1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188 
WHY NOT SIMPLIFY THE LINES?
Page 110
Page 111
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
IN all development of mechanical appliances the betterment of appearance and neatness follows upon the heels of technical improvements, taking, rightly, a secondary place. This is particularly noticeable in the case of vehicles, especially road vehicles, the question of looks soon pressing itself upon the consciousness of both chassis
maker and body-builder. This is because both operators and passengers take a pride in their vehicles.
In the present stage of development of the public-service road vehicle a degree of chassis excel' lence has been attained which is comparable with that of a firstquality motorcar. In the matter of bodywork we seem to have got so far and no farther.
The forward-control type of vehicle has been almost universal in this country, not only for bus duty but also for motor-coach purposes, and the need for easy access to engine auxiliaries, valve gear, etc., has led to the location of these components on the near side of the power unit and to the employment of a half-cab on the off side.
D40 That the half-cab is not an essential factor to accessibility has been demonstrated in the instances of
several forward control goods vehicles, notably those of Albion and Garner makes. In the case of passenger vehicles the time has now come for a more determined attempt to provide a kind of fullwidth cab that permits of accessibility to engine and front-axle parts. When this is achieved, the appearance of every type of passenger vehicle will quickly be improved out of all recognition.
The Half-cab is Not a Fair Excuse for Ugliness.
Even admitting the necessity of the half-cab, there Is no excuse for the utter irregularity of the frontal lines of many present-day vehicles, especially double-deckers. Why the plane of the half-cab windscreen should not be continued upward and provide the key to the forward bulkhead of the upper saloon, without intermediate promontories and excrescences, it is difficult to conceive. With the full-width cab, and an appreciation of the value of the unbroken line, the problem of ap pearance is solved. • •
Dealing on these lines with the double-saloon motorbus, we have to ensure good visibility for the driver, as well as accessibility to the engine, front brakes, steering connections and stub axles. 'This is best achieved by taking a hold line'. The V-shaped front helps considerably and the two planes thus obtained need not be interrupted except by the bumpers and the destination indicator. To keep these two company, the fiat-fronted or orthodox radiator may be retained. The impressive front thus obtained may be blended into the roof arch by an elegant sweep above the front windows of the upper saloon.
The general idea is conveyed in an accompanying drawing. The angle of the V-shaped front shown therein might be accentuated a trifle so as to make more obtuse the angle between the side and the front panelling—for here it will probably be advisable to use an unrounded corner so as to avoid heavy cost. '
To ensure good visibility for the
driver, it is suggested that the side windows of the cab be deeper than the other side windows. This may actually improve the general effect. The front end of the cab framework will, of course, not rest upon the chassis frame, and the cant-rail must, for this reason, be stiff.
Good Accessibility.
Trap-doors in the floor of the cab on the near side of the engine will give access to that unit for running adjustments, etc., and the axle parts, front brakes, and steering gear can be reached by means of a detachable section on each side of the front panel. This need not be obtrusive in appearance, and could be made quite rattleproof.
For engine removal, the entire front panel of the cab could be made detachable, bolts being employed for the attachment. If desired, the radiator filler cap could be within the cab. A good sound-proof bulkhead would be needed behind the driver.
As regards fittings, which play an important part, navigation lights an d
destination indicators should be countersunk, ventilators could be made to enhance rather than to detract from the appearance, bumper lines should be well chosen, hooters should be concealed.
The upper-deck pillars may be made to slope in a little from the waist-rail upward—a practice which is already gaining some favour. The rear of the vehicle, provided it be of the enclosed-stairway type, calls for little improvement. The side panelling may be carried lewer, so as to avoid the fittng of separate lifeguard rails, and the rear Wheels may be enclosed by detachable panels, as they are in some modern machines, notably Vulcan double deckers. This is found to improve the mudguarding.
We have dealt with the doublesaloon vehicle at some length because, in the matter of appearance, it is probably the worst offender:
The single-deck forward-control vehicle may be dealt with on similar lines. In this ease the inward, sloping of the side pillars from the waist upward has particularly at
tractive results. The near side of the cab will accommodate a courier or a certain amount of luggage.
In the case of the single-decker the full-width cab, instead of being suspended from its canopy, may be built as a unit and separately mounted on the chassis. It may, without undue difficulty, be made so as to lift without interfering with controls, etc., excepting for the four lamp wires.
A flexible web-will be required for the joint around the radiator shell, .as in many present-day vehicles. A handsome appearance can be obteined by this style of treatment. Again, protruding fitments are to be avoided, and illuminated route indi
cators may well be accommodated in the front panelling beneath the windscreens: Another illustration accompanying this article shows a conception of a type of motor coach which is likely to gain favour as a fleet auxiliary. We refer to the vehicle carrying a driver and seven passengers. The ordinary 14-seater or 30-cwt. chassis is the model frequently made use of,
and this has a frame overhang long enough to accommodate, and strong enough to support, a large locker for the storage of luggage. The main suggestion embodied in our illustration is the inclusion of this locker within the bodywork panelling, instead of fitting it, as it were, as an afterthought.
The Luggage Compartment.
The roof dome is extended rearward so that behind the rear passengers there is quite a wide shelf above the luggage compartment, this being suitable for hats, coats and small parcels. Smaller suitcases may be loaded from a separate door on the near side of the locker, whilst a full-width door at the rear will be used for large cases. The bodywork panelling is made particularly deep, running boards are dispensed with and close-up front wings are used which turn with the steering. The number-plate and rear light are let into the rear panelling.
Our drawing, we think, conveys on broad lines a suggestion which gives the seven-seater coach the appearance of a first-class private motorcar, such an appearance, of course, being desirable from the point of view of the motor-coach owner, who finds this class of vehicle economical and convenient as an auxiliary and for occasional private-hire work.
Our article is intended but to convey, in outline, the idea of simplifying—and thereby beautifying—the lines. There is ample scope.