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The Motor Omnibus World.

28th February 1907
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Page 9, 28th February 1907 — The Motor Omnibus World.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The concluding portion of Messrs. Ilart and Durtnall's reply to the discussion on their paper before the Society of Motor Omnibus Engineers is, owing to excessive pressure on our space, held over.

The Committee of the Stock Exchange has, at last, decided to grant a special settlement in some 36,000 shares of the Alliance Motorbus Company, Limited, and there are reasonable grounds for supposing that the cornpany will now begin to do some useful work on the road-operating side.

Members and associates of the Society of Motor Omnibus Engineers are reminded that the adjourned discussion on Mr. Worby Beaurnont's paper will be taken, at the Hotel Cecil, on Monday the 4th proximo, beginning at 8 o'clock prompt. Light refreshments will, as usual, be served in the anter00111 at 7.30 p.m.

Several small mishaps have interfered with the smoothness and regularity of the motorbus service between Wootton and Wavertree (Liverpool), but the directors of the WooIton Motor Omnibus Company, Limited, whose registered office is at 41, Castle Street, Liverpool, hope for better results now that a second vehicle, an Arrol-Johnston, is to be put on the road.

The Old Story.

The Watch Committee of the Cardiff Corporation, at its last meeting, granted a limited consent for the use of motorbuses within the area of its jurisdiction. Three applications were under discussion : from the Cardiff Provincial Tramways Company; from a projected new company to be called the Cardiff and District Motorbus Company; and from Mr. IL Allen, of 42, Grove Place, Penarth. In addition, Mr. K. B. Goodyear, manager of the Cardiff Tramways Company, Limited, of 32, Albert Chambers, Castle Arcade, Cardiff, had a Thornycroft motorbus in waiting for inspection by the Committee. Editorial reference is made (page 566) to some of the objections which were advanced on behalf of the Cardiff Corporation, which body is in the anomalous position of being, at once, the owners of electric tramcars and the licensing authority for motorbuses. The resolution of the Watch Committee was to the effect that, having regard to the safety of the public, the Corporation could not see its way clear to grant licenses to the Cardiff Provincial Tramways Company, for services along existing tramcar routes, but that licenses should be granted, in substitution for all present licenses for horsed buses, provided that the buses should not ply nearer the centre of the City than certain tramway termini. A similar decision WAS recorded in respect of the other applications, and it appears as though these owners of municipal tramcars intended to act up to the illustration which appeared, by the courtesy of the Western Mail," in our issue of December 27th last (page 363 ante).

Dr. Hele-Shaw, F.R.S., is of opinion that the most effective anti-skid device is a hose-pipe. He disclaims any suggestion for its literal use on the wheels of motorbuses, but is anxious to see a forcible jet of water issuing, more frequently, to wash away the slimy mud from our asphalted streets.

Many and varied were the continents upon the appearance, in the streets of London, on Monday last, of five motorbuses fitted with anti-skidding devices. These vehicles are following out part III of the Automobile Club's tests, and it is hoped that they will complete 1,000 miles on various difficult routes in the Metropolis. We trust they will be given a good share of running, during suitable weather, along the Holborn line. Is it not time the L.C.C. electric tramcars were fitted with better brakes? Several cars have, during the last few weeks, failed to pull up in time to prevent their crashing into the backs of motorbuses, the latest case having occurred, in Rosebery Avenue, on Monday night last.

The " Vanguard" services have, recently, been considerably modified. No. 2 service, which was, until lately, Finchley Road and Ebury Bridge, has been extended to Child's Hill. No. 3 service, which stopped at Fulham Cross, has been extended over Putney Bridge to near Barnes Common, making the route identical with the original one, which was, subsequently, reduced. No. 4 service, which has been so frequently changed, is now working from Shepherd's Bush to Brixton Station, vitt Brook Green, I lammersinith, Fulham Palace Road, Putney Bridge, Wandsworth, East lull, Clapham Common, and Acre I.ane. This service is worked entirely by 1907 pattern, Milnes-Daimler omnibuses, which are stationed at the Shepherd's Bush Depot. No. 8 service has been discontinued. This service used to be from Oxford Circus to Barnes Common, via Marble Arch, Park Lane, Brompton Road, and Putney Bridge.

The actual amalgamation between the four companies, which; originally, had a working arrangement and which will, ultimately, become " The Vanguard Motor Omnibus Company, Limited," is beginning to take practical shape. When our fortnightly census was taken, last Monday, the " Arrow " service was supplemented by one " Pilot " and one " Vanguard," but both showed the usual " Arrow " board on the canopy in front.

At last week's meeting of the London County Council, Col. A. Rotion asked Captain I Iemphill (Chairman of the Highways Committee) whether he would give a list of the accidents in connection w ith the trams during the past month, and if he would call the attention of the Board of Trade to them, as he did in the case of a single accident to a motor omnibus. No answer was given to the question.

Critics of the motorbus, or, for the matter of that, any other type of se!propelled vehicle, pay no heed to Ihr fact that a large number of recorded accidents are due to bad driving on the part of some person other than the driver of the motor vehicle. Instances of this elvracter occur every week, but little sympathy is vouchsafed to the unfortunate man who happens to be in charge of the offending ?) motor. An example is provided by an accident which occurred in the Kilburn High Road, on Friday last, when one of the London Motor Omnibus Company's vehicles was run into a draper's sho;)window by its driver. That deviation from his proper course arose, solely, from the eccentric driving of a man in charge of a donkey-cart, and very considerable damage was done to the motorbus as well as to the shop and the contents of the window. If motorbus drivers were only able to feel that drivers of horsed vehicles would exercise ordinary precautions, the number of mishaps would be much reduced.

A correspondent of the " Western Mail" (Cardiff) expresses the view that the motor omnibus will consign the electric tramway system of that City " to the limbo of forgotten things."

The annual reports and statements or accounts of the London General Omnibus Company, Limited, and of the London United Tramways (toot), Limited, have reached us. We are unable, from want of space, to deal with these until next week.

We are glad to be able to report that our announcement of sin" AILAVorld Motorbus Special Issue " for June next has been received with many expressions of approval, and our supporters can rely upon our doing everything that is practicable to aid them in their efforts to secure a large share of the growing volume of export business.

The Prefect of the Seine has suggested that the Paris Municipal Council should organise a competition for motorbuses, in order to assist the development of improved types. A great extension of motorbus lines in the French capital is anticipated when the present monopoly of the Paris General Omnibus Company expires.

The gross earnings of the Isle of Wight Express Motor Syndicate, Limited, for the year ending iist December last, showed a decrease of X:1,743 as compared with 1905. The scare caused by the accident on Handcross Hill contributed. to this unfavourable result, as it diverted a lot of patronage from the motorbuses. We may have occasion to refer to this company's position, at !ome greater length, in our next issue.

Motorbus • conductors should take warning, when mounting or dismounting from the step beside the driver's foot-boards; from the unfortunate mishap to one of their comrades, Arthur Edward Warren, who was killed in the Cromwell Road in the early part of last week. He had been to the front of the vehicle, in order to borrow a wiper from the driver, and slipped under the wheels in alighting, with fatal results. We cannot agree with the jury's rider that a motorbus-driver should not call in the

assistance of the conductor, although it is clear that the men take far too great risks on many occasions. In the case under review, the driver was exonerated from all blame,

Another record of successful running by De Dion-Bouton motorbuses is to hand from Portofino-Kulm, on the Mediterranean coast, and a wateringplace which promises to become increasing popular. The service between Kuhn and Genoa, a distance of about. to miles, was inaugurated, at the beginning of 1906, with a 16-seated, 24h.p., De Dion-Bouton vehicle, and this was supplemented, owing to the general satisfaction given to tourists, by four, new, 18-seated, De Dion-Bouton vehicles. Two extra vehicles of the same make were recently completed at the heavy-vehicle department of the Puteaux factory, and one of these, a big limousine to accommodate 18 persons in armchair seats, is illustrated below.

The profile of the famous Lansdown Hill (Bath), which is reproduced an page 566, must serve to impress the exceptional merits of motorbuses for work in hilly districts. The resident engineer of the Bath Electric Tramways, Limited, which company is operating both Milnes-Daimler and Straker-Squire omnibuses for the purpose of feeding its tramcars., has favoured us with the drawing from which our illustration has been prepared. We have before us letters which have been addressed by this gentleman, Mr. W. E. Hardy, to the managing director of Milnes-Daimler, Limited, Mr. H. G. Burford, M.I.Mech.E. These testify to the satisfactory manner in which Lansdown Hill has been negotiated, both during the ascents and descents. It is interesting to note that, over a period of a little more than a year, the Bath Company's six Milnes-Daimler motorbuses have made a total mileage in excess of 133,000


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