Call Tenders For 50 Trolley Buses For City

Northern Advocate, 20 December 1945, Page 8

Call Tenders For 50 Trolley Buses For City

(Special) AUCKLAND, This Day. Tenders for 50 large single-deck trolley buses are being invited by the Auckland Transport Board as the first step toward replacing the present tramway system in the city. Although it was difficult to estimate a time for delivery of the new buses, it was expected that it would be 18 months or perhaps longer before the first of them were available, said the engineer (Mr. A. E. Ford), last night. A great deal depended on the supply position of essential parts from overseas, but the board was endeavouring to instal the new system as soon as possible to relieve the present transport position. Mr. Ford said he could not indicate on which of the city routes the first trolley buses would operate. There was no doubt that trolley buses would be welcomed'by the public in preference to trams, said Mr. Ford.

The seats would be fully sprung, and there would be more, room for each passenger. The 50 buses for which tenders were being called would be larger than the present vehicles operating on the Farmers’ Trading Co.’s route.

They would be 36ft long and Bft. 6in. wide, compared with the more modern tramcars, which measured 43ft. by Bft. The buses would seat 44 passengers and would carry about 33 standing, the total being a few less than the capacity of a tram, which seated 52 passengers.