NEW BUS
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ENTERPRISE AT LIVERPOOL
The Merseyside Touring Co. Inaugurates a New Service with a Small Fleet of Tilling-Stevens.
r A NEWCOMER into the field of 11 motorbus operation is the Merseyside Touring Co., of Islington, Liverpool, which, with a fleet of five 1929 Tilling-Stevens 32-seater vehicles, inaugurated on March 13th a town service between Liverpool and Bootle. becomes properly established it will, in all probability, receive good support. No inducements are held out to encourage passengers to boon return Tares, te,:ause, for the time being, there is a Bootle local service. For the `zo. and 3d. single stages, the return fare is just double, but for certain short distances there is a minimum return fare of 2d. That is to say, the lowest fare that is accepted is 2d.
To meet the convenience of passengers, the Merseyside Touring Co. has decided to issue books of tickets, which may be obtained from the conductors at the following rates :—Six 6d. tickets, 2s. 6d. •, seven 5d. tickets, 2s. 6d.; nine 4d. tickets, 2s. 6d. The first bus commences each week-day at 6.15 a.m., and there are departures every 15 minutes until 7 a.m., after which time there is a Bus from Watts Lane, Bootle, to Liverpool every 10 minutes until 7.30 p.m.. and then every 15 minutes until 11.45 p.m. On Sunday the buses rein from 9.30 am. at intervals of 10 minutes.
When the buses reach the Liverpool terminus they stop only long enough to allow passengers to alight or board the vehicles. With watch in hand the writer took the opportunity for timing the 'clearances from the Islington stop. Buses came in and were out again in less than 30 secs, and proceeded down William Brown Street, up St. John's Lane and along Lime Street—a circular turn around—to commence the return journey. From noon on Saturdays and all day on Sundays the journeys at the Liverpool end of the route are slightly varied. After the buses leave Islington they travel along Dale Street to the Pier Head and return via Lord Street and Whitechapel, taking to the week-day route beyond this point. This diversion is intended for the convenience of Bootle passengers who, at week-ends, generally patronize the cross-river ferry services to I3irkenhead, Wallasey, etc.
How the Buses are Identified.
At night, passengers are able to disting-uish the Merseyside buses, the house colour of which is green, by a coloured headlight which can be detected when the bus is a quarter of a mile or more away. The near-side headlamp has a blue glass-front fitted with a red elm
tric bulb, thus giving a 'purple light.
The Merseyside Touring Co. Is acting as an agent for the Claremont daily set-vice to London. This was inaugurated with three Dennis 20-seater saloon coaches, the first of whieh was placed in service on March 18th. These coaches are built to seat 30 passengers, but only 20 seats are provided, so as to afford the utmost comfort for the passengers, each of whom has an individual armchair. We understand that, during the summer, the number of vehicles to be put on this route by the Principals of the cornpanV is five. The single fare is 17s. 6d. and the return fare 30s.
Fleet Increases by Whitsun.
By Whitsuntide the Merseyside Touring Co. expects to have in commission a fleet of 20 vehicles—motorbuses and motor coaches. It contemplates instituting a daily service to Scarborough.
For the Football Cup Final at Wembley on April 27th this concern organized a special week-end tour, for which a charge of £2 12s. 6d. was made, inclusive of hotel accommodation, four meals per day and light refreshments on the outward journey, two hours' motor tour in London on the Saturday morning being included.
Special facilities were provided for those who desired to attend the match, but who did not wish to pay the £2 12s. dd. in a lump sum. The company issoed contribution cards so that weekly payments could be made. The only proviso was that the amount of the fare must be paid before the commencement of the journey.
Each driver in the employ of the Merseyside Touring Co. is required, after the last journey of the day, to hand over his kit of tools to a responsible person at the depot, and every driver coming on duty is expected to see that his outfit is complete.
The Drivers' Daily Duties.
• A report sheet must be completed every day by each driver and handed in, accompanied by the works sheet for the garage foreman. It will be observed from the form which we reproduce that drivers are required to report in detail on the main parts of their• vehicles. At the depot a summary is made of the vehicles and the personnel on duty, also of the reason why any of the vehicles is not in service. When any repairs have to be carried out they are executed by the night mechanics ; the night staff also includes cleaners. In respect of each vehicle daily mileages are recorded, as also is the consumption of petrol, engine oil, gear oil and paraffin, so that a very complete costing system is made Possible.