PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
AMONGST those municipal authorities which place considerable reliance upon the use of various types of passenger vehicle for meeting local transport needs the name • of the Wolverhampton Corporation is prominent. It may be recalled that in our Special Passenger Vehicle Number, dated February 8th last, we published• an article from the pen of Mr. -C. Owen Silvers, A.M.I.E.E., M.InaLT.,.general manager and engineer of the Corporation's transport department, in which he dealt with the birth and growth of the passenger services in the town.
The corporation has had many years' experience with motorbuses and actually experimented with a petrol-propelled vehicle in 1903, although regular services by such vehicles were not instituted until September, 1905. From that period until 1914 certain experiments were made with buses, but it was not until the later year that the general development of bus traffic was indicated. At the present time—or, rather, at the end of the period covered by the last annual report of the general manager, i.e., March 31st last—the corPoration had in Stoek 47 motorbuses, . 33 -trolley-buses and 29 tramcars. The total route mileage which is-served by these vehicles is 110, and the population of the area in which the services are established is approximately. 337,000.
In the past year a gross 'profit was
shown on the operation of each type of Vehicle, that on the motorbus account being £23,186, on the tramways account .£21,933, and on the trolley-bus account £10,408, representing a total of £55,527. After debiting interest on capital, rePhyment of loans, reserve for income tax on profits, and other items which -appear in the accounts, a net profit of £14,671 remains. This amount has been appropriated by the acceleration of the repayment of the tramway debt to the extent of £11,079 and by placing £3,502 to the reserve and renewals fund. ,
The number of passengers .carried by the respective types of vehicle during the past Near was as follows :—TiaalCarS, 15,960,405 ; motorbuses, 6,746,172; trol ley-buses,4,619,896. The motorbuses covered an aggregate mileage of 1,491,717, whilst the tramcars ran 869,308 miles and the trolley-buses
THE name of Messrs. Strachan and Brawn -needs no intrOduction to our readers in connection with the production of passenger-vehicle bodies and, as is generally well known, this eompany's products are of a high order and of good
730,517. These returns were made on an average of 39 motorbuses, 25 traincars and-21 trolley-buses in use per day.
Analyzing the revenue accounts for the various types of vehicle, we find that the total income on the tramways system was £70,429; and the total expenditure i48,496. The trolley' bus revenue account shows an income of £45,285 and an expenditure of £34,877, -whilst the account for motorbuses reveals an -income of £99,377 and an 'expenditure of £76,191. Itedueed to a per bus-mile basis, the figures are shown in tabular form below := The tramcars and the trolley-buses each ran an average mileage of 98 Per day during the past year, whereas the daily mileage of the motorbuses was 107. It -is interesting to note that the average speed per hour is highest in the case of the trolley-buses, being 9.006 m.fele, whereas the motor omnibuses maintained an average speed of 8.039 m.p.h., and trams 7.465 m.01., design and workmanship. The company. has built so many different types and sizes • of bodies in its well-equipped works at Wales Farm Road, North Acton, London, W.3, that it eau Safely be said that its experience embraces the whole . range of passengervehicle body-Work, from the orthodox regular-service hue to the sumptuously appointed saloon coach.
Certain types of body -Which the company manufactures are clearly exem.plified by two recent deliveries which it has made and Which are illustrated on this page. One of these pictures shows one of the company's latest allweather coach bodies mounted on a 16-ft.. 5-in. wheelbase Guy chassis. The company tells us that – it believes this to be -one of the first of this type of body to be mounted on this class of Guy chassis.
It is a 32-seater, and the body is provided with
the special Strachan and Brown spring-back, semi-bucket-type seats. The seats are all arranged transversely, with the exception of two longitudinal seats which are arranged over the wheel arches and, overcome the inconvenience caused by their intrusion into the body interior. A single buckettype seat is provided in the centre of the body between the two longitudinal seats and a special folding seat is fitted on the near side of the driver. There are two doors which give access to the body interior, one being at the front and the other immediately behind the rearwheel arch on the near side. The body sides are built quite low and protect luggage lockers at the bottom. The spare wheel is carried in A box at the rear of
• the chassis, access being given to it by a hinged flap.
The side windows are all arranged to be lowered and the top rails of them are nickel-plated. Sonic idea of the finish of the body can be obtained from the fact that the interior garnish rails are inlaid, whilst an ashtray, a matchstriker and a luggage rail are provided for each seat.
Interior electric lights are provided, these being fixed to the cant rails so that it is possible for the coach to be illuminated when the hood is either in the raised or lowered position.
This vehicle is one of two similar coaches supplied to the order of Mr. A. J. Smith, of Birnam Road, London, N.4. Both of the bodies of the vehicles have been built by Messrs. Strachan and Brown.
Many types of bus body have been built for munidpal work by Messrs. &radian and Brown, and a recent body whichit has constructed is shown in the second picture. The chassis of this saloon bus, which is a 32-seater, is an E-type Dennis, and the vehicle is one of a number built to the order of the Rochdale Corporation,
This type of body has double eutrances on the rear side, each being fitted with two-piece folding doors. -The seats are of the spring-back pattern and are upholstered in Ka leather.
Certain of the windows on each side of the coach are arranged to be lowered between the inner and outer panels, and these are of the patent, silent and balanced Strachau and Brown type. The back of the body is built on limousine lines and incorporates a large oval light.
Although it is difficult to perceive from the illustration, the exterior of the body is grained to represent walnut, the upper. part being grained to imitate bird'seye maple. This finish, combined with _a mahogany waist rail, gives a particularly attractive appearance to the vehicle. MBE Burnley Corporation secured
powers authorizing it to run motorbus services inside the borough as long ago as 1908, and certain further powers were secured under Acts granted in 1921 and 1925. It was in March, 1924, that an experimental service was inaugurated, and some idea of -the corporation's bus organization and its growth is contained in the recently issued annual report for the year ended March 31st last of Mr. Henry Mozley, the general manager of the tramways and omnibus department.
In this period further experiments have . been made in different types of bus, and new services have been put into operation, although it cannot be said that any permanent conclusions have been arriVed at. Serious delays are occurring in connection with the establishment of local services authorized by the Act of 1925, the conseat .of local .authorities_. outside the
borough and within a radius of 31 miles of the Burnley Town Halt still being withheld at the end of the period covered by the report. It is Mr. Mozley's opinion that until a properly organized local service, connected and co-ordinated with the tramways service, is completed, the full requirements of the public and the financial success of the omnibus section of the corporation's passenger transport activities cannot be hoped for.
The •provision of Suitable vehicles for local services is receiving the close attention of the authorities. The opinion is expressed that the severity Of the service is apparently not fully appreciated by manufacturers, for the latest types have been built for through services and for running long distances with stops at infrequent intervals, whereas the services maintained by the Burnley Corporation involve the picking up and setting down of passengers at short intervals on heavy gradients. Some idea of the nature of the work can be gathered from the fact that the gear changes average 1,200 per bus per day.
In discussing the financial result of the past year's working of the .buses, Mr. Iviozley makes it clear that whilst there is'a debit balance against revenue, it should be borne in mind that the system, is still in its preliminary stages in regard to fares, routes and types of vehicle. The number of passengers carried—now 3i millions per annum, and by a few buses only—shows that ample traffic is available.
The revenue account dealing with the operation of the buses during the past year shows that the total expenditure was 120,474, whilst the income amounted to £17,791, the difference between these figures, viz., ±2,683, being carried to the net teveune account.
On the debit side, traffic expenses absorbed 10,164; general expenses, £1,878; the cost -of repairs and maintenance, £4,267 ; and the purchase of motor spirit, £5,161. The average expenditure per bus-mile amounted to 9522d., as compared with 10.332d. a year earlier, whilst the .comparative return for income was 8.274d. for the past year and 10.234d. in the preceding 12 months.
During, the year 12 buses were in us., five of these having been commissioned for service in 1924, two in 1925, and the remainder in 1926. Seven of the buses are 23-seaters, four are 30seaters, the other vehicle being a 20seater. The first seven buses put into use had run an average of 44,516 miles each at the end of March last. Records which have been kept by the authorities show that pneumatic Lyres on the buses have each run for an average of 20,000 miles, the maximum mileage which has been obtained from any one tyre being 29,557 and the minimum mileage 8,622. It is interesting to note that the punctures recorded to date have numbered 74. During the year with which we are dealing the buses carried 2,952,934 passengers and covered an. aggregate mileage of 516,037, the latter figure comparing with 236,072 miles in the previous year. The number of passengers carried per bus-mile was 5.72, the fare paid per passenger being 1.45d.
THE inauguration of the Barrow-inFurness to Manchester motorbus service by the Furness Omnibus Co., Ltd., of Dalton-in-Furness, on Tuesday, July 19th, is a lilting development in the enterprise of a concern the establishment and progress of which is, in many respects, unique. The 16 founders of the company were, prior to 1926, one-vehicle owners, plying for hire with 14-seater machines betwee4 Barrow-in-Furness and Ulverston. On this route no fewer than 60 owner-drivers were in operation.
When the Furness Omnibus Co., Ltd., was Roofed sceptics were Inclined to • the opinion that ambition had surpassed discretion, hut 15 months of activity has established success beyond dispute. To-day, 12 up-to-date 'Leyland saloon motorbuses, seating from 20 to 2,6 persons, are in service. Since the company started operations 15 months ago the gross vehicle mileage which has been covered has been about 400,000, and nearly 1,00(1,000 passengers have been carried.
. The establishment of the Barrow to Manchester service is believed to be a necessary development,, and when the new Leyland Lioness motorbus, which has been specially purchased for use on the route; made its first appearance on the streets of Barrow and Dalton last week it soon became surrounded by interested spectators.
Built on a Leyland P.L.C. chassis having a four-eylindered 29 h.p. engine developing 58 MIT. at 1,800 r.p.m., the body is by Hall, Lewis and Co., Ltd.
The roof is dome shaped and a considerable portion of it is enclosed so that luggage can be carried. Three 24Inirhead ventilators are fitted.
Seating accommodation is provided for 24 people., At the back of the seats polished mahogany folding tables are fitted. In the rear part of the coach is a folding table of mahogany, this being
The fuel return shows that an average mileage of 6.82 was run to the gallon of motor spirit used, this figure being a fraction less than that for the preceding year.
At the end of March last the buses were in service on routes having a total length of over 13 miles.
XTORTH-COUNTRY rail and road 11 transport interests were again in opposition a few days ago when an interim injunction was sought in the Chancery Division by the Loudon and North Eastern Railway Co. to restrain the Stockton Corporation from running motorbuses on any portion of the road between West Hartlepool and Port Clarence as well as on any route apart from this in respect of which the corporation's 1919 Act does not embody the necessary sanction.
The motion was placed before Air. Justice Eve. The ease for the railway company was put by Mr. Tyldesley Jones, K.C., who said that the Stockton Corporation had powers in its Act of 1919 to operate omnibuses inside its own borough, but that it could only run over outside routes with the permission of the Ministry of Transport and of local and road authorities concerned. In the ease of the, West Hartlepool section he alleged it was running without the Ministry's sanction.
In the corporation's Act it was laid down that consents given by local
five hours are allowed for the journey. The vehicle sets out from Barrow at 7 a.m. each Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and is due to -arrive at Manchester at 12 o'clock noon. It leaves Manchester at 6.30 p.m., and is due back at Barrow at 11.30 pan. The only authorized stops en route are at Daltonin-Furness, tilverston, Lancaster and Preston.
-Fares are quoted from each of the above-named towns, the minimum being 2s. 6(1. single and 4s. return, i.e. from Preston to Lancaster. Barrow to Lancaster is 35. 9d. single and 6s. 6(1. return ; Barrow to Preston 6s, single and 10s. return ; Barrow to Manchester 9s. 3d. single and 15s. 6d. return. All these prices are lower than the comparable third-class railway fares.'
authorities should cover a period of seven years, and that further sanctions should be sought nftd the termination of that period. Stockton Corporation obtained powers from the Ministry to run over the route in T919, but when ' the seven years' sanction came to an end in February last its application far an extension for a farther number of ■ years was turned down, although at the same time the Ministry granted consents far seven other routes. The corporation had stated that it 'intended to continue to run over the 'route.
For the corporation, Mr. Luxmoore, K.C.. Said that, whatever the construction of the Act, the corporation had always held the view that it possessed the power to operate over the section in question, and if there was any possibility of doubt it was ready to make application to Parliament for the requisite permission. Should. an injunction be granted, he was prepared to request that its operation he suspended in order to permit the authority to make that application. Ile gave records of traffic over the route.
Mr. Justice Eve considered that there should be a speedy trial of the action, but declined to grant an interim injunction because of the inconvenience whieh it would ocean:on to the travelling public. The motion, he said, must stand over until the trial,