WHAT THEY SA1 F HARROGATE
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THE official welcome given to delegates, to the Fourth Annual Conference of the Public Transport Association by the Mayor of Harrogate was delayed for some minutes while many .members saw the ladies off by coach on a tour. The Mayor humorously remarked that he was not certain whether this was solicitude for the ladies or anxiety to see that they had actually gone..
The chairman of the council, Mr. Raymond W. Birch, mentioned that the membership of the Association totalled 454, and they represented 48,455 public passenger vehicles in this country. He referred to the joint representations made by representatives of the makers, bodybuilders and operators to the Minister of Transport regarding the box dimensions of public-service vehicles. TheY.liad been pressing for a maximum length of 30 ft. for four-wheeled singledeckers, but the Minister had refused to allow more than his previous offer of 28 ft. in lieu of the present 27 ft. 6 ins. The chairman reiterated the determination of the Association to continue to press for the concessions sought.
The fuel position regarding the allowance in respect of excursions and tours was also still unsatisfactory, despite the slight alleviation.
D1SCUSSION on the paper, " Modern Aids to Road Traffic Flow," by Mr. G. F. Sinclair, C.B.E,, was opened by Mr. C. F. Klapper. He said that passengers for buses often had to walk 200-300 yards to the next seop, and this was getting away from Shillibeer's idea
that a bus should stop anywhere. Now, regulations separated the stops fairly widely, and in one part, near the centre of London, the distance between stops on one service was 650 yards. Buses existed to some extent for the convenience of passengers, and this distance was too much.
Mr. Sinclair said that the whole economy of bus operation was wrapped round the number of stops per mile. A return to Shillibeer's conception would increase costs out of all proportion. tt was in the interests of the public to keep costs low.
Mr. C. B. Barratt asked for information on the treatment of the aluminium alloy referred to by the author.
Mr. Sinclair said that he would be able to give the results of tests, In the assembly of units of this material, the use of a chromic primer and then protection by aluminium paint gave excellent results against corrosion.
Mr. A. $. Twiddle said that the restrictions on the size of vehicles had militated against designing a satisfactory bus for use here. He wondered whether the Minister really understood hit subject. The use of wider buses • would be helped by the removal of parked cars. Height was largely controlled by bridges; a low-bridge-type bus was not very satisfactory. It was possible with an orthodox layout to seat 44, all facing forward in a singledecker, but what was wanted was 30 ft. on two axles. This was not an enormous vehicle, but most modest. Care must be taken with aluminium alloys, and a thorough examination made of fatigue strength. He asked if a vehicle properly built in light alloys would really achieve a great saving in weight.
Mr. Sinclair replied that a length that was suitable for one town might be unsatisfactory for another. As regards weight saving with light alloys, a true comparison was needed.
Mr. G. E. Liardet was horrified at the author's statement that engine starters caused most involuntary stops. With the modern axial type, the pinion did not engage at high speed. The move ment of about in. took only 0.0052 sec., during which it turned through far less than one degree, which merely assisted in preventing mis-engagenient Often starters gave 100,000 miles of satisfactory service.
Mr. A. T. Priddle also championed the starter. He thought theresults given had been based on a pre-war fleet. There had been a tremendous amount of fundamental ..research an starters. To produce a constantengagement type would be expensive, and it would occupy much space. The gas turbine, although in the air, • was
not just around the corner when costs Were considered. It used 0.7 pint of fuel against the piston engine's 0.5 pint.
Mr. Sinclair still thought it fundamentally wrong to insert a moving pinion into 'a stationary rack. He suggested the possibility of a magnetic clutch. Even with the axial starter a careless user could iaserl the pinion at the wrong time.
Mr. D. M. Sinclair thought " operational research" merely a new name for a common practice. Responsible operators did not control their services by rule-of-thumb methods; there was much research. It was expensive to have .. public relations departments .0 make excuses to the . public—good service should be given at the right • price.
• The public service vehicle must not be Pushed from main streets and busy thoroughfares, although there was still much congestion caused by car parking. The large roundabout held up traffic and threw bad strains on heavy vehicles, particularly double-deckers.
American operators believed in providing comfortable seats to attract passengers during slack periods and ample standing room for peak loadings. Even in New York there were vehicles 8 ft. 6 ins, wide having 50 seats and carrying 70 standing. These operated in congested streets. All British operators wanted, was to run on two axles vehicles now legal on three.
He was glad the author was in favour of underfloor engines. They would oust other types, and the chassisless bus would come along, There would now be bus builders rather than separate chassis and body makers. He preferred all-metal bodies, which required Jess maintenance than timber structures. Light alloys would be used more, even for back axles. Many failures had occurred because of insufficient knowledge. Users shopld obtain the advice of experts.
There would be a much wider use of independent front-wheel suspension. To do this with rear wheels was more difficult, but, ultimately, all wheels would be independently sprung. Hydraulic transmission might cost more in fuel, but it more than compensated in other directions.
Th.: author said that the underfloor engine would provide more room and permit a stronger front for the doubledecker.
Mr. R. I. H. Longman said that the paper seemed more concerned with design than with fare collection, but he would like views on the use of ticket machines to speed up traffic flow.
Mr. Sinclair said that the value of such machines was in the operating statistics they gave. Loading and unloading were aided by the unit-fare system, and from that point of view he could not see improvement on pulling a ticket from the top of the pack.
"r1HERE was a combined discussion of 1. the two papers, "Extended. Touring in Britain,by Mr. J. Amos, 0.B.E.. Minst.T., and "A Few Thoughts on Extended Tours," by Mr. W M.
Drayers. • In opening, the chairman, Mr. Birch, a4 mentioned that Mr. Amos's company, the Scottish Motor Traction Co.. Ltd., was claimed to be the largest operator of tours in this country, running 64 every day from Edinburgh; in addition, there were 20 extended tours per week. The company's own express services brought the tourists from London.
"Mr. A. F. R. Carling said he shared the enthusiasm concerning both papers, but hoped that not too many repressed operators of stage carriages would seek the spice of life in extended tours. They were no Klondyke.
Service to passengers and a good standard of hotels were required, and he emphasized the danger of cancelling tours, which affected both the public and hotels. There was a tendency among agents to organize tours, but if there were only a small response, to
hand the bookings to experts. Such a tour was an dncentive to young drivers, who should be interviewed beforehand by the traffic manager and the engineer. These men would be graduates to an interesting and appreciated form of work.
Mr. Amos said that touring now was difficult, particularly in respect of hotel expenses, but the S.M.T. would guarantee to run any tour with only six bookings. He had a great regard for the bus driver, and although some men were more suitable for touring, the openation of stage carriages was just as important.
Agents should certainly not run their own tours. People might be brought together by advertisements and operation might be illegal.
Mr. Dr-avers drew attention to the road from Callendar to the Trossachs Which at one time was restricted to 20
seaters, although the capacity allowe now was 29. There are many wars than this, but no restrictions had bee thought necessary.
Mr. E. L. Taylor said both the paper were refreshing, and gave scope fo "adventure." He referred to the excel lent work of the Travel Association which was little known here. We, unfor tunately, had a national tendency ti deprecate ourselves, despite the fact tha we had plenty to offer. It was irnpor tant to remember, he said, that it wa the unfamiliar that attracted.
Mr. Dravers emphasized the need fo supporting the Travel Association; Mr Amos also said that we suffered fron undue modesty. We must tell the work what we have to sell. We should talc( our own people about here and brink others in.
The chairman, in referring to the National Parks and Countryside Bill. said this was just another example of innocent-looking, grandmotherly legislation to protect something or somebody from something or somebody else, which was being poured out, but which often proved dangerous. Constant vigilance was necessary, and a Live and representative association was required successfully to combat such action.
AT the annual dinner at the Grand Hotel, Mn. Raymond Birch asked why they should not have 30-ft. singledeckers and suggested burning the old files at the Ministry of Transport and starting again. The Ministry must have had to find extra accommodation to house the 31 tons of maps of routes for 8-ft. vehicles. As a new colour scheme for B.T.C. buses, he suggested spilt milk and scrambled eggs.
Mr. D. R. Lamb, president of the Institute of Transport, said that transport had had a hectic time ever since the first world war, but we now had the most widespread and the best public passenger transport service in the world.
Mr. J. S. Wills referred to the great progress which had been made by an industry which Mr. Morrison had described as "ripe for nationalization."
Replying to the toast of the chairman, proposed by Mr. R. I. H. Longman, Mr. Birch said that they had no gloomy forebodings concerning the Association, and it would come to Harrogate for another conference in A.D. 2001.