What Will Become of "Bristol"?
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WHAT will happen to the Bristol VY Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., if the Transport Bill becomes law? This question was discussed by Sir Frederick Heaton, chairman, at the company's annual general meeting.
The OW. Railway Co.. which, in conjunction with one of the Tilling companies, holds a controlling interest in the Bristol concern, will be taken over by the British Transport Commission on
January 1 next. Bristol Corporation also holds a 50 per cent, share in the Bristol city services, so that, in effect, that part of the business will be owned jointly by the municipality, the Govern
rnent. and one of the Tilling companies, in which the B.T.C. will then hold a half interest, together with a large number of private investors.
As the manufacturing side of the Company exists mainly to produce bus chassis for the Tilling Group, "this means that, as matters now stand," said Sir Frederick, "although the business will be retained, we shall lose what is virtually our only customer." The value of capital laid out in the manufacturing undertaking approached £1,500,000, he added, and 1,100 workers were producing over 1,000 chassis yearly.
Sir Frederick assumed that the bodybuilding department would be transferred to the B.T.C., along with the passenger-transport side of the business. He thought that, as the Ivfinistei of Transport was apparently adopting the precedent of the London Passenget Transport Act, the Bristol company should be granted a contract for a transitional period of 10 years, as was done in rather similar circumstances under that Act.