TROLLY BUSES FOR HILLS

Evening Star, Issue 25462, 18 April 1945, Page 7

TROLLY BUSES FOR HILLS

Sir William Goodmans Recommendations

Cable Services Obsolete

Trolly buses to replace the cable trams on the Dunedin hill transport systems are recommended in a further report received bv the City Council yesterday from Sir William Goodman. . The three cable tramways are obsolete, says Sir William, and the existing loading conditions indicate that something must be done to provide services for transporting passengers in comfort and with a proper margin of safety.

In the main, the existing grades on the hill routes can be economically and efficiently negotiated by trolly buses or motor buses, and he is of the opinion that the most economical ssytem to adopt is the trolly bus. Routes for hill trolly bus services are set out in his report by Sir William, who, in the main,

recommended, should remain at the Octagon.

The capital cost of installing the trolly bus system on the hills is estimated at £130,800, comprising 22 trolly buses at £96,800, electrical equipment of line at £27,000, and additional depot accommodation £7,000. The estimated revenue is £73,556 per annum,, giving a surplus revenue of £3,282 after meeting overhead charges. Sir William considers, that his estimate of revenue is on the conservative side.

follows the existing routes, but provides a terminus for both the Mornington and Roslyn lines in a balloon loop between Crawford street and Vogel street. The terminus for the Kaikorai line, it is

THE REPORT IN DETAIL

The text of the report reads:— Following upon my report setting out my recommendations for the conversion of the city electric tramways to trolly buses, I now set out my recommendations respecting the Mornington, the Roslyn, and the Kaikorai name tramways. The three cable tramways are obsolete, and the existing loading conditions indicate that something must be done by the council to provide services (for transporting passengers in comfort and with a proper margin of safety. These lines have been in use for a great number of years, and in view ot the great difficulty in obtaining man power and materials, I am of the opinion that credit is .due to the tramways engineer (Mr W. D. Richards) for the condition of the tracks and the power plants. In giving consideration to substituting a different type of transport from the cable cars, due consideration has been given to the grades and routes. In the main, the existing grades can be economically and efficiently negotiated by trolly buses or motor buses. I am of the opinion that the most economical system to adopt is the trolly bus. Ite _ freedom from noise and odours in climbing and its safety in operation on steep " down " grades renders it far preferable to the motor bus. I therefore recommend after my investigations and consideration of'all the factors that the three cable tramway systems be .substituted by trolly ! buses. • . • • ■ Morn ington / Ca ble ■■ ■ Tram way .—This line is in good order. I have been' impressed by -the electric drive which has reulaced the steam power drive. It is economical and well designed. Generallv speaking, the effect of the deferred maintenance of the permanent way on the Mornington route has not been serious.

Itoslvn Cable Tramway.—This line is in fair condition so far as the permanent wav is concerned, but the power plant requires a large amount of expenditure: in any case the steam power drive should be superseded by the ftlpctrio drive

Kaikorai Cable Tramway.—The physical condition of the permanent way of the Kaikorai line is poor, and a considerable portion of the track requires relaying, and I am of the opinion that heavy expenditure on it is unjustifiable. The power plant is in poor condition and "will have to be replaced. BUS ROUTES. Mornington Route.—Along High street from Princes street to the present tramway terminus, thence along Mailer street to Elgin road, to Maryhill Terrace, terminating at Glen Avenue, tho present terminus of the Maryhill extension. A branch line from the junction of Maryhill Terrace and Elgin road along Elgin road to Raglan (?) street. In order to avoid congestion near the junction of. High street and Princes street, and to distribute the loading points, the buses should cross Princes street and terminate at a balloon loop between Crawford street and Vogel street. The length of this route is 170 chains. Roslyn Route. —Along Rattray street from Princes street to City, road, branching off at the junction of City road and Leven street, and thence to the tram route, and along Ross street to Highgate, thence along Highgate to Taien road and along Taien road to Kaikorai Valley road, terminating at Fraser's road.

In order to avoid congestion near the junction of Rattray street and Princes steet, and to distribute the loading points, the buses should cross Princes street and terminate at a balloon loop between Crawford, street and Vogel street The length of this route,is. 181 P. chains. Kaikorai Route. —Froin the junction of Stuart street and the Octagon thence along Stuart street, Albert street, and the existing tramway route to Nairn street (the existing terminus of the cable tramway), and thence along Taieri road to Bunting's store. The city terminus of the. Kaikorai line to remain at the Octagon, where there must be a balloon loop at tho flnd of Stuart street; and in order to get the " down " buses to and from the depot there must be a " lead " from the " down " wires in Princes street and along the south-west quadrant of the Octagon connecting with a balloon loop; and for the buses running to depot a " lead " from balloon loop and along the north-western quadrant of the Octagon functioning with the "up " wires in ' Princes street. The length of this route from the Octagon to .Bunting's store is 143 chains. ■ . » ■ THE FINANCE. I submit estimates of revenue and expenditure in appendices C and D, from which it will be Been by reference to appendix D that I estimate a surplus revenue of £3,282 after meeting overhead charges. I am of the opinion that my estimated revenue of £73,556 in appendix C is on the conservative side._ In considering the bases for my recommendations, due regard has been given to the nature of and the distribution of the. population, the topographical conditions of the routes and districts to be served, the probable future development and distribution of the population, and the possible trend of passenger transport after the war. From appendix D it will be noted I estimate the cost of installing the trolly bus system< at £130,800; also I show thereon the allocation of the surplus revenue over operating costs. REMOVING TRAM TRACKS. Mr (Richards, the tramways engineer, agrees with my estimate of £2O per chain to cover the cost of removing the old tramway tracks and making good the surfaces of the roadways. He estimates the cost of removing the rails, fastenings, filling and consolidating and making good road surfaces as follows: £ Mornington and Marylull 3,120 Roslyn 2,280 Kaikorai 2,04.0 Total £4,440 Mr Richards lias omitted the cost of removing portions of tho track running through the Town Belt, where' the necessary work can be done at a cost considerably below the value of the rails, yokes, etc.. reclaimed from the work. In the case of the Kaikorai line, Mr Richards states that in all probability a new d.irect road will be constructed over the present tram route from London street to Highgate, in which case the necessary regrading would automatically remove the present lines and conduits.

I have not included the above cost in my estimate of the cost of conversion to trolly buses. I suggest this amount should be written off over a period of three years from the time the trolly buses commence operating. I will forward next week details of my estimates of costs of construction for your guidance. I will forward next week my comments and recommendations regarding the use of your council's fleet of motor buses. CITY SYSTEM.

Tn my interim report dealing with trolly buses for the city system, I quoted ninny references to cities ■where trolly buees have been installed and

the results attained. It is fitting for mo to refer you to an article in the issue of February 9, 1945, of tho Passenger Transport Journal, London, which reads: "The United Electric Railways .systems in Providence, Khode Island, are now operating 184 trolly bwses. Twelve years ago trolly buses were an innovation in Providence. Since then tho city's experience with them, from both tho patron's and the operator's viewpoint, has effected yearly expansion of the trolly bus fleet until it is now the system's bulwark. In rating these speedy, economical carriers, the manager, A. R. Wililams, stated that: ' The war has •confirmed our faith, in trolly buses. Trolly buses have fulfilled all our requirements in peace and have exceeded our expectation under war-time conditions. They have absorbed a substantial ipart of the 79 per cent, increase in system traffic with less expenditure of man power and maintenance materials than any other vehicle on our system.' " The difference in trolly bus operating results between February, 1941, and February of last year, can also bo expressed in terms of revenue. Roughly, this revenue was about 102 per cent, more last year than it was two years hefore. Operating revenue jumped from 146,178 dollars to 275,773 dollars, a gain of 139.595 dollars. It is interesting to note that the trolly bus was the. system's leading moneymaker, in all the representative months cited, taking .in 40 per cent, of the total revenue and operating 34 per cent, of the total miles. A maintenance cost per mile of 3.63 cents during 1942 puts the trolly bus first in economy. The petrol bus averaged 4.54 cents, and the old-style street car cost 5.88 cents per mile, which included the cost of reconditioning 43 out-of-service cars.