In Public Service.
Page 12
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Considerable motorbus extensions in and around Edinburgh are projected just now.
Heston and Isleworth U.D.C. is testing an electric motorvan for the collection of house refuse.
The past season has been a very satisfactory one for char-a-banes owners ; we shall write more of this in an early issue.
The general manager of the Warrington tramways is reporting upon the tenders that have been received by the Council for two motorbuses.
The L.G.O.C. 42-mile service, from Bromley to Westerham Hill, with a return fare of 2s. 2d., incidentally serves the bungalow town at Cudham.
Farnborough (Hants) U.D.C. requires tenders for the supply of a 250-300-gallon motor fire-engine, and these are to be lodged on or before the 10th prox.
Recent orders for Dennis fireengines include one each from the Corporations of Luton, Letchworth, Rotherham, Wakefield, Birmingham (repeat), and West Ham.
Caterliara U.D.C. has granted 35 licences to the L.G.O.C., in respect of a new and circular route from Purley via the Caterhs,m Valley, Godstone, Redhill and Merstham
Shoreham and Portslade are to be experimentally connected, by motorbus, and the service will be run by the Brighton, Hove and Preston United Omnibus Co., Ltd.
The Gravesend and Northfleet Electric Tramways Co., Ltd., has been granted licences by the Rochester Town Council to run two motorbuses and a motor char-abanes.
We are advised that the order of the Coventry City Council is for Maudslay motor omnibuses, and we therefore desire to correct a different report which appeared in our pages last week.
The Yorkshire (Heavy Woollen District) Tramways, Ltd., will test the traffic upon various new routes by means of a Daimler motorbus. A single-deck body will be fitted, and each trial will be made for a considerable period--probably not less than two months.
Manchester taxicabs are at last to be allowed to use taximeters upon an intelligent basis, according to the latest developments in that city. Hitherto, whilst it was compulsory that a taximeter should be fixed to each motorcab, anomalies in the local by-laws and regulations, and particularly the option to hire taxicabs by time alone, rendered the use of such instruments in Cottonopolis a matter' of inconvenience—rather than of convenience—to the public.
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The total of licensed motorbuses plying for hire on the London streets on the 30th of last month was 3319. This shows a decrease of threa as against the preceding month.
The receipts. of thp National Steam Car Co., Ltd., for the nine days ended 3(ti-h September, 19)3, were £513f, This shows an increase of 22158 over the corresponding period of 1912.
The receipts of '6e Tramways (3/1.E.T. Omnibus Co., Ltd. for the week ended 27th September, 1913, were 29681, and for the Gearless Omnibus Co., Ltd.' £645. These show an increase of 2753 and 240 respectively as against the previous week.
At Kribi, the chief exporting port through which most of the South Cameroon rubber/ is exported, a company has been formed for regularly working both passenger and freight automobiles between the coast and the interior. The Colonial Government Council has already decided to spend a million marks on road improvement in South Cameroon, and the next budget will contain further grants for a like purpose, so that, in the absence of railroads, the new company's venture should be successful. The company in question is called the " Sudkameruner Lastautomobil-Gesellschaft."
Cirencester U.D.C. is at last moving in the matter of motor equipment, after several discussions, and much close voting.
The West Bridgford U.D.C. has oruered five Dennis motorbuses, per A. R. Atkey and Co., Ltd., tho Nottingham and District agents for the Dennis Co.
Todmorden Makes Good.
Todmerden Corporation, after long years of doubt, is now satisfied, according to the Mayor of the Borough, that its motorbus undertaking is paying well. The Committee in charge of these vehicles, after tolerating all kinds: of criticism, appears now to have surmounted its difficulties.
Birmingham Pays £30,600.
Birmingham Corporation has arranged to acquire the motorbus undertaking in Birmingham of the Birmingham Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., at an agreed price of 230,600. The purchase price concerns 30 motorbuses, together with certain plant and garage equipment. The vehicles are of Tilling-Stevens manufacture. A more general future use of motorbuses is omitemptated by the Municipality.
From New Zealand.
Three new companies have recently been registered in New Zealand: the Dominion Motor Vehicle Co., Ltd., with a capital of £4500; the Pacific Motor Co., Ltd., with a capital of £4000; and the Rink Taxis, Ltd., with a capital of 2:30000. The registered offices of the companies are situated in Wellington, Dunedin and Christchurch respectively. A company todeal with the motorbus service on the Pangoroa road, which it is proposed shall have a capital of 2i000, will probably be called the Wellington East Coast Motor Co., Ltd.