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Out and Home.

Fire I Willinott and Welsh. Behaved Like a 'Briton.

In nothing is the change from horses to mechanical traction more accentuated than in the case of the fire-engine. It used to be a thrilling, inspiring street incident, the sudden blatant clang of the fire bell, the subsidence of traffic and the clatter of horses' feet. Then the scattering of sparks and live coal, as they got up steam going along, tended to increase the excitement of the populace. But now, with the general quickening up of traffic pace, the horsed fire-engine is en tirely denuded of its throb and its romance. A feeling of inifititienee prevails. A fire is gaining grtitind somewhere, lives are likely enough in jeopardy, and here is the succour proceeding at probably fifteen miles an hour ; whilst our minds and eyes are attuned to speed, we only per ceive the futility of it all. It is different now with the four-in-hand coaches. The need for haste is absent, and most people still give a glance of admiration and affee• tion when a smart coach and four comes into view. As to the fire-engine, however, other feelings are aroused.

I look upon it as an odd circumstance that, although I spend the bulk of my time in the Metropolis, I never saw a motor fire-engine in London streets until last week. I have seen them often enough in the Provinces, but not in the Capital. On the self-same day I saw first in Oxford Street a horsed engioe and then, later in the evening, a fine in, , posing spectacle in Regent Street, the motor engine dashing down at forty miles an hour, the streets being almost dear and obviouely the vehicle under the most perfect control and saving minutes and seconds of . invaluable time. Of course the Metropolitan Brigade is

changing over entirely. London was the last to dispense with the horsed tram—one or two still amble peaceably Dockwards. One saw it here when it had been forgotten in provincial centres. One would think, with all the storehouses of,oiluable property, with all the vast emporimns where thousands of human lives are daily engaged, the change would have been more speedily accomplished. Ce a'rst que it prmter pax qui co4te" is here contradicted.

The subjoined letter from Mr. Ken Willmott, one of the Belsize -epresentatives, has a characteristic touch Dear " Extractor," note in the current issue, of your estimable paper a few subtle remarks on the climbing phenomenon with which I am associated. You are wrong in your imce pression as to the cause ; your esteemed Editor was, with his Welsh articles, absolutely responsible. During the somewhat protracted' efforts to get the camera to remain stationary, my driver, who was very, very anxious to get the correct pronunciation of "Ye wyfod yn dy gacie taok the opportunity of the camera's misbehaviour to engage the assistance of a comely translatress in an endeavour to study your said Editor's excellent articles (and incidentally to correct his pronunciation). In the meanwhile the deed was done.

I may say I read those articles very fluently.

Yours faithfully,

KEN W1LLMOTT.

Queen's Hotel, Cardiff.

By "The Extractor."

It would appear that another photograph has been taken of the lorry climbing a notable hill, and a reproduction of it will have been noticed in the Belsize advertisement in last week's issue. There is no question about the hill-climbing power of the brave Belsize. 1 used one of their little cars for twelve months, and it took me and mine lustily up anything and everything.

A photograph reproduced on this page shows that Temple Press has been using a Briton van in connection with the recent Six Days Trial of light cars and motorcycles. The hilliest country round Sheffield was selected, and the van in question was here, there, and everywhere proving itself invaluable to the staff of our sister journals.- 011a Podrida.

Principally for domestic reasons, combined with a little homesickness, Mr. A. C. Kehler will soon be back in Europe, probably next month. Ile holds, as is well known, an important position in connection with the Columb Tyre Co.

That bright little journal, "The Austin Advocate," is giving prizes for accounts of " Roadside Repairs to Austin Vehicles." These notes of resourceful jobs are good reading.

An important change Ilea been made in the selling department of W. A. Stevens, Ltd., Mr. P. J. Hays having been placed in charge and stationed at, 26, Victoria Street, London, S.W. Mr. Hays is not unknown in the motor business, having been for years a director of Hays, Hunter and Standen. Ltd. importers of oil and accessories —

We had commenced the consideration of due passenger-carrying motor services of the, company in our last issue, in the colioluding part of the third article of this seri. spent some time investigating the difficult circumstances surrorinding the operation, from Easton as hendq

s, of the fleet of 20 h.». eight-seated Comm:Tears for carrying private parties to mid from that great terminus.

In the Watford District.

The working of the fleet of buses which is centred at the Watford headquarters presents no unusual features or eharacterist'cs with which we have nut become thoroughly familiar in the cases of similar undertakings ill arid around Loudon and other big cities. SingIo and doubledeekers are employed, the former being of a» observation-car type which this company has e.volved and has found very serviccable. The list of machines which wr have already published will have served to indicate the various routes over as filch the fleet at Watford operates. The as hole of the organization there is based en the company's intention to develop the beautiial residential district all round whist the railway facilities are being so mucis improved by electrification and enhutra,iiientof the lige.

Tlie Watford-Harrow service has, for some while past, formed the most important of the Watford group—five Daimlers and four Leyhpids in e been employed on it. As xi go to press we learn that, in consequieure of the starting of a new L.G.O.C. scrub's' between Watford, ltnsliev Heath. Stan more and South Harrow the rad

wa buses will no longer eqmcate between Watford, Harrow and Roxeth. Three cars only will work from and to ‘Vatford night and morn

ing to maintain the service from Barto the top of the Hill and to Pinner.

The first L.X.W.H. motor 5:: in ices in thc London area wore inaugurated in April, 1000, on what is known as the Croxley Green service, and in this connection, some idea of

the work which bas been accomplished there since that date may be gathered from a statement Made to Us by Mr. C. Atkins, \rho is now motor inspector, but who at that time wits leading driver in the Drpartment, that before he actually left the wheel, in 1913. he had driven 104,300 miles, and had been to Croxley Ceircen terminus no fewer than 13,400 timesall excellent recerd of continuity of service, and one which yields a very fair impression of the mileage which can be compiled -consistently on a route of this kind, We were amused at Mr. Atkins's boast that in that long record the total of his casualty accidents involved the death of four dogs and one pig At the nrescut time., something

like a quarto!' of a in passengers are

being carried from Watford every month. so that this centre is one which is very rapidly growing in importance as a pasFalir:er earrying one,

Building on & Bus Route.

The Watford-Harrow service, of course, joins LW() tailWay stations which are directly connected he the rail, hut it brings into immediate connection with the latter a number of intermediate districts whicli are very rapidly growing in popularity for residential purposes. The original idea of this motorbus route was, of course, that the machines should feed the trains, hut it has now developed to such an extent, that it has established regular local facilities for people who wish to get about in the district alone. Excellent testimony to the manner in which a, recognized service of this kind may develop a district is the fact that a great deal emunew building has t :ken place along the route since its establishment.

Watford itself has already come within the net of the organizers of the London motorbus services, and, in particular, on Sundays, when the L.N.W.R fleet is not, operated, a very heavy service is run from Kilbucn right out to Watford by Al.E.T. Daimlers, The L.N.W.H. Harrow service, as we have said, NIS now been curtailed, because of the rapidly extending activities of the T...G.O.C. group.

Low Gear for Down Hill.

The roads are only poor, but the route is through a very beautiful strip of rountry. At Bushey there is is stAT hill, and whilst going down it on one of the regular-service machines, we were interested to note the .first exemplification of the company's instructions that all bad gradients must be descended with the low gear in and the engine cut ant—a most — effective brake, especially ins such monntainous cramtryas ,shat in North Wales, in which the company has so many allthe-year-round services. This Watford-Harrow service has provided the company with • i22(10Cr10111:i. as 1111 the running of sleeve-valve engines; its doubledeck Daimlers have heen doing excellent work on the route.. We noticed that they were shod with Macintosh tires.

Up to Harrow-on-theHill.

The Watford-Ha r r OW route is seven miles long, and the times were hourly. The part of this service which is still maintained, viz., that up to thc top of Harrow-on-theHill is very ormular with passengers who wish to avoid the climb on foot. These hoses are timed to meet ale trains at Wealdstonc.

The remaining scheduled services which are operated from the Watford headquarters include Pinner in the Harrow direction, and Garston and Boxinoor; Roxeth is no longer included. Than there is a single-deck service between the latter station and Hemel Hempstead, doubledeckers not being possible on account of a certain railway bridge on the route, whilst a single-deck Commemar maintains a service between Tring Station and Tring Town.

Mold, Buckley, Loggerheads, and Flint.

Before we have anything to say with regard to what really comprise the North \t riles group of services, based on Llandudno, we must make some mention of a small centre at Mold, a little market town in Flintshire. From this place services are maintained to Buckley, Loggerheads, Flint and Helywell.

The Mold-Buckley route is looked after by one single-decker. It is a comparatively new service, instituted after the veteran Holywell one was discontinued when the railway was built from Holywell junction to Holywell town. It is only about 2i miles long, and serves to connect the small town of Buckley with the railway. As on other routes of this class, very effizient brakes are necessary, emilof course, maintained. The average mileage is no less than 110 per day ior the machine which serves this route. There are tile works, coal mines and ironworks in Buckley, and the workers there. provide most of the fares.

The route to Loggerheads involves a great climb out of Mold, and although this lino is primarily intended to suit the convenience of people who live along the roadside, the journey itself is a pleasant enough one from the sight-seeing point of vie,.v. Market days on this route are very busy ones, full loads on every occasion with a little to spare, being the rule, and, needless to say, on the return journeys accommodation has to be found somehow for piles of parcels and packages. As a matter of fact, there is not much separate parcel work on any of the bus route* in the /mall of Wares; the passengers in that part of the country seem to prefer carrying as much as they can for nothing to sending consignments at separate rates unaccompanied.

Double-decker or Char-a-bancs?

While travelling over this section of the company's area, we were led to consider the relative sight-seeing facilities offered by the three principal types of passenger-carrying vehicles. Undoubtedly the double-decker has a great deal to commend it from the sight-seeing point of view. Passengers are well up out of the dust, and have an excellent view over hedga tops, but the double-decker as a rule has exceptionally hard and sometimes cramped seats; exposure to the weather does not permit the use of wellsprung upholstery.

Evolution of Observation Car.

The second model is that known as the observation. type. and is of a class which the company finds to be most useful los services all the year round-winter and summer. The latest bodies r.re, as we have alreadywritten, to be provided with rear entrants',. and to be modified upon tlic types which have beesin use fur the past few years. The facility with which they can be converted into open-air

01 machines was illustrated hy one of the photographs which we reproduced in our 1:et. issue. The big side windows, when fixed in position, render the machine comb:: table and weather-proof in the darker menths of the year. This class of vehicle,

our opinion, is led, admirably suited for sieht-seeime., as the range of visilm, especially in mountainous country, is seriously limited hv the roof. The new Leyland torpedo chars-a-banes probably prove as popular in this C ompany's service as similar vehicles have elsewhere itil over the country. This class o budywork, on the whole, is prubably Leit from the eight-seniog point of vietf, although it obviously lacks the advantages of the elevated seats of the doubledecker.

Flint and Holywell.

is little to distinguish the Mold Hite Mute ; it is purely a business setviee, and a very useful one; commercial Ll'aVellers employ it to a considerable extent. A trip on this road is by no means laeleeng in enjoyment; the road surfaces are first-class, and the going very easy. unfortunately, um Saturday nights, be.trs a sonieWhat unenviable reputation Ii insobriety, and the-last hos services duritig the week-end art j.'.,coubled with net a few passengers who find it a little diflicult accurately to count their change holy-well has already been noted by us as heing the scene of the first motor-yeh:cle experiments of the compauy, and we ne.,d cut write further of Re now. In the valley quite avariety of industries is exemplilied, and we ourselves noticed that the e-ater running down it is used successfullt for curing cripples, for preparing ii am, I, shirting and paper, then for gineer-beer, and lastly for beer.

The Llandudno Centre.

hiooludno Junction is the centre of the N: .r0, Wales motor services, and here the In-al depot is situated; it is under the eh ot Mr. Sevitt, the lommutive foreman for the district It is hardly poseible. were it necessary, for us to attempt amsti:ing like an adequate description of the beauties of tho routes in this part of tin? country. They will be known to, and appreciated by, many of our readers, mid we eoesider that the excellent stoics of photographs which we were enabled to SCQU1-0 whiIst investigating this part of the company's aetivities should be almost sufficient to indicate the lassof work eclifeli Ls maintaiued liv the fleet of 0011,mo:ea:is stationed here.

Vi,have also, in another part of the pre-ent series of articles, insisted upon

the railway's motor services I.-it serve the requirements of the 1,, abitants, and that that is their i.la.ry object.

North Wales Touring.

A lo.V; fleet of torpedo chars-itbancs is I e employed in eonnection with the (loop-of:Cs combined rail and motor services. which take in llettws-y-coed, Llae • beris, Capel Curig, and other world-famed beaI ty spotson the itinerary. From Llandudno -junction as it centre, services tretietained to Colwyn Briy and Old wyu, to Lianrwst, aud from the latter t-,1% hadi to Abergele on the coast, to Rot tes-y coed, Peomaehno. Capel Curig. end Laub:a-is The i.'onwav-L!an• res;. service runs rbown the beautiful Con,way Valley, on which the roads are fairly v-elIeaihdained, aed 1711 kViliCh many cot-

ners have been considerably eased. Thera is a road down either side of this valley with very little facility to cross from one side to the other.

Almost all the passengers using the L.N.W.R. route to Llatirwst are local inhabitants. Tourists are carried from Llandudno by the !neat char-b.-balms-ownlug companies by another route, which perhaps is a better road but is not, so pieturesque, nor does it serve the local villages SO Well. There are in this valley big quarries at Pon-y-eant, ;is well as pieturesquely-situatei allef-.:Iliknn works, of which we have ;:i.eady .hlielied an illustration.

The Stillest Service in England.

Anyone who is in search l of an example of really severe conditions under which modern motorbus services may be maintained caonot do better, we would suggest, than to journey over the AbergeleLlanrwst service. We ourselves, of course, have travelled many thousands of miles over road surfaces or-all kinds, anal we have hid the opportunity to observe conditions of the best and of the ‘vorst, but seldom have we beea impressed so ninth with the severity of the work which has to be carried out as by dna of the COmmerear single-deckers on this particular road.

There is rt lerig steady climb for four or five miles up the moueta ins out of Llanrwst. and thence almost to Aberoele the road is cute succession of bad corners. :Jed sharp gradieets to be negotiated over what LO e Aro' the earst or surfaces.

—And Corninercars Maintain It.

The oflicisls smilingly admit the difficulties of this route we are of opinion ourselves that the company has been wise t:, maintain this particular service with Commerears. We do not Child; that there is another type of vehicle which would operate to better advantage under such conditions, and there are nut a great many which would do so well. If the L.:V.417.R. can maintain an efficient passeneec-earrying organizatiou over the Ahergek-Llamnyst road, and make it pay its way, there can be very few even -of the most isolated districts in this country which cannot be afforded equal advan. tages if the effort be made.

Mists and Mud.

We learn that this particular road in winter not only is often masked dangerously by great banks of mists on the mountainous stretches, but the surface of the higho no often shows by measurement from 6 ins. to 8 ins, of slimy mud, so that the driving conditions are not then

what one might describe as of the happiest. This is due no doubt to the use of peer stone ; the excellent Penmaenmawr macadam should be employed. The only redeeming feature of the road is the fact that the authorities are evidently doing their best to improve matters by easing a very large number of bad colliers. The writer himself counted not fewer than 40 such improvements.

Services Maintained All the Year Round.

Of those services throughout the company's area of operations on which the machines ply for hire, the majority, alteough working under great difficulties in winter time, are maintained by the company as ill-the -year-round establishments, in order that the inhabitants of the districts served may have regular recognized facilities.

Only One Service Discontinued in the Winter.

The company, of course, modifies its services during the winter months, but, AS a matter of fact, if we recall correctly, there is only one service which is actually discontinued in the darker months of the year, end this is the famous one which runs through Llauberis Pass and serves Bettws-y coed, Capel Curig, and Lienboric, and even in this case a machine is run from the Llandudno depot to serve Capel Curig on market.. days.

Up to the present year, very little has been done by the company in connection with the arrangement of special tours for sightseers, but, of course, the compseay's operations in the Snowdonia district are of such a character as to render it advisable for them te offer such facilities.

Railway Facilities for Circular Tours.

One of the most popular and unique arrangements of this class is the circular rail and ehar-:i-bancs trip, during which the motor vehicles carry passengers who have travelled by rail to Bettws-y-coed or to Llanberis through the faleoue Lien'penis Pass, and then transfer them to the railway again at Llanberis or Bettws-ycoed, as the case may be, for the return journey. The combined fare for this tour is ge, first class or 6s. third class.

The trip through the Llanheris Pass is probably the most impressive route in this country, and We should imagine it would be difficult to match it for its size on any of the Continental show routes.

Black and White Anglesey.

A nglesev is a. bleak and barren island; it is a black-and-white country ; the cattle are all black, whilst whitewash is freely distributed over bricks and ivy, chimney-pots, drain-pipes, and everything else within read).

The island is being boomed as a new holiday country, and we think ri glitly so for those who seek a restful vacation. There is a peculiar charm about the wild and more or less desolate moorlend, and in walking, fishing and occasional golf there is much to attract the visitor. The company maintains a motor service out to Rhoscolyn on Holy Island, and on the occasion of our inspection tour the principal officials of the company who are coneerned with the motor organization investigated the possibility of a service which has since been inaugurated, viz., that to Gemmaes Bay. Others to Amlwch and Red Wharf Bay' may be established.

Cl6

The Track to Cemmaes Bay.

The roads in the northern patt of Anglesey are beet left to the imagination; the writer can hardly trust himself to write of them as highways. lithe company succeed in maintaining anything like a reasonably-adequate service to Cemmaes Bay durine the year, it will have provided an eject-lesson in the operation of motor vehicles in remote districts which should be a most valuable one to users in all parts of the world. If we make no mistake, this particular bus route will servo to convey numbers of visitors out to Cemmaes to view what is a wonderful and ancient. dining-room suite of 26 chairs, and a vast table to match, at the Old Vigour Hotel.

A Cemmaes User.

Mr. Jones, the proprietor. is an ardent believer in the use of industrial motor vehicles, and he himself owns a Lacre charit-bancs which runs to Ambtsch. Anglesey and the Cemmaes Bay route saw the last of the services which we had set out to inspect in connection with the company's Motor Department's organization.

The Tables on Page 498.

We would draw attention here to a table that we include showing the relative importance of the company's motor-vehicle passenger services, and we may conclude this somewhat exhaustive investigation into our subject by a general summary as to the company's policy. We have said enough to emphasize the fact that so far the L.N.W.R. has, by virtue of its purchase of many accepted types of chessis, determined to acquire as varied information as possible in respect of the operation of all classes of machines.

Accepted Types.

On the whole, it will be found in the long run, we expect, that the present broad types of vehicles and their allocation are not very far wrong The steam wagon has proved itself invaluable for certain of the heavier classes of goods concentration for depot work. The Albions and other 26.-ewt. models are yielding first-class results lot expressparcels work. We are not convinced as yet that the company will considerably extend its use of pareelcars. Thes tonnes., such as the Thornyeroft, which is so successfully being employed in Binningham, appears to be of a capacity vhich admirably suite those services where it is important to have a number of separate units in order to facilitate all collections at certain times, whilst the heavier goods-carrying units, of the fourtoe Leyland class, are o'aviously well suited to their work.

Now, as to passenger-carrying models, the company is yet experimenting, at Watford anti elsewhere, as between sleeve-valve and poppet-valve engines Ica urban work. The final-chain drive is on its trial in North Wales.

Three Types of Bodies.

As for bodywork, the latest form of single-decker, with the rear entrance, will probably serve for a number of years for country services, and especially for those offering combined business and pleasure facilities. The double-decker, from the point of view of economy and perhaps, incidentally, from its sight-seeing facilities, will continue to be used where overhanging trees, bridges and other obstacles permit them. They are excellent revenueearning propositions owing to their capacity. The torpedo char-is-banes, of which the company is now just beginning to take advantage, is a class of machine winch has earned a definite place as a practical money-maker all over this cuuntry, and it will undoubtedly remain as a regular part of the L.N.W.R. equipment.

Future Developments.

It remains to be said that the company has already to heed quite a big organization and one of many ramifications, and that now that it has decided to place its future in the hands of a definite Department, with Mr. F. W. Dingley as chiet and Mr. G. R. Jackson as his assistant, the whole under the control of Mr. C. J. Bowen Cooke, the company's chief engineer, we may confidently look forward to its steady development on all sides.

'The garages and depots are already being re-organized, and new ones are being established. Extended repair facilities arc rapidly being provided, and further capacity for first-class maintenance and the concentration of stores and other facilities, are all being considered on ao workmanlike basis.

The L N.W.R. Motor Department is alrody an important established branch of the premier railway company of Great Britain, and, if we mistake not, it will, before many years have passed, become one of its most promising sources of revenue.