The Edinburgh Transport Conference
Page 41
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Passenger Vellicle Operators and Manufacturers Combine to Make an Instructive and Enjoyable Meeting
Municipal Transport in the Scottish Capital THE Annual Congress of the Tramways, Light Railways and Transport Association is always one of the most
popular and interesting functions of the year. It combines a considerable amount of business with pleasurable social activities and interesting visits to works, notable view places, etc. The Association is particularly appreciated by the industry, as an important part of its membership is drawn from this source.
This year the 27th Annual Congress is being held at Edinburgh and concludes to-night. The proceedings opened on Wednesday at 9 p.m., with an informal reception by the chairman of the council, Mr. T. E. Thomas, Del.Inst.T. On Thursday there was an official reception by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, the Rt. Hon. Louis. S. Gumley. Then followed the 40th annual general meeting, and the List paper. After lunch the members visited the works of the City of Edinburgh Transport Department, where tea was provided, and the annual dinner and dance took place in the evening.
Interesting Transport Problems in Auld Reekie.
We will now give digests of the papers. The first read was "Edinburgh's Municipal Transport System," by Mr. R. McLeod, the transport manager.
Edinburgh is built on the heights, surrounded by hills on the south, east and west. To the north is the Firth of Forth. The undulating nature of the ground not only gives it a picturesque character, but determines the layout of its streets and squares. There are no continuously level streets, but winding and often steep inclines. It covers 62,402 acres, is 114 miles long and 8 miles broad, has 368 miles of streets and a population of 439,000 in 1931.
The transport of school children is a real problem, which the manager is aiming to organize, if he can obtain the sympathetic co-operation of the school authorities to delay the opening hours of the secondary schools, in particular. The corporation alone has 100 schools, accommodating 70,000 -children.
The evolution of the public transport was from horsed trams in 1874, cable trams commencing in 1888. The lease to private operators expired in 1919, and the corporation took complete control.
Twelve buses were introduced as a complement to the tramways in that year; they also maintained the services during the conversion of the cable routes.
Since 1919 rapid progress has been made, the trams having increased to 360, whilst the bus services have been extended until there are now 19 operating over 16 routes and covering 65-imiles within the city, the fleet numbering 193. Many districts of the city am unsuitable for trams, and in these districts buses do the work. The latter, have also proved particularly valuable in providing transport for new housing estates.
At the end of 1920 the combined revenue was £510,600. This grew to £1,057,300 for the financial year ended May, 1936. Passengers have increased from 79,000,000 to 188,500,000 (429 journeys per year for each member of the population), The mileage grew from 5,750,000 to 8,750,000 and the employees from 1,661 to 3,065.
Fares are claimed to be as low as any in the country and workmen's return bus fares are on the same basis as on the trams. There is a minimum fare of 3d. return to all travelling before 7,45 a.m. Children under four travel free; those over four and under 14 at id. for ordinary 2d. and 3d. stages, and lid, for 4d. stages on buses. Up to 16 they may have scholars permits at 2s. per annum, valid during school sessions. These enable travel for any distance on one vehicle for a Id, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays, and 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Permits also entitle those who travel on two vehicles to purchase id. transfer tickets, and allow travelling on two cars or one car and one bus in each direction.
Free passes are issued to the blind and to soldiers and sailors who have lost lower limbs in the war. Holders of such passes must be resident or employed in Edinburgh.
Town councillors and employees of the department have free passes, whilst officials from corporation departments can purchase -special season tickets at £12 per annum, limited to travel during business hours. Season tickets are issued at reduced rates to nurses.
The police department pays £450 per annum to permit officials in uniform to travel free.
Ticket-issuing and printing machines are in use on the tram services, and experiments are being made with these on the buses.
The department maintains 42 private cars for corporation use, 12 chauffeur-driven and 30 hired to departments for officials who drive themselves. All the latter are replaced yearly under contract, and. at least one of the former. The department also owns 31 lorries, which not only carry out its work but are hired to other depart. meats.
A parcels-delivery service is operated in conjunction with the trams and buses. The parcels are handed over to boys at certain points and transferred to the central parcels office for sorting and delivery, the latter being carried out by a fleet of motor vehicles. Parcels received by 6 p.m. are delivered the same evening. There is an arrangement between the department and the local bus company whereby parcels may be accepted for delivery to country districts. Conductors have boxes of labels and labels may be issued to consignors. There is a large number of selling agents, principally small shopkeepers, throughout...the city. Labels are sold at a discount to business firms and calls are arranged by telephone where the number of parcels for delivery is sufficient.
The Garage and Maintenance System.
At the ShrubhilI works the main repair work on the bus chassis is carried out, the equipment including a magnetic crack detector, chemical degreasing tank, cylinderboring machine, cylinder grinder, etc.
Bus bodiescan be rebuilt or repaired and the 60 allmetal type, now in service, have proved most efficient.
The bus fleet is kept at the Central Garage, which was originally the Industrial Hall. The beating system here consists of a series of steam pipes, between which air is blown by electric fans, louvres directing the air towards the floor. In summer the fans act as air circulators. A duct approximately 3 ft. square stretches across the width of the garage and has numerous gratings. This extracts the fumes by a large fan. Lighting is by Osira lamps. Metering columns for oil fuel and petrol are on a platform over the main entrance, the hoses being suspended from roof trusses. The oil fuel passes through a centrifuge before being supplied, and used oil passes through an electrically heated oil plant. Testing plant for sprayers, nozzles and oil pumps has been installed. An air compressor charges high-pressure air-bottles, which are mounted on small barrows. • All vehicles are inspected nightly in respect of essential items and the docking system is most carefully organized.
The .capitaI expenditure for the whole undertaking up to May, 1936. was just under £4,000,000, and of this no less than £3,000,000 has been repaid, whilst the reserve funds amounted, last year, to £400,000.