In Public Service.
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For other and later public-service paragraphs, see pp. 208 and 208a.
An Austin ambulance has been ordered by the Bolton Corporation.
Leyland Motors, Ltd., is to supply a two-ton motor lorry, to be built according to War Office specifications, to the Smethwick Corporation. The contract price is .t6112 2s. 6d.
The first annual dinner of the Chelverton Road Garage of the L.G.O.C. took place, at the Railway Hotel, Putney, on Saturday, the 3rd inst. Mr. W. I. Johnstone was in the chair, supported by Messrs. Darby, Duff. Holt, Curzon, Brown, Berry, and Sturch.
Replying to a question in the Commons last week, Mr. Lloyd George said that he hoped to deal with the que,stion of displacing horse-drawn ambulances in the forthcoming Revenue Bill by exempting from duty petrol used in accident transport services in Scotland.
Unic Cabs.
Whilst upwards of 2000 two-cylinder Unie cabs are in service in London and other English cities, Mann and Overton's, Ltd., 15, Commercial Road, Pimlico, S.W., is now selling only the four-cylinder model. A recent testimonial to the excellent service of this four-cylinder chassis has been given by Richard Taylor and Sons, Ltd., the Walton Electric Bakery, Liverpool, which company uses it as a brougham.
:Singapore's Water Carts.
An illustration on this page is of interesting nteresting 760-gallon water wagon, which has been constructed by the Lacre Motor Car Co., Ltd., for the Singapore Corporation. The shipment consists of two machines.
This engine is of the standard 38 h.p. class, and the chassis is of the usual four-ton type. With regard to the special water-distribution fittings, the tank itself is mounted sufficiently high on the frame to enable the usual chassis components still to remain accessible. It is made of la-in. plate al. the sides, with top and bottom of 2-16 in. material. Cast-iron distributing pipes with flexible compression joints are fitted. The distributor itself is fitted with a double row of jets, which can be used separately or together at the will of the driver. The valves controlling the water supply are of improved type. and are fitted with brass Beatings with machined faces., the valve discs being held down by spiral springs. Other features of this interesting model are evident from the illustration to which we have referred.
IA Singapore newspaper extract, concerning the 11113 Overseas Annual, appears on page 197.—ED.]
Searle Inner Tubes.
An interesting and severe test was made, on Friday last, from London to Brighton and back, of 12 taxicabs fitted with Searle unburstable inner tubes. Each taxicab had the off-side driving wheel fitted with an old cover with holes in it, go that the inner tube was irs every case exposed to unusual probabilities of wear or puncture. The results were highly creditable. Chesterfield's Trolleybuses.
The Chesterfield Corporation and the Derbyshire County Council, through their counsel, have arrived at an agreement in regard to the points that were in dispute between them recently. These concern the Corporation's wish to run certain trolleybuses over some of the county roads. The agreed clause reads : "That the Corporation shall pay to the road authority any extra expense which is incurred by the authority in maintaining and repairing any route which is attributable to the exercise by the Corporation of the powers of this Act."
It appears that the expression " extra expense" i5, additionally defined as "the amount by which the actual cost of repairing a route shall exceed what the cost of repairing such a. route would have been, assuming the same to have been properly maintained up to the standard required by the ordinary traffic thereon if trolley vehicles and motor omnibuses had not been run thereon in the exercise of the powers of this Act."
Provision is made for a series of arbitrations. Failing agreement by arbitration, there must be an appeal to an arbitrator to he appointed by the Board of Trade. The first arbitration is. to take place at the end of one year, and subsequently at the expiration of every period of three years or any less period as may be agreed upon by the Corporation and the road authority. The Corporation shall keep daily records showing the routes, journeys, mileage run by motor omnibuses and trolley vehicles, and the County Council shall also keep records. Such books and records shall be produced for inspection in relation to the determination of extra expense.
The County Council enters into certain road-widening obligations, subject to six months notice of the intention of the Corporation to run trolley vehicles or motorbuses. Scotland Yard is at present receiving applications from large numbers of inventors in respect of life-saving gear for motorbuses.
Commercial Car Hirers, Ltd., opened another new service in the Derbyshire district at the beginning of last week, between Uttoxeter and Derby. Special new saloon cars are being employed for this service. The journey takes an hour and a half, including calls at seven intermediate villages. We are informed that this new service has already met with great success, and further development of it is anticipated. Motorbuses in Scotland.
A motorbus, illustrated last week, was for service with the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., Edinburgh. The vehicle has seating capacity for 32 passengers ; the body is divided into two compartments, of which the front one is reserved for smokers. The engine fitted is a 38 h.p. Minerva. Silent Knight. The chassis has been built at the works of the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., while the bodywork is by Hall and Co., Ltd., Edinburgh. We understand that a number of these luxurious vehicles will shortly be placed in service in Edinburgh and district. The design is by Mr. W. J. Thomson, general manager. 3031 London Motorbuses.
The total of licensed motorbuses plying for hire on the London streets on the 28th of last month was 3031. This shows an increase of 36 over the preceding month. Results to date are charted below.
L,G.O.C. Map.
The L.G.O. Co.'s May issue of its general services guide is to hand. In addition to the company's usual map, included in this issue is a new route map of the heart of London. This clearly shows which streets in the centre of the city are now served by motorbus. We notice that the total number of services of this company, in and around London, now reaches 112.