Motorbus World.
Page 9
Page 10
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
News contributions are invited: payment will be made on publication.
On Monday last, six of the new B-type motorbuses were added to service No. 18 of the L.G.O. Co.'s system.
A proposal has been made to the London County Council by a Socialist-Progressive member that tramways be laid in Victoria Street, Westminster, Gateshead Town Council objects to the provision, in a Bill that is being promoted by the Newcastle Corporation, for securing powers to run trams or motorbuses within eight miles of Newcastle Town Hall. The Gateshead Tramways Co., which may be purchased by the Town Council, already has power to run motorbuses.
The boy, Edward Nathan, who is employed on one of the motorvans belonging to the Civil Service Cooperative Society, and who, with great presence of mind, jumped on to a motorbus, which, minus a driver, was running away backwards at Hyde Park. Corner, and managed to pull it up, has been presented with a guinea by, and will get a medal from, the O.M.C.A.
The inhabitants of Belfast are considerably perturbed with regard to proposed extensions of their local urban transport system. The enormous expenditure involved by further tramway construction is a matter of great local interest, and a special representative has already been despatched by one of the leading newspapers of that city to investigate the conditions of motorbus and tramway service in London.
Great Eastern Approves.
An extraordinary general meeting of the Great Eastern London Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., was held on Monday last, and the terms of the agreement for the purchase of the company's undertaking by the L.G.O. Co., Ltd., were approved. Sir Thos. Pile, who presided, said that, unless tHey had been able to triplicate their fleet of machines. they would have run the risk of being overwhelmed by their erstwhile opponents ; be anticipated, under the new agreement, an increased profit of one penny per mile at least in the near future. Possibly in the next two years, he said, the L.G.O. Co. would have over 2,600 machines on the road. At Westminster Police Court, in a speed-limit case arising from the Grosvenor Place police-trap, a speed of just over 16 m.p.h. was alleged against the driver of a General motorbus. Tile driver appears to have argued with the police at some length, and to have claimed that a speedometer which his machine carried showed only 13?, m.p.h. He was fined 40s. and costs.
A Thames Success.
Amongst the conditions which it is understood are attached to the offer of Motor Coaches, Ltd. (associated with the Thames Ironworks, Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., Ltd.) to run a complete service of motorbuses for Weymouth, the following clauses occur :--The Weymouth Town Council to confirm "a privilege in monopoly" for at least five years, and the operating company to pay in return to the town exchequer a sum equal to 10 per cent. on any profits which may be earned in the town. No Sunday service to be run, unless the town desires one. Local labour to be encouraged and employed. The present summer char-à-banes traffic not to be interfered with. The motor-coaches only to be run on the long-route services outside the borough. The cars to be single-decked and of a special design. The fares to be on the basis of one penny per mile, and the services to be inaugurated immediately after the Coronation. These and other stipulations have been embodied in a joint report of the Street and Works and Electricity Committees of the Weymouth Town Council, and the report has been adopted by the full Council by 21 votes to one,
A Farm Lane Feast.
The first. annual dinner and smoking concert of the Farm Lane Garage staff of the L.G.O. Co., Ltd., was held at the Red Lion Hotel, Walham Green, on Saturday last. Mr. D. H. Duff (District Engineer) presided, and Mr. B. F. Burford (Superintendent) occupied the vice-chair. Mr. T. Courtney proposed the toast of "The Company," to which Mr. W. I, Johnston responded. Other speakers, in addition to the chairman, were Messrs. B. F. Burford, T. C. Vile, B. Brooks, and H. Kishere, and amongst the visitors were several officials from the Mortlake, Putney and Old Kent Road Garages, and from the Leyton deptit of the Great Eastern Co. The arrangements for both the dinner and the concert met with universal approval ; they were in the hands of Mr. T. C. Vile (hon. secretary), and Mr. H. Chatfield (stage manager). Route Numbers at Stoppingplaces in Berlin.
Berlin motorbuses pick up and set down passengers at fixed points, the stopping-places, determined by the police authorities, being indicated by arm-posts with an inscription to the effect that " poweromnibuses " pull up there. These posts have been in use some time, but of comparatively-recent date is an arrangement of numbers on as many circular plates attached along the upper edge of the arm, showing what lines pass the particular post.
If, for instance, a Berliner wishes to board a motorbus on line "S, which connects the borough ef Schoneberg with Central Berlin, and he happens to be in the Potsdamerstrasse, there is no need for him to hunt up a policeman for the purpose of ascertaining whether the line includes the Potsdamerstrasse ; he can find that out for himself by glancing at the row of figures at the top of the arm.
Of course, the system presupposes an acquaintance with the termini connected by a line havaig a certain number. I myself have found the system very useful at times. All omnibit and tramcar routes in Berlin are indicated by numbers, and vehicles working them bear corresponding numbers besides the names of the main streets touched by the lines. A booklet furnishing full information on these points can be purchased for a penny or so at any bookseller's shop.
Bristol and Bath.
The Bath Electric Tramways, Ltd., at present operates 12 motorbuses—six Straker-Squires and six Milnes-Daimlers — in connection with its tramway system. The Bristol TrainWays and Carriage Co., Ltd., is applying for licences to run a certain number of omnibuses in the home company's territory, but this application is meeting with considerable local opposition. The Bath City. Council is at present considering the Bristol Co.'s application, and a decision is expected shortly.
The Bath Electric Tramways, Ltd., at its recent annual meeting, was congratulated by its chairman on the result of the last 12 months' business. The motorbus section of the company's activities was reported to be a valuable asset to the tramway undertaking.
Route Maps for London Bus Traffic.
In .our last issue we reproduced, it will be remembered, the new motorbus route map that is in future to be issued monthly by the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd. This new guide will, of course, be particularly useful in connection with the motorbus routes, since those services will eventually entirely supersede the horsed ones. We are additionally glad to welcome this evidence of the company's determination to combat on their own ground the publicity methods of their principal competitors, the tubes and the tramway companies. The map in question is clearly laid out, and we are divulging no secrets if we remind our readers that the route map of this kind which was published in this journal so long ago as the year 1905, has served as a useful model to the premier omnibus company's publicity department. We are also naturally gratified to notice that the L.G.O.C. has taken to itself our suggested catch-phrase " We carry you all the way." We trust this new evidence of enterprise is to be the beginning of far-reaching and militant methods of publicity.