P.S.V. Ways and Means in War-time
Page 28
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A Précis of the Interesting Paper Read Before the Public Service
Transport Association by Mr. Ben England, M.I.A.E., M.Inst.T. •
IN presenting his paper, Mr. Ben England, general 1 manager, Nottingham City Transport, regretted that it contained a good deal of the doings of Nottingham, but pointed out that it served to introduce the subject, in order to promote a useful discussion.
In Nottingham, he said, black-out operation called for considerable revision of schedules, and an average of some 10 per cent. additional time allowance to reduce service speed, excluding stops and standing time, by 1.5 m.p.h. When daylight saving terminated, schedules had again to be revised to permit the additional time to be commenced earlier, but these have again been cut with the arrival of summer schedules.
A method adopted by some operators, and useful on inter-town services, is to start early morning journeys earlier, hitting the correct running time at daybreak and allowing additional time after dark. Thus headways become slightly widened and departure times progressively later than in daylight.
In some places there had been an influx of bad coins, but in Nottingham there has been no more than the usual number. In some• cases even two-shilling pieces and halfcrowns have been put in the uncollected-fare boxes in mistake for pennies.
In dialling-type ticket machines it has been found better to replace the normal figures of black on an aluminium ground by white figures on a black ground.
• Fight Further Peace-time Restrictions • It is extremely misleading to claim that the lower death figures for February were due solely to the imposition of the 20 m.p.h. limit. It is important that this should be put before the public, as there are quarters in which, after the war, any straw will be grasped in an attempt to place new peace-time restrictions upon road traffic.
Nottingham services were cut as drastically as possible at off-peak times. Some unrernunerative services were cut out entirely, vehicles meeting late excursion trains and those catering for passengers from dances, etc., were discontinued. Sunday services were cut to 33.68 per cent. of the normal.
Three grants of additional fuel have brought the mileage, at the end of September, to 61 per cent, of that for 1938, or 59 per cent. of the 1939. Since then Nottingham has received various small supplementary grants to increase individual services, the corresponding percentage being
now 67.79 and 66.66. Full stocks of fuel have enabled a. consumption of 6.21 per cent, above the ration, but when these are exhausted (about July) more cuts will have to be made.
The figures show that the oil fuel equivalent gives 0.74 m.p.g. more than is obtainable from petrol, so that the two-thirds of a unit represents a reasonable basis, but as many operators have very few petrol vehicles, and some none, any advantage to the operator is more apparent than real.
After the war we shall be able to indulge in an orgy of travel-encouragement—the task of undoing all that will have been done in the matter of restrictions during Concerning black-out arrangements, the coloured-window system on buses was dismal during the day. Blue windows on buses earned titles such as "Blue Maria," "Ghost Train" and "Blue Room." At night, however, the light was reasopable for conductors' work and for some passengers to read. With clear windows, whilst normal by day, the poor light at night made conductors' work difficult, and torches or " conductalites " had to be provided, and passengers could not read. Some light was introduced by shades with sawcuts, the light projecting on the ceiling arid reflecting down. After a scientific investigation, a suitable directional shade was developed, and the author believes this was amongst the first satisfactory types used. He thinks it better that the public should be able to see something through the windows rather than that passengers should be transported in an opaque box.
For trolleybuses with high-tension bulbs, a new canister was evolved, throwing light downwards and on the ceiling but preventing the direct bulb light from being seen. Additionally, the usual four 130-volt 40-watt bulbs in series were arranged with two circuits in series, i.e., eight lamps, thus giving a low light intensity.
Nearly all Nottingham buses have two fog lamps, without ordinary head lamps. When the regulation mask was fitted it was found to be useless, and the fog lamps had to be . raised to 3 ft. 6 ins, from the ground. With trolleybuses the mask proved useless with the ordinary traction bulb. Special masks were, therefore, designed, and the lamps were rewired, two in series, with 27S-volt instead of 130-volt bulbs, the near-side mask being made with a hinged front to lift in case of fog.
As regards the financial effect, no municipality has been. able to increase its revenue to cover additional expenditure, and 53 per cent. of those publishing figures showed decreased gross revenue for the year ended March 31. All around costs, wages and prices are rising, but the formalities and delays through which operators must go before increased fares may be charged are remarkable. The operator of public transport is expected to be the last in the community to make this move. An additional id. per journey for 12 or 24 per week, totalling 6d. to is., is not an amount which is disproportionate to what the public is asked to pay in mai:1y other directions.
Some operators are abolishing workmen's fares; others are proposing to do so. The author considers that these fares are an anachronism, unfair and wrong in principle.
Two years ago the Minister of Transport refused a request for an increase in the permissible length of twoaxle single-deckers. His reasons are a little obscure, it being strange that a three-axle vehicle may be longer than one with two axles. It is not a matter of overhang, for there need be no difference in that respect. There are many routes on which longer vehicles would prove invaluable, and the cost of operation would be only slightly greater.
Even a major war with severe fuel restrictions has not enabled the Minister to permit more than eight standing passengers—an increase of only three on the peace-time maximum. What a boon it would have been if our vehicles had been permitted more standing during peak periods.
A microphone with amplifier, and a loud-speaker in each saloon, are being tried in Nottingham and have proved successful.
• Reducing Flashing and Facilitating Operation • Flashing of trolley wires can be reduced by substituting carbon slider heads for wheels. In some cases arc shields are fitted over the wires. Most flashing occurs where positive and negative wires cross. A simple blow-out coil has been tried at Nottingham to prevent this, but it is only partially effective.
Standards and posts where vehicles stop have been painted white for 3 ft. from the ground, and a white circle painted at the base of each. Ordinary luminous paint seems to be effective only at very. close range. A better quality costs 42s. 6d. per gallon.
Owing to a dearth of dry batteries many were boosted either by heating or charging with a small current, whilst some torches were equipped with accumulators. Difficulty in obtaining aluminium has resulted in using iron or wood for beading, brass or copper rivets for brake shoes, steel for body panels, and steel or friction material for step edging. Difficulties in obtaining vegetable oils for shock absorbers forced the replacement of rubber washers by those of neoprene.
As regards alternative fuels, the author places the methods in the following order of practicability and promise: producer gas, high-pressure gas in cylinders, and low-pressure gas in large containers.