In Public Service.
Page 10
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Bolton has ordered a Leyland fire-engine, and Blackpool has done the same.
The L.G.B. has sanctioned the borrowing by Barnes D.C. of 21600 for the purchase of two motor fireengmee and appliances.
Melbourne City Council is about to spend 220,000 on the erection of new fire stations, and the purchase of additional motor equipment, Daimler motorbuses have been licensed by the Macclesfield Watch Committee. The vehicles are owned by the British Automobile Traction Co., Ltd.
Torquay Corporation is, for the present, taking no action upon the suggestion that electric motors should be used instead of horse haulage for street watering.
Nottingham Corporation has dropped its application to run motorbuses in the West Bridgford area, and the West Bridgford Council is proceeding with its own Bill.
Retrograde Lambeth.
At the last meeting of the Lambeth Council, on a motion to approve the expenditure of £18,270 to provide new horse stables, Mr. J. C. Mitchell took exception to the proposal, which was referred back by 25 votes to 21. We hope Mr. Mitchell's opposition will be maintained. The scheme is inadmissible, in these days of commercial-motor progress.
The Electrical Engineer of Willesden is advising his Council to purchase a light motor lorry for the purpose of taking out, the jointers in his department to the present inaccessible parts of the district.
The municipal authorities of Vienna will receive tenders, up to the 14th inst., for the supply of about 100 motorbus chassis. The Dirketions Kanzlei, of 9, Favoritenstrasse (I Stock), Vienna IV, will furnish full particulars. The total of licensed motorbuses plying for hire on the London streets on the 31st of last month was 8170-148 up in the month.
The City engineer of Edinburgh has issued an interesting report in favour of self-propelled self-contained tramcar's. Vehicles of the type will be experimentally introduced in Edinburgh before long.
The Tramways Committee of the Brighton Town Council is still hankering after trolleybus schemes, it has been touring several Northern centres, and we hope that it will return to Brighton with no further predilections in this direction.
On Uncertain Ground.
"The Norwood Herald," a journal which is under the impression that motorbuses pay no taxes, in a recent issue in one column was most indignant that Tilling's WoolwichCroydon motorbuses, which have so completely ousted the trams from local public favour, should cost the ratepayers so much for road maintenance, Elsewhere in the same copy we read an enthusiastic request for the motorbus authorities to run a service via Woodside, which it would cost the Tramways Committee £26,000 to install. This, we learn, would be advantageous in that it would cost the ratepayers nothing I Croydon's only chance to maintain the service the public obviously wants is to purchase motorbuses. It has closed one of its tramway routes ; it might as well close others.
A licence has been granted to the Imperial Motor Co., to run a taxicab in Southampton.
A Motorcab Call Co. has been established in Berlin. It has a central station, in touch with all the ranks. Users pay lid. by day, and 21d. by night, to make a call.
New Registrations.
British and Foreign Motors, Ltd., with an authorized capital of 220,000 in 21 shares (15,000 preference), by Mayo, Elder and Co., 10, Drapers Gardens, E.C., to carry on the business of manufacturers of and dealers in motor omnibuses, etc.
Worn Tramrails.
A cutting has been sent to us, in which some remarks by the Westminster coroner, on the occasion of an inquest held on the 21st March last, are quoted. These concern the death of a coffee-stall attendant, who was driving his stall along the Vauxhall Bridge Road, when the wheels skidded on the tramrails near the terminus. The stall struck a refuge, throwing the man into the street, and the stall went over him.
Mr. Ingleby Oddie, the coroner, said he had examined the place, and was inclined to agree that the projection of the flange was about 1 in. Mr. John Willing, the permanent-way engineer to the London County Council, who said the wear was about -1 in., on being pressed by the coroner admitted that the accident was caused by the rails being worn down, and thought they ought to be replaced. The coroner said "this was the kind of accident against which vehicles ought to be protected. These lines were put down under statutory powers and they ought to be kept in such a condition that they were not dangerous."
We can point to hundreds of places in the London streets where the tramlines project fully 1 in., and are therefore dangerous.