The Motor Omnibus World.
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It is announced that the Brush Electrical Engineering Company, Limited, does not intend to continue its license to manufacture motorbuses and other commercial motor vehicles under the terms of its license from the British Automobile Development Company.
Electrobus Capital.
We have been requested to point out that the offer of Electrobus shares by the Motor Share and Investment Trust, Limited, to which we referred on page 381 of our last number, was not an issue by the directors of the London Eleetrobus Company, Limited. We also desire to inform our readers that all the omnibuses are supplied by the Electric Vehicle Company, Limited, of West Norwood, which company is also preparing to sell accumulatordriven vans and lorries.
In Mexico City,
Mr. E. R. Calthrop, in the course of the interview which he accorded to us on his return from Mexico, and which appeared in the first issue of this journal for the current month, remarked upon the enterprising use of motorbuses for the conveyance of its patrons by one of the most fashionable restaurants in Mexico City ; in the same issue, we gave a few particulars about certain Straker-Squire "single-deckers" which were doing other excellent work in the capital named. We understand that this unique experiment of free rides to and from one's luncheon and dinner was conducted, on a hiring contract, with the proprietors of the Straker-Squire vehicles in question, and we are happy to be able to illustrate herewith one of the omnibuses as it appears in the course of its regular public-service duties. The body is upholstered and fitted in a style that is somewhat more luxurious than usual, and is mounted on one of the StrakerSquire, 1907-pattern, 35h.p. chassis.
Thompson's Improved Radiator.
The Spiral Tube and Components Company, of 24, Caledonia Street, King's Cross, London, N., informs us that it has been appointed sole maker of the form of radiator which we described in our issue of the i6th April last. The type of cooler in question— that invented by Mr. W. J. Thompson, of the Scottish Motor Traction Company, Limited, of Edinburgh—consists of a number of straight gilled tubes which are flexibly jointed to two tube plates, as was illustrated by us.
Ilford Tramway Extension Abandoned.
The Ilford Urban District Council, at its concluding debate on the question of the proposed extension of the tramways along Cranbrook Road, passed a resolution, by ten votes to five, that at present it was inadvisable to proceed with the scheme. Councillor Broad, who complained that disparaging remarks had been made concerning the tramways undertaking, attributed 120,000 of a decrease. of 200,000 in the number of passengers carried during the last financial year, as compared with the previous twelve months, to the fact that one Easter and part of another were included in the last-mentioned returns. The remaining 8o,000, he suggested, had been lost by the cessation of inter-running with Barking, by disastrous holiday weather, and by two months of motorbus competition. During the discussion, it was remarked that many thought that motorbuses, rather than cars on fixed rails, would be the future mode of traction, and that there was not the slightest doubt that in the coming year motorbus competition would be more severe. It was suggested by Councillor Hammond that steps should be taken to secure ,a serviceof electrobuses, and that sante portion of future tram profits should be set aside for the purpose.
Traffic at Brighton.
The Brighton Town Council has re. cently been distinguishing itself by o policy of striking out in ad directions. Certain motonaus licenses are now granted only for periods of threc months, whilst a proposal for an eastto-west extension of Me tramways has been rejected by a very large majority. We are sorry, too, to observe that thc progress with accumulator buses in Brighton is not very rapid, and then evidently has been considerable delay on the part of the contractors to send in the third omnibus and a sufficiency of batteries.
Revenue in Relation to Capital Expenditure.
To those of our readers who are interested in any way in the traffic problems of the Metropolis, our weekly returns of Greater London's Passengei Transport, apart from the value of thc traffic figures and market fluctuations. are capable of affording them, on fur. ther analysis, comparisons of more thar ordinary interest, more particularly showing the relation of the Omnibus traffic in direct contrast with that ol the Trams, Tubes, and other railways To instance a few comparisons, takc the yearly revenue of the L.G.O. Corn. party : this alone is More than equal t< the united revenues of five of the shi Tubes now operating, and is only aboui 12 per cent. less than the whole adder together. Again, the revenues of thc three Bus Companies, as given in ow lists, are equal to the united totals ol both the L.C.C. and L. U. Tramways It is, however, in taking out the per. centages of revenue to capital employk in the various undertakings that thr enormous preponderance of the -Omni. bus Companies' business is manifest We ehope to discuss this aspect of thc question at greater length hereafter, and in relation to total expenditure.
The present auction yalue of a horse mnibus in London is 30s. to ,4:,3 los.
Messrs. Morgan and Company, of lalvern, will run a service of two 22ated motorbuses, between Malvern nd Worcester, this summer.
Strawberry Traffic.
Vanguard motorbuses are being used ir the conveyance of fresh strawberries -cm the Kent fields to Covent Garden larket. Similar use is being made of totor vehicles of other kinds, and in ther parts of the country, of which we lay quote Chester to Liverpool as one.
Canada's Needs.
The Albion Motor Car Company, imited, of Scotstoun, Glasgow, is de.1.oping its trade with Canada, whence dyices show that American vehicles rill not stand up to the work required
them. A 12-seated Albion char-harms has recently been shipped to lontreal, and it should prove the fore_ inner of many others.
Tramcar Dangers.
A correspondent, Mr. F. Grubb, of rixton, advises us that he has sent a tter of protest to the Secretary of the oard of Trade in regard to the maner in which motorbuses are blamed for zcidents which are more often due to .arncars. We would that a number F other impartial observers of contentarary events took the same interest in icts as they exist. It is being slowly alised by Londoners that the tramat-, which sets down and takes up its assengers in the middle of the high'ay, is the real cause of many of the iishaps for which it is sought to blame le motorbus.
Whilst on this subject of traffic angers, we are interested to note that le Holborn Borough Council has been ..buffed by the Highways Committee f the London County Council. A reuest was preferred that a deputation right be received in regard to the exiptional congestion in the Theobald's .oad, with a view to lessening this by irning some of the ponderous L.C.C. trams at points east of the Holborn Town Hall. Perhaps the Holborn Borough Council can bring the Highways Committee of the London County Council into a more reasonable frame of mind by instituting a series of prosecutions for the drivers' infractions of bye-law No. 24, made under the Board of Trade Regulations, as regards the maintenance of a minimum running distance of 50 yards between any of these tramcars, to which point we have already directed attention.
Road Wheels.
We learn that, after a trial of some period, the Amalgamated Motorbus Company, Limited, has given an order for several sets of " Samsonian " composite wheels, and that the Sussex Motor Road Car Company, Limited, of Worthing, has taken the same action. Other recent orders for these wheels have been from the Vanguard Motorbus Company, Limited, which was one of the first public-service undertakings to give a trial to this type of wheel. The manufacture is now undertaken by Atlas Resilient Road Wheels, Limited, of Levenshohne, Manchester, and mm', Piccadilly, W.
London Fusions.
We are in a position to state that Mr. Henry Hicks, the present deputychairman of the London General Omnibus Company, Limited, will succeed Sir John Pound, Bart., as chairman of the company, on the completion of the negotiations for the fusion of the Vanguard and the Road Car Companies, for the latter accession is now assured. Further, it is proposed that Mr. Howard Moore, the present chairman of the Road Car Company, shall be deputy-chairman of the enlarged London General, and that Captain Thimble and Mr. Duff shall be joint general managers. On the engineering side, it is likely that Mr. Frank Searle will be chief. Incidentally, we may remark that, at least for the present, the projected amalgamation between the Road Car and the Great 'Eastern Companies has fallen through.
A single-deck Ryknield omnibus is in service between Castleton Station,. on the Dore and Chinley line of the Midland Railway, and the neighbouring villages of Brough and Bradwell. It is being run by private enterprise, and not by the Midland Company.
Aberystwith Chars.-a•bancs.
On the 8th instant, Messrs. Jones Brothers, of Bridge Street, Aberystwith, put into service a new 3oh.p., 26. seated, Churchill char-a-bancs, of which they have just taken delivery. This machine, in conjunction with the 3oh.p. Milnes-Daimler, which satisfactorily sustained the service during the whole of last season, is now running between Aberystwith and Llandrindod Wells, a distance of 45 miles each way. The fare for the return journey is 75. 6d., which is at the rate of Id, per mile, and the through journey is timed to take 3 hours and 20 minutes.
The Traffic Department.
The following changes have taken place in London during the week.
GENERAL.—The Seven Kings and Shepherd's Bush service now only runs westwards as far as Charing Cross on Sundays.
UNION JACK.---Commencing on the 22nd instant, " Q " route started run
ning between East Ham and Oxford Circus. These machines previously ran in association with the Great Eastern service, from Seven Kings to " Elephant and Castle."
From the 21st instant, "J " route runs, on Sunday service only, be
tween Petersham Park and Oxford Circus, via Chiswick, Shepherd's Bush, and Bayswater Road.
VANGUARD.--On the 21st instant, Service 12 (Willesden to Pimlico) was cut down to work only from Willesden Green, via Kilburn and Maida Vale, to Victoria Station.
GREAT EASTERN.—The Finehley Road (Metropolitan Railway) to East IIam service has been altered to the old route, Upton Park to Oxford. Circus.
L.C.C. Tramway Accounts.
Interesting developments may be expected, in the course of the next week or two, .as regards the method of keeping the tramway accounts of the London County Council. Following upon the report of the independent auditors, it is proposed to extinguish the "dead" capital at a more rapid rate. The Progressive party still maintains that the trams are a highly profitable undertaking, and that Sir John Bennis estimate of a profit of one million sterling per annum will hold good. As a matter of fact, the present chairman of the Highways Committee, Mr. Whitaker Thompson, estimates that, a few years hence, the surplus of receipts over working expenditure may exceed that sum per annum, but that about threequarters of it will disappear in meeting fixed charges, a stun of .,290,000 per annum being, on estimate, available for renewal provision and allocation to the rates. We think this estimate does not pay any regard to thedevelopment of inter-tube traffic, or improvements in motorbus construction, maintenance, and running.
There is a demand for a service of motor coaches between Bromley and Farnborough (Kent), over which road it appears that owners of horse-drawn brakes make excessive charges.
Overheard on a Motorbus.
First member of British Public (talking about a motorbus accident) : " These motorbuses ought not to be allowed to run at the speeds they do."
Second member of B.P. : " That's what I say ; it's the speed that does it. I only ride on them because I am generally in a hurry, and you do get along quickly when you take one."
The Real and the Unreal. We may well follow this little story by relating an incident which came under our own observation. The representative of the Highways Protection League who spoke at the Mansion House Conference on Monday last, in common with a very fair proportion of those who were present, made a direct line for a motorbus on leaving the Notwithstanding the fact that he had to be content with stand ing accommodation on the roof, he cheerily pursued his way westward, apparently oblivious of the incongruity of his situation, and possibly, also, of the fact that his inconsistent actions had been noted by anybody who might talk or write about them.
Five Minutes in the City.
" At last night's meeting of Vanguard Motors, Ltd., profound enthusiasm was created by the optimistic speech of Mr. Alfred Noyes, the chairman. After a few remarks on the financial year which had just come to a conclusion, he painted in glowing colours the prospects of the company during the ensuing twelve months. Complaints, he said, had come to his ears of late that the Vanguard motoromnibuses were falling behind their rivals in the matter of noise. In this connection he read a letter from a Sloane Street shareholder, who stated that it took three Vanguards to drown a single Union Jack. (Sensation.) He would not pretend that, exaggerated though it might be, there was not a certain amount of justice in this complaint. But in the near future all this would be altered. Concrete tyres we to replace the rubber ones now in w. Each conductor was to be supplied wi a revolver, to be fired at fixed interva New and powerful hooters had be bought, and would be in use within week. (At this point the meeting i dulged in prolonged cheering.) In co elusion, seventeen old cars had be placed to reserve. A vote of thanks and confidence in, the Board was th passed unanimously."—Extract frc The Globe " By the Way " Book, The Maidstone-Chatham Servicc The Darracq-Serpollet double-de motorbus completed its demonstrati.. period on the Maidstone-Chatham s(
vice on Friday last. This machi has been running for a period of month, to demonstrate the possibiliti of the system on the hilly route betwe the two towns named. We undcrstai that a further " Hallford " machine to be put into service on this route once, and that an order for a Darrac Serpollet should result from the st cessful trial now completed. The flu " Hallford " is at present sustainii the service.