Motorbuses at Widnes.
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Pioneer Vehicle, after Eighteen Months' Work, Makes Way for Full Service of Four Machines.
We are enabled to publish some particulars of the running costs of the first motorbus—a " Commer Car which was put into service at Widnes, some 18 months ago, by Mr. T. S. Allen, of Manchester, since which time very satisfactory running has been maintained. The local authorities in this district have been so favourably impressed by the performance of this first machine that they themselves have now put into commission four double-deck motorbuses, which have been constructed to their order by Commercial Cars, Limited, of Luton. In our issue of the 18th April last, we recorded the departure of these machines from the coach works of Christopher Dodson, Limited, of Camden 'town. It will be remembered that we reproduced in that number several photographs of the vehicles in question. One of these showed the manner in which the double-deck vehicles had to be taken out of the works, viz., through a hole which had to be specially made in one of the factory walls, as none of the ordinary doors was of sufficient height. All four machines, which are of a similar type to Mr. Allen's first machine, have now been delivered at Widnes, and the authorities in that town intend to maintain a 15-minute service over the route that has been the subject of prolonged experiment. Hitherto the service has been an hourly one. The road which has regularly been served by the original motorbus, and which is to be still better served in future, is that between the Transporter Bridge at Runcorn and the terminus of the Liverpool and St. Helens electric tramway systems at Rainhill.
The original motorbus commenced running on the 1st September, 1907. and during a period of 18 months from that date 40,000 miles were covered. The regularity of running during that period resulted in the steady cultivation of a reliable clientele of considerable proportions. Now that the local authorities have made themselves responsible for this public
service, the pioneer vehicle which has so stccessfully demonstrated the practicability of the service, which is now being placed on a sound footing, is back at Luton undergoing a general inspection, preparatory to its being placed on a new service in Devonshire. We are informed that this machine is practically as good as ever, and shows no ill effects from its trying period of service at Widnes.
An interesting feature of the upkeep of this machine, during its pioneer work, has been the small amount of wear and tear of the tires. These are of " Shrewsbury and Chal liner " manufacture. Three sets sufficed for the period in question, and in each ease about 13,000 miles of running stood to their credit. The gearbox and differential were not touched during the whole period, and the only replacement of any consequence was the inevitable one of three sets of chains. During holiday time, the work performed was of a very severe natare, and the service was very popular. The traffic was carried quite single-handed; there was no possibility of relief from a sister vehicle. On August Bank Holiday last 2,748 penny fares were taken. The average weekly number of passengers during the 18 months has been about 6,500. We have been favoured with some detailed running costs which are the result of the first twelve months' running of the first machine, and it will be seen that these figures are very creditable to the manufacturer.