Bus Withdrawals Exceed Intake
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BECAUSE of their age and body condition, London buses are being withdrawn at a faster rate than new vehicles are beiog delivered. Operations have, however, been maintained with the aid of buses on loan from provincial undertakings, and with hired coaches.
Nearly double the number of new buses will be delivered to London Transport this year, as compared with 1948, but even these will not be sufficient to counter-balance withdrawals, so new RT bodies are to be fitted to some 200 pre-war A.E.C. STL chassis.
Lord Latham, chairman of the London Transport Executive, gave this information at a Press conference last week. He added that when a balance had been achieved between deliveries and withdrawal of buaes, the urgent task of replacing the South London trams would be undertaken.
He said that arrangements for repairing old vehicles would be greatly extended this year. On the mechanical side, maintenance problems had been eased as a result of, intensive efforts, but the position with regard to body repairs had become worse. The improvement in the chassis position had been offset by the deterioration in the body situation.
Referring to improvements in vehicles, Lord Latham said that the latest form of injection system, which eliminated "diesel knock," might be introduced on RT-type buses already in service. He also referred to the experimental use of the Miller constant-torque gearbox which, as reported exclusively in " The Commercial Motor" on March 4, is being used in an A.E.C. Regal_ Mark III chassis. He said that extension of its use was under review.
Plans were well advanced for the application of improved principles of garage layout, and this year more mechanical aids for bus washing and cleaning garage floors would be introduced.