MODERN MOTORING

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 11 September 1926, Page 15

MODERN MOTORING

MOTORISING LONDON — BUSES OUST TRAM-CARS.'

It may not be generally known that there are no street ear lines in London except at the outskirts of the city. The huge population of the world’s largest municipality is carried back and forth by the “Underground,” some 6000 a uses -and approximately 15,000 taxicabs. The London double-deck bus is one of the familiar sights of the tourist. Its fares are on the zone system, starting with a- penny, and, by virtue of that fact it, carries a great many passengers on short hauls, for a man, if the weather is inclement, would rather ride five or six blocks for a penny than walk, and it is of course cheaper than taking a taxi We might stop a. minute to tell the story that lan Hay, the English

writer, relates. In the early days of the World War, when the Germain; were making their apparently irrestible drive on Paris, there was a, call for motor transport, for trucks, and buses and taxi and private cars —anything that could transport- men, munitions and -supplies to the hard-pressed French army. It is customary for London buses to carry advertising, and it- happened at that time that the American play, “Potash and Perlmutter,’’ was running in London. Some of the. early London General Omnibus Company buses were rushed over to Paris without anyone taking time to remove the advertising, or even to think about that. They arrived in the- French capital carrying big legends, “Potash and Perlmutter Here To-night.’’ According to Mr. May, many of the French people, seeing this great caravan of buses pounding into the city from Calais, gathered along the sidewalks and cheered for General Potash and General Perlmutter, who tvere dashing to their rescue. The motor bus really started in London about 1905.t0 1908. At that time there were some 3709 horse-drawn buses operating in the city, and they found themselves lacing a new coinpetition of motorised buses built on the Continent, andi which quickly won favour with the public. The end of. the battle found the London General Omnibus Company in fhe strongest position.