Passing Comments
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20,000 Coach Outings THE private contract work of London Transport is a section of the commercial department and is not something new, nor has it arisen out of nationalization. It began in the days of the old London General Omnibus Co. Ltd., and there exists a record concerning a party of Americans who hired a B-type bus to take them to Scotland, despite its solid tyres, hard seats and open top.
This private-hire business in the London Transport area has expanded steadily and the volume of traffic has increased to an unprecedented degree since the end of the war. In the early days, no limit was imposed on distance, but on the formation of the Board in 1933, the radius of operation in general was restricted to 10 miles beyond the perimeter of the L.P.T. area. The setting up of the British Transport Commission brought an extension of the radius to 100 miles from 55 Broadway, but the 1953 Transport Act has restored the position to that existing in 1933.
The private-hire office has its own fleet of 40 coaches, of which 25 are 35-seaters and the remainder 8-ft.-wide 39-seaters. All have transparent observation panels in the roof. In addition, a number of double-deckers is allocated for contract carriage on A20 weekdays, whilst at weekends there is almost no limit to the number which can be called upon to fulfil private orders. For example, 500 double-deckers were employed in convey persons from all over London to Wembley for the Catholic Rally.
During 1952, nearly 600 individual intineraries were prepared, resulting in 20,000 orders; the mileage on private hire amounted to about
An Old Contemptible?
THE work of lost-property clerks on bus companies I is seldom monotonous and may be quite amusing, or even surprising. Recently an elderly man left on a bus of the Maidstone and District Motor Services, Ltd., a dilapidated attacW case containing his life savings of over £300 wrapped in old envelopes and tea-packets, together with a number of Service medals and some watches.
The loss was reported just before the conductor handed in the case and the loser was soon informed that his property was available. On his arrival at the Gillingham bus station he was asked to check through the cash to see that it was all there, but this did not seem to interest him in the slightest, his first concern was to Make sure that his medals were safe.
Cope Asbestos Jubilee
WERE it not for asbestos, the problem of braking " motor vehicles would be considerably magnified. Immense quantities of this material are used not only in the motor industry but for, many other purposes throughout the world. It is an interesting natural product which it appears impossible so far to imitate by synthesis, or, indeed, to produce any other material which will so well meet the requirements.
A great part in supplying asbestos to the world is taken by the Cape Asbestos Co., Ltd., 112-116 Park Street, London, W.1. The story of the development of this concern and its activities is given in a wellbound book of nearly 90 pages, entitled "Cape Asbestos, 1893-1953."
In a foreword to this Diamond Jubilee issue, Mr. Giles Newton, M.B.E., managing director of the company since 1933, pays special tribute to those who laid the foundations of the company's mining enterprises in South Africa, the first of whom was Francis Oats, a Cornish mining engineer. It is a story of enterprise and determination which should interest many.
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Drills in Blue
NOT long ago, if one " blued" a drill, it was practically finished, at the least, if it was not otherwised damaged, its temper was lost and it would have to be rehardened, ground and tempered. Now high-speed twist drills in the Dormer range are being produced with an original blue finish by the Sheffield Twist Drill and Steel Co., Ltd., Summerfield Street, Sheffield, Ii.
The finish resembles the anodizing of aluminium, in that, by a special process, there is developed on the surface of the drill, a firmly adherent oxide coating a few ten-thousandths of an inch thick, which is claimed to possess peculiar advantages. The drills become almost impervious to rust and, when drilling, the non-metallic characteristics of the surface obviate metal-to-metal contact with the material being drilled, thus minimizing any tendency for chips to become cold welded to the cutting edges.
The coating, being slightly porous, also permits lubricant to be absorbed and this reduces the friction, less heat is generated and the power to drive the drill reduced. Sharpening removes less material.