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PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.

9th June 1925, Page 23
9th June 1925
Page 23
Page 24
Page 23, 9th June 1925 — PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.

BUS DEVELOPMENTS ON TYNESIDE.

Some Details of the Programme of Improvements and Extensions being Undertaken by a Prominent North of England Bus Company.

IN OUR issue dated March 31st last we described at length the programme of extensive garage constructional schemes and fleet additions which had either been completed or were in course of completion by the management of the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., of Chester-le-Street. One of the outstanding tasks of the programme was that of extending and bringing up to date the Chester-le-Street headquarters and -garage accommodation, and now that this work has been accomplished we are able to give details of the improvements.

Like other large provincial motorbus undertakings, the Northern General Transport Co. began operations on a very modest seal. In 1914 they were running a few vehicles from a small garage at Chester-le-Street to Low Fell, Gateshead, and there connecting up with 'the Gateshead and district tramcar services, which provided a means of reaching Newcastle and other Tyneside neighbourhoods. At that time it was hardly expected that the passenger traffic of the company would, in the course of n years, have developed to the extent which has proved to be the case.

At the present time the company run services over about 160 miles of highway comprising, roughly, 20 routes, and their large fleet of about 170 vehicles is made up almost exclusively of Daimlers, seating from 20 to 38 passengers. The buses are all of the single-decker saloon type, and ara garaged at the various depots at Chester-le-Street, Bensham (Gateshead), Sunderland and Stanley. The extensions at the first-named place were found to be imperative in view of the increased call for transport facilities and, furthermere, on account of the fact that the growth of the company had necessitated the provision of more commodious and adequate accommodation for the administrative staffs. The extensions recently completed to the garage at Chester-le-Street now enable this depot to aecemModate 84 vehicles. The interior of the new garage has been designed to give a large, uninterrupted span. The entrance doors are at the front of the building, and the width of the interior is such that all buses can be driven straight in with an absolute minimum of manoeuvring, thereby saving a considerable amount of time and also minimizing the risk of damage to bodies.

Adequate provision is made for washing down the vehicles at night. A large water main has been installed, from which, at various points, branch pipes, controlled by stop-cocks, lead to the roof principals. From these branches hang long, loose hose-pipes, which can be hauled up out Of the way during the day. Considerable natural light is ensured, for large portions of the roof are of glass and, in addition, large windows are situated at frequent intervals along

the walls, whilst powerful electric lamps, hung from alternate roof principals, provide strong and clear illumination at night-time.

Another large garage to house 24 buses is in course of completion at Consett, where big developments will be made shortly, and provision is also being made at Benshani to garage 30 vehicles engaged on service in the Gateshead neighbourhood.

According to figures submitted at the recent annual meeting of the company,, the 1924 garage extensions entailed ae capital outlay of 120,174, whilst another, f.54,984 was spent on fleet augmentation. In the latter direction the most interesting innovatton so far as the Northern General Transport Co. is concerned is the inereased use which is now being made of pneumatic tyres. A large number of vehicles heating 31 passengers has lately been put into commission on equipment of this kind.

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