Progressive Westminster.
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We congratulate the Westminster City Council, and above all its progressive members who were responsible for the decision, upon last Thursday's rejection of a motion to urge the L.C.C. to apply for a 10-mile limit at various points within the huge area which includes many of London's busiest thoroughfares. This decision particularly referred to Hay Hill, parts of Grosvenor Place and Buckingham Palace Road, and Berkeley Street, between Piccadilly and Bruton Street—busy scenes of West End traffic. A prolonged and at times acrimonious discussion took place, but the views of councillors who pander to ignorant prejudice, and who seem to mould their speeches solely in regard to their probable effect upon votes at election times, did not prevail. For the time being, therefore, the Westminster authorities have, by a majority vote, acted in consonance with the views of the Metropolitan police, who rightly believe that the highways are made for the purpose of getting the traffic over them, and not for the purpose of its being unnecessarily held up.
We concur in the view that 10-mile limits in London would produce a state of congestion that would cause gross inconvenience both to pedestrians and to users of vehicles. Whilst, therefore, we congratulate the progressive elements of the Westminster City Council upon their victory, we feel that we can advisedly urge owners and drivers to show the utmost spirit of reasonableness in their use of the road at difficult points of intersection and at turnings, such as those which are quoted above, in order that reactionary tendencies upon the Westminster and other Councils may not be stirred up by fresh misdirected efforts. It would probably require only a• few cases of gross neglect. to-bring about that result in Westminster, in spite of the fact that the provision of Section 1 of the Motor Car Act, in respect of driving to the common danger, to say nothing of clauses in the Highways Act of 1835 in respect of driving furiously, are certainly ample in the hands of, and at the discretion of, the Metropolitan police.
Those 900 Second—hand Chassis.
The first editorial article in our issue of a fortnight ago drew the attention of our readers to the announcement of the intended disposal on the part of the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., of the whole of that portion of its fleet of motorbuses, which it is intended shall be superseded entirely by the company's own design of chassis. We then expressed the hope that we should be placed in possession of a statement with regard to the preparedness, or the
reverse, of the sellers to guarantee supplies of spare parts for the six or seven different types for which purchasers are now sought. In many important de-tails, the earlier models of these machines have been constructionally modified to a considerable extent. The company's chief engineer has now assured us that the extensive factory at Vs'althamstow is prepared to supply all the replacements which may, from time to time, be required for these discarded models, and we feel that it is incumbent upon us to give equal publicity to that decision as we gave to our criticism.
It must be at once admitted that the company's policy, which, its worst enemies must confess, is a bold one, is fraught with some temporary menace to the manufacturer of modern machines of similar load capacity. We do not anticipate that in many cases convinced or experienced purchasers will care to acquire these superseded machines, large proportions of which are rapidly becoming, if they have not already become, obsolete. Although they have perforce been well maintained, the majority are already five years old, and, in some cases, it is over six years since they left the factory. A lot of water has "flowed uhder London Bridge" in the past five years, and especially is this simile applicable to the commercial-vehicle industry. It may be safely concluded that owners, who already have experience of the excellent service of the models that the last year or two have produced, will not be tempted to increase their fleets by the addition of these superseded machines. Undoubtedly, large numbers of them will finish their useful " lives " on Colonial soil : others will be placed in Russia, South America, and similar countries, by enterprising intermediaries. There is, indeed, a growing market for good second-hand models, and that is a consideration which to-day's new user hears well in mind ; he anticipates something more than a scrap realization in, say, five years time, for a 1911 model. It must be borne in mind, however, that obsolescence is not so rapid to-day as it was when, a few years ago, design was largely experimental. The placing of so large a number as the L.G.O.C.'s huge superseded fleet on sale at one time is bound temporarily to weaken the market, strong though it be just now.
The conetructional side of the industry, rightly or wrongly, feels that it owes little to the L.G.O.C., excepting as the largest consumer of raw material. Had it not been for manufacturers' early models, with which to initiate the motor era in the omnibus world, the L.G.O.C. and its absorbed undertakings would hardly be breathing to-day. London's premier omnibus company has much of its own initiative opon which to congratulate itself, but it admittedly owes the fact that the tubes, trams and trains have not beaten it .off the sereets during the nest few yea rs to the enterprise and technical skill of the manufacturers of 1904 and 1905. If makers had not had a motorbus of some sort or other to offer to the omnibus companies five or six years ago, L.G.O.C. shares to day would have had no market. On the other hand, the oft-repeated demand by interested people for constructional particulars of the B-type chassis indicate an acknowledgment of advance in practice.
It must be remembered that these second-hand machines at. a low price will tempt many an obstinate waverer to experiment, and that is usually to the industry's ultimate good. The "first step" will be encouraged. That the L.G.O.C. will enter the lists as a maker of spares on a large scale does not surprise us. In less than two years time, when the company's own needs are satisfied, we expect to see the latest edition of the B-type chassis on the public market. A good sales branch will then be needed. Competing manufacturers will do well to bear this warning in mind Even now, the company has a factory, equipped with the latest machinery-260,000 has been spent there since Mr. Iden took charge—finding regular work, on day and night shifts, for 1,400 men all told, and turning out, with the regularity of clockwork, 22 complete new chassis and several entire sets of spare parts every week. That an omnibus company should be spending £1,500 as the first instalment of a laboratory equipment is surely an earnest that this second-hand" business is not the last word of the company with regard to the future in general. A passing thought occurs to us, in conclusion: why should not the War Office acquire the whole or part of these 900 chassis !!