A TRIPLE SYSTEM 0 ;ENGER TRANSPORT.
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Careful Organization and Selection of Route: Services Run by the Edinburgh Corp se of Suitable Vehicles Have Made the Bus Their Way and Help Out the Trams.
URING a recent visit by us to the Scottish capital, Mr. R. Stuart Pilcher, 1VI.Inst.T., the
Corporation Tramways Manager, was kind enough to afford us an opportunity of inspecting and obtaining particulars regarding the omnibus services run by the Corporation in conjunction with their cable and electric tramway systems. As the title of this article denotes, the buses here have certainly proved a great success, and Mr. Pileher, in his report on the tramways department for the year ended May, 1921, says "I do not think it would have been possible to keep the undertaking from rate relief without the aid of the motorbuses." Such an admission from a tramway superintendent is of the utmost importance, particularly when it is pointed out -flat the actual profit made by the 71 omnibuses and 15 motor coaches employed by the Corporation' was 212,429.
The fleet consists of 29 A.E.C. buses of 45 h.p., and 42 Leyland vehicles of 36-40 h.p., all being 32-seaters of the single-deck type with cross seats, whilst the 15 motor coaches are all of Leyland make, 9 of them holding 27 passengers each and six being 32-seaters. Some of the buses are fitted with entrances at the centre of the near side, whilst in other cases the entrances are at the rear. In the latter type some of the entrances are somewhat narrow, and as the chassis and bodies are overhauled these are being widened in the Corporation workshops. The first bus service was started in December, 1919, the route being from Abbey Hill to Ardmillan Terrace, passing flolyrood Palace and the Royal Mile to the Castle, and through the whole of aAcient Edinburgh. At first the service was a 15-minute one, and the average revenue was £35 per day. This route has now developed considerably, and during the afternoon there is a 4-minute service with an average earning capacity of 2160, and on Saturdays of 2260. The great increase in the latter instance is chiefly because the route touches two First League football grounds ; also it is now run from Leith Links to Slabeford, a distance of 4.4/ miles.
Cable cars have been dispensed with and motor omnibuses substitued for them on 6.21 miles of route, which represents approximately a quarter of the whole mileage covered by the cable cars, and now the total route, mileage of the buses is about 24. This, of course, excludes the char-abanes tours performed by the 15 coaches.
The chief work consists of connecting up the termini ofthe cable trams with outlying districts within the boundaries of t•he city. The buses are operated in two shifts, each of approximately eight hours ; this, of course; necessitates providing a large staff of drivers and conductors, -but it is difficult to see how the matter could be dealt with in any other manner.
At present the average fare per mile is 1.64d., the fares being arranged so that a gradually increased distance is given in pro portion to the amount of the fare ; for instance, the average distance given for one penny is 1,031 yards ; for the twopenny fare, 1 mile 579 yards ; for the threepenny fare, 2 miles, 237 yards ; for the four penny fare, 3 miles 97 yards ; and for thefivepenny fare, 4 miles, 1,170 yards.
One of the particular features about the vehicles is the careful way in which the drivers are protected, the whole of the cab being enclosed. ;This is particularly important in a part of the country where considerable cold is often experienced.
Edinburgh is renowned for its hills ; in fact, on one route it is a stiff climb practically the whole length of the journey. Naturally, this throws heavy stresses on engines, gears and brakes, but the
A.E.C. and Leyland vehicles stand up to their work in a very satisfactory. manner. In such circumstances the petrol consumption is, of course, rather heavy, and although on some of the more or less level routes . the mileage is as high as 7.5 per gallon of fuel, yet the average is only 5 m.p.g.
On the hilly route just referred to, considerable. trouble has been experienced, owing to complaints from the inhabitants bordering the route, regarding vibration caused by the vehicles. Much of the ground upon which the houses are built is made up, and thiS probably accentuates the trouble. The result is that the speed of the vehicles has • been limited to 8 m.p.h., and they are ordered to descend the hill on the engine. To assist also. in reducing vibration, the vehicles are now fitted_ with Dunlop and North British super-cushion tyres. These have proved very satisfactory, and appear to give mileages comparable with those of the heavier solid tyres ; in fact, one Set has done 20,000 miles on the rear wheels. Each tyre has its own card, upon whiCh is entered the weekly mileage. The, price of the tyres is arranged on a mileage basis, and it is interesting to note that the average mileage is 14,000.
Experiments are also being carried out with an interesting type of rubber cushion shock absorber, one of which takes the place of each spring link on the rear springs of one of the Leyland vehicles. The rubber pad is six ins, in diameter and provision is made for taking shock in both directions. One of our illustrations shows the device and the method of slotting the link in order to give the necessary amount of play in each direction. The device is placed into position with the back of the bus jacked up, and after the jacks are removed each rubber cushion is compressed sufficiently to allow the cross-head pin to float in the centre of the slot.
Apart from their ordinary use as stage• coaches, arrangements are made whereby the buses can be hired at any time of the day or night to convey special parties within the city boundaries, a fixed tariff being arranged for this purpose. The central-entrance buses, to
-which -we have already referred, are at present more
or less of an experiment and only two are running, but these vehicles have been found to present certain important advantages. There is more standing accommodation and the vehicles are able to load and unload more rapidly at the stopping stations. This delay at the stops was one of the chief troubles previously experienced. The buses were able to outstrip the cable cars in the matter of speed whilst actually running, but previously they took more time at the stops. It is interesting to note that these bodies, which are built in Glasgow, have a separate compartment for the driver.
As regards the equipment of the vehicles, they are all provided with C.A.V. dynamo lighting sets, the dynamo being driven by a Whittle belt. In connection with the lighting, it is interesting to note that no tail light is employed. Instead of this one of the bulbs within the body is positioned behind a red glass-, and this is connected up to a separate switch, so that it can be used independently of the other interior lights. In order to cope with any calm of fire, each vehicle carries a Pyrene fire extinguisher, a device which occupies little space, has a good appearance and proves highly effective. The fuel employed on all the vehicles is an ordinary commercial spirit.
Claudel-Hobson carburetters are employed on the Leyland machines., and Zenith on the A.E.C., both having hot-water-jacketed inlet pipes.
We inquired if any difficulties had been experienced in starting the vehicles in the morning, and we were informed that this was not the case, and+ that if the engines did not start without even priming they would be considered in an unsatisfactory con dition. Starting is assisted by the fact that the garages are heated, and this obviates the necessity tor emptying the radiators or using anti-freezing mixtures.
The magnetos employed are Simms 8I-14 type and Lucas EtS type ; both these have given every satisfaction, and the latter (which, incidentally, was originally the Thomas-Bennett) is of the rotating gap type, the spark jumping to four contact screws froirs a platinum-tipped contact on the half-speed wheel.
During the winter single-deck bus bodies are placed on some of the coach chassis ; others of these are made into lorries and are employed for the work in connection with electrifying the cable system, whilst those coaches which are retained in their original guise are utilized during the crush times at the week-ends.
In connection with the vehicles employed on the hilly routes, we must refer to the fact that rat chet sprags are fitted on the rear
INITIALS. wheels of the A.E.C. machines.
A slight alteration has been made with these sprags, as the wire control did not prove very satisfactory, and has been replaced by a positive rod control. The drivers have strict instructions to drop the sprags at the bottom of hills, and one great convenience which has resulted through their use is that the vehicles can start away on a bill from the sprag ; thus there is no need for careful manipulation of the clutch and brake, as usually has to be done with a heavily laden vehicle, in order to prevent stalling the engine or running backwards.
Two garages are utilized for the buses and coaches ; that at Shrubhill holds 53 vehicles, whilst that at Henderson Row holds 40-45 vehicles.
The buses are docked for examination and, if necessary, for repair every ten days, whilst the more general overhauls, body repairs and repainting are done every 18 months. A record is kept of the repairs done to each vehicle, thus those in charge of thepoverhauling can tell at once if parts.are being replaced too often.
In addition to the vehicles already mentioned three Stevens petrol-electric lorries are utilized for welding work. These vehicles are also used iii conjunction with snow ploughs for clearing away the snow for the buses on those routes which include steep hills, and in this capacity they have performed yeoman service.
In order to keep the vehicles on the road for the maximum time possible, spare engines are kept ready. An interesting parcel collection and delivery system is run in connection with both buses and trains. Boys collect from various places in the city and the parcels are sent from the head office in batches, other boys being stationed at certain points to take over the hatches for their respective neighbourhoods.
The report of the tramways committee for the year ending 15th May, 1921, contains much interesting information from which We have taken the following particulars : The motor coaches made 2,222 trips round Arthur's Seat during the season of 1920, but in 1921 a new circular tour within the precincts of the town was introduced at a fare of 25. 6d. The total revenue from motor coach fares was 27,591: The following receipts for the various routes in pence per bus-mile are of considerable interest : Easter Road, 27.9; Bonnington, 21.0 ;Corstorphine, 14.0; Juniper Green, 15.6; Goldenacre, 29.5; Comely Bank, 22.4; New Craighall, 19.1; Crammond, 15.1; Tourist, 37.0; Special buses, 42.8. The following statistical information may also prove useful to other municipalities who are oper atmg, or considering the operation of, omnibus services: Capital expenditure, £133,77; length of route, 23 miles, -6 furlongs ; traffic revenue, £92,727; profits on advertising, £213; working expenses, £69,881; depreciation, £8,474; passengers carried, 10,158,810; average vehicles in use per day, 50; mileage, 854,370;
average revenue per mile, 28.05 pence'; average miles per vehicle per day, 95; average speed per vehicle per hour, 8; average fare per passenger, 2,176 pence: number of passengers per mile, 11.89; percentage of expenses to revenue, 75.14.