Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1912. NELSON'S TRAMWAY PROBLEM. THE TRACKLESS TRAM INVENTION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 10 April 1912, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1912. NELSON'S TRAMWAY PROBLEM. THE TRACKLESS TRAM INVENTION.

ONE of the most vexed local questions, and one requiring earnest/ attention on the part of the City Council, is that of an up-to-date tramway system. It ''s perfectly evident that Nelson does not lend itself to an extensive system, for quite apart from the question of population, the residential portion of the city i' is so scattered that any comprehensive system has small prospect of success financially. The Port sei vice must necessarily remain the more important route for many years to come, but at the same time, it is not at all unlikely that other services could be inaugurated which would eventually prove of benefit to the undertaking itself and to the localities served. The fact that such towns as Invercargill, Yvatfganui, Palmerston North, and Gisborne have instituted electric tramway systems indicates that such services are within the range of the smaller centres of population. But so far as Nelson is concerned, it is quite obvious that an electric tramway system is beyond the range of practical politics, for besides, the lesser extent of population, the "geographical" conditions are quite unfavourable to the successful working of such a system. But at the same time, the fact that the above mentioned towns have decided to install the trams indicate that Nelson is not a great way behind being in a, position to make such proposals pay.

In these circumstances it is interesting to refer to one of the latest developments in the tramway systems of the world. In doing so we do not desire to put forward such proposals as practical, for we have not the necessary data ac hand to enable anything like accurate calculations to be made, but the known fact s are such as to warrant consideration, for it is only by close observation of such developments, that advance can he made in this important branch of enterprise. We desire in this article to refer particularly to the trackless electric trams whi-.-h have just recently been installed in two Yorkshire municipalities —Bradford and Leeds. For some time past tills system has been in vogue en the Continent, but it is only quite recently it has been instituted \ in England. *The principle of the system is simple. The vehicle resembles an omnibus, and can be of single or double dock type, propelled by electric motors. On the rcof are mounted two long arms vn a single base, free to swing in any and every direction, and to adapt themselves to varying heights, which engage witn two overhead wires slung from standards, as in the overhead electric tramway system. The trolly arms are of such design and flexibility that the vehicle can dodge in and out passing traffic with the facility of a motor car, and yet without obstructing the passage of other vehicles no matter to what height the latter may be piled.

But it is particularly interesting to , consider this new system in the direction of expense, for it is on this score that electric trams are beyond Nelson's means. In comparison with tramways this system is said to he far and away cheaper in point of initial expense, due, obviously, to the fact that rails are dispensed with, the cost of installation, according to the "World's Work," being about one-fourth of that of tramways per mile of route. Apart from the capital outlay in regard to the latter, there is the maintenance of the permanent way, which in the average city is expensive. The authority quoted above is careful to point out that the true future of the railless vehicle in its "application to those towns where the population is not sufficient to bear the capital outlay and charge involved in the installation of a tramway." In the case of Bradford and Leeds these vehicles are being used as j feeders, and link up the. outlying parts of the tramway systems. At Bradford the route is only one and a quarter miles in length, and is on a circular plan, connecting two radial \-ou£<ss separated by a district only moderately populated. The statement is definitely made that, in this instance, the raillcss vehicle is profitable where the tramway would represent a dead loss. This experiment, it i 6 further stated, has proved a- complete success, so much so that the authorities have dec'n'<zc) to «iy out a further eleven miles of T'./iite.

So far as working expenses are concorned it is learnt that the cost is 4£d per mile. This is a figure far and away below that obtained by the ordinary mo-tor-'bus system. At Bradford the results Irive shown a revenue of 6id, and at Leeds R.Hd per car mile, the operating expenses in both instances being the same — per car mile exclusive of interest and redemption of capital, with single-deck cars carrying 23 passengers. Of course the fact that there is no electric power station already in existence in Nelson is a decided difficulty in the way of the scheme, but the local streams arc.EUch as to easily provide facilities

for the generation of clec'trieity. In the not very -distant future it will be possible for the State to institute an extensive plant in the Upper liuller for the generation of electricity, to provide Nelson, Tela kohe. the proposed ironworks, and also th» West Coast with cheap electric power. Jf .such proposals be carried out-, hi id there is n<> rea.son why they should not be. the problem of the supply of power would be easily solved. In the meantime .Nelson has a creditable 'bus service, but the unavoidable disadvantages are such as to warrant consideration of other systems.