The Motor Omnibus World.
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The aggregate number of motor omnibuses in Greater London promises slightly to exceed the " round thousand "by the end of the current year.
The London police are requiring all motorbus Wheel tracks to be 5 feet h inches, and this is measured from centre to centre of tires. There have been several rejections on this score.
Not every local council in the ManChester district is unfavourable to Motorbuses. Tie Bucklow Rural District Council has renewed the licenses for three of Lhese vehicles to run in the Nort he nden district.
The latest horsed-omnibus service to feel motorbus competition is that between Hendon and Oxford Circus, via Golder's Green. This service, which had previously proved remunerative for upwards of seven years, was withdrawn on Saturday last.
The Gareloch Motor Service Company, Limited, of Helensburgh, which recently placed a repeat order for a ibh.p. Albion char-a-bancs, has written to the makers as follows : " When we got the ifih.p. char-a-bancs from you six months ago we also obtained a similar car of another well-known make. The two have been running constantly over the same route, and your car has been much the more satisfactory in every way ; inleed, we have had practically no trouble with it."
The Hart-Durtnall Syndicate, Limited, has been registered with an authorised capital of ,4;20,000, divided into
i ordinary shares, for the purpose of developing the Hart-Durtnall system of petrol-electric power transmission.. The remuneration of each director, of whom there Shall be not more than six, is .4: ion per anninn.
At the last meeting of the Willesden Urban District Council a letter wa:: read front the Harleden Ratepayers' Association urging the completion of Wrottlesley Road, to enable the motor omnibuses to extend their service from Kensal Green to Harlesden. The Council instructed its engineer to continue certain negotiations which are being carried on to attain the end in view.
Motor Omnibus Engineers.
A meeting of the Council of the Society of Motor Omnibus Engineers was held at the registered offices of the society, i, Albemarle Street, W., on Monday evening last, the 1!..t instant, when, in the unavoidable absence of the Chairman, Mr. F. C. A. Coventry, the chair was taken by Mr. W. 0. Spiller (Gearless Motor Omnibus Company, Limited). There were also present : E. Shrapnell Smith (lion. Vice-President); and the following members of the council : W. M. Hodges (London and District Motor Cab Company, Limited); T. F. Carter l.V,sociated Omnibus Corn
pany, Limited); George Pollard (London Motor Omnibus Company, Limited); F. J. Field (London and District Motor Bus Company, Limited); P. Frost Smith (Thomas Tilling, Limited); W..Flexman French (Sussex Motor Road Car Company, Limited). Also in attendance, the Secretary, Mr. Charles E. Esse_
The principal business transacted included the following : Programme for winter session.—A series of titles of six papers was provisionally adopted, and it is expected that the session will be opened on the 2gth instant; Other proposed dates for subsequent meetings are November 2.6th, December 17th, January 2ist, February t8th, and March 18th. It is hoped that full particulars will be available for publication next week.
Membership. Mr. E. A. Eager.
Superintendent and Engineer to the Brighton and Hove Motor Omnibus Company, Limited, was duly elected.
Laboratory. — Instructions were
given to the Secretary as to the insurance of the engine, plant and fittings at the Society's Research Laboratory.
Social Room.—It was agreed that enquiries should be made with a view to the acquiring of a meeting place in the nature of a small club-house, in a central position, the Secretary's report to be brought up at the next council meeting.
Mr. II. P. G. Brakenridge's proposal For a reference list of books suitable for the establishment of running-shed libraries will again be referred to by us in our next issue, when we hope to publish the names of a number of interesting works of an instructive yet not excessively technical character.
A new price list of tires for motorbuses and other commercial motors will shortly he issued by the Peter Union Tire Company. Its compilation is approaching completion, and we are advised that all prices will be taken from this new list, as from the 1st instant, except where running contracts are in existence.
A passenger in one of the Corporation's motorbuses was fined A,;1 and ins., respectively, for two offences against decorum at Eastbourne last week. When requested by the cmelector to stop smoking a cigarette inside the omnibus, the defendant used abusive and disgusting language. A sharp reprimand might, we think, be administered to impolite and offensive passengers on many occasions, and there is no question that omnibus conductors should take action more frequently than they do.
Omnibus engineers or managers who are about to equip their vehicles with illuminated destination indicator:; should not fail to invite quotations from J. T. Williams and Company, Limited, of 344, New Town Row, Birmingham, which company has made a speciality of this class of fitting from the earliest days of self-propelled publicservice vehicles. We are advised that the latest production of the Birmingham company is an improved destination lamp, to fit either under or over the canopy or hood, and the company is prepared to turn this out in large quantities, and to give delivery within a few days from receipt of order. Prompt execution is much appreciated by owners. The service between the Elephant and Castle and Finchley Road has been augmented, by the addition of three of the London General Omnibus Company's vehicles : this service is worked by the Atlas and Watqr)oo Omnibus Association, of which the.' General "is a member.
" Vanguard Service No. 4," which used to run from Gospel Oak, via Hampstead Road, Oxford Street, Bayswater Road, Shepherd's Bush, Hammersmith, Putney, Wandsworth, and Earlsfield to Lower Tooting, was yesterday (Wednesday) shortened, and it now only runs from Oxford Circus to High Street, Wandsworth, via Bayswater Road, Shepherd's Bush, Hammersmith, and Putney.
The 24h.p. Thornycroft illustrated on the previous page has what is known as the company's " Type 8o " chassis. The front axle is now of a straight Isection, and the strength of the channel Frame members, which are pressed out of nickel steel, has been increased to 51 inches by 2 inches, whilst a four-speed gear box is rated. The wheels, it will be noted, are fitted with FalconnetPerodeaud tires, for which Mr. Bernard Met; of 3, Great Winchester Street, E.C., is the sole British represediative. The engine has cylinders 4i inches in diameter, whilst the piston stroke is 5 inches, and all valves are both mechanically operated and interchangeable. The control is on the throttle, by a ball-headed lever conveniently arranged under the steering wheel. The radiator, of the honeycomb type, with a fan placed behind it, is mounted on a hinged joint on one side, and is slung on a link on the other, so that it may not be sprung or dammed in use. A disc clutch of the HeIe-Shaw type is employed, and this takes up the load gradually, whilst Hoffman ball-bearings are employed throughout the transmission. The body has been built 1)y Messrs. Dodson, of Camden Town, who have constructed a large number for the "Vanguard" vehicles. In the Vacation Court, on the 25th ultimo, Mr. Justice Barg-rave Deane heard an adjourned motion in the case of Wells versus the Alliance Motor Bus. Company, Limited. This was to restrain the company from parting or dealing with j:,30 paid by the plaintiff in respect of shares; and from enforcing the payment of calls. Counsel for the company asked that the matter might be allowed to stand over until next term, and informed the Judge that he could not bring the money, into court because it had been spent. The Judge ruled that unless the -.1:30 was brought into Court the motion must be tried a week later.'
We enjoyed the opportunity, on Tuesday last, of travelling from London to St. Albans in the 4oh.p. Ryknield omnibus of which an illustrated description was given in our Issue of 'September i3th, in company with Mr. Arthur J. Clay, managing director of the Ryknield Motor Company, Limited, and Mr. R. Bell, chief engineer of the London Motor Omnibus Company, Limited. The manner in which the vehicle climbed Highgate Hill in top gear was a revelation, and qur close observation of its running on this eccasion' entirely confirms our previous high opinion of the merits Of the system as now offered to intending buyers of public-service vehicles. There is no question that operating companies which are in a position to place further orders should not overlook the Ryknield bus, which is British-built throughout.