Conducted by EDMUND DANGERFIELD. Editor: EDWARD S. SHRAPNELL-SMITH. [
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Turned Towards Manchester.
Many readers of this journal have their eyes and intentions turned at the moment in the direction of Manchester. They will find, in common with other readers who are unable to arrange a visit, that numerous pages of this issue are devoted to a Show Guide or to affairs and topics which reflect different branches of transport interests in Lancashire.
It is an unfortunate fact, notwithstanding the recent degree of uncertainty which attached to the future of shows at Manchester, that the Society of Motor learnt facturers and Traders has this year done less than usual to advertise the heavy-vehicle exhibition. The inaugural dinner, on the 8th inst., which immediately preceded the opening of the Private-car Show, can be of little effect upon the forthcoming Commercial-niotor Show, having regard to the interval that has elapsed since it took place. We regret that the decision was ?lot taken to spend the necessary money to add to local publicity contemporaneously with the opening (arte of the heavy section, and especially so by reason Of the fact that the commercial-motor exhibitors gave way, when the Rusholme hall was burnt down, to the private-car exhibitors. The heavy interests were obviously prejudiced to some extent by this change of date, and it is regrettable that move official steps to -remedy a marked deficiency have apparently not been taken. It is, of course, possible that no representations were made to the S.M.M.T., either by its Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales Section, or by its Commercial Vehicle Committee. Be that, as it may, the fact remains that an opportunity has been lost.
This issue, by reason of its being the first of our two enlarged numbers that are devoted to the exhibition under notice, will come into the possession of some thousands of new readers in the Conn-ties of Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire. The same remark applies equally to our issue of next week, which will be the Show Report enlarged number.
We have to express, to such new readers as the foregoing; the hope that they will become regular supporters of THE COMMERCIAL Moron. They will [Ind in its pages, both of text and advertisement, much of an informative character, from week to week. No one issue can convey all that a particular reader may wish to know, but the maintenance 'if certain regular features, the inclusion of which will be quickly noted by any such new reader, is helpful in the satisfaction of all ordinary demands.
The Traffic Problem.
The Committee of the National Seciety of Chauffeurs ha.s unanimously adopted the following resolution :— " That the attention of the Commissioner of Police be drawn to the grave dangers resulting from the practice of allowing trams and buses to use the same stopping place, and that he be asked to issue an order forbidding buses to stop within fifty feet of a recognized tramway stopping place."
We quite admitsthe diffieultyjn which drivers of motorcars find themselves when motorbuses aral tramcars stop aiongside one another on both sides of tie roadway. Suen stoppages beyond intersecting traffic highways furnish the worst case, and the remedy which was suggested by the writer, in his evidence before the Select Committee of the House of Com.mons on Motor Traffic (questions and answers, Nos. 11,827-11,840 of Minutes of Evidence) is in close ancord with that of the National Society of Chauffeurs, many of whose members have daily experience of driving in London, but with one important difference. It is the tramcar stopping-place that requires to be moved forward, in all eases when the stoppingplace comes after an intersection of highways. If the desired object is to be achieved, and certain risks to pedestrians—and particularly to tramcar passengers—are to be reduced, this is the only solution that can be found.
As matters now stand, the driver of a motor vehicle, after release of a stream of traffic that has been held up by a point duty constable, if a tramcar pulls up just ahead of the intersecting highways, has to drive _between the kerb and the car: there is no alternative. He gets into trouble with the police if he stops on the cross-over area, and so hangs up the traffic behind him when the police have releasedit, whilst there is no room for .him to go to the off side of the tramcar ahead of him, because of the stream of traffic coming in the opposite direction.
We repeat that the only remedy is to move the tramcar stopping-places from 30 to 60 yards beyond the intersection of the thoroughfares, and we hope this point will be appreciated by Mr. Arthur Sexton, the secretary of the National Society of Chauffeurs, and by his committee.
Growth Yet To Be Attained.
An average of 150 commercial motors take loads to or from the Manchester Ship Canal daily. We have the authority of the General Superintendent of the Ship Canal for this statement. Our own observation on the spot leads us to believe that this average, satisfactory in itself, is less than one-twentieth of tho horse-vehicle average. Here, then, is prima facie evidence of the business which has yet to he done in the ..11anehester area by motor manufacturers and agents. The Show will help them.
It may be too sanguine a view to hold, to suggest that all the passing in and out of road traffic at the Salford Docks will one day revert to motor-vehicle owners, but we find proof of the assertion that at least half of it will be so moved within the next six or seven years. Local inquiry confirms us in our knowledge of a ffairs as they are in London, in relation to their imminent application to Manchester. Owners of horse stock are now keeping up their old rate of renewals, the average ages of the animals are much higher than ever before, and the money that should have been spent on fresh purehasea is retained in hand.. The reason is clear. That period of crying a. halt, which usually precedes a fundamental change, is occurring. Only a few of the bigger carriers have had the courage to break away from old traditions, and to place orders for motor lorries -without hesitation. The scale is on the point of turning, and then the present five per cent, of motor traffic at the docks will be steadily augmented. What does this portend for the maker and the user?
We are indebted to the Chief Traffic Superintendent of the Manchester Ship Canal Co., Mr Herbert M. Gibson, .for the latest tgures concerning the encouraging progress of that undertaking.
The weight of merchandise passing through the Ship Canal, and paying Ship Canal toil, was under 2,000,000 tons for the year ended the 31st December, 1896, whereas it exceeded 5,000,000 tons last year. There was no working profit in the year 1896, but the company is now abfe to pay interest on all its loan capital, and to carry forward a considerable sum, whilst it has also improved its debenture position. The spring of 191:3 witnessed considerable additions to its transit sheds, and the .construction of new ones, and the company is sparing no expense to provide new facilities of all kinds, One of the biggest new undertakings on the banks of the canal is that of the Maga& Soda Co., with which Mr. Samuel. Samuel, M.P., and other members of the Shell-spirit group are associated; a large works is being erected to deal with the imports of natural soda from Laka Magadi. Another development, that is full of possibilities, will assuredly follow the purchase of 100 acres of land, in Trafford Park, by Messrs. Guinness, of Dublin.
We gather from Mr. Gibson that one of the points which is always kept in mind, both by the officials of the Ship Canal Co. and by newcomers to the land on its banks, is the definite value of motor transport for all purposes of collection and distribution.
Electric-tramcar Results.
The annual return of the Board of Trade), concerning tramways and light railways (street and road) of the United Kingdom, for the year 1912-13, shows that, of 286 undertakings, 171 belong to local authorities, and 115 to companies or other parties. Of a total
route-mileage reaching 2862 miles, only 116 route-miles are worked by power other than electricity. Four local authorities and seven companies obtained gross receipts which were insufficient to meet working expenditure, whilst in 25 other cases it was necessary to seek aid from the rates to meet some part of the interest or redemption charges for the year. The total amount so obtained was 1'64,988 in the year under notice, compared with £62,132 in the previous year. On the other hand, the larger undertakings, all possessed—with the exception of the London County Council—of a Practical monopoly—were able to vote £544,478 in relief of rates. The capital involved in local-authority undertakings exceeds 252,000,000. The companies without enough revenue to make due provision for renewals and redemption are not given. It is interesting to find, on comparing the total number of passengers carried with the total capital invested by both local authorities and companies, that the average number of passengers carried per 21 of capital invested is only 41.6 per annum. This service to the public cuts a sorry figure when compared with the results that are obtained in motorbus practice. Another striking contrast, in comparison with motorbus possibilities and results, is found when one turns to the capital expenditure per mile of single track open. This averages no less than 213,726, which should be approximately doubled to give a figure per route-mile, whilst that of the L.C.C. is a little above 286,000 per route-mile. A further interesting figure, again for comparison with motorbus practice, is found. in the average capital sunk per electric tramcar owned. The return shows that there were 12,773 electric cars in the hands of the local authorities and companies, at tho 31st March, 1913, and that the average capital sunk per passenger vehicle was no less than 26044. It is possible to start a motorbus undertaking, with a single vehicle or any multiple of that independent unit, and to carry from the outset, at an average capital outlay, including proportion of depot expenses, which is not in excess of 21000 per vehicle. These data may help to explain the slump in electric traction.