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PROGRESS IN PASSENGER TRAVEL

The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.

A Mixed Fleet.

Reasons Why the Lancashire United Tramways Prefer Standardized Units.

:m 0TOR coaeh ptoprietors view with feelings of optimism the prospects. for the coming season, and there are indications that the esztencled tour will be more popular than ever. The Lancashire United Tramways Co., Ltd., of Atherton, who control a fleet of 50 .vehicles, 14, 23, 28, 29 and 33 seaters, even during the winter months, have had their coaches in fair demand, particularly on football days, and on one recent Saturday as many as 23 coaches were in commission.

Believing that 28 seaters are the most suitable machinee, this type constitutes the main part of the fleet.

"We advocate," said a member of the firm to a representative of The Comnixrcial Motor, "the use of a mixed fleet with standardized units. For instance, if you have 14 seaters, keep to the one type, 23 seaters the same, and so on. There is then no need to multiply spares."

"Do you intend to continue the extended tours this season?" we asked.

"Last year we did very well with these tours, and we mean to start with them earlier this year, and vehicles will -be specially reserved for the purpose. So for the short tours little .modification in rates is possible. We do not propose to increase the charges for mid-week tours unless the price of petrol is increased, hut there is, in our opinion; no reason why the coaches should not compete on very favourable terms with the railway fares, not to mention the more congenial method of travelling."

"And have you difficulties with narrow roads in the areas you traverse?"

"We have; but our coaches are only -allowed to go on first and second class roads. Whenever we have a large party, such as some of those we had last year, we run a car over the route beforehandto ascertain any difficulties which are likely to be encountered en route. We prefer to run extra mileage rather than incur risks. Our men are enjoined to observe the rules of the road and to give way to other vehicles. We have never had any trouble in that direction."

"Do you have a system of filing drivers' road reports for ready reference? "

"Ch! yes. Whenever a party is taken out in our coaches the driver has to keep a report sheets showing all the stops he makes during the journey, the extra mileage he covers, and the state of the roads, and these documents are dealt with in the office."

"Rave you considered it necessary to devise any improvements in the luggagecarrying facilities on your coaches?"

We stipulate that on tours passengers should take only a small valise, but we have a capacious enclosed carrierfixed under the frame at the rear, and this holds a big quantity of luggage. That is as much as we have done.

"And what is your experience of pneumatic tyres?" we inquired, Li conclusion.

" We have never tried giant pneumatics. Ordinary pneumatic tyres on the front wheels of the email coaches are satisfactory, but in place of the pneumatics on the rear we are trying N.A.P. tyres." Already the L.U.T. have received in. quiries for summer outings for the coming season.

Closing Roads to Coaches.

A Case of Importance and Interest to Passenger Vehicle Users.

TlihWESTMORLAND County Council has been making efforts to close two routes to motor coaches, viz., the 'first between Sampool Bridge and. Blackwell, acid the second between Kendal and Ackenkhwaite, and the C.M.U.A. is putting up a good fight on behalf of users to resist these important restrictions of traffic.

In the first issue of the North-Western Division C.M.U.A. Journal, which has just come to hand—and which, by the 'way, is a very interesting little publication containing much infoemation of value to commercial users generally—a report is given of a careful conference between representatives of the county council and the North-Western Divis sion.

Regarding the Kendal-Ackenthwaite route it was agreed to close it provided the Closure did not prevent a vehicle from collecting and delivering any persons or goods along such route. The reasons for this decision were that there are two good alternative routes running parallel with the one in quest: .11 and that the route is of insufficient width to tarry traffic of this nature. In the view of the county council, Sampool Bridge-Blackwell route, however, is a different proposition, and their objections to its use by motor coaches were divided under four heads, these being :— (1) That the road was not safe for char-à-bancs traffic.

(2) That the road was only used occasionally for motor char-a-banes traffic, and could be closea without inconvenience to the public.

(3) That if the traffic was allowed to develop on this road it would involve an expenditure of £70,000 to make it suitable for this traffic, and that such money could not be forthcoming in view of the prospective expenditure needed to trunk main roads..

(4) That they offered to improve an alternative route via Lindale and Newby Bridge, and Make sameinto a first-class road.

To these arguments the C.M.U.A. replied that with the exception of one culvert, which was in b, dangerous condition, the route was safe for coach traffic, provided reasonable care was exercised, and that no steps had been taken by the county council to safeguard motor vehicles on the route by placing signs at corners or having the hedges cut down.

They further stated that the road was extensively used by coach • traffic; in fact, 12 such vehicles were met in the space of 14 hours on an occasion not far distant, as well as other types of vehicles from all over Lancashire and Yorkshire. The road provides the quickest and easiest access from Windermere and Bowness to the south via Milnthorpe, and runs through the Lyth Valley, renowned for its beauty, particularly during the fruit and flowering seasons. This road is also useful to people desirous of a short ride from the Grange and Barrow districts.

The road is well armoured for a road of this type, and the surface generally is in excellent: .condition, whilst at a moderate expenditure the road could be improved by widening at suitable points. The alternative route offered by the county council was, in the opinion of the representatives of the C.M.U.A., not e`n alternative route in the true sense, and', moreover, there are two king steep hills with dangerous turnings in its length. .Subsequently, the representatives of both sides appeared before the Ministry of Transport. Each case was stated, but, no definite ruling was given by the Ministry, although we have every reason to believe that, as a result of the energies of the C.M.U.A., the Sainpool Bridge-Blackwell route will not be closed.

Coach Owners at Dinner.

lvr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith Addresses a Gathering of Yorkshire Owners.

TEE Yorkshire Char-a-hance Section of the Commercial Motor -Caeca A.ssociation, the recent formation of Which we have already desk with in our pages, held an inaugural dinner at the Queen's Hotel on Wednesday of last week, when members had the pleasure of hearing an address from Mr. E. S. ShrapnelleSarrith, C.B.E. The chair was taken by the president of the section, Me. G. F. Hex, of Batley, and over 100 members from all parts of the county were present.

Mr. Shrap-nell-Smithe in giving the toast of '"` The Yorkshire Char-L.-bailie Section," congratulated the members on the progress which their organization had made in the county, and went on to say that it was only recently that the public had come to realize the growing importance of char-a-hones traffic. It had come to be realized, he added, that char-a-banes traffic had an important Place in the development of the internal transport of the country and was a real necessity.; and also that wisdom dictated that it should be encouraged rather than condemned. There was no more chance of getting rid of, or binding down, or of treating unfairly, the ehar-a-banes traffic on the highways than there would be of abolishing third-class passenger traffic on the railways. The occupants of private motorcara were the fi_ret-class passengers of the road, and the occupants of the Chace-a-banes were the third-classpassengers of the road who were by this means enabled to enjoy, often for the first time, the charms of the open road, hitherto only experienced by the private motorist.

It had been suggested that fares should be cut down, but if owners were to keep their vehicles in reliable order and subject them to systematic inspection, as was necessary, this was impossible. Clear-a-banes traffic in this country was only as yet in an embryo stage, and they were quite willing to accept some measure of regulation and direction so. long as the conditions; imposed did not unduly hamper the industry or shut it down.

With regard to the conduct of !some Char-I-ban6s passengers, which hadheen so much complained about, he could offer no solution!, but he thougitt the Combined wisdom of onvnerS would eventually 'enable them to arrive at one. He thought the objectionable conduct complained of was only a passing phase, however, and an evil which would one itself.

The chaivenane in replying to the toast, said that he fully realized the difficulties experienced by local authorities in' dealing with this vast new traffie which had suddenly appeared on the roads, and hefelt that dhar-a-bartes owners should exercise patience in the matter. They recognized that the traffic must be regulated, and their object was to co-operate to this end and to improve the status of the business. One way in which they could do this was to eliminate the " readhog " driver, who was no -use at all to them. Neither did they want rowdy parties in their vehicles. In coma-est:in Mr. Box strongly advocated that members of !the a.ssoeiation should adopt a common rate of-fares which would be an all-round advantage and whit& would win for them the confidence of the public. The toast of "The Guests" was given by Mr. 3. Terry (Bradford) and responded to by Captain F. G. Bristow (secretary of the C.M.U.A.), after which "The Chairman" was proposed by Mr. E. Harrison, of Dewsbury (the divisional secretary).

At the Queen's Hotel, Barnsley, on Friday, Mr. Shrapnell-Smith and Capt. Beistefw were the principal guests at .a. dinner of the Barnsley Chan-a-banes Section of the C.M.U.A.

Yorkshire owners of all classes of CC411

martial vehiclesdeeirceas of enjoying the benefits of membership of this division of the C.M.U.A. should communicate with the, divisional secretary, Mr. E. Harrison, -Bond Street, Dewsbury.

An Over-rated Evil..

How to Overcome Isolated Cases of Rowdyism.

TEE sins of the motor char-a-bancs passengers die hard, and the zealous custodians of the public welfare are .still perturbed by the dangerous practice of throwing bottles from mother coaches. The few instances where this has been done are not in proportion to the attention that has been given them, and not only do motor coach owners deprecate the misbehaviour of the paasehgers they carry a.s much, as anyohtly, but no one is doing more than they are doing to mdcate the principles of pod conduct on the road.

The Chester.Watch Committee at their December meeting adnertede at the suggest-ion of the Town Clerk of Warrington, the following'resolution, which had been pasted ter the Warrington ToVeii Council "That the attention of the Watch Committee be eleaavn to thedangerous prac. thee of Char-I-banes parties throwing bottles and other articles into the public streets, and to the danger to life' caused bythe p,Tactice of throwieg coppers to chaldren.

A covering letter stated that on the recomendation of the Watch. Cosmanittee (Warrington) instructions ware being given for a corrummioation to be for

warded to *the licensing authorities to assist in stopping the practice complained of by insisting upon the owners of all passengenearrying vehicles placing notices in eneh vehicles warning users of the danger to life and limb.

The Chester Committee is to adept the suggestion, and motor coach owners in the city are being asked to co-operate.

The Char-a-bancs Telephone.

An Instructive Test of the. "Chara4 phone," which Records the Presence of a Vehicle Requiring to Pass.

AT THE INVITATION of Mr. E. Temple, Of Leeds, who is the North of England coneessionnaire for the char-a-bancs telephone –or "Charsphone," to give the iustrument its cote rect name—a representative of this journal proceeded afew days ago to Littleborou-gh, a busy little place situated a few Miles from Illeselidakon the Yorkshire side.

The demonstration, which was ckried out on a two-year-old Derafis motor coach (which, by the way, was fitted with an exceptionally good example of coachwork, painted in red with gold lines) was organized by the Littleborough Engineering Co. The "Chemphone" on this particular vehicle was competed of an 18 in. diameter by '3 ft. long, hollow, steel drum withthe usual interior intensifiers. We had an opportunity of describing this device a few. weeks ago, and it may be revelled that tha sound is collected and transmitted through a kin. metallic flexible tube to the front seat, being brought -up to theseat between the padding, and fitted with .a rubber ear piece, shaped like a telephone mouthpiece, immediately to the right (if the driver's ear. It may, be mentioned here that it isthe intention of the makers to construct a D-shaped collector box which can be conveniently located on the underside of the body. The one on test,. which was fitted On the off side of the vehicle at the rear; looked very neat, being painted red. tmatch the coachwork and picked out in gold-lines. • • • BUore the journey was commenced e watch with a very subdued tick was

held at the mouth of the sound box, `and itsmovement 'was quite distinctly heard in the driver's seat.

Throughout the tests which were condaeted it was made amply apparent that the device served its purpose in an admirable manner.

In order to provide the best demonstration possible, the vehicle was taken through some of the noisiest parts of the town, through quiet lanes, and up hills (in bottom gear in order to get the full benefit of transmission noises), and on ordinary main roads. The motor coach Was followed by a car fitted with various types of sound producers, such as a bulb horn, mechanical horn, electrical horn, and these were used RS would be done in an orthodox run, but

at varying pre-determined distances. At 200 yards range any one. of the horns could be distinctly heard by the driver, whereas to thhse seated in the rear compartment of the poach the sound was scarcely perceptible. The value of the instrument was particularly emphasized when the vehicle had passed round a corner and was out of sight, the sound of the hooter from the car following being picked up and transmitted to the driver before any of the rear passengers heard it at all.

The testwas most conclusive in all respects and provided evidence of the importance and value of such a sound collecting box. It should certainly be of great value. to the owners of chars-6,baneswhose vehicles are engaged in long, cross-country journeys, whilst it should also prove suitable for steam and petrol vehicles carrying out long-distance work. We understand that the makers contemplate producing a smaller pattern than that which is at present being made to suit the lighter types of vehicles.