Omnibuses and cabs. Henry Charles Moore

      PART I—OMNIBUSES

       Table of Contents

      Carrosses à cinq sous invented—Inauguration ceremony—M. Laffitte's omnibuses—The origin of the word "omnibus" as applied to coaches

      George Shillibeer introduces omnibuses into England—The first omnibus route—Shillibeer's conductors defraud him—His plans for preventing fraud—An omnibus library—Shopkeepers complain of omnibus obstruction.

      Shillibeer runs omnibuses in opposition to a railway—Extraordinary action of the Stamp and Taxes Office—Shillibeer is ruined—He appeals to the Government for compensation—Government promises not fulfilled—Shillibeer becomes an undertaker

      Introduction of steam omnibuses—The "Autopsy," the "Era" and the "Automaton"—Steam omnibuses a failure

      Some old omnibus names—Story of the "Royal Blues"—Omnibus racing—Complaints against conductors—Passengers' behaviour—The well-conducted conductor—The ill-conducted conductor—The "equirotal omnibus"

      Twopenny fares introduced—The first omnibus with advertisements—Penny fares tried—Omnibus improvements—Longitudinal seats objected to by the police—Omnibus associations—Newspapers on the "Favorites"—Foreigners in omnibuses—Fat and thin passengers—Thomas Tilling starts the "Times" omnibuses—Mr. Tilling at the Derby—Tilling's gallery of photographs

      Compagnie Générale des Omnibus de Londres formed—The London General Omnibus Company starts work—Businesses purchased by the Company—It offers a prize of £100 for the best design of an omnibus—The knife-board omnibus introduced—Correspondence system tried—Packets of tickets sold—Yellow wheels—The L.G.O.C. becomes an English Limited Liability Company—The first board of directors—Present position of the Company—The Omnibus: a satire—The Omnibus: a play

      The opening of Holborn Viaduct—An omnibus is the first vehicle to cross it—"Viaduct Tommy"—Skid-men

      A new Company—The London and District Omnibus Company, Limited—The London Road Car Company, Limited—Its first omnibuses—The garden seats—The flag and its meaning—Foreigners' idea of it—The ticket system—The great strike—The London Co-operative Omnibus Company—Mr. Jenkins and advertisements—The Street Traffic Bill—Outside lamps

      The Motor Traction Company's omnibus—An electric omnibus—The Central London Railway—The London County Council omnibuses—The "corridor 'bus"—The latest omnibus struggle—Present omnibus routes