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BIRD'S EYE
Page 135
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By The Hawk VIEW Motorway Lighting The first stretch of motorway
lighting in Britain is now very much in evidence on the Chiswick Viaduct section of M4, I hear. Some 39 two-lamp columns have been erected along a stretch of road —200W linear sodium lamps being used on the viaduct itself and 250W colour-corrected mercury lamps on the Great West Road beneath it and on the slip roads. Cost? A representative of the General Electric Co. Ltd. told me this week it was £10,000.
A Special Section Previously, of course, there
has been only localized junction lighting on our motorways. Wondering, whether there were plans afoot for further extensions of this idea I decided to have a word with the "man from the Ministry ". He told me that this was unlikely in the near future. Apparently Chiswick Viaduct is regarded, as a special section of motorway, as it is both urban—and elevated. The lighting of a particular section of road, was told, depended entirely on "particular circumstanOs ".
Eventually a two-mile section of the viaduct is to be lit up by 208, sodium lamps. I calculate that at the rate of £10,000 per 1-mile stretch the total cost_ of lighting 3,50 miles of motorway (which is what we shall have in the near future) would be £31. m. Is this a luxury we shall have to do without for some time to come?
Split Vote Curious as to opinion on the
desirability of motorway lighting I put the question to nine of my colleagues. Three were "for ", three were " against " : and the remainder thought it more important to spend money on laying motorway rather than lighting it.: What do you think?
A Few Sly Digs Humour and costing are not
usually allied subjects. But in the pungent survey on Road Revenues and Costs submitted to the Geddes Committee by the Transport Holding Company and published this week one detects a certain relish in the sly digs made at previous evidence submitted to the Geddes Committee by the British Railways Board.
Far from road users not paying their "whack " the T.H.C. evidence shows that there are big accumulations of tax revenue over road expenditure. It continues "Accepting a target for annual gross revenue surplus at a rate of 10 per cent, on net historic cost, like a nationalized industry, but after actually paying out this figure—an unusual course—the balance of the surpluses from 1948 to 1970 would amount to over £5,000 m."
I like that 'unusual course ". Gone is the fiction of the railways paying their way "one year with another ".
Newly Qualified Opening the new Potteries
bus station and bowling centre on Monday, Lord Stafford said that he was now qualified to perform the ceremony as he had that day ridden on a P.M.T. bus for the first time in his life. I wonder if he had the good fortune to ride on the new Daimler Roadliner single-decker which, although participating in the ceremonies and actually carrying guests, was kept beyond the reach of the technical Press until, after a change of heart, it was too late to sample it.
My colleague's enthusiasm for trying this new model must be contained yet longer it would seem.
Mr. Day's Tiger Apparently, the "Preserved
Tiger " which I reported on November 20 had been handed over to the Historical Commercial Vehicle Club was not given to them after all. It was presented to the Club's publicity officer Norman Day personally. I understood that Mr. Day was to receive the 1S7, but assumed that he would accept it on behalf of the H.C.V.C. Moral—never assume anything!
Bonallack's Stride The announcement last week that Bonallack have formed a new Scottish company in conjunction with Scottish Aviation represents a big geographical stride for a concern which has been expanding steadily in recent years. And for Scottish operators it must be quite a sales point that if they choose a Bonallack body they will not only be saved the long and costly haul front England but will also be furthering local employment. The new company, with offices at Glasgow and Prestwick, will be handling all Bonallack sales in Scotland, I understand.
I haven't yet discovered whether Scottish Aviation's Minatic is going to be continued; it is a novel design that certainly seems worth encouragement.
Help! What happens if you pass this unique road sign is very obvious. Where is it? On the edge of the much-sung-about Galway Bay. It's about as far west as you can possibly get in a vehicle—the next bit of dry land is Labrador! Understandably, the local authority thought it advisable to play safe.