The Motor Omnibus World.
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Next week—our "All-World Motorbus Special Issue." Three thousand extra copies will be circulated to all parts of the world.
A Thornycroft Performance.
A good record has been established by the Thornycroft motorbus that has been in service between Totton and Fawley. It has travelled upwards of 15,000 miles since it was put upon this route, and has done so without any failure or mishap. During its overhaul at the Basingstoke works, a Thorny. croft char-a-banes has been employed in its place, and both vehicles will be retained on the route during the season.
Birkenhead Buses.
Four Saurer motorbuses, owned by the Mersey Railway Company, which are plying at Rock Ferry, and which are supposed to be at work under the conditions of service ordered by the Court of Appeal (see our issue of the 27th December last, page 364), are reported to be carrying on a general pickup traffic. The Town Clerk of Birkenhead has writtento the Railway Company on the subject, and has intimated that the Town Council will consider its course of action in the matter unless the alleged conduct is abandoned. It seems a pity that the Birkenhead Corporation should adopt this policy of repression, seeing that it makes no adequate provision to afford facilities at the present time for people who wish to get to and from Port Sunlight.
Paris Excursions.
Motorbus excursions now afford another means to visitors of seeing Paris. A 3oh.p. Bayard-Clement omnibuS has been placed on the streets of the French capital, and it covers four different itineraries daily. The starting print is within a few yards of the Opera, and, by taking all four routes, each of which requires about two hours to traverse, the tourist is able to see the exterior of most of the " sights " of Paris. It seems that an Anglo-Saxon, Mr. J. S. Fairlie, has brought this idea across the water, and the probabilities are (writes our Paris correspondent) that the town-touring motorbus will be a success here. The other day Mr. Fairlie gathered together a few friends and journalists, and took them round on an inaugural trip. The Bayard-Clement bus was new to the Paris streets, and the run, accomplished in the busiest time of the day, evoked a lot of curiosity. The general appearance of this
motorbus is very similar to that of any London "double-decker," and the vehicle differs from those of the Brillie make, which are performing public service in Paris, in the disposition of its outside seats, which are of the garden or detached type. In the case of the motorbus making the daily excursions, the outside seats are upholstered in leather, and fold back automatically after the fashion of theatre stall-seats, only at an obtuse angle so as to shield the coverings from rain. As many motorbuses as the requirements of tourists dictate will be run. Reports are current that a settlement of the action of Sidney Straker and Squire, Limited, versus the London General Omnibus Company, Limited, will be made out of court. • The action was down for hearing on the loth instant, and it has now been postponed, by consent of the parties, to the 26th instant. We trust that an amicable compromise may be rachu.d.
The Money in Court.
In the King's Bench Division, before Mr. Justice Pickford and a common jury, Birch Brothers, Limited, recently defended a claim for damage to a passenger upon another omnibus. The plaintiff was mounting the stairway, when one of the defendant company's vehicles caught his arm in passing from behind. Negligence was admitted, and the defendant company had paid ,4:,7; into court, but the jury awarded the plaintiff only L4o, so that judgment was entered for Birch Brothers, Limited.
The Government's View.
The Home Secretary (Mr. Herbert Gladstone) made an important reply, on Monday night, to Mr. Chiozza Money (Paddington) who asked if the attention of the Government had been directed to the loss and inconvenience which had been sustained on omnibus routes in Paddington through the traffic of improperly-constructed vehicles, and if he could give any assurance that more stringent regulations would be enforced in respect of such points as noise, vibration, and emission of vapour.
The Home Secretary said :—" The regulations under which motor omnibuses are licensed were considered and approved by a Select Committee of the House of Commons, and are being strictly enforced. Unduly noisy omnibuses are warned off the streets. In some places the state of the roadway is responsible for most of the vibration and for some of the noise of these vehicles. At the same time, every effort is constantly being made to improve matters, and, in the opinion of the Commissioner of Police, a marked improvement has been effected." A Londoner writes to the "City Press" complaining that motorbuses 'lurch, bump, hustle, stink and snort through the main streets of the City of London at something like 20 miles an hour."
Side-slip Decisions.
The more cases which come before the County and High Courts, the more it becomes clear that every accident which is attributed to side-sbp must be taken on its merits, and dealt with as a particular instance apart from any attempts to establish general principles of law. We may add to our many previous references a brief comment upon two recent cases.
The first of these, before Judge Smyly at the Shoreditch County Court, saw plaintiff's counsel advance the argument that any motorbus was a nuisance, and that it was, in addition, a dangerous vehicle, upon which pleas a verdict was sought against the owners on the grounds, first, that the vehicle had no right to be upon the highway, and, second, that the proprietors were insurers of the safety of the passengers : in the absence of the plaintiff's ability to prove negligence on the part of the defendants, judgment was given for them with costs.
The second case, before Mr. Justice Ridley and a special jury, as the result of which the plaintiff, a lady who claimed ,3oo damages, was awarded .too and costs, deserves to be noted for the reason that, in summing up, .his lordship said, inter dia., that it was true owners were not liable for the results of skidding, but that, if the jury came to the conclusion that what happened was due to negligence on the part of the driver, it did not then matter whether the bus skidded, etc., etc.
We certainly maintain that a motorbus is no more a nuisance because of its liability to skid under certain conditions, than is a horse because of its liability to take fright and bolt under certain other conditions. The causes of mishap must be examined in each and every case before the question of liability, which is really a question of fact, can be determined. B.T.H. Run and Demonstration.
The British Thomson-Houston Company, Limited, of Rugby, placed its 30h.p. Wolseley-Siddeley motorbus at the disposal of the Blackpool Corporation Tramway Committee for the whole of Friday, the 7th instant, on the occasion of the meeting of the managers' section of the Municipal Tramways Association. In order to be
at Blackpool. on .the Thursday eyening-,. it was necessary for the vehicle to leave London on the previous day, and one of our representatives took part in the 'whole of the long run of 259 miles_ The vehicle left the yard of Birch Brothers, Limited, Cathcart Street, Kentish Town, at 5.5 p.m., heading for St. Albans, that town being reached, via Watford, at 7.20
The route taken was by Coventry (2.55 a.m.), Lichfield (3.55 a.m.), • Knutsford (9.0 a.m.), Preston (2.0 p.m.), through to Blackpool (4.50 p.m.) The total time occupied in the entire journey was 23 hours, 45 minutes, . whilst the actual running time was 77
• hours, 45 minutes. The average speed was, therefore, as nearly as possible, 74.6 miles per hour. The six lours lost upon the journey was accounted for by meals, stoppages due to taking wrong turnings, and putting petrol on
board. The excellence of the above average is still further enhanced by the fact that the roads, from London to Warrington, were extremely heavy owing to the almost continuous downpour of rain, which hardly ceased throughout the night of Wednesday, and the early hours of Thursday. The total petrol consumption was 32.5 gallons, which quantity works out at just under 8 miles to the gallon. The vehicle carried four passengers, in addition to food, spares, and baggage.
No stoppage was necessary for adjustment of any part of the -electrical equipment, or the engine and chassis. On arrival at the destination, our representative made an inspection of the commutators and brushes on the generators and the motors, as well as the main switch and the smaller one in the operatingbox attached to the dash. None of the aforementioned parts showed the least wear, although the vehicle had been run for over 3,000 miles, This run to Blackpool, in conjunction with the demonstrations recently made in the Midlands, and the Sheffield district (see page 347 in our last issue), conclusively prove that this petrol-electric system can withstand long and continuous work over all conditions of roads that are to be found in,travelling from one town to another ;
London Wood-paving, or Warringten setts, are passed over with equal ease.
It should be mentioned that, at the outset of the run, the long and steep West Hill, at Highgate, was ascended; this hill has a maximum grade of 7 in 9_76 at one portion of its length.
At Blackpool.
The meeting of the managers' section of the Municipal Tramways Association, to which we have already referred in passing, took place at Blackpool on the Thursday and Friday of last week. On Thursday, these gentle. men, who numbered upwards of 5o, were received at 10.30 a.m. at the Town Hall, by the Mayor of BlacIpcol, Coonc llor S. Hill, J.P., after which the following interesting subjects were in troduced for discussion :—"Accidents,' by Mr. J. Lancaster (Blackpool) " Transfer Tickets," by Mr. L. John. ston (Gloucester)•' " Single Truck am Bogie Cars," by Messrs. J. Dalrympit (Glasgow) and H. Mozley (Burnley) and " Current Consumption," by Mr. C. J. Spencer (Halifax). The discus. sions which followed were of a high!), interesting nature. The first day's business was concluded at 1.30 p.m., when those present repaired to the Hotel Metropole, at the invitation of the Mayor, to partake of luncheon.
The second day's proceedings were opened by the British Thomson-Houston Company's bus from the Imperial Hotel, the headquarters of those taking part in the conference, at io a.m. The vehicle took about 38 gentlemen for a short run on the " Front," before conveying them to the Town Hall at 70.30 a.m. The subjects for discussion upon the second day were reduced to three :— " Air Brakes," by Mr. L. SIottery (Oldham); "Corrugation of Rails," by Mr. H. Mozley, (Burnley), in the unavoidable absence of Mr. A. L. C. Fell (London); and " Observations on Pay, and other Allowances to Motormen and Conductors," by Mr. J. B. Hamilton (Leeds). The discussions under the different heads were concluded about 7.15 p.m., and a luncheon was served at the Hotel Metropole immediately
afterwards. With the exception of those officials who were on the Executive Committee, a meeting of which was called for 4 p.m., the work for the day was over before luncheon, but the " B.T.H." Company's vehicle was again in attendance at the Hotel Metropole, at 3.40 .M., for those who cared to avail themselves of its use, the destination being the electricity works belonging to the Corporation. The visit was most instructive, not the least feature of interest being a large Parsons steam turbine, of nearly 7,600h.p., which was in course of erection. The party next visited the Winter Gardens, and the renowned Eiffel Tower, and the utility of a self-propelled vehicle was strikingly illustrated on this day by the dispatch with which passengers were picked up at the Imperial Hotel, and deopped at the Town Hall. Motor Omnibus World con. Brighton's New Regule.cion.
The following new regulation was adopted, ou the recommendation of the • Watch Committee, at the last meeting of the Brighton Town Council :—"The machinery of the motor omnibus shall be so constructed, used, and maintained, as to prevent, so far as practicable, noise, the emission of smoke or vapour, and the dropping of oil on to the roads, and effective means shall be taken to prevent, as far as practicable, the splashing of mud by the wheels."
Tire Tenders Accepted.
The Metropolitan Asylums Board at its meeting on Saturday accepted the following tenders for tires for the two motor omnibuses now being built to its
order Liversidge and Son, Limited, 196, Old Street, E.C., De Nevers , grooved tires, single, 36 inches by 4 inches front, twin 36 inches by 4 inches hind (guaranteed distance of 10,000 miles) „‘64 16s.; and the Peter Union Tyre Company, Limited, 6, Upper St. Martin's Lane, W.C., Peter Union tires, single, 3 inches front, twin 3 inches back, with set of patent steel rims (guaranteed distance of ro,000 miles) „4",6o
At Todmorden.
A representative of this journal visited Todmorden on Saturday last, when he was received by the Town .Clerk, Mr. Dan Sutcliffe, and the Chairman of the Motorbus Committee. Mr. James W. Wilkinson. We regret that the information in our possession is of a confidential and private nature, but we have permission to announce that it is the Corporation's intention to purchase another omnibus at once, and possibly a sixth one later in the year. Having regard to the circumstances of the visit in question, we cannot 'refrain from expressing the hope that no reflections will be cast upon the motorbus by reason of any statements that may be made upon the results yielded in Todmorden. We do not care to go further in the matter than to make that request at the moment. The Liverpool City Council does not look favourably upon motorbus projects, and its recent decision to defer consideration of the matter for another 12 months is to be noted.
Reaction at Hull.
As was foreshadowed in last week's " Motor Omnibus World," the party of reaction at Hull has referred back the recommendation of the Hackney Carriage Committee in respect of the licensing of four motorbuses for service in the outskirts of the Humber-side city. The agitation against motorbuses is led by members of the Hull Corporation Tramways Committee, and it was entirely due to their pressure that the Chairman of the Hackney Carriage Committee withdrew so much of the minutes as referred to the motorbuses. There appears to be a fear that motoromnibus services will reduce the takings of the Corporation's tramcars, and, if this interested opposition results in the unfair treatment of the proprietor of the motorbuses, it will only be one more concrete example to aid the Commercial Motor Users' Association hereafter in its efforts to secure the insertion of a provision for the right of ap
peal in such cases to the Local Govern. ment Board. It is not unlikely that compromise between the opposing in. terests will result, and that the motor. buses will be confined to routes whiclwill virtually render them feeders to th{ tramcars. We are pleased to observ( that the " Eastern Morning News ' deprecates the antagonism to the adven of the vehicles.
Manchester's Motorbuses.
We are interested to see that the ter Thornycroft motorbuses which wen ()tiered at auction in Manchester las week fetched an average price in execs; of ,300. A large number of peop1( attended the sale in the belief that the) would pick up the machines at litth more than „200, but they were dis appointed. A number of bodies fetchec a little over 4.20 each. The garag( and premises are on offer to a syndi cate, and it is believed that the optior for their acquirement will be duly taker up by a financial group, in which soul( of the shareholders in the old Manches ter and District Motor Omnibus Corn pany, Limited, are interested.
Motorbus Oil Droppings.
The subject of the dropping of oi and grease from motorbuses is agair attracting the attention of the Corn missioner of Police, who has informed the metropolitan borough councils tha the following letter has been sent to th■
different omnibus companies I an directed by the Commissioner of Polict of the Metropolis to acquaint you tha complaints are still being made, especi ally by the various borough councils, o the nuisance caused by oil and greas( being dropped from motor-omnibuses Observation shows that in many case! no provision has been made by proprie tors to prevent this ; also that in man. cases where trays have been fixed the have become defective, and that ir other cases, again, oil is allowed to ac cumulate to such an extent that i splashes over. I am, therefore, to in form you that one month after this dab the regulations on this subject will b, strictly enforced, and any vehicle faun( to be defective in this respect will hi considered to be unfit for public use and dealt with accordingly."