The motorbus service between Kingswinford and Wolverhampton, which, as we
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reported in a recent issue, has been inaugurated by Mr. C. L. Wells, is proving extremely popular along the route.
Belfast inhabitants are asking for motorbuses to run direct services in their city in certain directions. The tramway service to and from the Northern Counties Railway station is at present most inconvenient. A repeat order as a result of the successful running of a Dennis charii-bancs has been received from the Crosville Motor Co.
Considerable discussion has recently taken place with regard to the refusal of the Watch Committee of the Hove Town Council to allow motorbuses to proceed along the front, on their way from Worthing to Brighton. It has, however, now been decided that the vehicles shall be allowed to use this route. The already-congested traffic in the metropolis is now suffering further aggravation as the result of the erection of a large number of barricades all round the route which the Coronation procession will take during the next week.
Mr. P. Frost Smith, chief engineer to Thomas Tilling, Ltd., informs Us that the new petrol-electric type of machine produced by his company has now passed all the necessary police tests, and that the first machine has secured its licence plate.
Plymouth's Fiat. Plymouth Town Council has considered proposals received from Motor Coaches, Ltd., and Mr. W. Hopkins (acting on behalf of a syndicate), in regard to the establishment in Plymouth of motorbus services. It was decided not to entertain the proposals.
Eastbourne's Figures. The full accounts of the Motoromnibus Department of the Eastbourne Corporation for the year ended 31st March, 1911, can be purchased direct for is. We regret we have not the apace to reproduce them in our pages, but the gross profit exceeded 22,800. After full provision for depreciation, the Corporation's 16 double-deckers, with stores, stand in the books at less. than 212,500.
Tires on Tillings.
We are asked by the Continental Tyre and Rubber Co. (Great Britain), Ltd., to state that the new petrol-electric motorbus, of which the first batch has been constructed by Thomas Tilling, Ltd., in its Peckham shops, and of which we gave a description in our last issue, is shod with Continental " T " pattern tires. The photographs which illustrated the article in our last issue showed these tires fitted to the first demonstration machine.
A Biassed Council.
The Watch Committee of the South Shields Council will not meet the Motor Vehicle Department of the North Eastern Railway Co. in the matter of a request for a change of route for its motorbus service in South Shields. The railway company states that the Council is primarily concerned with the elimination of any possibility of competition between the tramcars and the motorbuses. It is claimed that the present route is fraught with danger to other road users. The Streets and Roads Committee of the Banff Town Council has under serious consideration the question of "the excessive motor omnibus traffic in Banff." Perhaps they had better import a few city policemen.
Commercial Car Hirers, Ltd., now has the contract for the Beckenham-Park Langley service, which has, until recently, been maintained by one of the General Motor Cab Oo.'s Charron singledeckers. The new " Commer Car" is an 18-seater of the Windermere type.
Mr. Paul Taylor Terrified.
On the 8th inst. two motorbus drivers were summoned at Maryle bone for proceeding along the Bayswater Road at a speed of 17 miles per hour. In defence, one of the drivers said "The new B-type of omnibus runs so silent (sic) you cannot tell what they are doing and you have nothing to tell you." Mr. Paul Taylor, the magistrate, remarked "It is a public danger to have these heavy vehicles running at 17 miles an hour, and I think the police would do well to insist upon the regulations. It may be a great difficulty to regulate your bus, but it is perfectly clear it is a terrifying and dangerous pace." Each of the defendants was fined 40s. Motor Coaches Ltd. has started a town service in Weymouth. At present six Thames machines are employed ; they started at Whitsun.
Keighley's local motorbus services are so overcrowded at certain times of the week that local opinion is much in favour of an increase in the number of available vehicles. It is noticed that nowadays, in the case of any street accident in which a motorbus may be concerned, one of the first acts of the police officer who may be called to the scene is to count the number of the passengers. It is suggested that vehicles are occasionally overcrowded, and that state might be a contributory cause of accident.