Steam bus

Capable of carrying ten people at speeds of up to 12 mph, Inshaw discontinued his experiments due to the legislation then in force.

[5] The Red Flag Act was repealed in 1896, and experimental steam buses again operated in various places in England and around the empire.

[6] Lifu buses ran at Mansfield from 1 July 1898,[7] between Dover and Deal in 1899,[8] Fairford and Cirencester for the Midland and South Western Junction Railway in 1898 and 1899.

[8] London Road car Co ran a Hammersmith-Shepherd's Bush-Oxford Circus route with a Thornycroft 36 seater (12 inside) in 1902.

[8] Thomas Clarkson produced steam buses at Moulsham Works, Chelmsford and exhibited at 1903 and 1905 Motor Shows.

In May 1903 a Chelmsford steam bus demonstration resulted in the formation of the Torquay & District Motor Omnibus Co Ltd on 23 July 1903.

The company's prospectus said, "The Chelmsford motor omnibuses are steam propelled, and, what is of importance in a town of the character of Torquay, are entirely free from smell, noise, and vibration.

"[11] 3 single deck 14 seat (12 inside and 2 with the driver) Chelmsford steam buses were ordered in May, built in August, but got stuck in mud between Salisbury and Exeter and didn't start a Strand to Chelston service until 2 November.

The steam buses were replaced by petrol in 1923, when Devon General started to compete on the Chelston route.

[27] Additionally, startup times vis-a-vis gasoline-powered vehicles and safety issues from vaporized fuel had been solved, with steam cars such as the Doble requiring a mere 40 seconds to start from cold.

More recently, in 1972, the American inventor Bill Lear introduced a steam bus intended for trials in San Francisco.

[32] A steam bus named Elizabeth operates in Weston Super Mare (originally in the English seaside town of Whitby).