Operating Aspects of
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PASSENGER TRANSPORT
GLASGOW'S OPINION OF PRODUCER GAS
XPERIMENTS with a single-deck Lbus operating on producer gas, form the subject of a report by Mr. R. F. Smith4 general manager of Glasgow Corporation Transport Department, which was considered at a meeting of the corporation transport committee on January 18.
The bus, which is operated by the Highland Transport Company, was brought to Glasgow, and was put on the Knightswood and Croftfoot route, being in service for 23 days. Apart from minor mechanical troubles, which could not be ascribed to the system, the bus gave no trouble during that period.
A summary of ,reports, that came from the various drivers of the bus, showed that SOITM difficulty was experienced in running to schedule owing to poor acceleration and the somewhat sluggish behaviour of the vehicle in heavy traffic.
In his comments on the tests, Mr. Smith remarked that the fuel cost of .65d. per mile, for the producer-gas bus, was low as compared with the vehicles running.on liquid fuel subject to taxation, but the low cost was offset by the' increased maintenance costs associated_ with the producer-gas system.
The use of suitable Scottish anthracite, be stated, would .slightly reduce the fuel cost to operators in Scotland, but even that reduction, coupled with the reduction which should be possible in the maintenance charges if largescale operations were undertaken, would not be sufficient to make that type of propulsion attractive for city working.
Glasgow is, of course, one of the last strongholds of the tram.
A BUS MUST NOT TOW A PRIVATE CAR.
AN unusual prosecution was heard at Gateshead Police Court on Wednesday of last week, Jan. 18, when a driver was summoned for using a bus for towing a motorcar and, further, for using the vehicle without a policy of insurance in force. The owner of the bus was summoned for permitting the offences.
For the defence it was said that it was the first time that a case of the kind had been met with, and the police were unable to state a case.
The accused had no alternative but to plead guilty to the charge of towing the car, but they pleaded not guilty to the second charge. In this connection the prosecution contended that, as the bus was used improperly in towing the car, both the driver and the owner were guilty of an impropriety which invalidated the policy.
This was disputed by the defence, it being maintained that, although something was done which should not have been done, the list of limitations mentioned in the policy did not cover towing.
Referring to the police submission, the magistrates' clerk remarked: " If it be a duly licensed public-service vehicle, then it seems that the policy must be valid. It cannot be a public-service vehicle and not a public-service vehicle at one and the same time."
In connection with the first offence the driver was fined 10s. and the owner £3. The summonses relating to the insurance policy were dismissed, the chairman remarking that there was not sufficient evidence available.
LEEDS ANTICIPATES BIG SURPLUS.
A CCORDING to estimates approved Cl.by the Leeds Corporation Transport Committee, on Monday, January 16, the surplus for the year ending March 31 next will be £16,420, as against the original estimate of £15,980. Revenue has exceeded expectations to such an extent that the revised estimate for the year is £1,265,470, against the original estimate of £1,239,860. Gross profit is estimated at £285,740, as against the original estimate of £267,560, From the gross profit the largest sum to be deducted is £142,550 for loan charges, and it is estimated that the renewals fund will absorb £91,830.
CHILDREN'S FREE FARES -M.O.T. INQUIRY
(IN February 13 next, an inquiry will he held, on behalf of the Minister of Transport, into appeals lodged• by railway companies against conditions, relating to the free carriage of children, as attached to certain licences granted by the West Midland Traffic Commissioners.
The inquiry will be conducted by Mr. Archibald Safford, MC., Barristerat-Law, Recorder of Faversham, who, before dealing with the special circumstances of the particular cases, may hear arguments on the general principles relating to the free carriage of children in public-service vehicles.
BATH SOON TO BE FREE OF TRAMS.
BETWEEN March next and the early L./summer all the trams in Bath will be replaced by buses. The change-over is to be made in one operation, and not, as is so often done, in stages.
Last September the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., which controls the Bath Tramway Co., Ltd., made an agreement with Bath City Council to the effect that it would replace the trams with buses within two years from that date.
There had been much discussion by the council concerning the future of the local tramway undertaking, and before the Bristol company made its decision to replace the trams and acquire the concern, the council favoured taking over the system itself.
USING A P.S.V. FOR PRIVATE PURPOSES
A T Dundee Police Court on PAJanuary 18, Bailie Baird gave his decision in a case concerning a driver's alleged p,s.v. licence offence. At a previous hearing a garage superintendent pleaded not guilty to having driven a single-deck bus, belonging to W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., without being licensed for that purpose.
For the accused, it had been argued that the Act did not prohibit the use of a public-service vehicle for private purposes, and the bus in that particular case was being used for taking the accused to his home.
Bailie Baird said that he found accused guilty, but in view of the fact that he had previously held such a licence, he would admonish him. It appeared to be simply a question of carelessness in not renewing the licence. There is a possibility that an appeal will be lodged against the court's decision.
WESTERN WELSH TRANSPORTS 14,000 PEOPLE.
r,LAINIED to be the biggest contract in Welsh bus transport history, an order is now being undertaken by the Western Welsh Omnibus Co., Ltd., to transpo-t 14.000 people from the Welsh valleys to Swansea, within a fortnight. The trips have been arranged on a daily average of 1,000 persons, excepting Sundays, and up to date six days of the contract have been honoured.
The scheme is connected with a large departmental store in the town, which operates in association with its club agents throughout the valleys. Agents have been invited to make up parties from among their customers and friends, and to await the buses as they pass through their districts. They are then conveyed to Swansea, and taken back to their homes during the evening,
LICENCE APPLICANTS MUST APPEAR IN PERSON.
WHEN six applications for taxiy v drivers' licences were submitted to Dundee Magistrates on January 18, Bailie Gillespie objected, and said that the .applicants should appear in person. Lord Provost Phin said that there was as much necessity to see the person who was applying for a licence for a public service as there was when a person was applying for a public-house licence. It was announced that the applicants should appear at the next court.
TROLLEYBUS SCHEME IN BELFAST
THE accompanying diagram, of the Belfast Municipal transport system, indicates the extent of the new scheme under which trolleybuses will replace the existing tram services. The first part of the scheme, which is to be started immediately, comprises the routes on the east side and includes those radiating from the centre of the city to Queen's Road, Stormont, Dundonald, Castlereagh Road, Cregagh Road and Ravenhill Road.
All services, except the GasvorksWaterworks bus route, touch the city centre at Castle Junction.