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LONG DISTANCE SERVICES RUN from TYNESIDE.
Page 140
Page 141
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Details of Existing and Contemplated Enterprises. Daily Services Having Big Mileages. The Motorbus Connects Newcastle with London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Other Important Centres. •
A LTEIOUGH motorbus concerns 11 the north did not take steps until fairly recently to develop long-distance services by road motor, many of them have made big strides since their interest was first evoked in such enterprises. This is particularly the case in Tyneside districts, which now figure as the starting point for more limited-stop r u n a than most of the big centres throughout the country. The development is not confined to Tyneside, however, for in the last month or two other north-country centres have become either the established or contemplated termini of many useful services of this nature. So far as Tyneside alone is concerned, during the course of the past eight or nine months five regular long-distance bus routes and one daily summer coach service have been inaugurated, their total mileage being about 1,000. Another 60-mile route between Durham and Whitby is served, convenient connections being made with Scarborough and other adjoining towns, whilst the latest development is a Tees-side to Leeds service, starting from Middlesbrough.
The north, moreover, claims to have pioneered the longest regular service in the country, that from Newcastle to London, the single journey being approximately 280 miles. Incidentally, in conjunction with another recently inaugurated service from Newcastle, it is now possible to make the journey from London to Edinburgh with ,but one change of vehicle.
At the present time nine undertakings are actively interested in the operation of limited-stop services and the controllers of these services is to make them function after the style of the railways. Local vehicles convey the traffic to and from the districts which surround the large towns; in the same manner as the branch-line trains feed the railway expresses. The through vehicles then undertake the task of carrying the passengers from one centre to another.
One of the most successful of the limited-stop services in the north is that which was instituted at the beginning of August of last year by the LeedsNewcastle Omnibus Co., Ltd., which runs coaches between the two towns embodied in the name of the company.
This service is not intended to provide facilities which are competitive with those offered by the railways, but rether to meet the needs of persons who, for a variety of reasons, prefer road travel. The time occupied on the road journey is about 41 hours, as compared with 3 to 31 hours taken by the railway expresses, but a compensating factor is that the return fare for the former is only 1.5s., whilst the railways charge about 24s.
Connections are made with ser
vices worked by other concerns at all the important centres along the route, these including Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Northallerton, Ripon and Leeds. By these arrangements, passengers can travel between practically any two places in the north-eastern area with the minimum of trouble and delay. 1.P.raific on the route is stated to be developing appreciably. At the outset four journeys were made daily in each direction, but it was found necessary to increase the frequency of the service to six journeys each day.
We recently had an opportunity for inspecting one of the vehicles used on this service, in this case a Gilford saloon coach, of which about 10 are at present employed. Although the chassis is constructed to take a 24-seater body, that which is provided only accommodates 20 passengers, thereby giving greater freedom of movement to its occupants.
The distance separating Leeds from the Tyneside area is 98 miles. Every vehicle on the route completes the round trip daily, giving a total mileage for every unit of 196 per day, so that in a full month each vehicle covers between 5,000 and 6,000 miles. An adequate Sunday service is maintained by the company, and this is greatly appreciated by reason of the sparseness of local rail services.
This company is also responsible for the Tees-side-Leeds service. On this route, as in the case of the NewcastleLeeds service, the buses are operated as on a trunk line and convenient connections are made at Northallerton, Thirsk, Ripon and other centres along the route, with the short-distance services radiating from those centres. The distance between the two termini on this route is approximately 75 miles and the return fare is 11s.
The Newcastle-to-London route,which was opened up eight months ago by Messrs. Orange Brothers, of Bodington, is proving popular as an alternative to the somewhat tedious train journey between the two cities. The management allows 12 hours for the journey of 280 miles, ensuring a speed which, it is felt, is safe and yet not too slow.
The route follows the Great "North Road and is by way of Darlington, Doncaster and Grantham. The service was commenced as a semi-weekly one, but at the beginning of October a daily service was put into operation, in consequence of the rapid growth of patronage and business. Vehicles leave the Haymarket, Newcastle, and King's Cross, London, at 8 a.m. daily. Two halts' are made for refreshments during each trip. The return fare is £1 15s., as compared with f3 11s, by train, or £1 single, against the corresponding
rail fare of Li 15s. 6d. • This concern also employs Gilford vehicles, and the comfortably equipped bodies, which are capable of accommodating 24 passengers, were constructed by Messrs. Strachan and Brown.
Another undertaking now running services between Newcastle and London is known as the Majestic Motor Saloons, and, like Messrs. Orange Brothers, it was started on a semiweekly basis of operation, However, the frequency of this firm's services WAS soon increased and; a few weeks age, they began to run on a daily basis. it is interesting to note that W. and G.
saloons, specially constructed for longdistance work, are employed by this concern.
A third service between Tyneside and London is that run by Amos Proud and Co., Ltd., of Choppington. This is a semi-weekly one.
Another important limited-stop service is that operated between Newcastle and Edinburgh, also by Amos Proud and Co., Ltd. The route is via Morpeth. Alnwick, Belford, Berwick, and Dunbar. Vehicles leave the Haymarket, Newcastle, and Regent Street, Edinburgh, at 8,20 am., .m. 12.30 p.m. and 4.80 p.m. daily. The through fare is 10s. 6d. single and 17s. 6d. for the return journey, with proportionate charges for intermediate rung. This company employs a fleet of Leyland Lion 31-seater, pneumatic-tyred, saloon buses, together with a number of 35seater vehicles, also on pneumatics. It is now augmenting the fleet by the purchase of a number of Leyland Tiger 32-seaters with internal heating.
Another long-distance service is between Newcastle and Glasgow, and this is maintained by the Novocastrian Motorways. The route is via Carlisle, Lockerbie, Beattock and Hamilton, and although three journeys were at first made in each direction weekly, on February 1st a daily service was started. The fares are : single 13s., return 23s., and a special week-end ticket is available at 20s. for the return journey.
The Tyneside list of limited-stop enterprises has recently been added to by the institution of a service to Manchester -and Liverpool, a distance of about 1.70 miles. The promoters of this venture are Messrs. Taylor and Bunting, of Prudhoe, and a daily service is provided. The return fare for the through trip is 25s. and the single fare 15s.
The Novocastrian Motorways employ the latest-type 25-seater Studebaker saloon buses, specially equipped for long-journey work, gnd Messrs. Bunting and Taylor use Associated Daimler and Thornyeroft machines.
Recent entrants into the field of longdistance work are the County Motor Services, another East Northumbrian undertaking. They run vehicles both to Edinburgh and to Glasgow over other routes than those worked by the rest of the companies operating between these towns. A Newcastle-Carlisle service is provided by Messrs. Emmerson Brothers, who run four trips daily. The return fare charged is 8ss 6d. and the single fare 5e. This firm employs Associated Daimler 'machines.
One of, the most interesting schemes under contemplation is that of the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., which proposes to open up services to, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Liverpool as a preliminary step.
The daily coach service operated during the summer months and already referred I to is that .between Newcastle and Blackpool. This is worked by the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd„ and Ives inaugurated at the commencement eff the 1927 season. The ,through journev of about 150 miles was completed in seven hours, or practically the same time as the journey by rail, the reason for the similarity being that a number of changes had to be made when travelling by railway. The single fare of 12s. 6d. showed a big saving in comparison with the railway charge. The company employed S.O.S. 30-seater, pneumatic-tyred coaches on this service, and vehicles -left both Blackpool and Newcastle at 8 a.m, daily throughout the summer. The service was discontinued on October 24th and, we understand, will be resumed next summer.
Another example of enterprise of this kind in the north relates to the through run which was instituted last summer by the United Automobile Services, Ltd., between Durham City and Whitby, via Middlesbrough, for the convenience of holiday-makers. The company employs a number of forwarddrive saloon coaches and provides a comprehensive and regular service.
A further development in limited-stop services is associated with the Great North of England Omnibus Co., Ltd., an undertaking formed a mouth or two ago and which will start operations in the near future. This is connected with the Leeds-Newcastle undertaking, and the management proposes to open up routes between Middlesbrough and Carlisle, via Stockton Darlington and Richmond, Yorks, and between Newcastle and Nottingham. As a preliminary step a service between Auckland and Ripon will be started this month.
The Blue Band Motor Services, of Middlesbrough, are also contemplating the inauguration, in the near future, of a Tees-side-to-London service.