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The Trolley-bus and the Motor Industry W E HAVE devoted a

6th September 1921
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Page 1, 6th September 1921 — The Trolley-bus and the Motor Industry W E HAVE devoted a
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certain amount of space in this issue to the trolley-bus system installed over a short route in the City of York, and declared by the local authorities to be giving satisfaction on every hand, not only because it is interesting to read of a successful system which (in present circumstances of the high cost of tramway permanent-way renewals) bids fair to displace many rail-bound systems, but because we strongly feel that this is a branch of industry which should be • taken over by commercial motor manufacturers.

We advanced the same argument some time ago, when the first real measureof success was earned by the trolley-bus, and we are glad to know that the seed did not fall on entirely barren ground, because certain manufacturers are very closely watching the. development, and are prepared to quo-te for this type of vehicle, in the manufacture of which a commercial vehicle concern's standard chassis parts will conveniently enter.

At present, bus manufacture n this country is, in very few hands; we think that a study of the chassis plan-view of a trolley-bus, given in this issue, will convince the trade that this type of vehicle should rightly be built by them, and not by railway carriage 'makers or in the workshops of municipal tramway departments. There is a potential volume of trade. in these vehicles which is not limited to this country, but to innumerable places abroad. We have to produce our electric current by the burning of coal; overseas it can be obtained from water power, and is materially cheaper. What is more reasonable than that local authorities, able to obtain cheap electric power, should want to buy British rubber-tyred vehicles, be spared the expense of permanent-ways and their renewal, and also be independent of imported liquid fuel?

There is another aspect of the trolley bus system. it uses the current from municipal electrical undertakings during the periods of light loads, and therefore makes for economy. It does not call for the use of imported fuel ; whereas, if petrol-driven motorbus systems were tobe -established alf over the country in place of the tramways thatprobably but for the war would be installed, or the tramway extensions that would have been undertaken, the increased demand for liquid fuel must have put up the prices against users of commercial vehicles. The commercial motor industry can render a good service to itself, and also to -the road transport industry, by taking an active part in fostering the

trolley-bus and its development. The growth in the motor coach movement arid_ the consequential enormously increased consumption of liquid fuel can be largely counterbalanced by the development of electrically driven, public passenger services.

The Cyclist Again a Source of Danger. .

THE CYCLIST has once again become a highly potential danger on the roads. Many years ago, cyclists themselves violently agitated over a period of years for the lighting up after dark of all vehicles on the highway, and the indication of the presence of cattle by the uee of lamps. That was because they were the fastest travellers by road and desired that their skins might be protected. Later, when cyclists weredeprived of the position of being the speed:est movers, drivers of motor vehicles pointed out the danger,. to everybody concerned, of cycles being the only vehicle which gave no indication rearward, by means of the 'usual tail Tight, of their presence on the road. And the cyclists screamed against the threat! ." Dora " gave the authorities an opportunity to impose 'immediately upon cyclists theneed for carrying a lighted rear lamp, but, with the termination of the war, the regulations ceased to be operative after August 31st.

Until the promised Lights on Vehicles Bill is introduced and has become law, lamps on road vehicles need not be lighted until one hour after sunset and cyclists are not compelled to carry more than one burp—showing a light ahead. There areenany cyclists who realize the sense of showing a rear light and they will doubtless continue the practice, but, unfortunately, there are-• many foolish counsellors in the cycling ranks, including efficials of the' Cyclists' Touring Club, who are advising cyclists to cease showing a rear light and, thus, are deliberately encouraging young fellows and girls to take an unfair risk. Commercial vehicles are not all equipped with _powerful headlights, and even the most powerful Tamp ia no great protection to the cyclist who happens to be out of the path of the rays when the larger vehicle is being steered round a curve..

We urge extra caution upon all coinmercial vehicle driver,s until the proposed law conies into force, but we also warn cyclists that, by ceasing the practice of Showing a rear light as is done by every other class. of road user, they are deliberately asking for trouble, whilst those who are taking the mad step of advising cyclists to drop the rear light are assuming a very unpleasant responsibility, for eVery death that results must be laid at their door.

Are Coach Speeds. Too High ?

ACCIDENTS to motor coaches have shownlittle abatement in numbers this year, despite the cautionary nate that was sounded afterthe

three bad Smashes of 1920. .

In our recent peregrinations, we have. carefully watched the behaviour and general practiceof coach drivers in. thirteen of the southern, eastern, and western counties, and we havecome to the conclusion that, 'where the circumstances permit, they drive at an unduly high epeed. Accelerating often to 25 and 30 miles auihour, we' have found it impossible to get by with a touring car. The narrowness and the camber of the roads result in the coach driver leaving only about -.6 ft. or 7 ft, on his off side for overtaking traffia, and it is extraordinary how oblivious to warning -sounds from behind is the average coach load of people. The result is annoyance and aggravation, of drivers and passengersin light road vehicles.

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On many an occasion, we found coaches be driven down hill at a speed -which we felt, in circumstances-, it was wiser not to emulate, althoi a touring car is much the safer vehicle at speed o decline. We could only come to the conclusion t the coach in each case was being .over-driven. discussed this question with coach passengers found many of them perturbed at the high ape Whilst admitting that motoring by coach was delis ful, they averred that the driver drove too fast A that, frankly, they did not like it. "He might a good driver, but, in a sudden emergency, co such a ponderous mass be pulled up quickly e.ncen could it be steered to clear the obstacle; would brakes fail? " These are the thoughts in the ini: of the passengers, and it is obvious that they m drive much custom. away from the coaches.

We consider a speed of 22 miles an hour ample coach work, and the way in which to avoid hig speeds is for coach proprietors to fix a schedule time for a journey, departure from which would en penalty on the driver. There is no trouble over speed of London_ buses, which can easily average miles per hour, but Which, by law, are restricted speed to 12 m.p.h. The schedules of the L.G.0 operating manager have mastered that trouble, coach proprietors musts in their own interests k. those of other road users, follow the example th.era by the buses.

The Possibilities of Traction by Roadrail.

FEW people have paid any considerable amounl attention to the important developments -wh are taking place in connection with transport by Roadrail. In fact, the general pul hardly know of its existence, although a cert amount of interest was aroused when Roadrails, Li was floated some four month-s ago in order to deve the Stronech-Dutton patents ; the system s described by us in our issue dated June 21st, 1921.

In brief, the system consists of a very light railv track with a narrow path, constructed in the sa way as a road, on each side of it. On these paths i the rubber-tyred rear wheels of a tractor, the fr. axle of which rests on a bogey running on the re Rubber-tyred front wheels are also provided, and tractor earl leave the railway for the ordinary rt whenever required, and can thus be used for le haulage as well as for -pulling trucks on the rails.

It must be emphasized that the system hasle passed the experimental stage and is being develoi commercially ; in fact, 60 miles -of track are aim completed in Uganda, and arrangements are be. made to lay further lengths of. the track in Bomb Negotiations are also pending regarding the it-rod tion of the system into a large number of countri whilst the tractors, which are being constructed Roadrails, -Ltd-, by Guy Motors, Ltd., are near eotnpletio n_ The system is not intended to compete with re transport, but to replace expensive light railway's, E even broad gauge lines where the traffic is insuffici. to justify a considerable outlay. • It is peculiarly fA I able for the development of virgin country, as the c compares very favourably even with that of the Iii railway. It can also be used to advantage by .c tractors who wish to lay temporary lines.

' Even with small loads transported over eompa tivoly short distances, the wet per ton-mile is in. neighbourhood of threepence, hut with' greater Iss for comparatively long distances this cost can reduced to as little as one penny per ton-mile.

Tags

Organisations: Cyclists' Touring Club
People: Again
Locations: York, London

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