The Motor Omnibus World.
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Two 2o,seated, single-deck MimesDaimler omnibuses have been ordered for the South Indian Railway Company. The bodies will be specially built of teak, in order to suit the Indian di-mate.
A party of members and associates of The Society of . Motor Omnibus Engineers visited the Great Western Railway Company's locomotive shops at Swindon yesterday (Wednesday), and who took part in the excursion were greatly interested.
Our first Editorial refers briefly to .the question of motorbus drivers who -lose their licenses ; at the worst a man -can return to that work at the end of .three years, even if he has once suffered the loss in question, and we shall want -a lot of reliable evidence to satisfy us that the police action is needlessly harsh or unjust.
Various local councils in London are carrying out their short-sighted policy of pin-pricking motorbus interests : we see no occasion to report these smallminded doings in our pages, but our -supporters can rely upon our keeping !them acquainted of any serious move which may threaten to have an adverse 'result, should such occur.
Another Welsh Purchase.
The accompanying illustration is of an interesting char-a-bancs which has recently been despatched to Messrs. Jones Brothers, of Aberystwyth, by Milnes-Daimler, Limited. It began its duties at this well-known Welsh watering-place on Whit-Monday, and its behaviour has elicited general admiration from the many people who have used it since that date. The Brighton Corporation received a visit from the Comite de Commerce de France, a few weeks ago. The Brighton, Hove and Preston United Omnibus Company plated at the disposal of the Corporation eight of its 2811.p. Milnes-Daimler buses, all of which were decorated in suitable manner. Brighton possesses, as many of our readers will be aware, tramcars as well as motorbuses : these take people inland from the Aquarium, and the Corporation had arranged to convey the French visitors for a circular trip upon them, but this project was abandoned in favour of a trip on the motorbuses, which were able to follow the desired itinerary. It was a splendid, warm, sunny day. Leaving the Pavilion, the buses proceeded, 40 yards apart, along the Front, into Hove, and then back to the eastern extremity, showing the visitors what a fine sea-port the town possesses. Needless to say the trip was much enjoyed, and was carried out without a single hitch. The buses created a great sensation, and this incident proved the superiority in the usefulness of the motorbus over the trams when a tour of inspection had to be arranged. Mr. E. A. Eager, the superintendent engineer of the company, was responsible for the running of the vehicles, and Ix was congratulated by many of the visi t•:.•rs upon their excellent behaviour.
Three 24h.p. motorbuses of French make will shortly be put into service at Hull. They have been purchased by Mr. W. Nettleton, hay and straw merchant and contractor, of Lime Street, uull, and the vehicles have already been licensed by the Hull Town Council to ply for hire,
-Colonel Mark Mayhew points out that be is not the Colonel Mayhew who lodged the petition for the compulsory winding-up of the Edinburgh and District Motor Omnibus Company, Limited, which petition, as reported in our issue of last week--(page 289), was subsequently withdrawn.
At Cardiff.
The accompanying illustration is of one of • six . double-deck Dennis omnibases which are owned by the Cardiff Tramways Company, Limited. Only three of these vehicles are at present in service, and the purchasers are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the balance. Mr. R. B. Goodyer, of 32, Albert Chambers, Castle Arcade, Cardiff, is the manager of the company.
Helpful Testimony.
We published, in our issue of the 2nd instant (page 225) an official letter from Mr. R. T. Kingham, secretary of the London General Omnibus Company, Limited, in regard to the behaviour of a 4oh.p. Ryknield omnibus during a trial in London. Mr. Kingham's report, as published by us, is now fully borne out by a further letter that has been addressed to the Ryknield Company by Captain Wilfrid Dumble, the acting general manager ofthe L.G.O. Company, the only additions being to the effect that the Shrewsbury-Challiner tires gave not the slightest trouble, and ended the trial with every appearance of being capable of travelling another 8,000 miles, whilst it is slated that the chassis, after being stripped and ex
amined by the company's engineers, was in a satisfactory condition, none of the working parts showing appreciable signs of wear.
Novel Comparisons.
A correspondent of " The Railway News " has established the following instructive comparisons between a train, a horse bus, a motorbus, and an electric tramcar. A train seat is carried 420 miles for 3s.; a horse-bus seat 26 miles for md.; a motorbus seat 34 miles for is.; and an electric-car seat 6o miles for 70, • 'Also, a seat in each of the foregoing Vehicles is carried 185,640 miles for the following respective total amounts : train, ":"66 6s.; horse-bus, £357; motorbus, ; electric car,
-4.-790 4s. tod. We observe that the
motorbus cost is taken at the high figure of Is. per mile.
Brush Engineering Report.
• Lord Vaux of Harrowden presided at the r8th general meeting of shareholders in the Brush Electrical Engineering Company, Limited, on the 23rd instant, when the report of the directors showed a gross profit on trading of',.65,802 for the year ending the 3Ist December, 1906, as compared with -473,929 for the preceding twelve months. The report went on to state that the company had been giving special attention to a department for the production of commercial motor vehicles, including motor omnibuses, vans and lorries ; the preliminary expenses in connection with certain experiments on this score had been charged against the general reserve fund, as the directors thought it was better to extinguish the item at once by debiting it in full against that account.
Agitation in London.
"The Daily Mail" deprecates the efforts to stir up opposition to motorbuses, in the course of an Editorial reference in its issue of Monday last. It is pointed out that, if motorbus services are not to be extended, the alternative lies with the electric tramway, which is far from noiseless, whilst the obstruction and loss of business caused by laying the rails is a serious matter to any business community. The article proceeds to argue that the motorbus is steadily becoming less noisy, and that it is an absolute necessity on London's main thoroughfares. It goes on to criticise any administration which seeks to harass a young industry, and one employing so much labour, and in which a very large amount of capital is invested.