Passenger-Vehicle Topics.
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Welsh Services.
We hear that the char-à-bancs service inaugurated by Southworth's Motors, Ltd., from Rhyl and other seaside resorts, has proved so suepessful that it is to be considerably
II nded.
Fighting the Trailer Tram.
The House of Lords Committee, which is hearing the appeal against the L.C.C. Bill authorizing the employment. of trailer tramcars in the County of London, held its first session on Monday last. During the sitting on Tuesday, the Committee refused a locus both to the Roads Improvement Association and to the London Omnibus Owners Federation. Neither of these organizations, therefore, was perrnitted to give evidence. The Marquis If Bath occupied the chair.
N.E.R. Arrangements.
We reproduce on this page two photographs of one of the first of the new torpedo-type. chars-abanes which have been built by the North Eastern Railway Co. in its own shops for fitting to some of the chassis which it has had in operation for a number of years past. Our readers will perhaps remember that we were enabled, on a recent occasion, to illustrate the N.E.R. coach-shops at York, and that these views showed a batch of these handsome bodies in course of construction. We are indebted to the courtesy of Mr. Vincent Raven, the company's chief mechanical engineer, for the opporI unity to publish reproductions of the photographs in question.
War. Office and Reserve Drivers.
We understand that several of the big taxicab companies have been approached by the War Office with a view to the provision of drivers for the Mechanical Transport branch of the A.S.C. Captain Lynch. of the British Motor Cab Co., Ltd., is giving the scheme his support. A number of W. and G. drivers have already been enrolled. The men will be called upon to serve and to perform duties similar to those performed by them in civil life. When called out on mobilization, they will become in all respects soldiers of the Regular forces. The age for enrolment is from 18 to 45 years. Weymouth Bus Service.
The Great Western Railway has advised the Weymouth Town Council that a service of motorbuses will shortly be established in the district. The Mayor, on behalf of the council, expressed great satisfaction at the railway company's promise. The Teddington District Council has been informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that he has no power to prescribe the route to be followed by stage carriages, or to limit the number of vehicles using any particular thoroughfare. A party of 300 strong, belonging to the Walthamstow works department of the L.G.O.C., journeyed to Yarmouth on the 13th inst., for a day's outing.
A " Mutual " Conversion.
It was recently suggested that the Sunstar Motor Co., of York Road, King's Cross, should be converted into a limited liability company. Several of the members resented the suggestion. Legal proceedings are contemplated.
The Traffic Rivals.
The L.C.C. tramway receipts, for the week ended the 10th inst, were 243,667, compared with £46,465, for the corresponding week of 1911;. the L.G.O.C. receipts, for the week ended the 20th inst., were £59,571, compared with £43,534 for the corresponding week of 1911. The L.C.C. decrease is £2798; the L.G.O. C. gain is £16.037.
T attic* b Problems in Cheltenham
The General Purposes Committee of Cheltenham recently reported to the council on the question of taxicab licences. After deliberating for half an hour, the town council resolved that the question of licences be referred to the General Purposes Committee to "consider to what extent and in what manner taxicab and char-h.-banes licences should be granted so as to impose the least avoidable injury upon the present licence holders."
The Awakening of the L.C.C.
At the meeting of Cie L.C.C., held on Tuesday of this week, the Highways Committee submitted a list of new tramway proposals, which it recommends that Parliament should be asked to sanction. The new scheme incorporates trolleybuses for the first time. The total estimated cost of the new scheme is £350,999. The suggested new tramway routes are : —Marble Arch to Cricklewood ; Chalk Farm to Child's Hill ; Gray's Inn Road to Farringdon Road ; Charles Street to a point near Ludgate Circus ; Seven Sisters Road to near Crouch Hill Station ; Seven Sisters Road to Stamford Hill and an approach line from the tramways in Agincourt Road, Hampstead, to the Cressy Road carshed, via Cressy Road. Pr000sed railless routes are : —Mare Street to Wick Lane Bridge ; Stanstead Road, Catford, to Sydenham Station (southern end of Kirkdale) ; Sydenham railway station (southern end of Kirkdale) to Forest Hill ; Sydenham Road to the county boundary.
Additional efforts to meet the competition of the buses are immediately to be made by the adoption of cheaper fares on many
existing tramway routes. The return-ticket system is to be extended.
The L.C.C. is also considering the giving of £350,000 towards the cost of widening St. Paul's Churchyard, the object of this being to secure tramway facilities in the neighbourhood of Cannon Street and Chea,pside. The Council has been informed that the cost of using the new St. Paul's Bridge as a means of obtaining a through route between the northern and southern tramway systems would be prohibitive.
Heavy Motor Discussion.
At the Urban District Councils' Conference, held on the 19th inst., considerable time was devoted to the question of motorbuses and roads. Several suggestions advising that heavy motors should be placed under local control were made. The executive was instructed to deal with the matter, and to take such steps as it thought desirable.
The Pay, Pay, Pay Department. '
The" claims " business in respect of street accidents to the vehicles of the General Motor Cab Co., Ltd., is now wholly conducted from Brixton, and is under the management of Mr. C. W. Wilson. The claims departments at Farm Lane and Chiswick are now closed. This company does not insure its cabs with outside firms, but conducts its own insurance department on a profit and loss basis.
A New Taximeter.
Any of our readers who may be interested in the production or exploitation of taximeters may be glad to hear of a new fare-registering apparatus for which very simple construction and cheapness of manufacture and maintenance are claimed. The inventor wishes to get into touch with somebody who would take it uv. Letters should be addressed " /sew Taxi," care of the Editor of this journal.
' Llandudno Extended Services.
The photog-raoh reproduced herewith shows four of the new 30 h.p. type "0" Thornveroft chars-k-bancs, recently supplied to the Llandudno Coachine and Carriage Co., Ltd. The bodies were locally built in the bracing Welsh resort, and were turned out by Messrs. Roberts. coachbuilders Our readers will remember that difficulty has been experienced in obtaining new licences for public motor-service vehicles in L/andudno. We understand, however, that arrangements have been made to employ as much local labour as possible. The success which these new vehicles will undoubtedly enjoy should soon lead to removal of all prejudice on the part of the more conservative inhabitants.