Leeds Repair Depot Opened
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GROWTH of the Leeds City bus fleet since 1953, when it was decided to scrap the trams, brought an increase in the need for maintenance facilities and the reappraisal of the capacity of the works at Donisthorpe Street, said Alderman John Rafferty, chairman of Leeds Transport Committee, on Monday, when opening the new Kirkstall works of 'he City Transport Department. No land was available for extension on the old site but the former tramway works at Kirkstall offered the opportunity for conversion and it was decided to convert them to become the Corporation's central engineering depot.
These works now comprise an area of 380 ft. by 320 ft. of which 14.000 sq. yd. is covered accommodation. The building being centrally located and adjacent to an arterial road means that movement from the outer garages to the works is an easy matter. When complete, access will be through electrically operated Bolton gates and work will flow through the body, dock, paint and test sections to a similarly operated exit, thus avoiding a potential cause of congestion.
When finished, the facilities will include a dock area with 16 inter-communicating pits, a body shop with II bodybuilding stances, a paint shop for five vehicles, a mechanical unit shop with an area of 800 sq. yd. and a Heenan and Froude engine test plant in a soundproof cabinet. Adjoining the unit shop will be a machine shop and a fuel test section for dealing with injectors and similar equipment.
Ancillary departments will provide for panel beating, blacksmith work, and for electricians and will allow for a stripping and cleaning stand. A separate section of the works with five extra inspection pits will cover the requirements of vans, lorries, and other units from various Corporation departments. The stores are
to be centrally located and will embrace an area of about 2,000 sq. yd.
Leeds have a fleet of 626 doubledeckers and 12 single-deck buses and during the past year ran 20itn. miles carrying 206m. passengers. Ten years ago they operated 416 buses and 372 trams.
The new works are expected to be fully operational by the beginning of July.
Transport for the visitors was provided by three of the five new Daimler forward' entrance double-deckers with Charles Roe bodywork that had arrived over the weekend and had been put into service this week on the Leeds-Bradford route.
On behalf of the contractors for the conversion, Mr. G. K. Roberts presented Alderman Rafferty with an inscribed gold watch as a memento of the occasion.
FARE INCREASES SOUGHT IN CUMBERLAND
THE three major bus companies operating in Cumberland are all seeking fare increases following the pay awards to provincial bus workers, They are Cumberland Motor Services, of Whitehaven, Ribble Motor Services, and the United Service. The wage awards and other increased costs will involve C.M.S. in about £27.000 a year additional expenditure; Ribble, £112,000; and United, £180,000.