LOOKING BACK 15 YEARS.
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IN our last week's issue we described at some length the new doubledeck raille.ss bus which ha s recently been put into service by the Bradford
Corporation, As a covered-top vehicle, this is the first of its kind to be constructed, and, as it therefore represents the lest word in trolley bus design, it is apposite to recall the original type of vehicle from which this design
has developed.
It was in the first few day's of 1906 that the arrival of a novel type of electric vehicle from America was expected in England. This vehicle was designed primarily for use in connection with electric tram systems for the purpose of local parcels delivety end express business. Exhaustive tests in Philadelphia had demonstrated that its use was not necessarily restricted teethes purpose, however, as it was claimed that it would find a large sphere of usefulness as a break-down wagon for tramway. systems, for ambulance work, or for mail service's. The system was the invention of a Mr. Russell Thayer, of Philadelphia.
, Although this vehicle was not fitted with flanged wheels, its gauge woe the same as the trams. It was equipped with a trolley pole and a special electric motor for use with the high voltage current derived from the overhead wires of a tramway system iri the street where those wires existed. In the atreste where there were no overhead wires, or where the current had been cut off from connection, the leery was driven by a 020 low-power motor, the current for which was obtained from a. stet-nage battery— that is by the same method by Which, the ordinary electrically propelled vehicle is operated. The following extract., taken from, one of oar issues published early in January, 1906, is somewhat prophetic in its context : it is doubtful whether these vehicles would hnd an extended sphere in London, where the conduit system is so 'Much in vogue. In the large American cities, where the tramway systems or street railways, as they are styled, are very widespread and 'almost entirely Worked on the overhead system, the new electric lorry should be Ale to make lengthy and commercially valuable journeys by the sole use of the trolley pole end wire. . . . may, however, have useful applications before it in this country, in special. circumstances, . . • ."
Our anticipation of these early years, as. men'y of Our readers will be aware, has proved almost wholly to be correct. The trolley bus has never, to our knowledge, been exploited an the streets in the outskirts of London where overhead wires are installed, although several local authorities in other parts of the 'country have found that this type of vehicle satisfactorily and economically meets the particular requirements of their districts.
COMPETITION between motor Omnibus dompanies running 'vehicles on the London streets began in earnest in1906 with the result that the travelling public benefited by cheap fares. It was possible to travel from Criaklewood to the Law Courts—a distance of 6i miles—for 3d. and this charge yielded a rate per mile which compared favourably with the majority of electric traaion undertakings then in being in the United Kingdom. No competition new'exists in London, the Operation of motorbuses having devolved upon a single corporate body, and, whilst the public have undoubtedly benefited by the existence of this moriokoly in so far as efficiency of ea:Twice is concerned (except;, perhaps, just recently in the late houra of the evenings), itmust be admitted that the existence of a competitive rail-borne' service is also an advantage to the
THE nunabee of motorbuses put, into service in Landon was increased by only 14 vehicles during the first fortnight of January, 1906. The race for the head of the list between the Road' Car Co.and the London Motor Omnibus Co. was very interesting, the younger company leaing with 59 machines as against 57. The Cricklewood-Elephant and Castle ratite had the most frequent service, no less than 69 basses being upon .it, whilst Milnes-Daimler, Ltd., chiefly owing to the fact that they specialized in this branch of the business before other constructors, held the palm amongst the makers with 106 omnibuses' oat of the, total; the Straker-Squire and Bussing machines came next) with the combined total of 46.
EARLY in 1900 the parochial electors of Oxford refused to approve the action of the County Council in regard to electric tramway services. The town clerk, by a series of easy stages at which he assured the Council that he was committing the city to nothing, gradually allowing it to dawn on the members that they were, subject to the supposedly trifling formality of a town's meeting, engaged to go through with a scheme of electrification. which was to east at least 132,000. The Bill had been deposited, and everything seemed in order. The pro-tram party had, however, gauged the local feeling very erroneously, with the result that the Bill was. rejected by an overwhelming 'majority (1,700 votes to 90) in favour of the employment of motorbuses. This triumph for motorbuses gave pattse to other towns whose authorities were dallying with a system that was unsuited to their population and needs. The members of the Eastbourne Clorporation had said, three years previously, that road motors must win, and so far as the development of motorbus services for provincial use is concerned, East'bourne and Oxford have shown the way; both these. localities have stuck hard and fast by their original policy, and each possesses, at the present time, a very fine system of motorbus services.
IN the early days of motorbus operation a, vehicle always gave warning of its approach by the pandemonium of noise which it made ; this feature is one of the vivid recollections which live in
many of our memories of these pioneer machines. The subject, of noise received -full consideration at the hands of the police in the early days Of 1906, when the authorities in. London and Birmingham served notices upon the owners to take suclh vehicles off the streets pending their beingput in proper order. In the capital of'the Midlands no fewer then 11 out of 19 buses 41,1ECe considered in an unfit, stale to have their licences renewed..
Whatever of a condemnatory nature may be said against the latest type of bus in use on theLondon streets, its smooth and silent running is conspicuously noticeable ; what little noise does occur is due rather to the neglected condition of the roads than to any defed in construction.