An Enterprising Company.
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One of the concerns which has identified itself with the motor vehicle movement for some time is the Motor Car Emporium, Ltd., of 1, Addison Road North, Holland Park Avenue, London, W. Many years ago they exhibited at the Agricultural Hall one of the earliest delivery vans made for this special purpose, and have since consistently made it their aim to offer to buyers a type of machine particularly suited for the specific use in view. It is, perhaps, due generally to this attention to the requirements of the user that the company is now in the happy position of being very full of orders. The sudden prominence which the motor omnibus has achieved was foreseen by the directors of this organisation some two years ago, and at that time they were in a position to offer commercial vehicles, which, outside Great Britain, had achieved a considerable measure of success. On the Continent they had proved to buyers that there need be no hesitation in placing orders, but their efforts here did not meet with that recognition from the large railway and omnibus companies that the general excellence of their productions deserved. One of Inc great stumblingblocks was the limitations upon speed of a vehicle over two tons in weight imposed by the 1903 Act, and only the recent removal of this and other restrictions, by the Local Government Board, has enabled the company to prove to British buyers that mechanical traction will revolutionise passenger and goods traffic upon our roads. The English postal service is sometimes named as bound up with red tape and far too conservative in its methods, but those who thus lightly condemn the hesitation of the postal authorities in adopting motor vans for the service, must not forget that absolute regularity in running is essential for this class of work. Only recently have really suitable vans been submitted for postal carrying, and we may now look for a large increase in their number as the present horse contracts run out. Our readers may have seen some of the experimental mail and parcel vans used by the Post Office in the past three years. The majority have not been altogether suitable for the work in hand, but such terms could not be applied to that supplied some 15 months ago to the contractor who is responsible for the Redhill-London road service. The Motor Car Emporium, Ltd., were the vendors of this vehicle, and sicce February ist, 1o04, it has performed in a very erm_ sistent and reliable manner. It was timed originally to leave me parcels office at Mount Pleasant (close to our offices) at 10.30, arrive at Croydon 12.20, Redhill I.42, and start on the return journey at 2.10, arriving in London at 4045. Six months' running proved conclusively that the schedule time could be reduced by 30 minutes, and departure is now at xi o'clock p.m. The first month was a severe test, as the roads were very heavy, but, nevertheless, nearly every journey was completed to schedule time to the minute, the one or two exceptions not exceeding a loss of five minutes. As the driver became more accustomed to the special conditions and increased his knowledge of the roads and gradients, the time was kept night after night, and since last October a further five minutes has been taken from the schedule. We attach particular importance to the 13 months' test under strict Government service and conditions, as the times are taken by unprejudiced officials, and there can be no question as to their accuracy. This is striking testimony to the saving of time (and therefore of money) by the employment of mechanical traction. We need hardly dilate upon the necessity of perfect constructional work by the manufacturers to achieve such splendid results. The sensational order given by the London Road Car Co., Ltd., for so 'buses is highly valued by the firm whom we are discussing, because of the fact that only a single 'bus was at first ordered. The severe tests given to this particular vehicle were sufficient to prove that it would well serve the purposes of London passenger traffic, and the order we have mentioned was given upon the basis of such tests. Some of our principal railway companies have also been large purchasers, notably the Great Western Railway and the North-Eastern Railway. The latter company are the possessors of a really handsome omnibus, which we have pleasure in illustrating below, and which provides accommodation for all weathers. It will be noticed that the somewhat unusual seating arrangements are secured by placing the engine well forward in the frame, and the bonnet overhangs the front cross frame member. The latest to be supplied to the Great Western Railway was exhibited at the Agricultural Hall last week, and was referred to in our Show report. The body on this vehicle at the Show had a front entrance
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