PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
TT would certainly seem that, with the recent establishment of a number of long-distance services, a new phase of motorbus development has dawned. Furthermore, the attention that is now being given to the organization of services of this kind rather suggests that many of the main centres of population will shortly be directly connected with one another by passenger road motors. One of the latest regular longdistance routes to be opened is that between Glasgow and Liverpol, the initiative having been taken by Anglo-Scots Motorways, Ltd., St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, and the service—a daily one— inaugurated on April 7th. We have already made several references to the company's enterprise, and we are now able to supplement the information already published.
The company is using Studebaker 20seater saloon buses for the service and a vehicle leaves both Liverpool and Glasgow at 9.30 each •morning, the respective destinations being reached at 7.20 p.m. The journey is about 250 miles long, and at Carlisle, the halfway town, a stop of half-an-hour is made for luncheon. On the journey the onlyscheduled stops are those at Kilmarnock, Dernfrie.s, Carlisle, Penrith, Kendal, Lancaster and Preston, but there are "request" stops at Garstang, Carnforth, Milnthorpe, Shap, Amman, Thornhill, Sanquhar, Kirkconnel, New Cutrusock, Old Cumnock, Auchinleck, Mauchline, Huriford, Fenwiek, Newton Mearns, Giffnock.
The time-table and fares for the journey, starting from Glasgow, are as follow Although the through fare is 20s., passengers travelling in either direction may hook intermediate journeys from any of the following junctions :—Kilinarnock, Dumfries, Carlisle, Penrith, Kendal, Lancaster and Preston, the minimum fare being is.
The growth of services of this description brings to notice new possibilities for motorbus operation, since it might compel undertakngs now concentrating on defined territories to consider whether or not the line of progress does not consist in giving the public the opportunity for travelling farther and farther afield, not merely within the confines of a particular district but over very long distances.
A new standard of luxury travel is set by the saloon buses already employed on the long-distance services now being
WE give on the next page two illustrations of what is believed to be the first rigid-frame six-wheeled doubledeck motorbus to be delivered for service in. Ireland, the vehicle having recently been completed in the works of Karrier Motors, Ltd., Kessler Works Huddersfield, to the order of the Gilberi Omnibus Co., which has been operating vehicles of this make on its numerous services for many years past. The bus is of particularly large capacity, being built to seat 66 passengers, and a feature of the 'bodywork, which was constructed throughout in the Karrier works, is that the stairway at the rear leading to the upper deck is enclosed
within the body. •
The chassis serving as the basis of the vehicle is the makers' WL6/2 type, with a 17-ft. 6-in. wheelbase, which, as may be known, is specifically designed for taking double-deck bus bodies. With the exception that the six-cylindered engine used has a rating of 65-105 h.p., as against the 50-80 hp. of the power unit normally employed, -the chassis is a standard product. The lower saloon ac
operated, the slogan of the promoters being "first-class travel at less than third-class fare."
The Studebaker buses used on the Glasgow-Liverpool-Glasgow service are built to give the utmost comfort to passengers, who are accommodated in revolving armchair-type seats. Pockets for parcels and ash-trays for smokers are fitted at the back of each seat, whilst other features, including a table which can be lowered into the floor when not required, contribute to the comfort and convenience of travellers. The engine exhaust can be by-passed through the body interior, thus giving warmth on cold days.
commodates 32 people, whilst the upper deck, which is totally enclosed, is arranged to seat 34 people. Although the seats are disposed so that the best possible use is made of the available space, there is no suggestion of cramping and ample knee room is given between them. The seats themselves are of the semibucket pattern and are particularly well sprung and upholstered.
Both decks are reached through a wide opening at the rear on the near side, and the arrangement of the stairway is such. that a large platform niece is given. The platform is only 1 ft. 7 ins, from the ground, so that the use of a single step with a shallow riser is all that is necessary to make for easy entrance and exit.
The headroom given in the gangway of the lower saloon is 5 ft. 10 iris., that in the upper deck being 3 ins. leas. Drop windows are fitted in both saloons, hinged rectangular ventilators of the usual kind beiug used above those in the lower deck.
The driver is mounted alongside the engine on the off side in a compartment which; well protected from the' elements. Thus it will be seen that both conductor and driver are given adequate protection, the former's position being made more comfortable by enclosing the complete body. Where weather conditions are uncertain, there is little question that, by enclosing the positions normally occupied by the men in charge, the public obtains better service and attention, for the reason that the men are less affected by cold and fatigue.
THERE cannot exist in. many, if any, areas such a plenitude of buses
and bus proprietors as is to be found at the present moment in Belfast and Northern Ireland. At least 50 different concerns operate on various routes from Belfast alone and there are. many others in the country running between different towns without actually touching Belfast. The business has literally run wild and the confusion to the travelling public and the loss to owners as a consequence is beyond the power of calculation.
Each proprietor has, in most CileS, more than one service, whilst more than one proprietor runs ta'a given destination, and for most of these there are separate termini in various parts of Belfast. This presents an almost insurmlnintable difficulty for the stranger, or one who is not well acquainted with the city. The time-table is of no assistance.
Below is given a list of principal owners, starting places in Belfast and destinations, which serve to give some idea of the present position :— . Stertirig Owner or name of Place. service. Destination.
The fuel tank, which has a capacity of 55 gals., is mounted on the dashboard. A 12-volt C.A.V. constant-voltage lighting set is fitted, the dynamo being driven from the gearbox instead of the engine.
The bus is shod with 36-in. by 8-in. pneumatic tyres and a spare wheel with tyre is carried in a vertical position in a cradle at the rear of the body. The vehicle is finished in a pleasing shade of grey, the mouldings being in. mauve.
The above list will show how impossible it is for a stranger to discover the bus he wants and the confusion that must prevail, even amongst those who are more familiar with the district and its bus doings. It does not by any means record all the services run by every firm, so that the state of affairs is really worse than would appear at first glance. When it is remembered that each owner operates more than one service and a number several services, many being in competition, the position will be better understood.
To make it clearer we will glance at the services run to one town—Lisburn —seven miles from Belfast on the Armagh road. The direct services to and from Lisburn and Belfast work out at the amazing figue of about 100 each way per day. They are as follow :— Wm. Jellie, over 40; Courtney's, 15 or 16; Cosy, 12 or 13; 'Violet 29 or 30. In addition, there are many services, passing through Lisburn, on routes between Belfast and points beyond. Amongst these are Violet, 3; Gregory's, about 5; Frontier, 5 or 6; Martin's, several ; Adelaide, 7.; Spence, 12; Classic 6; Irwin, several; McGlade, 1; Windsor, 6; Belfast Motor Service Co., 8 or 9. This gives a rough total of 150 buses for the one journey. Taking into consideration the outward and inward journeys the figure of 300 vehicles a day is reached. It will be seen, too, that approximately eleven firms are running in competition on this route.
On the Belfast-I3angor route rivalry is equally keen and, in the summer time, there is usually a fifteen-minute service in each direction. Competition
also exists on many other routes, All the services do not centre on Belfast.
Northern Ireland can, indeed, boast ample bus services, but there is a big demand and the existing business has grown up within the last three or four years. Curiously enough:, the first buses that started were more or less unsuccessfUl.
Next to the varied collection of buses of all sorts, colours, sizes, types and makes, the number of owners, the difficulty and confusion of trying to find the buses when they are wanted and their starting places, the most striking feature of the whole position is the apparent laxity regarding legal conditions governing passenger road transport.
Take, for example, the questions of speed, overcrowding and licensing. All three conditions are identical with those existing in England. Being in Ireland. however, they are, the writer was told, disregarded. Not that an endeavour is not made to enforce the law. Proprietors, or their men, are being hauled before the police court almost daily ; the fine is paid and the offenders are free to repeat their misdemeanour. For practical purposes the speed limit has never existed, at least for the busmen, and it would be inadvisable to make public the pace at which some of the vehicles travel.
Overcrowding at certain periods of the day is rampant, and some buses that will not pass the inspection test by the Belfast authority are used.
On the whole the class of bus used is good. At least, in most case.s, they are good in the sense that they were the very best that could be bought when they were new Their owners have done more than many firms in *other districts t&provide'for the highest comfort of their clients—a 'feature for which competitiont may have' been responsible. Oa thee other band, the appearance of most of themnow is that of good vehicles quickly. deteriorated, this being due to the fact that their owners have not the trained staff which is employed by most big concerns for undertaking the work of maintenance. Many of the vehicles do not receive adequate overhauling or cleaning.
There are exceptions, however, particularly on the Bangor route. Another big factor in deterioration is the bad state of the roads, and in parts of Ulster they are in very. poor condition.
Whatever the appearance of the buses outside, however, they are mostly comfortable inside. A lot of new vehicles and the complete overhauling of many existing buses will be necessary in the near future, and it is to be hoped that owners have not ignored this important fact during the time they have been in keen competition.
So far as the writer's experience goes, fares work out at about id. per passenger per mile ordinary, with retnrns, specials, and workmen's at cheaper rates.
The great need of the district so far as bus services are concerned is better organization, co-ordination and greater efficiency. This end can never be reached so long as the present large number of owners is in competition. There have been several attempts to form a company to take over the greater part of the existing concerns. For various reasons all have failed to make progress. Recently, however, as was mentioned in our issue for last week, a company, promoted by Mr. H. Merrett, which looks like business. was registered. Mr. Merrett has had an option on 34 of the principal Belfast concerns for some time and has decided to-exercise the option.
Another company—the Ulster General Omnibus Co.—has also been registered, but it is not known locally what are the intentions of this concern, unless it operates as a rival to the one formed (Mr. Merrett's) by the majority of the existing concerns.
Mr. H. M. S. Catherwood, one of the biggest owners, is amongst those who have stood out and, so far as information goes, it is his intention to remain an independent owner. Mr. Catherwood is a most enterprising proprietor and does everything possible for the comfort and convenience of passengers. He is keen on avoiding overcrowding and has buses on patrol for relief duty.