Commercial THREE-WHEELERS ON TOUR
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An Impression of the Reception Accordedthe Sidecars and Tr-cars at Various Towns the First Days of Last Week's Tour.
ONpages KS and 819 of our issue for last week we published details of the itinerary and entries in the commercial tidecar and tri-car demonstration which was organized last week by the Auto-Cycle Union at the request of the British Cycle and Motor Cycle Manufacturers and Traders Union, Ltd. Wo are now able to give some account of the reception which the vehicles had at the various places visited during the first two days of the 470-mile tour of the West Midlands.
The entrants foregathered in Stratford-on-Avon on the evening of Sunday, July 21st, and parked in Bridge Street punctually at 9 o'clock the following morning. It was unfortunate that it should rain just as the shining exhibits wheeled into place—especially after such a spell of dry weather—but waterproofs were discarded half way through the morning and the column left a little cloud of dust as it drew into Hereford in the evening.
Interest was considerable in some of the places visited, less marked in others. -There was only One absentee from the 'first day's programme, that beng the Scott three-wheeler, which joined lhe party on Tnesday. Morning alter an all-night ride following an inevitable delay.
At no place visited on the -first day did a large crowd attend the demonstration, but those who came to See
the vehicles were all genuinely interested.At Alcester and Droitwich one or two inquiries were dealt with, but the first town at which a stir was made was Kidderminster, where Mr. G. A. Bateman was waiting to pilot the convoy with an Overland saloon car.
Mr. Bateman's attractive vehicle, leading the convoy through Kiddermiuster, Bewdley and Stourport, was a shining example of what can be done to promote local sales. We understand that Mr. Bateman was more than satisfied with the results of his initiative and that several firm orders were booked.
Two interesting examples of the sidecar in commercial form were encountered in the Alcester-Droitwich area, one bearing a load of live pigeons and the other, having the sidecar body built to represent a nicely browned loaf, engaged in delivering bread.
Four or five definite inquiries were. dealt with at Bewdley, and more at' Bromyard and Leominster. At the first night's resting place—Hereford—local dealers had the opportunity for showing the outfits in their showroom windows. A large and keen crowd examined the exhibits as they parked the following morning, and for this credit is due to the co-operative effort of the agents in the district.
Some interest was shown at Abergavenny in spite of it being market
A Proposal to Abolish Exeter's Trams.
The Exeter City Council has received a bid from the Devon General Omnibus Co., Ltd., for RS tramway system. The company Proposes, should the offer be accepted, to abolish the trams and replace them by
a •system of motorbuses, The exact terms of the offer have not been officially disclosed, but it is said that they include the repaying of the debt of £36,000 remaining on the tramways, the reimbursementto the council of theconsiderable amount of money expended mi the existing motorbus system and an annual contribution in consideration of the right to run the city's buses.
It is also understood that the company signifies its agreement to the -council fixing the maximum fares to be charged and exercising control as to the types of vehicle put into service. The supersession of the tramways at no very distant date appears inevitable, but the council may decide to run a municipal system of motorbuses rather than hand the right over to a company.
Blackpool's Coaching Fares Reduced.
On page 828 of our issue for last week it was recorded that, through the Blackpool Motor Coach Owners' Association, the various owners had agreed upon a uniform fares tariff. After this had been in operation three or four days it became manifest that the amount of traffic offering for the number of coaches available was not satisfactory, and as a result the schedule wag modified. The Southport return fare has been reduced from 4s. 6d. to Ss. 6d., day, but at Newport far more evidence of enthusiasm was apparent, Mr. Paley, of Messrs. Alex. Thom, and Mr. White meeting the visitors on attractively decorated commercial outfits.
Similarly, at Cardiff the convoy was augmented by no fewer than four outfits, and much local interest was aroused. After a halt of one hour there, the column returned through Newport to Chepstow for a brief call.
At Monmouth, following the run through picturesque scenery along the road from Chepstow, the machines attracted much attention both from business men invited by the local dealers and from the public generally, and some useful propaganda work was done, the benefit of which will undoubtedly be felt in this district. A brief evening journey brought the party to Ross, where a halt was made for the night.
Early the following morning the machines were mustered in the yard of the Swan Hotel. No very big crowd collected to inspect them, but the visit to this agricultural centre was by no means a fruitless one. Shortly after 0 o'clock the column moved on to Ledbury. Thus commenced the third day of a week's tour of the western Midlands, and in our next issue we shall complete our account of the demonstration and summarise our impressions as to its usefulness.
Morecambe from 4s. to 3s., Keswick from 10s. to 7s. 6d., and Gretna Green from 14s. to 10s. Thus on the Keswick run it is possible to travel in a first-class saloon coach for 160 miles at the rate of just over id. per mile, which is now about the standard rate for the town bus services. Even for the daily service to London there are owners who are advertising the return journey of about 470 miles for 20s. Other owners, however, are asking 25s. It is anomalous that, whilst the rate from Liverpool to London is 27s. 6d. for the return journey of 400 miles, Blackpool owners should be prepared to work their vehicles at a lower rate for the greater mileage. It remains to be seen what will be the public response to the new schedule, and whether the Blackpool owners will adhere to it.