Operating Aspects of PASSENGER 'TRANSPORT
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THE LATEST NEWS OF IMPORTANT EVENTS
NEW MOVES IN FIGHT AGAINST RESTRICTIONS.
THE deputation representing the coaching industry is not likely to be received by the Minister of Transport until September. The development of evidence on national, instead of local, lines, as was intended, has brought fresh information . that must be sifted and drawn up into proper form. It is hoped, as a result of the conferente with the Minister, to obtain easier conditions of operation throughout the country.
A meeting of the standing joint committee of Lancashire and Yorkshire coach owners, held in Manchester, on Tuesday, showed that the NorthWestern Area operators feel that their grievances are by far the worst, and it was decided to make strong representations regarding the administration in that area. A meeting with the Manchester and Salford Members of Parliament will be held in Manchester.
Another meeting of the committee to consider the whole question of restrictions will be held next month. A representative has been appointed who, in the meantime, will canvas manufacturers with a view to obtaining their support.
ARBITRATION TRIBUNAL OVERRULES BID FOR COSTS.
ON Monday last, the London Passenger Transport Arbitration Tribunal heard an application by the Chocolate Express Omnibus Co., Ltd., for costs in its appeal against the decision of the Tribunal. It was stated that the Court of Appeal had made no order as to costs, as it had no jurisdiction in the matter. The hearing in the Court of Appeal was reported in our issue dated July 6, and raised the question of the obligation of the London Passenger Transport Board to take over the garage of the Chocolate Express concern.
Mr. Joshua Scholefield, KG., chairman, said that the Tribunal bad no power to make an order relating to costs in the Court of Appeal and each party would have to meet its own expenses.
It was pointed out that the Chocolate Express concern was still running its six buses, and the chairman said that these should have been transferred to the Board before now. The Tribunal's award was final and the Board should have applied to the Minister of Transport to fix an appointed day on which the vehicles should be handed over.
B40 The hearing of the application of the City Motor Omnibus Co. for compensation was commenced, and it was stated that the case raised the question of the extent of the transfer of the services of the two managing directors of the business, It was contended that correspondence on the question which had passed between the company and the Board constituted a legal agreement, and the City concern had commenced an action in the Chancery Court, in an endeavour to obtain a declaration to that effect.
Mr. Scholefield could not understand what advantage would be secured by this course, because, he said, the Tribunal was the only body competent to deal with it.
FREE PAPERS FOR PASSENGERS.
ONE of the coaching concerns that appreciates the need for publicity and modern methods is Orange Brothers, Ltd., Newcastle. This enterprising company is now presenting each passenger from London to Newcastle and vice versa with a copy of a national daily newspaper. This scheme has been arranged in conjunction with a London hotel.
+COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS.
FR0111 inquiry at the Ministry of Transport, we learn that the third annual reports of the Traffic Commissioners are not expected to be published before the end. of August. " EASTERN NATIONAL" AND HILLMANS.
ON Monday last, the applications of the Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., for the transfer of the licences of Edward Hillman's Saloon Coaches, Ltd., in respect of services from Bow to Clacton and Chelmsford, were heard.
The sitting in the Eastern Area was held at Cambridge, whilst the Metropolitan Commissioner's sitting took place at Bishop's Stortford. In the absence of Mr. Gleeson Robinson, the Metropolitan Commissioner, who is, we understand, on vacation, Sir Haviland Riley, chairman of the Eastern Commissioners, held the Metropolitan sitting. It is believed that this is the first occasion on which a sitting in the Metropolitan Area has been held outside London, whilst the time of commencement (6 p.m.) was unusual.
In the Eastern Area, the " Eastern National's" applications were opposed by Messrs. Rose Bros., and George Ewer and Co., Ltd., whilst Messrs. Webber Bros. opposed only the application in respect of the Bow-Chelmsford service. The George Ewer concern contended that the services were redundant. The Commissioners reserved their decisions.
OMNIBUS SOCIETY AT DERBY.
ON Sunday next, members of the Omnibus Society will visit Derby to inspect the working of the municipal transport department.
LIABILITIES OF TRANSFERRED UNDERTAKINGS.
BEFORE Mr. Justice Acton, in the King's Bench Division, on Monday, the Clifford Engineering Co., Ltd., South Dunstable, sued Mr. Frank J. Cobb, of St. Albans, claiming damages for breach of contract to exhibit in buses ticket tidies, bearing advertising matter, supplied free by the plaintiff company. The tidies were to be kept fixed on the backs of the seats, for a minimum of five years, and the defendant was to receive a percentage of the revenue from the advertising spaces thus created.
The contract between the plaintiff company and Mr. Cobb was made in November, 1932, and in February this year some of his services were taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board, for a sum of £10,000. The plaintiff contended that that sum must, or should, have included an amount to
compen'sate the company for the breach of Mr. Cobb's contract. If the £10,000 did not include a sum in respect of Mr. Cobb's liability, the plaintiff contended, Mr. Cobb could have had the matter referred to arbitration.
The defendant denied liability. He contended that the bus services concerned and the goodwill were compulsorily acquired, and he further contended that by the operation of the London Passenger Transport Act, the performance of his contract became impossible.
Giving judgment, Mr. Justice Acton said the scheme of the London Passenger Transport Act was to provide the fullest and fairest compensation for the concerns taken over, and to provide that third parties were to be protected in regard to contracts subsisting between them and the undertakings taken
Over. After prolonged negotiations, said his Lordship, Mr. Cobb voluntarily agreed to accept £10,000 for his bus services which were taken over, and there was evidence that, throughout the negotiations, there was kept constantly before the representative of the Board the liability of Mr. Cobb to the plaintiff company.
The sum of £175 had been agreed upon by the partiesas a figure representing the damages, apart from the question of liability, and his Lordship gave judgment for the plaintiff company for that amount, with costs.
LOANS FOR BUYING BUSES: AMENDED PROCEDURE.
THE Institute of Municipal Treasurers and Accountants has discussed with the Ministry of Transport the difficulties which arose from the policy of the Minister in declining to sanction loans for the purchase of buses until road service licences had actually been obtained. The Institute pointed out that this was contrary TO the general policy of Government Departments in sanctioning loans, and that local authorities were compelled to purchase vehicles before sanction was obtained.
The Minister decided to sanction
loans in advance of the granting of a public service vehicle licence in cases where the road service licence had been obtained. Where the application for sanction is made before either licence is obtained, the Minister, if satisfied on merits, is prepared to intimate his readiness to sanction the loan on the issue of a road service licence.
EDINBURGH BUS TRAFFIC INCREASING.
I N the year ended May 28, 1934, there was a gross profit of £12,895 on the working of the motorbuses of Edinburgh Corporation, revenue having totalled £221,757 and the working expenses £208,862. On a per-bus-mile basis, the surplus is .66d., which compares with 1.18d. for the previous year.. Interest and sinking fund charges amounted to £26,199, so that the deficit on the year's working was £13,305, which compares with a loss of £3,616 in the previous year.
During the year the buses covered an aggregate mileage of 4,690,388 and carried 36,686,352 passengers, both figures being well above the comparable returns for the previous year. The buses are in operation over a. routci mileage of 62.
Up to the end of the period covered by the latest returns, the capital expenditure on the bus system amounted to £458,882, of which £378,829 has been paid off, leaving £80,053 outstanding.
At the end of May last, the corporation had 139 buses and 13 coaches in operation, nearly half the fleet being of Daimler make.
ROAD-RAIL CO-ORDINATION AT 300 POINTS ON G.W.R.
AS a result of the associations of the Great Western Railway Co. with 10 coach and bus companies, interavailability of rail and road tickets ha.s now been brought into force at 300 places on the company's system. The arrangements apply to long-distance, as well as short-distance, traffic, and affect holidaymakers travelling to the principal resorts in the West of England, as well as passengers passing between inland towns. .
PROTECTION ISSUE RAISED ON APPEAL
AN appeal of LIaneily and District Electric Supply Co., Ltd., against the granting by the South Wales Commissioners of licences to Gimblett's Motors, Ltd., Llanelly, was heard by Sir Henry Wynne, at Swansea, last Friday.
The appellant contended that the Gimblett buses competed with its trolleybuses at two points, in contravention of the terms of the company's Act of Parliament. It was stated that the Gimblett concern's services ran parallel with the trolleybus routes at the points named.
For the respondent company, counsel said that the Electric Supply Co. did not appear to have stressed this aspect at the Commissioners' hearing. The shorthand note of the application showed no evidence of competition between the companies, and the Commissioners were fully alive to any protection due to the appellant. The transcript showed that Gimblett's service picked up passengers on the routes, so that the Commissioners' findings were on all the facts fully declared, The Commissioners load fixed fares that made competition with the trolleybuses impracticable. BIG DEVELOPMENTS ON LONDON-SCOTLAND ROUTES.
IMPORTANT developments in coachling on routes from London to the north were announced just too late for inclusion in last week's issue. The Commercial Motor is informed by Orange Brothers, Ltd.. Newcastle, that the company has decided more closely to associate with the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., United Automobile Services, Ltd., and Majestic Saloon Coaches, Ltd.
After Tuesday next, July 31, passengers to and from points north of Newcastle will be able to travel on any of the services of the United and S.M.T. concerns between Newcastle and Scotland. Orange Bros., Ltd., will cease to operate its service between Newcastle and Glasgow, but will continue the facilities at present, provided between London, Sunderland and Newcastle.
On the following day, further notable changes will take piece. By an agreement between the four companies, traffic from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow will be carried only by S.M.T. coaches, whilst passengers for any intermediate destination south of Glasgow or Edinburgh will be carried by Orange, U.A.S. or Majestic vehicles.
When the Orange service is curtailed at Newcastle, it will not be possible to make a through journey to Scotland by the. day. coach from London unless the passenger is prepared to stay the night at. Newcastle.
The S.M.T. will carry only terminal traffic from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow, but agents will still be able' to book traffic on Orange Brothers, Ltd., from any point on the route between London and Glasgow, to be carried to any destination in England and Scotland, including Edinburgh and Glasgow.
THE LARGEST MUNICIPAL BUS UNDERTAKING.
I N 21 years Birmingham Corporation has built up, from a nucleus of 10 motorbuses, the largest municipal bus fleet in the country, comprising over 560 vehicles. This month, the corporation celebrates the " coming-of-age " of its bus undertaking.
As was shown in our issue dated July 13, the municipality operates 496 motorbuses which work over a route mileage of 125, and has 66 trolleybuses in use on routes of a mileage of slightly over seven. During the past year the motorbuses carried 142,054,767 passengers, and the trolleybuses 8,582,508 persons.
GLASGOW'S NEW APPROACH TO OILERS.
GLASGOW Corporation, one of the largest municipal bus operators in the country—the corporation had 328 buses in service at the time our municipal bus analysis was compiled in March last—has, hitherto, refrained from making extensive use of oil engines. At a recent meeting of the transport committee, however, it was decided to inaugurate an experimental bus service with oil-engined vehicles, and the general manager was instructed to equip 10 of the corporation fleet with Leyland six-cylindered 8-litre direct-injection-type oil engines.
IMPORTANT COMPANIES MAKE LICENCE-TRANSFER BIDS.
AMONGST the concerns seeking the transfer of licences is Red and White Services, Ltd., which is applying for permission from the Western Traffic Commissioners to take over stageservice licences previously granted to Red Bus Services, Ltd. Another wellknown company, Crosville Motor Services, Ltd., proposes to acquire services run by Messrs. R. Jenkinson.
In the Yorkshire Area, Chesterfield Corporation seeks the transfer of a licence granted to Mrs. J. Gee, whilst the Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., is applying to the East Midland Traffic Commissioners for sanction to take over licences granted to the Aylesbury Omnibus Co., Ltd.
HELPING LONDON PASSENGERS.
EIGIIT timetable guides were placed on sale recently by London Transport. They are useful publications of pocket size and cover sectionally various parts of the London Passenger Transport area. Each guide has distinctive colouring for its cover, and the booklets are published by Index Publishers (Dunstable), Ltd.
MR. HEATON ON "FAULTY MANAGEMENT" OF L.G.O.C.
July 19, the London Passenger Transport Arbitration Tribunal adjourned until early in October the hearing of the claim of Thomas Tilling, Ltd., for over £3,000,000 compensation on the transfer of its London business to the London Passenger Transport Board.
Before the adjournment was announced, some discussion took place on the allegation that the Tilling concern had infringed an agreement of 1929 by exceeding the mileage schedule entered into with the old London General Omnibus Co., Ltd. It was stated that each of the Tilling buses was able to travel 142 miles a day, whereas the L.G.O.C. vehicles worked only 128 miles daily. This, said Mr. J. F. Heaton, chairman of Thomas Tilling, Ltd., was a sign of faulty management on the part of the L.G.O.C.
He stated that his company was as strong financially as was the L.G.O.C., but the former's costs were lower and its profits per bus were double those of the L.G.O.C.
SPECIAL AERIAL FOR RADIOEQUIPPED COACHES.
AN aerial particularly suitable for the radio equipment of coaches is marketed by Ward and Goldstone, Ltd., Frederick Road, Salford, 6. It contains 35 strands of enamelled insulated conductors, protected by a neat insulated covering. The aerial is best erected on, or between the linings of, the roof, and 18 miniature glazed insulators are supplied.
Amongst the advantages .claimed for this type of aerial are improved selectivity, increase in volume and constant tuning. To suppress interference due to ignition statics, the same concern markets a metallic screened tube to enclose the ignition cables. An air space is provided, the screening being earthed to the Chassis.
BIG NEW GARAGE FOR SOUTHDOWN CO.
A COMMODIOUS garage for 75 buses (1 has been erected at Hilsea, Portsmouth, for Southdown Motor Services, Ltd. The garage has a frontage of 270 ft. and an average depth of 220 ft., the internal dimensions being 260 ft. by 120 ft. Provision has been made for extending the premises. The garage sp2eP is free from obstructing pillars.
A lattice girder, 96 ft. long and 12 ft. deep, extends from the front to the back, and on each side of it are three lattice girders of the same depth. For special reasons, the weight of the roof is carried on the bottom booms of the girders, instead of the top.
At the front of the premises and in the garage are platforms for passengers. The accommodation includes a waitingroom and inquiry office, cloakrooms, etc. For the maintenance of the company's coaches and buses there are three large pits with recesses for tools and special lighting systems. There are two 5,000-gallon petrol tanks from which fuel is drawn by means of electric pumps, whilst there are also underground oil tanks.
CARDIFF Ntyr DETERRED BY MINISTER'S RULING.
DESPITE the fact that the Minister of Transport has dismissed appeals by Cardiff Corporation against the use of Westgate Street as a " terminus " by four coach and bus companies, the watch committee has decided to object to an application to the South Wales Commissioners by a bus operator for a licence for a service from Ogmore-bySea to Cardiff, ending at Westgate Street. If Fitzhamon Embankment be employed as a terminus, the objection will be withdrawn.