PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
TRENT COMPANY'S NEW CHIEF GARAGE.
The Growth i 3 Passenger Transport Calls for a New 50-bus Garage at Derby.
'CONSIDERABLE interest 'centresin the opening of the new garage of the Trent Motor-Traction Co., Ltd., at Derby, by His Worship the Mayor of, Derby, on. Wednesday last, because of the very, rapid and healthy growth of this public-service company. Corn, mencing in 1913 with a small fleet of motorbuses.on the Derby-iAlfreton route, the Trent Co. now owns 88 vehicles, including single-deck and double-deck omnibuses and chars-I-banes, meetly of Tilling-Stevens petrol-electric type, and maintains regular services on the main
• roads connecting Derby, Nottingham, Alfreton, Loughborough, Mansfield, Melbourne, Ashhourne, Hatton, Burton and Belper, at each of 'which places a garage is maintained. Altogether, the area served extends from Matlack and Clay Cross in the north to Leicester in the south, and from Bingham in the cast to Uttoxeter in the west. In May of this year no fewer than 625,000 passeugers wore carried, and the fleet mileage was little abort of 240,000 miles.
Derby has always been the headquarters, and although the company's garage and workshop on the Ilititoxoter New Road has been twice enlarged, it was found to be inadequate for the growing garaging and ovenhauling requirements of the fleet. In 1923, there fore, it was decided to erect a large garage on the opposite side of the-road forparking and washing buses, and to con
vert the old garage into a works for the repair and maintenance of the vehicles. The scheme has now been completed, and the new garage is certainly one of the _finest of its kind in the Midlands.
• It is 210 Lt. long, and has an uninterrupted span of 90 fit., rendering it suitl able for the garaging of at least 50 buses. The approach from the highway is by means of a concrete road, 25 ft. wide at the side of the building, the entrance doors being towards the roar end pf the garage, whilst the large front doors are used for exit only.
All buses shop when entering and are supplied with petrol by two of the latest type pumps feeding from two 3,000-gallon underground tanks, each fitted with modern gauges. Oils and paraffin are supplied by Lour BOwser pumps on a:low platform at the rear end of the garage.
The washing arrangements are very satisfactory. A water main runs around the interior wall of the garage about 4 ft. from the ground, from which 12 branch pipes lead up to and along bhe roof principals. From these hang hose pipes of ample diameter, each being long enough to serve four onmibuses. The hosepipes are slung up out of the way when not in use by means of ropes and pulleys: There are also water troughs at intervals around the walls for use with buckets, and a special bay is pro4ided for cleaners' larushes, skins, sea-boots, ete. It is found that ,staff of ten cleaners, two greasers and one mechanic is capable of washing up to 40 buses overnight, and preparing them for the next day's run. The concrete floor is well drained.
. A pendant light is suspended from every alternate roof principal, and in
t he . intermediate spaces bulkhead lights are fixed to the walls; well illuminating the sides of vehicles at night. • Watertight plugs are' also provided at. many points on the walls for use With hand' leads for inspection lamps. The building is extremely well lighted, as will be seen from the photograph of the interior which appears on the previous page.
The garage is heated by low-pressure steam conveyed through pipes from a boiler in the basement. At the front and of the building the ground floor accommodates a rnessrooin and lavatories kir the men, as well as a ticket and "paying-in" office for the conductors, whilst the first floor provides capacious offices for the secretary and general office staff of the company.
The original garage on the opposite aide of the road, which has been converted into a works, is equipped for almost any work on the chassis or bodies of the company's vehicles. Every 6,000 miles complete . engine overhauls are undertaken, occupying only one day, and annually each vehicle is completely dismantled and rebuilt. Thus, this works is at present rebuilding one bus weekly and five engines every fort night. Cylinders are reground on the premises, bearings rebushed and bodies rebuilt and re-upholstered.
Most of the bodies were originally the work of the Brush Electric Engineering Co., Ltd., of Loughborough, and their latest single-deck and double-deck °maibuses, built to the design of the Trent Motor Traction Co., Ltd., on TillingStevens petrol-electric chassis, are very elegant vehicles. The former seat 38 on the upper deck and 26 inside. Three features of this new type worthy of mention are, firstly, the spring backs to the interior seats, secondly, the sixpanel side windows, of which four panels can be lowered on the railway principle, and, thirdly, the comfortable glass-enclosed cab provided for the driver alongside his engine. The interior seats face forward, accommodating two passengers on each side of the gangway. Two vertical frames of anglesteel support a well-upholstered cushion, and a most comfortable spring back is obtained by employing leaf-spring uprights with two back pads. The seats on the upper deck are arrangedto accommodate one passenger on the near side and three passengers on the off side of the gangway, which is found suitable for the camber of the local country. roads.
The Trent Motor Traction Co., Ltd., is running several popular trips into the picturesque surrounding country, and has equipped one char-a-bancs with a five-valve wireless receiving set, which, with two laud-speakers, enables the passengers to enjoy the Birmingham concert while sitting on some pleasant Derbyshire hillside.