London Passenger Transport.,
Page 10
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At. the monthly Operating Department Efficiency Meeting of the London Underground Railways and 'Group, held on. Monday, the 26th March, at. the L.G.O.C. Training School, Milman's Street, . Chelsea, there was fin attendance of some 250 members of the control staffs, Mi. IL E. Blain, Operating Manager, presiding.
'A paper, ." Means of London Transit," was given . by Mr. John C. Mitchell, F.C.I.S., Treasurer to the Companies, this being illustrated by an interesting collection of slides. .
After describing the various definitions of the term "London" in use in connection with Local Government, Police, Water and other administrative purposes, Mr. Mitchell gave an historic review of the means of London transit so far as concerned • omnibuses, railways, and tramways, commencing with r the Shillibeer Horse Omnibus of 1829. and tracing its . evolution through the various types of horse vehicles -to the earlier types of motor v.ehiele,'ancl the present motorbus. Interesting particulars with regard to omnibus traffic, from the days when Is, was charged from Paddington to the Bank, the fare including the provision of light literature, were given, also a description of the sale of "times," the term under which' the goodwill to the "right" of operating a bus on a certain time-table, on a certain route was known.
The history of the London general Omnibus Co.
. through its various, developments, of its principal rival the London Road ar Co., and of the various short-lived motor omnibus companies which sprang pp some few years ago, until the present combined attempt to provide the best possible transit facilities, proved exceedingly interesting, and Mr. Mitchell's perSonal connection with the movement enabled him largely-to quote from his own knowledge.
• The second part. of the paper dealt with the development of the various railway systems in London, commencing with the first appearance of the trunk-line railways at a Metropolitan terminus, and
the establishment of the Metropolitan, the District, and the various Tube lines, and the final conversion of the Underground railways from the old days of dirt, smoke and sulphur, to the modern electrified working. The third stage of the paper dealt with tramways in London, and described the ramifications of the various Council and Company undertakings now in operation. Statistics whick were given showed the enormous stimulus to the travelling habit which was given by the improvement of facilities and the offering of transit at reasonable fares, and the whole paper formed an admirable survey of the history and development of transit in London.
The paper was followed by a film of the newlyT electrified portion of the London and South Western Railway, .kindly lent by the latter' after which a discussion was opened by Mr. W. E. Blake, Superintendent of the Line of the Underground Railways, who, by means of five interesting charts, showed the manner in which these had developed within five defined periods, the curious intermingling of mainline railways with the Underground Railways becoming more apparent as each step was traced. Mr. J. P. Thomas, General Superintendent of the L.G.O.C.; then outlined a number of directions in which development in the future should take place, noticeably in connection with economy and scientific application of the use of coal and motor fuel, and a very interesting evening was closed' by a, vote of thanks to Mr. Mitchell, passed on the motion of Messrs. W. C. Burton and Murray Griffith, two members of the Board of Directors.
Join the C.M.I.J.A.
Owners of Motorbuses,.Motorcabs a• nd Moto• rvans are
invited to apply for particulars—Address, The Secretary, Commercial Motor Users Association, 83, Pall Mall, S.W.