A NEW RAILWAY BUS STATION IN BELFAST
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How a Terminus for the Buses of the L.M.S. Has Been Planned SMITHFIELD MILL, which was closed down about two years ago on account of the depression of the linen industry, has been acquired by the Northern Counties Committee of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co., or the Northern Counties Railway as it is more usual and convenient to call it.
A bus Station is being built and, although the designers were grnatly handicapped by the size and shape of the space• available, they have planned
an excellent layont.. .•
As reported in The Commercial Motor at the time, the Northern Counties RailE4G • way bought over 100 buses from private companies operating in the County Antrim area and the fleet now numbers about 110. Some of these vehicles are operated from country towns, but the majority runs from Belfast and thus a modern bus station became an urgent necessity. No time was lost in acquiring the site and in a short time buses were passing in and out of Smithfield, for although the station is not nearly finished, the departure platform has been erected and the premises are in regular use.
As can be seen from the layout plan, simplicity is the keynote to the balding. Buses enter from Winetavern Street and drop their passengers and parcels at the arrival platform. If they have to go out again immediately the new parcels are taken on at the parcels office, the Indicator boards are changed and the bua drives around the corner to the departure platform. If the vehicle be not required again at once there is a large parking space available. All
vehicles go out by the Smithfield exit, which is amply wide.
There is to be a large room for the men, in which conductors can make up their boxes and hand them straight over the counter into the office. This room is also used as the men's common-room.
A strong-room is built over the boilerhouse, accessible by stairs from the office. The boiler-house provides heat for the whole building, radiators being provided on the departure platform as well as in the offices.
Flower, book, confectionery and tobacco stalls are to be provided, and probably a café will be added later. Each platform can accommodate three buses at a time and covered parking space is provided for 24 more At present there are about 125 arrivals and departures daily. The ,whole building is to be roofed and the design has made it possible for the main building of the old mill to be kept intact, and this is being sub-let.
In Duncrne Street, not far from the
York Road railway terminus, is situated the new garage, which has been built to accommodate the Northern Counties bus fleet. It is a building of striking design and many labour-saving devices have been installed. Perhaps the most interesting of these are the pits, the design of which is of American origin. A portion of the floor is on a level lower than the rest and a girder framework is built as a continuation of the main floor and the bus is run on to this frame
work, leaving all parts accessible.
The Northern Counties Railway is taking vigorous steps to ensure the success of its bus services. Several railway stations have been closed down where it is felt that the services could be more economically run by petrol vehicles, and some Sunday train services have been discontinued.
Next summer the company will, no doubt, cater for visitors with its usual enterprise and with the fine fleet now at its disposal some interesting tours will probably be arranged.