THE MOTOR 'BUS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 76, 6 May 1914, Page 8

THE MOTOR 'BUS.

LOCAL EXPERIMENTS.

PETROL ELECTRIC MOTOR.

An interesting series of experiments is being conducted by Messrs J. J. Kinsey and Co., local agents for the TillingStevens petrol electric motor-bus, in conjunction with Mr G. W. "Woods, the agent for the manufacturers. The object of the tests is to demonstrate the efficiency of the motor as a feeder to the tramway service, or as an entirely independent traffic service for passengers from outlying districts to and from the city. Special tests were made in the presence of members of the Tramway Board and officials. The motor is a self-con-tained one, and its adoption as a feeder from outlying districts would do',away with the necessity of laying down lines and erecting overhead gear. The system has been adopted by the Wellington Tramways as a feeder to the tramway service.

The vehicle is similar to a tramcar in respect to electrical transmission - and control. It starts off smoothly, and its control is equally simple to that of a tramcar. It generates its own electricity by,the use of a petrol engine. Its chief cjaim to its suitability as a feeder to a tramway system is that it saves the heavy expense of line construction, as well as power-house connection and charges. The cost of the motor-bus is £I2OO, which is claimed to be cheaper than that of an electric car. A further advantage is that in the event of a service to one locality not paying, it could be diverted to another experimental area. The cost of running per mile is about Bd. The majority of 'buses now running do not have a conductor, as they are built on the "pay as you enter" system. The various routes gone over by the Tramway board and management included trips to Hornby, Halswell, and Hornby-Islington-Templeton (starting from Sockburn terminus).

Yesterday th(T Spreydon Borough Council (with Mr Sykes, representative of that district on the Tramway Board) made a comprehensive tour of their district over suggested routes. One was from Colombo Street (end of 2d section) Barrington Street, along Milton Street to the top of Strickland Street, connecting with the "Windmill Road line. Another was from Cobden Street, Barrington Street, to Lincoln Road, and connecting with the tram there. It was thought possible to run a direct route from Spreydon into the Square, which, it was claimed, would occupy half the tramway time.