Passenger-Vehicle Topics.
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Croydon County Council has decided to seek Parliamentary powers enabling it to run motorbuses in corinection with its tramways, also to seek power for the local taxation of motorbuses.
London Traffic Rivals.
The L.C.C. tramway receipts, for the week ended the 24th ult., were 242,015, compared with 211,851, for the corresponding week of 1911 ; the L.G.O.C. receipts, for the week ended the 3rd inst., were 254,123, compared with 241,022 for the corresponding week of 1911. The L.C.C. decrease is 22839, whilst the L.G.O.C. gain is 213,101.
A New Registration.
Aldershot and District Tiac:ion Co., Ltd., with an authorized capital of 215,000 in 21 shares, and with its office at Halimote Garage, Hallmote Road, Aldershot, to acquire the undertaking of the Aldershot and Farnborough Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., and to adopt an agreement. with the said company and the British Automobile Traction Co.. Ltd. First directors: W. E. Foster. T. M. Foster, W. S. WreatheII and S. E. Garcke.
L.G.O.C. New Services.
With bewildering frequency the traffic advisers of the L.G.O.C. announce new or extended services. Amongst the most recent additions to the already extensive list of routes, we have to record ; Service 84, Golder's Green to S. Albans ; Service 48, Stamford Hill to AIdwych Service 85, Putney Bridge to Roehampton via Putney Hill ; Service 43, Highgate to London Bridge (the old city " Favourite " route). With the inauguration of still keener competition between the L.C.C. and the L.G.O.C. it may be expected that further alterations and additions will be announced at frequent intervals in the near future. The L.C.C. authorities have precipitated matters in this direction largely on account of their action in arranging for the issue of through tickets from Euston to Enfield via Palmer's Green, a facility which was first granted on the 1st. Augnst. The fare to Enfield is 5d. The L.G.O.C.'s immediate reply to this was to flood the route with every available spa-re bus upon which itcould lay its hands. The comnetition on this route is exceptional. Motor Cabmen at Play.
The London Cabdrivers Trade Union held its thud annual sports meeting at Stamford Bridge on Monday last. The meeting was held under A.A.A. rules, with the result that there was a large attendance, estimated at between 6900 and 7000.
In the trade events, an interest ing item was the tire-fitting com i petition, n which five teams, con
nected with the cab companies, competed, viz., W. and G. du Cros, General, United, F.L.A.T., and British. Each team of four men had to remove, four fully-inflated tires and to replace them with new tires and tubes, which had to be re-inflated ; all nuts and security bolts had to be replaced and tightened. The cab chassis were supplied by the W. and G. Co. and the tires by the Dunlop Co. After an exciting contest the winners were the " W. and G." team, which finished in 3 min. 45; sec., the United being 2nd in 4 min. 47's sec. The silver challenge cup in this event was presented by the Englebert Tire Co., and amarble clock was given to each member of the team by Mr. Geo. du Cros.
For the third year in succession C. Powell, an owner-driver, won the one-mile running championship of the cab trade and a silver challenge shield. A set of " Captain" rims was won by F, Vincent, another owner-driver, in a bucket-of water race.
The two-mile running handicap was won by a "W. and G." driver, C. E. Buddin, scratch, and the 100 yds. scratch race by W. a. Hanis, another " W. and G." man, who also won the quarter mile in 59 sec.
The open tug-of-war was won by the team of W. H. Smith and Son. Ltd., their opponents being the W. and G. Du Cros team.
The tug-of-war for trade teams was won, for the second year, by the "W. and G.," who hopelessly outclassed a team sent in by the General Motor Cab Co., Ltd. The prize for this event was a challenge cup and agold medal for each member of the team presented by Miss W. Cs. dii Cros.
The nroceedings were under the supervision of A.A.A, officials.
The prizes, the total value of which was over 2150, were presented by Mr. Davison Dalziel, M. P., who wished the cabmen every success in their efforts for a good cause, as the profits are used for distressed cabmen, including old horse cabmen who are unable to obtain motorcab licences.
Drivers on Piecework!
In the House of Commons on 30th July Mr. Kellaway asked the Home Secretary if he had any official information as to whether the drivers of motor omnibuses in London are paid according to the number cf miles run ; and if such a practice does prevail, would he. in the interest of safety in the streets, consider the advisability of introducing legislation to prevent such a method of payment? Mr. McKenna, in reply, stated that there was no official information on the subject, but it is known that the large omnibus companies pay their drivers at a fixed daily rate irrespective of mileage. Every omnibus works to a time table. which must be strictly adhered to, and which a recent investigation proved to work out an average speed of 8.5 miles per hour.
Surface or Underground?
The Earl of Lauderdale, presiding at the half-yearly ordinary meeting of the Great Northern and City Railway, took the opportunity to refer to the serious effects of surface transport upon his company's undertakings. He particularly instanced the lesser capital outlay.
Referring to the competition with the L.C.C. • tramcars, the Earl of Lauderdale remarked that something like dramatic justice seemed to be overtaking the tramcars. They, in spite of their County Council backing, were being made to suffer by the competition of the motorbus. A motorbus was cheaper in installation, cheaper in running, cheaper in upkeep, more flexible in use, and speedier in transit. It was severely cutting into the business of the trams. He believed that the solution of the great congestion in the centre of London might possibly he found in the union of motorbus and tube interests, whereas the electric tramcar. by reason of its clumsy size, and its occupation of a definite position in narrow and crowded thoroughfares, was obviously becoming a nuisance, and its day as a surface carrier in crowded districts might well be drawing to a close.
What a pity it is that the Earl of Lauderdale did not second the motion by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, in the House of Lords. on the 31st ult.