Phases of Passenger Travel
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PONTYPRIDD'S NEW TROLLEY-BUS SYSTEM
English Electric Vehicles Put in Service on a Tram Route which has Long Shown a Loss DONTYPRIDD is the second Welsh X local authority to put trolley-buses into service, the first being Aberdare Urban District Council, which has 10 years of operating experience with this type of vehicle. Newport Corporation,. although deciding in favour of trolleybuses, has, in fact, yet to operate such a. system. Llanelly and Merthyr Tydfil have in view the running of trolleybuses and if they do so it will, in each case, mean, as it has meant in Pontypridd, the removal of tramcars from the routes.
The new system at Pontypridd has been introduced on a route ai miles long between Cilfyripld and Treforest, these points being approximately at the
north and south boundaries of the urban area, and the route passes threugh the centre of the town. For nearly 30 years a municipal tramway system has been operated on this route and, for a slightly shorter period, trams have run from Mill Street to the Trehayed area. The tramway seAtiees have never paid and this is attributed to several reasons, including prolonged local industrial depression (in the later years), exceptional*, track difficulties, high proportion of workmen's and other concession-rate tickets, and the heavy. cleansing, costsdoe to the carrying of miners in dirty clothes. ' Miners are carried at workmen's fitees at all times of the day and night. The introduction of trolley-buses should, therefore, from the financial point of view, be an unusually interesting experiment, and the result should prove of value as a guide to other examiners of trolley-bus merits.
The tram-abolition movement is intended to apply to all existing tramway services ; ultimately, the Mill StreetTrehavod section will also be converted. After examination of trolley-buses in other towns, and consideration of reports by the council's tramways and electricity manager, Mr. 1. E. Teasdel, M.I.E.E., an order was placed with the English Electric Co., Ltd., of Preston, for seven single-deck 32-seater trolleybuses costing £1,670 each, and these comprise the present fleet. Mr. Teasdel thinks, however, that additional vehicles will soon be needed.
For normal service on the CilfynyddTrefore'st 'route five trolley-buses replace six trains, the two extra machines being reserved for rush periods, Saturdays, etc. A 7i-minute service replaces the old 10-minute service given by the tramcars. so that for this and many other reasons the new vehicles are proving popular. The introduction of motorbuses as a supplement to the trolley-bus system is anticipated, and it is understood that three petrol-driven vehicles are to operate from the town centre to Rbydfelin, which is about a mile beyond the Treforest trolley-bus terminus. Protection for the electric vehicles will be obtained by preventing the motorbuses from picking up passengers on the trolley-bus section of the route.
The council's bus garage is located adjacent to the generating station at Treforest and, as provision is at present made for about 10 vehicles, early ex-. tension of the accommodation and equipment may be. expected. Eachof the new trolley-buses has an unladen weight of 7 tons 12 cwt. The outrigger brackets, which carry the body on rubber seatings, are electrically welded in position. The buses are of the three-axle type, the wheels being equipped with 36-in. by 8-in. high-pressure tyres. The transmission to the rear axles incorporates three differential gears. The type of motor selected is the English Electric 60 h.p. model, this being fitted amidships. Rireostatic braking is given by the first two notches of the foot-brake travel. Further depression of the pedal brings into action, on all six wheels, a Westinghouse'air brake, for which the reservoir pressure is 75 lb. per sq. in., the compressor motor automatically cutting in at 50 lb. and our at 75 lb. per sq. in. The English Ilectric contactor system is employed with foot operation of the master controller, and it is impossible for the driver to notch-up too rapidly.
One of the principal body features is provision of central entrance, this offering the advantage that one of the two departments thus formed may be re
served for clean-clothed passengers. Seat covers are fitted which can easily be 'rolled up after irk, the seats being upholstered in leather. Needless to say, this affords a pleasing contrast to the wood scats of the tramcars.
It should be mentioned that Pontypridd Urban District Council has its own electricity undortaking and supplies the trolley-bus system at 11d. per unit. The council's deliberations are
• at present restricted by Parliamentary powers to the running of trolley-buses and motorbuses in its own area, but it is hoped to take ail possible advantage of facilities made available by the Road Traffic Act, 1930, to extend activities beyond the urban area. When more petrol buses are required, probably at an early date, for services within the area, tenders will be called for.
It is anticipated that, allowing for capital charges and cost of supersession of the tramway, •the operation of the trolley-bus system will enable a net profit to be shown on the department accounts when the current financial year concludes in March, 1931.