varying from Sc. 6d. to 8s. 6d. per yard super, the average price being Sc. This price, having regard to the tramway area, would work out at between £3,000 and £4,000 per mile for reinstating the roadway. In the other system, the road authority covers the whole of the surface of the existing setts and tramway rails, without disturbing them in any way, with a layer of synthetic asphalt between 2 ins. and 3 ins. thick. In this case the usual amount of 3-in. kerb showing is reduced, and is practically only I in. to 1 in. The cost of this mode of road surfacing could not be given at the time the members of the council were in Wolverhampton. The members, however, were able to inspect a Portion of the road so treated which had been laid four years ago, and it seemed in a very fair condition: The
road authority were not in favour of this system, however, on account of the small depth of kerb showing.
Current is taken on most of the system from the corporation electricity works, and the transport department is paying to the electricity department practically 1d. per unit. For the district outside Wolverhampton, current is obtained from Dudley Corporation station at the price of 1.15d. per unit, in Bournemouth current is supplied from the corporation's generating station at 0.70d. per unit. The cost of' running the trackless trolley vehicles per mile in Wolverhampton comes out at 10.38d., and the cost of running motorbuses works out at 12.299d. per mile, a difference in favour of trolley-buses of some 2d. per mile run.
The amount of current used for propulsion of the trackless trolley-bus works out at 1.5 unit per mile, as against 2.43 units per car-mile on the existing tramways in Bournemouth. The weight of a double-deck trolley-bus loaded is 12 tons, as against 18 tons for one of the largest tramcars loaded.
On the present system in Wolverhampton the double-deck trolley vehicles are installed with Rees-Stevens motors of the regenerative-control compoundwound type, with a horse-power of 60, capable of overload of 50 per cent., i.e., up to 90 h.p. Under this system a vehicle going downhill geneirates current and returns it to the line for feeding other vehicles.
The average speed of the trolley-buses, including all stops, at Wolverhampton works out at 9.436 m.p.h. The average speed, at the present time, of the Bournemouth Corporation tramcars is about 8 m.p.h The averap speed of the motorbuses in Wolverhampton, working under better conditions because they are practically long-distance vehicles, comes out at 8.607 m.p.h. The average speed of the buses at present run by Bournemouth Corporation is about 10 m.p.h.
Particular interest was taken in the turning point at Swanbank Green. Here tha trolley vehicles can come to a stop, reverse a bus length, anti return again to the centre of the town, the action of the overhead equipment being automatic,