Welsh Market Services Losing £3,400 Yearly
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QEVENTEEN market services operated
by Mid-Wales Motorways, Ltd., Newtown, were all losing an average of £200 a year, the North Westert Traffic Commissioners were told on Monday. The company were applying to withdraw Saturday market services from Bont and PwIlmelin to Llanidloes.
Mr. T. S. Griffiths, secretary, said these services were following a pattern, all too familiar in rural areas, of steadily decreasing revenue, They were run over mountainous routes as rough as any in the country, with gradients of 1 in 4.
Since 1454, passengers carried had 'declined by half and receipts by a quarter. One gray disadvantage was that the services had to be operated from the company's Newtown depot, involving light running of 1,652 miles out of the 6,646 miles covered annually. The routes served Forestry Commission settlements and isolated farms, but there were many private cars in the area.
At the Commissioners' request, he agreed to consider a modified timetable involving one bus in and one out, on both services, instead of two as at present.
The chairman, Mr, F. Williamson, said they would investigate the whole matter, possibly by some re-organization of the local service.
CRANES ON TEST 'BEFORE EXPORT
SIX fast-travel mobile cranes are undergoing tests before being shipped to the Iranian oilfields. Made by Thos. Smith and Sons (Rodley), Ltd., they are based on six-wheeled chassis built by All Wheel Drive, Ltd., Camberley, and all the components are standard Leyland Hippo units except for the cabs and chassis frames.
The rear axles have a high degree of articulation and braking is by compressed air. The M.E. crane, which can lift 15 tons at 10-ft, radius with a 30-ft. boom, is powered by a Leyland 0.350 engine. The chassis engine is an 0.680 unit.