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CORPORATION ASSE \TGER TRANSPORT

24th February 1939
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Page 62, 24th February 1939 — CORPORATION ASSE \TGER TRANSPORT
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The Halifax Area is Graced With a Excellent Combine for Passenger Tran port. A.E.C. Vehicles are Empioyi Exclusively and Cope More Than Sat factorily With Arduous Conditioi ASYSTEM that had been in operation for over 40 years was brought to a .close, on Tuesday of last week, when the one remaining tramway route in Halifax was abandoned. Passengers on the final journey received souvenir tickets and the following day they found new buses awaiting them. With the most recent additions, the combined fleet of the Halifax Corporation and Joint Committee (the corporation with the London, Midland and Scottish and London and North-Eastern Railway Cos.), now numbers 181, all vehicles being of A.E.C. manufacture.

Experience has proved that the constant steep gradients, encountered on practically all the routes, necessitate engines of high power if satisfactory timekeeping is to be maintained. In this respect, it is contended that Halifax is up against the most difficult situation in the country, owing to the great concentration of steep hills in a limited area.

In the latter days of the last century, the townspeople who did not wish to walk, had to rely upon horsedrawn buses for their transport, but in 1898, the tram system was started and grew rapidly. As early as 1912, the

B20 first motorbuses were operated as feeder services to the trams, and a year later, they commenced running into the town centre.

Through the more recent development of bus operations 250,000 people are Plow served, although the population of the borough does not toji 100,000. Employment is found for a staff of 800, including 600 men on traffic duties.

By the Act of 1897,that authorized the corporation's transport operations, power ‘s as given to work beyond the borough boundary and this working had a sequel when, under powers obtained by the railways, in 1928, the Halifax Corporation, L.M.S.R. and L.N.E.R. Joint 'Committee was formed for the purpose of running the services in what is known as the B-area; which extends in various directions for several miles from the borough boundary.

By . this arrangement, the outsidearea services are operated by the joint comthittee on a 50-50 basis, the railways and corporation 1,5haring:income and eipendittire; Ccintrel is by a corn

mittee, upon which there is equal representation of the two parties, whilst the actual management of the two undertakings is in the hands of Mr. G. F. Craven, A.M.I,C.E., NI.Inst.T., M.1.Mech.E., M.I.E.E. Incidentally, the railways' share is subdivided into a proportion of two-thirds to the L.M.S.R. and one-third to the L.N.E.R.

In the early days, train activities were extended, until, in 1912, they had 371 route-miles and an annual income of practically £100,000. Further developments took place in July, 1921, when certain routes were changed to trolleybus operation, but the machines were of an early type, did not meet with entire success in the narrow streets, and were withdrawn in October, 1926.

Meanwhile, the bus operations were growing and, in 1931, there were 83/ miles of bus routes, operated by a fleet of 74 buses, whilst 104 trams were still employed on a tram mileage that was much the same as in 1912. Throughout the period of change, former tram, employees have regularly been trained for new duties and, at the present time, about half the bus drivers employed by the undertaking have formerly been engaged on the trams.

A comprehensive system of co-ordination between the corporation undertaking, the joint committee, and privately owned services, is in being, and has been the subject of commenda tion by Major F. S. Eastwood, Chairman o f t he Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners. The various companies operate at the same fares, within the A and B areas, and there is interavailability of tickets. In respect of journeys made within the borough area, the corporation undertaking receives 25 per cent. of the takings from other operators (including the joint committee), whilst the joint committee receives a similar proportion from private operators picking up and setting down within the B-area.

With the growth of the bus fleet, extensive new accommodation has been necessary and, a few years ago, a large garage with modern equipment was erected on a site adjacent to the old train depot at Skircoat Road, and here is provision for overnight standing for the bulk of the fleet. With the changeover, however, it has been necessary to convert portions of the tram depot and repair works, whilst provision has had to be made for double-deckers. Both the removal of pillars and the raising of the roof have been completed by the transport department staff, under the instructions of Mr. Craven. Extensive alterations have naturally been made to the flooring and, in some cases, the tramway inspection pits have been maintained largely in their former condition. In others, they have been partially filled with concrete, and grids placed over the openings so as to provide an effective means for drainage when used as washing bays. All buses in service are cleaned daily and they receive a full wash-and-polish each week.

The matters of minimizing wear and tear in starting up, and the elimination of traffic delays due to difficulty in getting an engine running in cold weather, have received serious attention. There is a low-pressure steam heating system (which supplies a gentle flow through a small tube at the base of the radiator) and the alternative of electric heating, by means of an element in the water circuit.

Facilities for Body Repairs.

A large and fully equipped repair shop is operated at the old tram depot, where there are also facilities for carrying out all body repairs, rebuilding, and repainting.

The fleet is largely composed of oilengined vehicles, there now being 120 double-deckers of this type and. 34 single-deckers, whilst of the petrol type there are 21 double-deckers and 6 single-deckers.

As a busy industrial centre, Halifax draws labour from the villages that lie along the valleys and on the surrounding hills. Many thousands of workers pour out at the accepted hours, heavy peak-loading is experienced and during the off-peak hours—the greater part of the day—something like 60 per cent. of the vehicles are lying idle.

Costs Vary Widely.

Wide variations in operating costs, on certain routes, are noticeable and, whilst outside factors may contribute to the position, the hard gradients undoubtedly add to the outgoings. According to recent figures, there were receipts of 23.22d. per mile on one route, whilst the operating cost was only 10.56d. per mile and, after allowing for capital charges, there was a net surplus of 10.09d. per mile Substantial surpluses of this nature are noted on several routes.

On certain others the profits are low, whilst, in a few instances, the average operating costs actually exceed the receipts. Although, during the year to March, 1938, there was a loss of £3,833 12s. Id. on the tramway services, the aim is to run the substitute buses at the old fares but, in the case of purely omnibus routes, an endeavour is made to assess the fares on a general basis of a penny a mile.

Until 1933, the system provided for the discarding of buses at the end of about five years' service, because they were apt to be heavy on costs and to e22 have grown obsolete. Naturally, the development of the oil engine strengthened this decision but, two years late' (in 1935), it was found that vehicles nearing the end of their five years' life were quite modern types and always of value at peak-load hours. The position was that the maintenance and repairs costs represented a figure of .24d. per mile higher than the average, but deducting this from the saving of 2.32d. per mile for capital costs, also deducting the matter of extra fuel costs for the petrol (as compared with oil) buses, there was still an advantage of 1.08d.

In the circumstances, it was decided to extend the life of the machines and, to-day, there are units in the corporation fleet that have been running for eight years and units in the joint-committee fleet that have been on the road for seven years.

Tables show that oil-engined buses, operating for the first time in 1933. covered an average of 48,644 miles annually and this decreased steadily until the fifth year (1937) when the average per vehicle was 31,363 miles. During this period, the maintenance costs rose from .461d. in the first year to 1.99d. in the fifth•year. In the case of petrol buses used for eight years, the averages dropped to 23,509 miles in the seventh year, and to 8,864 miles in the eighth year. An important point, in considering relative costs, was that for covering 20.000 miles per year a 56-seater double-decker had a figure of 1.08d. per mile for licences, but on the mileage basis, at eight years, there was a jump to no less than 2.44d. per mile.

Running-in Saves Trouble. .

The hard conditions of the district as a whole formerly led to mechanical failures occurring in a number of instances where reconditioned engines were put into service. To overcome the trouble a test bench was arranged, using a traction motor to drive the overhauled engine. during the runningin; then, for the load, the motor was driven as a generator against a water resistance. More recently, an 80 h.p. trolleybus motor has been used, with the object of obtaining additional data on various matters.

Ensuring Clean Exhaust.

Measurements are taken of fuel consumption at various loads, gas and water temperature, brake horse-power and condition of exhaust. A supercharger is available and is used on the test bed, mainly with the object of securing clean exhaust and reducing detonation noises, but measurements are also taken of increased power andpoints indicative of economy. This test bed is also useful in calibrating fuel pumps, which discharge into six test-tubes. The pump is checked for smoke, at various openings on full load, by drawing the exhaust gas through filter paper, the maximum discoloration for clean exhausts having been previously ascertained. From the results already on record, it would appear that the supercharger still has a wide field, in which further exploration would be profitable from several points of view.

178 Miles of Route.

During the year to March, 1938, the bus-route mileage, in the A-area, exceeded 53 and, in the B-area, exceeded 120, which figures will be increased by the recent discontinuance of tramways. In the borough area, 13,229,661 passengers were carried at an average fare of 1.77d., whilst on the services • in outer areas 14,996,672 passengers were carried at an average fare. of 2.6.1. Substantial surpluses are being shown on both sections of the bus undertaking and the conversion to all-bus

• operation should herald further financial improvements.

Tags

Organisations: Joint Committee
Locations: Halifax, London

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