BRAKE INQUIRY: EVIDENCE DISPUTED
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A'iuquiry into allegations of defects in municipal bus brakes was opened by Leicester Corporation's transport department, last week. The investigations were brought about by the complaints of an ex-driver, who, however, was described as an unreliable witness, because he could not guarantee the dates on which he said he had noted defects.
Mr. Ben England. general manager, of the municipal transport department, hotly disputed the evidence and said. that he had never heard representations about defective brakes. He added that the ex-driver concerned had not taken advantage of the existing machinery to make his complaints.
A trade union representative said that he did not attach much importance to the informer's statements. • The Inquiry continued this week.
ANOTHER NI. EXPERIMENT . WITH TROLLEYBUSES.
AIICKLAND, largest city in New Zealand, is to initiate a trolleybus system, and ordeii for the first four machines, which will be operated as an experiment, have been placed with Leyland Motors, Ltd. They will be four-wheelers and will have an extended front, so that bodies with an entrance ahead of the front wheels can be used; each machine will be 30 ft. long overall.
The electrical equipment is to be made by the Metropolitan-Vickers concern, and includes a 90 h.p. motor for mounting amidships in -.the chassis, regenerative control and rheostatic braking. Westinghouse compressed air brakes will be incorporated.
At the present time, there are only two cities in New Zealand in which trolleybuses are in use, these being Wellington and Christchurch.
PRETORIA CALLS FOR OILERS.
THE electric-supply department of Pretoria City Council requires tenders for the supply of eight forwardcontrol oil-engined bus chassis, with right-hand steering, carrying singledeck all-metal bodies capable of seating 35 passengers and of carrying at least a 20 per cent. overload. Tenders endorsed " Specification No. 187/37. Motor Omnibuses," have to be sent to the Town Clerk, Municipal Offices. Pretorius Street, Pretoria, South Africa, by January 5, 1938.
The Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, London, S.W.1, is in a position to supply fuller details.
STATION SCHEME REJECTED.
A FTER reserving their decision so PI that they could inspect the site, the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners have declined to approve the scheme put forward by the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., and KeighleyWest Yorkshire Services, Ltd., for the construction of a bus station at these
undertakings' garage in Newmarket Street, Skipton.
Skipton Urban District Council, which opposed the project, has its own scheme for the provision of a general bns station at Waller Hill, with a view to reducing traffic congestion. If agreement can be reached between the council and the operators concerned, the construction of this station can be begun forthwith, as the site is already cleared.
REFUSED OFFER, BUT OBJECTED.
ON Monday, Barton Transport, Ltd., successfully applied to the East Midland Traffic Commissioners, at Nottingham, for permission to take over the licence of Mrs. Nellie Hove, proprietress of a bus company operating from Beeston to Nottingham.
An objection was lodged by Nottingham Corporation, but this was overruled by Mr. J. H. Stirk, chairman, who pointed out that he did not see that there was anything for the corporation to " be afraid of "ii Barton's operated the service, as against Mrs. Howe.
Mr. L. W. A. White (for Barton's) said that an arrangement had been reached to purchase the whole of the services operated by Mrs. Howe. He added that before the business was offered to his client it had been offered to Nottingham Corporation. The matter terminated, however, when Mrs. Howe received intimation from the general manager 'of the passenger transport department that it was n9 longer interested in the business.
"COMMISSIONERS WON'T LET US"
THE decision of the North-Western Traffic Commissioners not to allow special reduced-fare facilities for the wives and children of coach and bus employees (reported in the issue of The Corirnercial Motor dated December 3) has reached another stage.
Majestic Express Motors, Ltd., has been refused a similar concession, and at a. public sitting, last week, a series of applications for authority to grant like facilities to employees of the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., was formally put before the Commissioners.
Mr. T. A. Prickett, solicitor for the applicant, said that, notwithstanding the decisions of the Commissioners on previous applications, he did not withdraw these proposals, because_the company wanted to be able`to say: " We are willing to give you free passes, but the Traffic Commissioners won't let us."
CARRYING ON AS BEFORE.
I T is announced, following the recent sudden death of Mr. J. H. Williams, head of the Embankment Motor Co., Ltd., Plymouth, that that business is now owned solely by members of Mr. Williams's family.
It will, it is stated, be carried on in future by those to whom it has actually been entrusted of late years. as, for some time, Mr. Williams had been gradually lessening his activities preparatory to retiring.