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The Motor Omnibus World.

14th November 1907
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Page 7, 14th November 1907 — The Motor Omnibus World.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• A.B.C. Vehicles for Romford.

Mr. John Goode, of Alderman's House, E.C., is in negotiation with the Romford (Essex) Tradesmen's Associa_ tion, which body is reported to be willing to form a guarantee fund, with a view to the establishment of a motorbus service between the Ilford tramway terminus, at Chadwell Heath, and Dagenham, Romford Town, Victoria Road, Skirrels Heath, and Harold Wood. An hourly service is proposed, but there appears to be some uncertainty as to the form of the guarantee.

Fare Revision.

There is, notwithstanding reports to the contrary, a sincere desire for compromise on the part of the chairman and directors of the London Central Railway Company. The very postponement of the contemplated institution of penny stages, which were tentatively decided for adoption as from the 1st instant, is proof of this desire. The old " two-penny tube " has fallen upon times which are scarcely less evil than those which are being experienced by several omnibus companies, and there is that fellow-feeling which should prevent the return by any of the parties of a blank refusal to negotiate. We believe the penny stage on the tube is inevitable, as a set-off in the public mind to the three-penny stage, but the effect of the change will be for the worse if it brings internecine strife in its train. The Central London Company must remember that it has only a single line of route, whereas its competitors have many, and the balance of probability is, in all such cases of conflict, distinctly against the individual or corporation whose eggs are all in one basket. A business arrangement should be possible if the penny stage on the tube is strictly limited to the length between any three stations, but if, as was proposed, that stage is increased, -the omnibus companies will clearly be justified in a tight a routrance. Yesterday (Wednesday), the omnibus delegates made their plans; to-morrow (Friday), they meet Sir Henry Oakley. We trust to learn that a satisfactory agreement can be reached between the companies.

L.G.O. Coach Factory.

Our paragraph of last week, on this • subject, may have conveyed the impression that the North Road depot of the London General Omnibus Company was to be used as a coach factory only in the future, whereas the North Road buildings are, as is well known, the coach factory for the whole of this company. They are very well fitted and organised throughout, the buildings being only a few years old, and covering a large area. A portion of the yard sf this factory was put at the service of he motorbus department, temporarily, about the middle of last year, and the room which these vehicles occupied is, as we stated last week, now free again.

Proposed State Monopoly for Crude Alcohol in Germany.

At the present time, the German Imperial Treasury is occupying itself with the idea of creating a State monopoly for crude alcohol. In the trade, the costs of such a monopoly are put down at the trifle of .&1.o,000,00o, although this estimate is pooh-poohed as absurdly exaggerated by the Treasury officials. As prices for motor-alcohol

rule, the German autonaubile industry has little or no interest in its use ; should a State monopoly increase the cast still further, alcohol will be absolutely out of the question for motor purposes. But, as Director Sprangc:.-r, of the Daimler Company, pointed out lately in a short interview on the subject of the projected monopoly, there is really no necessity to turn to alcohol at all, with so reliable and cheap a petrolsubstitute as benzoi at hand.

At Brighton.

A meeting of Brighton tradesmen, whose premises front the Western Road, took place at this well-known coast resort last week, when many contrary opinions were expressed. Mr. W. E. Parry, the Honorary Secretary of the Federated Ratepayers' Association, read a number of letters in opposi.. Lion to the vehicles, but several of these, from shopkeepers in Western Road itself, expressed the view that the diversion or banishment of the vehicles would be entirely against the interests of such tradesmen, seeing that the facilities the motorbus provided brought a large number of people to Western Road as a shopping centre. It was decided to prepare a petition.

As illustrating the extreme view which one of the local journals takes on the subject, we quote some interest_ ingcomments from its leading article of the 7th instant : " The bus companies have put upon the road huge machines which have polluted the atmosphere with asphyxiating odours, filled the air with insanitary particles, created so much vibration that the premises have appeared to be experiencing perpetual earth tremors, made such an irritating whirling noise that tradesmen have had to shut their doors in order to hear customers speak, driven carriage people clean out of the street, and freely bespattered with foul oily mud those pedestrians who braved the terrors of the pavement." Phew ! What next ?

For India, Christopher Dodson, Ltd., of 45, Horseferry Road, Westminster, S.W., has now shipped the second of its char. a-bancs bodies which are on order for the Tenasserim Motor Car Co., Ltd.

The prospectus of the Renard (India) Transport Corporation, Limited, of which we gave an advance summary in our issue of the 31st October, has now been published. The subscription lists will remain open for the full period of 40 days, in order that Indian investors may obtain a holding. The General Manager and Secretary is Mr. Kenneth II. Buchanan, and the registered office is at 82, Victoria Street, S.W.

The Standard Motor Omnibus Company. • Mr. Justice Swinfen Eady, in the Chancery Division of the High Court, on the 5th instant, entered judgment against the London Standard Omnibus Company, Limited, in a debentureholder's action, evidence having been given that certain money which had been borrowed, in April, 1907, upon the security of the company's assets, had become due by default of payment of interest.

Indemnity Against Road Claims.

The second district committee of the Aberdeen County Council, that for the Deer district, has now decided to follow the lead of the Turriff Committee in regard to the giving of an indemnity, to the directors of the Great North of Scotland Railway Company, in respect of a contemplated service of motorbuses between Turriff and Strichen. The Deer Committee has agreed to regard such traffic as ordinary for one year, and it now remains to be seen whether the company will be satisfied with this limited guarantee. Our readers may care to be reminded that the earlier stages of this matter were reported in Nos. 127 (pp. 56o and 565) and 131 (p. 8) of "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."

EDITORIAL communications must be ad , dressed to The Editor," and should reach the London Office not later than 1st post on Monday, if intended for the following Thursday's issue. The Editor tor -oes not hold himself responsible for the safe keeping or return of anything submitted for his consideration ; but if stamps are enclosed, MSS., drawings or photographs bi©h are not considered suitable will be returned.

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All letters regarding advertisements, subscriptions, and other business matters must be addressed to " The Manager.

The circulation of "The Commercial Motor ' is certified monthly by a firm of Chartered Accountants.

For further information regarding Subscriptions. Advertisements, Deposit System, etc.: see

Notices," Column 1 of Sundry Advertisements.

Traffic Routes.

Will the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis yet have to settle routes

for motorbuses? We expect he devoutly hopes not, but many borough councillors have that task in store for him if they can get their way. There are many sound arguments in favour of definition and prescription of routes by some authority, because all is chaotic at present, and neither side has its remedy. Rudeness and inaccuracy will not advance the prospects of those who seek to impose this new duty upon Sir E. R. henry, and it is folly to suggest that he does not appreciate the noise and nuisance which can arise from traffic of any kind along purely residential roads. People must get from point to point expeditiously, and it is no new law of economics that decrees the experiences which are now befalling those who are coming within the tentacle-like influences of London's inexor_

able traffic developments and extensions. We shall see, if slowly, a means to control and to direct, but not to debar in their entirety, these streams of horsed and motor vehicles which serve natural demands.

Cook's Sight-seeing Car.

A 24h.p. De Dion Bouton char-abanes has, for the last 2t years, been carrying sight-seers round Paris on behalf of Messrs. Thomas Cook and Sons, the well-known travel agents and pleasure-steamer owners. We illustrate this vehicle below, and we may add that it provides accommodation for 32 passengers, each of whom, for the typical excursion to Versailles and back, pays 12.50f. to cover the outing. There is an excess of bookings for this and other similar vehicles which belong to Messrs. Cook, and this is proof of the fact that they are a considerable source of profit, and are much appreciated by those who use them.

Todmorden's Troubles.

Belsize engines are being fitted to two of the Council's omnibuses, under a contract with the Critchley-Norris Motor Company, of Bomber Bridge, near Preston, and Hans Renold, silenttype chains are also being adopted. It appears that the receipts per mile, for the month of September, averaged 11.75d., although one of the routes was as low as 5d., and notwithstanding the fact that only three vehicles were in running order. Great delay and difficulty appears to have arisen from internal dissensions among members of the Motorbus Committee, the Chairman, Councillor Wilkinson, having, when charged with dilatoriness, to point out that resolutions to give instructions for repairs, etc., could not be passed. A new depot is to be taken, and that should help matters along, whilst the future of this undertaking should be assured if steps are taken to keep a normal stock of repair and spare parts. The vehicles have had no proper chance in the past.

Street Noises.

The Street Noise Abatement Society is reported to be taking steps for the promotion of a Bill which, infer alia, provides for the partial or complete suppression of German bands, organgrinders, traction engines, shouting by hawkers, whistling for cabs, church bells, and, of course, motorbuses. In what strange company does the motor thus find itself.

Useful Omnibuses.

Four motor omnibuses, one each by Milnes-Daimler, Limited, Commercial Cars, Limited, Sidney Straker and Squire, Limited, and the Darracq-Serpollet Omnibus Company, Limited, were turned to useful account during the Commercial Vehicle Trials of the Royal Automobile Club. These ye-hides proved of inestimable value as travelling offices, and on one occasion, which is depicted, more or less faithfully on this page, their contents proved the means of sustaining the inner man when access to ordinary houses of refreshment was impossible.

There was, in this case, no lunching accommodation anywhere near Bunny Hill, where a long series of hill and brake tests were imposed by the judges, during the run from Nottingham to Leicester, and welcome hospitality was dispensed to many hungry competitors, observers and officials, from these omnibuses. The more serious aspects were considered by us two weeks ago. New Sectional Tires.

Private information is to hand respecting experiments and tests with new tires in which the rubber is moulded in so many separate lengths, instead of an endless band. The prohibition of block tires by the Metropolitan Police, owing to The noise and vibration which resulted from unequal age and wear of the individual pads, has given a impetus to inventors.

After the Horse -the Camel. The dominancy of the horse in road traffic has already been broken, and now the " ship of the desert " finds himself in competition with the selfpropelled vehicle, the Emperor Menelik having authorised the Deutsche licher_ see-Handelsgesellschaft (German Oversea Trading Co.), located in Berlin, to establish a motor line in Abyssinia, be termini—Adis Abada and Diredana. Under camel-power, the caravans require six days for a

journey which properly constructed automobiles could perform in a third ot the time. It is proposed to make a beginning with a couple of vehibles for passenger and goods traffic combined.

The Society of Road Traction Engineers will not meet until the loth December, when Mr. W. E. Hardy, M.I.Mech.E., will read his paper.

The Motorbus at Archangel!

The motorbus has even penetrated as far as the White Sea, a St. Petersburg company having set one working at Archangel, much to the astonishment of the natives. It is an N.A.G. singledecker with solid rubber tires, and sidestep connected with rear entrance. Passengers sit facing the driver or conductor,. seats being arranged on each, side of vehicle, singly or in pairs dos-a.. dos. On the roof there is ample railed.. off space for luggage.

At Olympia.

. The standard double-deck DarracqSerpollet omnibus, which was so prominent during the recent trials, hasbeen lent by the Darracq-Serpollet Omnibus Company, Limited, of Amelia Street, Walworth Road, S.E., to A. Darracq and Company, Limited, fatuse during the present exhibition of private and touring cars at Olympia. A fleet of these yeilicles, which areowned by the Metropolitan Steam Omnibus Company, Limited, is proving a most welcome addition to themeans of conveyance between Olympia. arid Piccadilly Circus.


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