Operating Aspects of
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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
ROTHERHAM AND FEMALE CONDUCTORS I T was decided, at a meeting of the Rotherham Town Council, last week, to refer back to the transport committee, for further consideration, the committee's recommendation that female conductors be employed on corporation passenger vehicles, in place of men called up for military training
in the militia. The recommendation provided that women conductors, over 21 years of age, should receive a wage of 42s. for a 48-hour week.
Mr. D. J. S. Meadows said that he objected to the recommendation because it did not provide for wages at the trade union rate. He would have no objection to the employment of women if they were not brought in at a cheaper rate than that applying to men.
Opposing the recommendation in principle, Mr. J. H. Dickinson said that Rotherham had about 2,000 unemployed, and the time was inopportune for the introduction of female labour. The council's chief duty, he suggested, was to take steps with a view to decreasing the number of unemployed men in the borough.
LARGE INCREASE IN BELFAST BUS TRAFFIC.
TIIE annual report of Belfast Municipal Transport Department, for the year ended March SI last, reveals that the total surplus on bus and trolleybus operation amounted to £16,097 3s. 6d. The successful operation of the trolleybus service is extremely gratifying, in view of the new policy of the corporation, which was decided during the present year, and by which the existing tram routes will be superseded by trolA40•
leybus system so soon as it is economically possible.
The total revenue from bus operation amounted to £163,066, an increase of £15,809 as compared with the previous year. The total number of passengers carried increased from 19,602,130 to 22,424.932. The results of the first year's trollzybus working show that the total revenue amounted to £40,069, and the total working expenses to £24,662.
MANCHESTER'S RECORD WHITSUN RECEIPTS.
DURING Whitsun Week, ManchesLter Corporation transport undertaking created a record. Totalling £48,875, the receipts for the week surpassed the previous record, created in 1931, by £3,000.
Wolverhampton Corporation reports a profit of £12,550 for the year.
BRISTOL TO BUILD TWO NEW GARAGES?
QUBJECT to acceptance by Bristol City Council, a new garage is to be erected by Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., on a 2i-acre site. The Planning and Public Works Committee has entered into a provisional agreement on behalf of the joint transport committee to appropriate and transfer the selected piece of land for the sum of £1,500.
A garage capable of accommodating the whole transport section of Bristol City Engineer's Department is to be erected at Albert Road, Bristol. This proposal is also subject to the approval of the city council. The original estimate of £36,310 has been increased by £4,698.
ANOTHER GLASGOW TROLLEY. BUS SUGGESTION.
THE suggestion, that Glasgow Cor poration should adopt an experimental service of trolleybuses has been revived by Councillor Victor D. Warren. He is to move, at the next meeting, that a subcommittee should consult the Ministry of Transport with a view to ascertaining whether a grant would be available for such a development. It should also obtain data as to the capital cost of -the experiment, the annual cost of maintenance, and the estimated life of a specified number of vehicles operated on a route not exceeding three miles in length.
He stated that he has in mind the conversion, to trolleybuses, of the existing Paisley Road Toll and Mount Florida tram route. His estimation was that nine 70-seater trolleybuses would he more than adequate to main-, tain the service.
COACH OPERATOR'S NAME NOT ON FILE
TN the Chancery Division, on Monday 'last, Mr. Justice Crossman heard a petition by a debenture holder to restore the name of Smeetons Coaches, Ltd., to the register of companies. Mr. A. W. Mulligan, for the petitioner, said he was a debenture holder for £666, the of which, with interest, was due. When the debenture was issued he was told that it had been registered. Later he found that the company's name had been taken off the file and it became impossible for him to apply to the court to extend the time for registration of the debenture. The company was registered in February, 1936. with a capital of £500, and it carried on a considerable business with a fleet of motor coaches. The business was still being carried on, but it was difficult to say by whom. Mr. Andrewes Uthwatt, for the Registrar of Companies, said that he had no objection to the name being restored. his lordship said that he would order
m m the name of the company to be restored
n an undertaking to the register odertaking by petitioner to take steps to wind up the company when his application to extend the time for registration of the debenture had been dealt with.
" CROSVILLE " TAKES OUT ITS 1,066th LICENCE.
A T a public sitting of the NorthCI, Western Traffic Commissioners, held in Manchester last week, Crosville Motor Services. Ltd., of Chester, rerewed a hundred of its licences, all of whic.h related to the Wrexham area. In addition, the company secured its 1,066th licence, this being for a new service to Aston Village from Runcorn. Hitherto, residents in Runcorn had to walk a mile to the nearest bus route. MANCIIESTER ABANDONS MORE
WIT)l the abandonment of trains in VI' Cross Street and Corporation Street
appi c own Hoal to Tall Square, and Ch in eetha Hill Road, Manchester has taken another step towards a complete chitgeover.
a O the north side of Manchester,
iw m o tram services remain—Waterhead, beyond Oldham, and Hollinwood. n In conection with these routes a discussion is proceeding as to possible extension of the trolleybus system.
GLASGOW HAS A RECORD
REV E NUE from Glasgow's transport undertaking, for the year mien May 31, reached the record figure of £3.520.253, an increase of £247.296 over the previous year. The trains brought in £2,383,722, an increase of £93,972; hut receipts were £1,011.053, an increase of £144,206 and receipts from the Underground, at £125,475, showed an increase of £9.118. The number of passengers carried on all services was 651,819,919, which was :47,000,000 up on the previous year's figures.
CARDIFF DECIDES ON TROLLEYBUSES.
TIE introduction of trolleyhuses and 1 the abandonment of its trams have been decided upon by Cardiff Corporation. The transport committee has submit a the transport manager to comprehensive omprehensive report setting forth his proposals for the institution of this new form of transport.
Newcastle-on-TyneCity Council is applying to the Ministry of Transport for permission to operate trolleybuses along another three routes in the city.
nNE of the most interesting items on V the Congress agenda of the Public Service Transport Association was a visit to the rolling stock and vehicle body works, at Preston, of the English Electric Co., Ltd. The visitors were much impressed by the huge shops and the activity displayed therein. In the old Dick Kerr works, now known as West Works, the manufacture is undertaken of all classes of transport vehicle for road and rail. Here, the members examined bus and trolleybus bodies, both in metal and in reinforced composite construction; also oilengined railcars, high-speed trams (some for Blackpool) and electric rolling stock for the Underground section of Linslon Transport, and rail coaches to the order of the Drewry Car Co., for the A rgentine. A g ic:d example of English Electric
ANOTHER GOOD YEAR AT WOLVERHAMPTON
A GROSS surplus, running into six CA figures, is reported by Wolverhampton transport undertaking for the third year in succession. This year's figures show a profit of £104,224. made up of £79,070 on trolleybuses, and £25,154 on buses. The profit, last year, was £100,188. The net surplus is 212,550, of which, it is recommended, £16,000 shall go to the relief of the rates and the remainder to he transferred to the reserve fund. The free-riding facilities granted by the corporation represent between £5,000 and £6,000 a year. Two new bus serviceswere brought into operation during the year; the total number of passengers carried was 63,587,214.
all-metal construction was a chassisless trolleybus, also for the L.P.T.B. In addition, bodies for trolleybuses and buses were under construction for Daimler and Leyland chassis, ordered by Manchester Corporation.
The single-deck service buses of composite type for the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., were particularly worthy of note, as they are to the special design of the British Electrical Federation, and to an order following the completion of 25 bodies for the same company. . Before this visit, the party was kindly entertained to luncheon in the. famous Guildhall, at Preston. At the tea which followed the visit, certain of the lady visitors, who had been conducted on a tour of the domesticapplianee works, received prizes won on their numbered cards of entry.