Motorbus World.
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The Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., has now entered into a contract with the Lansdowne Grove Hotel, Bath, for the service of a well-appointed 28-35 h.p. Dennis vehicle.
On Tuesday last, 60 members of the Cricklewood garage staff of the L.G.O.C. were entertained by Lord Rothschild at his estate at Tring. The party went down by train, an previous to dinner, was taken for a long drive in the surrounding country ; a cricket match followed.
We deal editorally, on the second page of this issue, with some aspects of the regrettable char-a-banes accident which occurred on Saturday afternoon last in NorthWest Durham. We reproduce below a photograph of the scene of the mishap. Attention is drawn to the facts that there is considerable camber at the scene of the disaster and that a sharp turn had just been negaiated. when the char-a-banes overturned.
An esteemed and well-known correspondent writes :-" Everyone who has driven a motorcar in London streets must sympathize with the claims of the motorbus drivers to be well paid ; their job is the toughest of all connected with transport, requiring strength, nerve, patience and incessant watchfulness. The drivers of electric tramcars deserve no sympathy theirs is about the softest job on the streets, requiring less effort, mental or physical, than is entailed by driving any other form
of vehicle. Yet according to the strike agitators, the man with the soft job ought to get as good wages as the one whose task is far harder."
The fifth annual report of the Silsden Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., of which the secretary has sent a copy to us, shows a net loss on the year's working of 293. The directors state that the returns from the carriage of parcels are good, but other receipts are unsatisfactory. A correspondent informs us that the "Roach° " Co., of White Rock, Hastings, which is operating two 40 h.p. Leyland coaches at that resort, is contemplating the acquirement of additional machines, with the object of maintaining an all-theyear service. Hastings has some reputation as a winter resort.
Leylands in Lanes.
Our Bolton correspondent writes that three Leyland 35-40 h.p. charsa-bancs, named respectively " King George," "Queen Mary," and "Prince Edward," have been doing excellent service during the recent period of railway dislocation. In ordinary times these vehicles are kept fully employed for football excursions and for summer outings. Thus early in the year, we are informed, journeys to local football matches are already being planned for these machines. Our correspondent quotes an example of the amount of work which is performed by these vehicles, and the following is a typical eight-days journey sheet : --Monday, Moreeambe, 90 miles ; 'Tuesday, Blackpool, 80 miles ; Wednesday, garage and overhaul ; Thursday, Grasmere. 155 miles ; Friday, Blackpool, 80 miles ; Saturday, Southport twice, 125 miles: Sunday, Ilkley, 05 miles; and Monday, Blackpool, 80 The Maidstone and District Motorbus Co, has informed the Town Clerk of Chatham that, owing to the irregularity of the service which is maintained by Road Motors, Ltd., a competitive company on the same route, the public is considerably inconvenienced.
L.G.O. Discipline.
In view of the rumours to which the alarmist section of the daily Press has given publicity, with regard to the possibility of a strike of the drivers and conductors of the L.G.0.0., a manifesto, signed by one of the joint general managers, has been circulated through the depots of the company. An appeal is made to all hands to stand loyally by the executive, and they are warned not to be influenced by the machinations of professional agitatators. The company's servants are reminded of the carefully-organized procedure which is in force, whereby a direct appeal to the head office is possible when necessary.
A Strike on the Line.
Owing to the dislocation of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway., a few days ago, a party of engineers went down to Brighton from Chelsea by motorbus. On the return journey, on the way through Holley, through which the route lay owing to the main road's being up for repairs, the vehicle ran off the road and came to a standstill on the up hoe of the Brighton railway. The village lamps were extingiddied, and the driver mistook a light near to the subway. The passengers were thrown forward, and confusion reigned, and, before anyone was aware of its approach, a down express train was seen coming towards the vehicle. It passed within a foot of the bonnet. The stranded passengers returned to town by train after all, A Long-wanted Service.
The extreme western part of Pembrokeshire has, as we have pointed out on previous occasions, hitherto been very badly served indeed so far as transport facilities are concerned. St. Davids, a cathedral city of a few thousand inhabitants, which is in the westernmost part of the county, is 14 miles from a railway station. The Great Western Railway Co. has now inaugurated a regular motorbus service between this interesting old city and Fishguard, the terminus of the Great Western main line, and Haverfordwest, the neighbouring county town. At present, it is only intended to maintain this service for the benefit of the summer visitors, but, should the enterprise of the company be sufficiently rewarded, there is no doubt that the service will remain a permanent one, On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the buses run between St. David's and Haverfordwest ; on Tuesdays, there are two journeys to and from Goodwick, the actual name of the Fishguard terminus and on Thursdays and Saturdays, the same run is carried out once a day only. Complaint is made that the Tramways Committee of the Perth Town Council takes off the motorbus which runs from Perth to Almondbank when it is thought necessary to use the machine for special services. Regular users are of opinion that the ordinary time-table should be maintained, in preference to the carrying out of special trips.