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The Motor Omnibus World.

28th March 1907, Page 9
28th March 1907
Page 9
Page 10
Page 9, 28th March 1907 — The Motor Omnibus World.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The Chelmsford steam omnibuses of the Torquay Road Car Company, Limited, which have been purchased from the company that was operating in the Llangollen district, have now been put in service at Torquay.

The Societe Generale des Automobiles IndustrieIs now has an excellent service of auto-chars-a-bancs running at Nice. These cars afford accommodation for 12 persons and have proved very popular among visitors wishing to explore the French Riviera.

Mr. Douglas Mackenzie asks us to correct the impression that his appointment as general manager of the Isle of Wight Motor Express Syndicate, Limited, will necessitate his residence in the island. His consulting practice will still be carried on from 109, Victoria Street, Westminster, and he will continue his connection with the various motor concerns by whom he is retained as heretofore.

The Home Secretary, in the course of a written answer, in reply to Mr. Burnyeat, the Member for Whitehaven who put a question as to the alleged frequent breakdown of motorbuses in congested routes such as the Strand and Fleet Street, and who asked for fresh regulations dealing with the matter, stated that no regulations could prevent occasional breakdowns, and that the companies concerned endeavoured to minimise the resulting obstruction by employing travelling engineers. He proceeded to point out that the motorbuses were carefully inspected before being licensed, and that there was no reason to believe that fresh regulations were required.

The Berlin authorities have now definitely authorised the Grosse Berliner Strassenbahngesellschaft to run motorbuses between the following termini : (I) Potsdamer Platz—Grosse Frankfurterstra.sse W. to E.), 3 miles 79 yards; (2) Potsdamer Platz—Rosenthaler Tor (W. to centre), 2 miles 1,292 yards; (3) TIallesches Tor—Stettiner Bahnhof (S.W. to N.), 2 miles 1,401 yards; (4) Hallesches Tor—Alexander Platz (S.W. to centre), 2 miles 636 yards; (5) Gorlitzer Bahnhof-Friedrichstrasse Bahnhof (N.W. to S.E.), 3 miles 79 yards; and (6) Oranien Platz—Stettiner Bahnhof (N. to S.), 2 miles 1,620 yards.

The length of these six lines averages just over 4,533 metres, or some 2 miles 1,437 yards, and the fare for the whole distance between any pair of termini is fixed at 15 pfennigs, or 1.875d. The disparity between the fare charged for the entire distance and sectional distances is striking; for, whereas, taking the Potsdamer

Grosse Frankfurterstrasse as an example, it is possible to travel 3 miles 79 yards for one-eighth of a penny less than 2d., sectional distances of 300 metres, or 328 yards, cost to pfennigs, or /.25d. On the sectional basis, the fare for the whole distance works out at 1.63 mark, or about is. 8d. l The opening of the lines has been deferred until May 1st.

The general manager of the Central London Railway has pointed out that the increase of passengers by all classes of omnibuses, along Oxford Street and Holborn, and in the direction of the City, has only been from 22,000 in 1903 to 25,600 at the present time, in the 12 hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Four years ago there were 1,475 horsed buses passing one way, as compared with 1,362 horsed buses and 231 motorbuses to-day. He attributes the falling-off in tube traffic to the large number of empty houses which are now to be found in the West End, and objects to the adoption of a penny fare on the Central London Railway on the ground that the total expenses come to one penny per passenger carried.

A lady named Miss Mary Thorne, of Canning Town, endeavoured to obtain damages from the Great Eastern Motor Omnibus Company, Limited, last week, on the ground that the conductor pushed her off the step before the bus stopped. The evidence in this case went to show that the conductor had endeavoured to assist the lady in her effort to alight, and that any risk to her was accordingly minimised, and judgment was given for the defendant company. The number of ladies who prefer to show their agility by descending from motorbuses while these vehicles are slowly crawling along, without calling upon the conductors to stop, increases day by day, and it would be a pity if the natural willingness of the conductors to render any ordinary degree of assistance should be lessened by a legal decision. We are glad to note that the judge at the Bow County Court took a commonsense view of this claim, and gave costs against the. plaintiff.

The Committee of the Manchester Stock Exchange declined to recognise the date that was fixed by the Committee of the London Stock Exchange, viz., the 20th instant, for a special settlement in some 35,800 shares of the Alliance Motor Bus Company, Limited.

The resolution for the voluntary winding-up of the Edinburgh and District Motor Omnibus Company, Limited, to which we referred last week, was duly carried. Mr. C. E. Hogg, who presided, in the course of his speech, remarked that one of the most serious matters against which the company had had to contend was a lawsuit with the contractors for the supply of chassis, the Motorcar Emporium, Limited. It had been possible to secure delivery of only eight buses, and these had been inadequate for a regular service. The present authorised capital of the company was .4.200,900, and his scheme was to bring into existence a company with an authorised capital of .L5c1,000, and to allot to each of the shareholders in the present company, who had subscribed some £22,000, shares of the same nominal value credited as 15s. paid. Various complaints were made that the chairman of the directors, Mr. William Roberts, of Birmingham, was not present. It is understood that the necessary preliminary steps are being taken to form a new company.

Probably before these notes get into print, the Automobil-Betriebsgesellschaft will have started a motorbus service between Georgenplatz and Schwanebeck, as well as between Prenzlauer Tor and Sehonewalde. In this case, there will be a three-journey service daily. Schwanebeck and Schonewalde lie some distance outside the city of Berlin.

The question of establishing State motor lines for the Post in Austria, writes the " Eisenbahnblatt," seems

very near solution. At first, only a few lines—some four or five perhaps— will be opened, and, indeed, those for

which the requisite rolling stock can be most promptly supplied. The subsidising of these lines by the Post is justified by the fact that they will work the postal service. They will be arranged so as to lie in the neighbourhood of one or two central points, in order that, should breakdowns occur, reserve vehicles will be at hand to obviate any appreciable interruption of the traffic.


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