PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
UNTIL the year 1912 the motorbus was practically an unheard of form of public conveyance in Lanarkshire •, in fact, in any part of Scotland. What wa,s. probably one of the first motorbus serv:ees to be introduced into the county was that instituted by the Lanarkshire Tramways Co., who ran vehicles between Newarthill and Cleekhimin and,
shortly after, to Bellshill. The first type of vehicle used by the company was a 26-seater j-type Daimler with a Brush body ; it is depicted in an accompanying illustration.
Realising that there was a profit to be made by operating efficient bus services, the company opened a second route, this linking up Hamilton with Quarter and Strathaven. At this time a service was being maintained from Coatbridge Fountain to Hamilton by 30seater . Daimler and Belsize vehicles belonging to the Scottish General Transport Co., of Coatbridge, and the Lanarkshire Tram-ways Co. also commenced to operate vehicles on this route. The two companies, both in sound financial positions, ran in opposition for a considerable period, until at last an agreement was arrived • at whereby the former turned their buses at .Bellshill Cross, operating between that centre and Coatbridge Fountain, whilst the buses of the latter company also turned at Bellshill Cross, but ran to Hamilton.
About this period the Lanarkshire Tramways Co. were experiencing their first taste of opposition. Accordingly, fleet of small Fords was introduced, and, in a measure, this move countered the effect of competition. However, as traffic increased on the new routes, more opposition was met, and it was found desirable to introduce 14-seater Halleys of the type which is illustrated on this page ; this particular machine has lately been shod with giant pneumatic tyres. Owners of motor lorries and garage proprietors, .who could not fail to be impressed with the growing demand for motorbuses, were now purchasing such vehicles, and new services on which there was much opposition were springing up all over the county.
The Lanarkshire Tramways Co., therefore, realizing that a boom was shortly to take place, bought a number of passenger vehicles of the latest and up-to-date types, these including Guys, Lancias and Roos. They established two new routes, the first being from Wishaw to Glasgow, and the other from
Larkhall to Glasgow. All the company's buses were garaged in a large wooden building near their headquarters at Motherwell.
So numerous ..became the number of buses operating in opposition all over the company's routes that more vehicles and, in consequence, further accommodation were thought to be essential. Accordingly, on January 1st, 1925, the fleet of 26 A.E.C.s belonging to the Scottish General Transport Co., and housed at Coatbridge, was taken over by the Lanarkshire Co. The former had hitherto maintained five routes, these being from Airdrie to Caldercruix (a 20-minute service being maintained over the 4i miles) ; Airdrie to New Stevenston (separated by 4-6. miles, and on which a half-hourly service was run) ; Airdrie to Harthill and Airdrie to Shafts, 10i and 12 miles long respectively, both routes being served by buses in turn at hourly intervals, which took the same course for Si miles; Bellshill to Coatbridge, on which a 20-minute service was maintained over the ai miles. When these services were taken over the whole of the inside and outside staff of the ...original company was retained.
At the same time the bus business belonging to Mr. Donald Munn, of Harthill and Bellshill, was purchased. This proprietor's fleet consisted mainly of Albion vehicles numbering between 20 and 30, and they ran on three services, these being Earthill to Airdrie (in opposition to the Scottish General Trans-port Co.) ; Hartbill to Shotts, and Harthill to Glasgow, via Bellshill, the lastnamed taking the same course as the Lanarkshire Company's tramcars running between Holytown and Uddingstou. By acquiring the vehicles run by these two concerns, the company's fleet was brought up to about 150 strong. The additional buses were garaged and operated from the respective depots in which they had hitherto been housed. The coutpany were still adding to their own fleet, and they bought a number of A.E.C.s of the type which is shown in an accompanying illustration, the chassis being the makers' No. 5 type, and the bodies the product of Messrs. Strachan and Brown ; all these vehicles are now fitted with giant pneumatics.
As their activities were rapidly extending the company obtained a site about 100 yards from the power station at Motherwell, on which one of the most commodious and up-to-date garages in Scotland has been built. Several new services were then inaugurated, one being,a through journey from Airdrie Cross to Hamilton, via Motherwell, and continuing on to Coatbridge, via Bellshill, the length of the journey being approximately 17 miles..
The company's former garage has now been converted into a repair shop, where all buses are overhauled and repaired by a competent staff of engineers, joiners, painters, etc., and when the necessary renovations have been made the vehicles are despatched to the service garage in readiness to be put on the road again. In all the company employ over 1,000 bands, all of whom enjoy the privilege of having free passes to travel on the company's vehicles. This must be deemed a very useful concession, since the company operate twelve bus routes and six tramway routes. With the exception of one of the routes, that from Bellshill to CoatMidge, opposition is encountered on all of them, but under the able management and supervision of the general manager, Mr. G. F'. Moller, M.I.E.E., M.I.T., assisted by Mr. J. White, the traffic superintendent, the company are more than bolding their own.
On the Glasgow routes the company have powers which are not possessed by other bus concerns. By statutory powers passed by Act of Parliament they are allowed to pick up and set down passengers anywhere within a five-mile radius of their tram termini, thus enabling them to compete with the services of the Glasgow Corporation Tramways, irrespective of the restrictions which are placed on other companies. • In about 14 years the Lanarkshire Tramways Co. have developed their bus system very considerably, and from operating a tramway system their ramifications have extended in such a marked degree that they are now one of the largest and most progressive passenger transport concerns in Scotland. Their progress has been largely founded on an appreciation of the public's needs.
need for a aesign of this descriptions
whatever may be their views of the individual merits of the orthodox type of
open coach and the vehicle with a per manent saloon top. Moreover, they
will recognise that the outstanding ad vantages of each of these types are in reality incorporated in the London Lorries design.
In certain of our pictures the body is shown fitted to an example of the latest Maudslay low load-line chassis, and the complete vehicle is in many ways representative of the trend of development in motor coach design.
The body line is very graceful and the interior, as one of the pictures clearly shows, is well appointed. A sloping Yee windscreen is fitted and one of the latest ideas in the design is the use of folding drop lights over the wheel arches. The seats are arranged transversely, a central gangway separating the first three rows, behind which is a seat for three disposed .pentrally with spaces at the sides wRich make for freedom of movement, and a seat extending across the full width of the body at the rear. The seats are built on \ roomy lines and give a marked degree of comfort.
Two doors on the near side—one at the front and the other at the rear—give access to the passengers' seats ; there is a door on the off side for the nee of the driver. The finish of the body is, in effect, equal to that of many highgrade touting ear bodies.
The body we have briefly described is a 22-seater, and a feature is its lightness, the weight being less than 21 cwt. This characteristic has not been secured by sacrificing strength but by building the body on sound and scientific lines.
London Lorries, Ltd., have a large number of quadruple-purpose bodies passing through their shops at the present time which are being constructed for fitting to many types and different makes of chassis.