Bird's Eye View By The Hawk
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Getting Ahead
THE shape of things to come. I quote Mr. H. Bottomley, general manager, Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., in the Ribble staff bulletin: "The availability of new motorways will play an ever-increasing part in the pattern of transport in this country. Two-hundred-mile journeys in four hours will be the accepted order of things. I aim to be ready for that day, not so far ahead, and to be ready means perfecting all the equipment and techniques necessary to meet the new conditions."
I salute a go-ahead man with a look-ahead policy.
No Juggling
TNCIDENTALLY, when Mr. Bottomley was interviewed on B.B.C. TV in connection with his drinks-on-buses plea, he
was asked: "Do you think people really want to juggle with brimming glasses on a coach? " This was his perfect answer:—
" Well, I don't agree with the term 'juggle.' It isn't so much juggling nowadays. with the special springs we have on our vehicles and particularly on motorways where the ride is very, very even indeed; in fact, we've had a vehicle in service all day long with a tumbler of water standing without spilling a drop."
At least we'll be able to take water with it on Mr. Bottomley's Gay Hostesses!
. Potters' Pull-up
LIKE his opposite number with Belfast Corporation, whom I
mentioned last week, Mr. S. J. B. Skyrme, general manager of the Potteries Motor Traction Co., Ltd., has catering as well as transport interests. But Mr. Skyrme's responsibilities are strictly confined to human needs. During the past 30 years vast numbers of travellers by coach have stopped at the P.M.T. Café in Newcastle-under-Lyme, an establishment that has progressed considerably since the company purchased a house called "The Beeches" in 1930 for conversion into a garage and refreshment rooms.
Much work has been carried out here during the past 12 months and patronage from both coaches and private cars has increased sharply. But the " P.M.T. Café" now seems a decidedly utilitarian title for the establishment and Mr. Skyrmc tells me that in the course of a few weeks it is to he renamed the "Four In Hand." Soon a traditional sign depicting a coach and four will be swinging over the forecourt.
On the staff of the Potteries company is a catering officer
is also responsible for the canteens, and for the P.M.T. eria at Longton. Here, too, streamlining is in the wind. negotiations have begun with the appropriate authorities a view to the provision of new offices and garage, and the .cement of the present cafeteria by a modern restaurant.
aectant Traveller WEST of the R.H.A. area secretaries, Mr. Dennis Le Conte, has been installed a full fortnight at the Newcastle , Tyne offices of the Northern area, where he succeeded great character, the late Frank Milton, who died in June. Le Conte, a former member of the Association's head staff, took a good look at Newcastle in December arid iptly transferred_ his temporary abode to the more nious surroundings of Whitley Bay.
though not at the top of the list in the matter of numerical ,gth in members, the Northern area is of considerable tonal size, extending from the Border to the Tees, and ss to Barrow-in-Furness, This is largely new country to Le Conte, who is looking forward to the coming of spring the prospects of seeing some of the famous beauty spots are located on his "beat."
n-Native
kVE you ever heard an Irishman speak Welsh? I did a few days ago, when S.P.D., Ltd., were celebrating the opening teir Swansea depot. Mr. Martin Brown, an S.P.D. director hails from Ulster, lapsed into a long passage of Welsh proposing the toast to the guests at lunch-time. Perhaps ad been spurred on by his chairman, Mr. Medwyn Ormerod, earlier (at the opening ceremony) had casually thrown out !ssage in Welsh. nyway, the Unilever secretary, Mr. P. A. Macroryher Ulsterman—contented himself with declaring the it open in English. I thought, in the circumstances, that the ,or of Swansea, Cir. S. C. Jenkins, was very restrained. He .e only in English.