MOTOR COACH DOINGS AND DEVELOPMENTS.
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Matters of Topical Interest to Proprietors of Chars-a-banes.
Public 'Service Motor .Developments in 1920.
THE subject of public service motor developments divides itself naturally into two sections, covering respectively the vehicles used for purely utility services and those employed mainly for plea-sere purposes. As regards the former, the principal developments of the year in connection with motor omnibuses is undoubtedly the appearance on the London streets of vehicles of much enlarged carrying capacity.
Considerable ingenuity has been shown in designing bodies providing much increased accoinmoda,tion, without correspondingly increasing chassis dimensions. The deveIopmeet was, no doubt, accelerated by ills general outcry as to the inadequacy of passenger-carrying facilities in London and the need of remedying the shortage as promptly as possible. It is also due to the steadily increasing volume of patronage of motor omnibuses and to the necessity of employing larger unite. or alternatively of charging appreciably higher fares.
It goes without saying that, the cost of operation of a larger unit per passenger mile is lower than the corresponding figure for the old thirty-four seated bus. At the same time, as already pointed out, the smaller vehicle has certain, practical merits not fully shared by the larger, which must necessarily suffer hem more numerous inoidesital delays during its jotumeys. The motor omnibus, even at its largest size, is still at a disadvantage -as egainet the tramcar in respect of carrying capacity, but, the new types have entirely upset the 'comparative figures of cost per passenger mile which
have hitherto formed the main arguinent of tramway enthusiasts, who have placidly assumed that the thirty-four seater necessarily represented the beginning and end of motorbus development. No doubt, the example of London will be followed elsewhere, but there will remain districts in which the thirty-four seater will continue to fill the bill. The proper selection is, of course, a matter of the volume of traffic to be dealt with, and to some extent of the paying capacity of the average passenger. •
In districts where the custom is such that people are willing to pay more for a rather faster and distinctly more frequent service, the smaller type of vehicle will continue in use. As regards experimental work in connection with the efficiency and comfort of bus services, mention may be made of tests of giant pneumatic tyres and also of long road tests of which full details have been publiebed, conducted with a view to ascertaining the practical utility of fuel mixtures based ripen alcohol. In the sphere of the motor char-ibanes or coach, the employment of the pneumatic tyre bids fair to become popular much more rapidly. Not many prieumatic-tyreel vehicles of thre types are yet upon the i-cad, but the exhibits at Olympia undoubtedly, afforded a glimpse into the future. In respect of public service vehicles used for pleasure purposes, any additional costs resulting from the use of pneumatics can in many instances be completely offset by a slight raising of fares.
Most holiday snakes's would willingly pay a little extra for better comfort. and higher speed capabilities, and in the early stages the unusual appearance of a
giant pnenmatic-tyred vehicle will act as a big advertisement, for it will certainly bring it the pick of the custom, even if the charges are necessarily a little above the normal. For these reasons the motor coach will assuredly perform a very useful service to the cemmereial motor movement as a whole, by providing the testing ground for a big practical trial of 8 pneumatic tyre under heavy load.
During the summer there were fairly numerous complaints of the rowdiness of char-le-banes parties and of thedangers attending the use of narrow country lanes by very bulky vehicles of thin does. We may expect as a result some tendency towards the employmeet of vehicles of more limited dimensions and capacity, perhaps somewhat akin to the French "Auto-snail,' which takes about, 14 passengers, and runs on pneumatic tyres.
This tendency may be accentuated by the powers given to the Ministry of Transport to clove roads against eel-tale classes of traffic, These powers may again militate in the direction of the use ot pneumatie-tyred vehicles, which may conceitably be given preferential treat ment in certain cases, Clearly, if the coach proprietor runs the risk of being debarred from covering some of the most interesting local routes, unless the dimensions of his vehicles are strictly_ limited and pneumatic tyres are used, his policy will be to a great extent moulded by these considerations.
Another interesting development during 1920 has been the organization, forecasted in these pages some years ago, of motor coach trips extending from this country to the Continent. There is much more tole done in this direction, particularly as regards the co-ordination
of services to link up at the ports on both sides of the Channel, but a beginning has been made. In some eases, trips have been offered reaching aa far afield as the south coast of France, the fares charged being inclusive of meals and hotel accommodation. Sooner or later the idea of trips lasting two or three weeks; the greater part of the time being spent in foreign countries, will undoubtedly "catch on," -and very considerable developments will result.
Motor Coaches Replace Trams.
I T IS questionable whether, in the future, when traanwaymen refuse to work on ChristmaseDay, the threat Will be accompanied as it. hasbeen in the
• past, with treineridoua misgiving on the part of municipal authorities.
When the Manchester tramwaymen gave notice to. have Christmas Day off, the Trarnw.aye Committee arranged for a motor coach service to coyer about 18 tramway, routes. Over 60 metor coaches owned by 40' proprietors; members of the Manchester and Counties Motor Transport Association, were 'brought into use on Christmas Day, and maintained a continuousservice, running at intervals of between 15 mina. to 1 hr. from 9 a.m. onwards.
Isle of Thanet Services.
THE illustration whidli we publish on the previous page shows a group of Thornycroft passenger-carrying vehicles owned by Redbourn and Co., of Ramsgate. Mr. Redbourn is the sole agent for East Kent for vehicles of Thornycroft manufacture, which accounts for
his employing vehicles of this make, although this fact has not biased his belief .in the Thornycroft as an ideal passenger machine. In connection with his own' business he employs six vehicles; four of these are 28-seater motor coaches, whilst of. the remainder one is a double-deck bus and the ether a single-deck saloon bus. During the season winch, so fax as Ramsgate is concerned, lasts about four months, the former vehicles are run on a service between.. Rarnegate and' Margate, the fare for the through journey being 10d., whilst both buses are employed on the Ramsgate to Sandwich journey, for which -a Is. fare is charged. Stage fares are allowed. A 10 minutes service is run to Margate, that to Sand. wich being hourly. Conductors are carried on the coaches running on service. During the winter months the vehicles are garaged, and receive a thorough overhaul previous to being put into ser vice the following season. Occasional football parties are carried, but these are few in number.
Mr. Redbourn is the proprietor of the Granville Garage (his coaches are known as the Granville Cars), and in connection with his business he does a good deal of taxicab and private hire work. whilst he is also manager of the Isle of
'Menet _Motor Co., -Ltd. The latter concern employs eight Thornycroft vehicles. Four of these are double-deck buses, two of them being employed on the Margate route, whilst the others run. to Westg,ate and Birchington. The seat. ing capacity of each of these vehicles is 34.
Redbourn and Co. and the Isle of
Thanet Motor Co., although separate companies, are under the control of the same management, and naturally enough their time-tables and services are worked in conjunction. So -far as the repair of the vehicles is concerned; however, each company is responsible for its own mechines. The cuinpanies are the largest operators in the Me of Thanet of motorbuses and &are-a-banes, and last Beasoia was a very successful 'one for them. Although de weather conditions generally last summer were not of a particularly pleasant character, the Isle of Thanet was rather fortunate in this regard, for although they did not have many sunny days they escaped the heavy rainfall which was experienced In other parts Of the country. The Thernycreft vehicle is very popular locally, and apart from the numerous chars-a-bones and buses in use, .vehicles have been .supplied by Mr. Redbourn to dairymen, brewers, market gardeners; and other users. Mr. W. H. -Walker, of Birchington, is also the user -of Thornycroft vehicles supplied through Mr. Redbourn, and he runs one char-abanes and one double-deck bus on service.
Mr. Redbourn has much to say in praise' of the running of the Thornycrofts in his service, which is not to be wondered at when we state that two • of thevehicles 'have covered since 191.5 over 80,000 miles each on the Margate service. A regular service of motor coaches from Ramsgate to London is contemplated for the 1921 season, but as to whether or not this will eventuate depends solely upon the demand that may be experienced.