Motorbus
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The C.E.L.M.O.C. has acquired a new garage in Lansdale Road, Kilburn.
Air. John Grove, of Port Eynon, Swansea, has put a 20 h.p. Utile omnibus into service.
Derby-Ashbourne.
It is 14 miles from Derby to Ashbourne, and the demand for a motor service, to which we referred last week, is pressing. The train connection is a most difficult one: it often takes more than three hours, passengers having to go via Uttoxeter.
London's Changing Traffic.
The authority to extend the Central London Railway to Liverpool Street, and the second linking-up of the North and South tramway systems by the new lines over Blackfriars Bridge, are new factors which tend towards the disappearance of the horse-bus from the Metropolis. It is only the speedy motorbus that can compete with these improvements.
Steam Chars-a-bancs.
Our note anent " Popular Northern Steamers," on page 493 of last week's issue, has brought in some interesting photographs of the steam chars-abanes which are being run by their makers, Messrs. the Sheppee Motor Co., of York, for the conveyance of picnic and other parties to many of the beauty spots in the county of broad acres. We reproduce two of the photographs, one of which shows a works party partaking of an al-fresco meal on the road near Hull, whilst in the other both of the vehicles are shown, near Leeman's monument, at York, about to start for an excursion into the country.
Season and Cheap Tickets.
We have reason to believe that the directors of several London omnibus companies are well satisfied with the discounts, rebates and other " encouragements " for passengers. It looks as though the Underground system of strip tickets will give rise to stillfurther attractions of the kind. We are told, in particular, that an elaboration of the omnibus season-ticket scheme is imminent.
No Horseless Sunday.
There won't be a horseless Sunday. Mr. Thomson Lyon's interesting suggestion, which has engaged the attention of a committee for some weeks, and which the S.M.M.T. deemed worthy of its support, cannot be carried out.
It has been defeated by the limitations of the horse, and not by any shortcomings of the motor. Whilst motorbuses can be transferred from " anywhere to anywhere," horsebuses can be operated only along routes where the prior establishment
of stables permits the organization of relays. The traffic advisers of the bus companies raised this fundamental difficulty, and the directors had other reasons of their own for not coming to terms. See, also, page 502, On which the Committee's circular is quoted.
Brakes Fail.
Owners of motorbuses cannot too often look to their brakes : more than 90 per cent. of the mishaps recorded , are due to lack of adjustment in thia important detail. The latest accident is reported from Devonshire, where a police-sergeant lost his life through. the running back of a vehicle.
Great Eastern Accounts.
The report and accounts for the third year's working of the Great Eastern London Motor Omnibus Co.. Ltd., ended the 30th June last, are now available. The surplus carried toprofit and loss account is £15,365, and from this the directors' fees and other sundry charges take £1,201. leaving £14,163 for appropriation. The directors recommend the following allocation of the balance: depreciation of motorbuses, £6,500; depreciation of other property, plant and tools, furniture, etc., £150 ; written off preliminary expenses, L1,000; allocated to insurance reserve fund, £1,000, leaving
a balance of £5,513 for disposal, to which has to be added 22,070 from the previous rear, or a total disposable balance o'! £7,583. A dividend at the rate of five per cent. per annum (lees income tux) will absorb £4,924, and £2.659 will be carried forward.
The principal figures in the accounte are given overleaf. those in parentheses being the corresponding figures for the year ended 30th June, 1908. Issued capital, 2108.885 (2108,785); sundry creditors, 27,508 (27,775); temporary loans, 214,000 (nil); deferred creditors, as per contract, 24,710 (a contingent liability of about 224,000); insurance reserve account, 22,000 (21,000); revenue account balance, 27,583 (26,804
ASSETS.-Freehold and leasehold property, etc., 248,285 (247,744); goodwill, 23,019 (23,019); motorbuses, 257,576 (243,060); plant and tools, 22,463 (22,130); furniture, -2166 (2172); horse and harness, 240 (251); sundry debtors, 2697 (2477); payments in advance, 2784 (21,573); cash at bank and in hand, 24,118 (23,384); stock of materials, 215,153 (29,360);
preiiniinary expenses, 212,397 (213,397).
Last year's balance from working was 211,973, and the net balance after administration and appropriation charges, 24,331, Since the 30th June last, to which date the books were closed, the directors have raised a mortgage of 220,000, out of which they have paid off the temporary loans of 214,000, and added 26,000 to their cash resources. Subject to a satisfactory explanation of the considerable increase in the value of materials on hand, which we have no doubt will be forthcoming, the balance-sheet appears to us to be a satisfactory one, and we shall look forward with interest to the chairman's speech at the annual general meeting. which is fixed to take place on Thursday nest, the 2nd prox., at 12 o'clock noon. at 'Winchester 'louse, Old Broad Street, E.C.
It is of importance to the 'dude industry that a bright spot in the somewhat-dismal record of motorbus enterprize in London should quickly become public property: other small and successful companies are keeping results to themselves for the present. East Prussian Frontier-lines.
East Prussia possesses but two railway lines leading into Russia, viz., via Eydtkunen to liVirballen, and via Prostken to Grajewo, the projected Memel-Libau line having been shipwrecked on the rock of Russian military objections. However, increased facilities of frontier traffic being sorely needed, there is now, instead of the rejected railway, a motorbus line between Memel and Libau, which appears to be doing tolerably good business. At first, the Russian authorities hampered the company a good deal by insisting that the chauffeurs should have their passport riis every time they crossed the frontier, which meant, of cmirse, fresh fees as well as vexatious delays. This hindrance has been removed, although its removal cost a lot of trouble. The comparative success of the above-mentioned line has induced another company to plan a motorbus connection between the East Prussian border-town of Marggrabova. a little to the north of Protskeu, and the Russian city of Suralki. This second scheme, especially when regarded as a feeder to the trunk-line, has much to recommend it from a. financial standpoint.