The Motor Omnibus World.
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
More About the Amalgamation.
It is not often that a weekly journal is able to publish news of public interest and importance a clear 24
hours ahead of the daily Press, TIIE COMMERCIAL MOTOR " did that seven days ago.
Practically the whole of the main clauses of the agreement were settled and signed on Tuesday of last week, although certain .matters reserved were not agreed until last Thursday. It was on Thursday' afternoon last, that the official notification was sent to the Press Association.
A Re-valuation.
The writing-down of capital, which we assessed at a sum of not less than ..4;600,000, will be on the: basis of .a fresh valuation of the two companies' rolling-stocks, spare parts, tires, buildings, and equipment, etc. It is pro. bable that the freehold properties of the London General Omnibus Company will bring out its assets in a favourable light, notwithstanding '[he very con
siderable depreciation in other respects, and in more than one department.
Notices to Shareholders.
As we go to Press, the official notices to the shareholders in both the companies are not available, as the wording and form of these have called for
Orolonged 'consideration. We anticipate that they will be public property by the time this number is in the hands of our readers, and we shall have occasion to refer to their contents next week at some length, and in detail:
No Money Wasted.
The exact title of the company will remain the London General Omnibus Company, Limited, as the directors have thought it inexpedient to incur the great extra expense which would be involved in the registration of a new company at Somerset House. This initial economy is of good augury.
The Administrat on.
With Mr. Samuel Wheeler as chairman, and Mr. J. Lulham Pound as vice-chairman, the company will have expert direction, whilst Mr. Clarence Freeland and Captain Wilfrid Dumble, R.E., who are, respectively, managing director and general manager of the Vanguard and the London General Companies at present, will act as joint general managers. Captain Dumble's• record was detailed at some length in our issue of the 21st February, 1907, since which date he has won golden opinions at the L.G.O. offices. Mr. Freeland, who may he looked upon as the doyen of public-service managing directors, having regard to his original appointment with the London Motor
Omnibus Company, Limited, and to his prior experience at Brighton, is also well known and liked in the industry.
A Dignified Retirement.
Sir John Pound, Baronet, an ex-Lord Mayor of London,. and the veteran chairman of the London General Omnibus Company, Limited, has asked to be relieved of his onerous duties, and he will seek a well-merited retirement after a service to that company which dates back more than 30 years. We trust that ample expression will be given to the proposal for a presentation which we forecasted last week.
The Head of the New Concern.
The huge combination will have a good and experienced chairman in Mr. Wheeler, who is a chartered accountant by profession, and was for some time Official Receiver for the Isle of Wight, after which, for many years, he was attached to the High Court as Official Receiver of Companies. During that term of office he conducted, for the Board of Trade, many investigations of great public interest, and subsequently retired-from his official position to take up the deputy-chairmanship of William Whiteley, Limited. He then became chairman of the Motor Bus Company, Limited, in March, 1906, some few months after its incorporation, and, on the amalgamation of the four contributory companies, he became chairman of the Vanguard Motorbus Co., Ltd., Effect Upon Prices.
The reception of our announcement on the Stock Exchange, and its immediate quotation in a large number of daily papers—ahead of the official notification to the Press Association—will have been noted by our readers. A slight depreciation of London General stocks resulted, but there was a tendency of Vanguard stocks to harden.
Electrobus Company's7Activities.
The illustration on page 13 of one of the Electrobus Company's II vehicles is interesting. The company has made use of the panels and boards for the advertising of its own business, alternative methods which it desired to employ not being in accordance with the regulations of the Metropolitan police. The brilliant lighting and quiet running, of these vehicles are rendering them Very popular with the public, whilst they still maintain the penny fare from Charing Cross to the Bank.
A Clarkson char--bancs, being the third of a series on order, has just been shipped to Barbados.
An Armstrong-Whitworth bus is running on the Vanguard Company's Service No. i. It is fitted with a De Dion radiator and bonnet.
The total number of motor omnibuses "in commission" in London has, at last, reached one thousand, and it will thus be seen that steady progress has been made with new omnibuses to meet Scotland Yard requirements.
Unity at Harrogate.
The Harrogate Road Car Company, Limited, has acquired the Clarkson omnibuses which were recently introduced into this popular Yorkshire Spa by a rival undertaking. The whole of the vehicles are under the engineering charge of Mr. E. W. Fuller, whose successful control of the Clarkson vehicles at Torquay made his reputation as a road-traction engineer.
The Effect of Bad Roads.
We are delighted to see that at least one of the London omnibus companies is cutting down or transferring services where the roadways are in exceptionally bad condition. No better plan of campaign exists for bringing into force the influence of ratepayers upon local committees and officials, as has been amply proved in the cases of certain services of the Great Western Railway Company.
Electric Omnibuses for Brighton.
Applications for licenses to run electric omnibuses in Brighton came before the Town Council at its last meeting. The Watch Committee recommended that one of these should be favourably considered, provided the applicant was willing to agree to provide a service of such electric motorbuses along a particular route. A motion against this condition was moved, seconded, and carried by a majority of two, so that the new licensee will not be tied to a service which might possibly prove unrem unerative.
An anonymous letter, signed " A Union Jack Regular," has reached us. We shall be pleased to publish it if the Writer will send his name and address as a guarantee of good faith.
Star Omnibus.
Following the notice which appeared in our last issue, the Shareholders of the Star Omnibus Company, Limited, have resolved upon voluntary liquidation, Messrs. W. A. Perry and R. Stray being appointed joint liquidators.
A Presentation.
Mr. A. G. Duncan, lately in charge of the order department of the Vanguard Motorbus Company, Limited, and previously in charge of that company's fleet of Scheibler vehicles, has been the recipient of a handsome marble clock, at the hands of the memhers of the cifimpany's staff. He now takes up a post with Messrs. A..Oppen_ heimer and Company.
New Services.
On Sunday last, the Vanguard Motorbus Company started two new services (Nos. to and II) in the Eastend of London. No. to service runs between Leytonstone and the " Elephant and Castle," via Stratford, Mile End, Aldgate and London Bridge. No. mm service runs between Seven Kings and the" Eleithant and Castle," via Ilford, Manor •Park, Forest Gate, Stratford, Mile End, Aldgate and Lon
don Bridge. Both these services are running in direct competition with municipal tramwaysrever their entire lengths, with the exception of a short distance in the City of London. It will be interesting tolearn to what extent the motorbuses will be able to compete successfully with the low fares of the trams. In consequence of the new Vanguard service topven Kings., the Great Eastern Lori on Motor Omnibus Company has extended its Seven Kings and Stratford service to the " Elephant and Castle," so that the two services run in competition, over the whole distance, in addition.
Mr. Percy Frost Smith will read the next paper before the Society of Road Traction Engineers—at the Hotel Cecil, on the 23rd instant.
London Street Fires.
From the annual report of the Chief Officer of the London Fire Brigade, issued on Saturday, it appears that, during 1907, a total of 27 fires broke out on motor omnibuses on the road, due to the following causes : defective electric circuit, 1; friction of machinery, ; light thrown down, I; leakage of petrol, 3; mineral-oil lamp upset, 1; overflow of petrol, 18; overflow of petroleum, I; unknown, 1. Eleven fires occurred in motorcabs on the road, the following being the
causes returned : lamp upset, 1; overflow of petrol, 4; spontaneous ignition, 1; unknown, I; vapour of spirit coming into contact with flame, 1; vapour of spirit coming into contact with lamp, 1, and with light, 2.
Todmorden's Situation.
The situation at Todmorden is of interest in more than one sense. The Borough lies in a positively mountainous district, and is almost impossible for electric traction, witness to this fact being found in the provision by it of a blank stretch between the tramway systems of Lancashire and Yorkshire. The Lancashire system, passing through Rochdale and Littleborough, reaches nearly over the hills to Todmorden on that side, whilst, on the Yorkshire side, the municipal electric tramways, which run continuously from Leeds, through Bradford and Halifax, to Hebden Bridge, end at a point only some five miles short of Todmorden. This position of splendid isolation probably intensifies the feeling of disappointment at the very serious financial loss upon the motorbus undertaking. Representatives of this journal have on two occasions visited Todmorden, in order to study the circumstances on the spot, but we have refrained from comment of a condemnatory nature, so difficult are the conditions. At the same time, our view upon the situation may be gathered when we record our opinion that motorbuses must have suitable work to render success possible, and must also be under experienced and efficient management from the start. In addition, some provision must be made for regular overhauling, especially where very long day shifts are worked, and some precautions must be taken against excessive overloading, and otherwise against the running to death of machines during the first few months of their service.