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MOTOR COACH DOINGS AND DEVELOPMENT&

' Matters of Topical Interest to Proprietors of Chars-a-bancs

Coaching in North Wales.

An Interview with a Proprietor with 40 Years' Experience. THE POPTJLARITY of motor coaching among the masses has' been responsible for attraeting many erstwhile users to the exploitation of this form, of passenger-carrying vehicle during the past few years. Some of these men foresaw -with accurate vision that the char-a-banes was destined to become • an integral part of the " life " of holiday resorts, and that therein lies a potential, nay, lucrative source of income. Many of these newcomers have made good by giving the public excellent and well-conducted tours at a reasonable charge; others less cingnizant of the requirements of the panu. and with little knowledge of the difficulties besetting their enterprise, have since turned their efforts an other directions.

The public is a difficult tool to wield, and a sympathetic understanding of its wants iss necessary if success, is to be achieved. This is one of the reasons why old-established proprietors are better able to serve their patrons. The story is legion that holiday-makers will spend their money in almost any fashion irrespective of the value that they get for it, but that is no reason whatever -why a coach proprietor should trade upon an annually recurring human weakness. He is a wise owner who builds up 'goodwill by giving pleasurable tours at a price comMensurate with the capital invested in his business. The coach owner who has grown up concurrently with the progress of the movement is in an enviable position.

Such is the fortunate position of -T. Fred Francis and Sons, Ltd., of the Alews, Colwyn Bay. This enterprising concern possesses 40 years' intimate association with the coaching business, and, naturally enough, this lengthy experience has enabled the directors to make a study of the whims and fancies of the holiday-maker.

As a responsible member of athe cbmpany informed us recently : "The public requirements of a quarter of a century L, agoare not the same as those of to-day, " Holiday-Makers' ideas of sight-seeing -have undergone drastic revision. In the early days of the present century; the four-horse stage coaches: owned by the company made daily runs into the Snowdon district, and the reputation which they built up attracted many visitors to the town to enjoy this method of travel. Many of these early clients who revisit Colwyn Bay now avail themselves of the service of the Grey de Luxe motor coaches, which have taken the place of the picturesque horse ooach, familiar to North Wales tourists."

"The Motor coaeh may have partially destroyed the pleasant picture presented by a well-turned-out horse vehicle, but the era of usefulness of that type of coach has now passed," we suggested.

"I quite agree. The four-hoise stage coach was a very satisfactory method-of travel in its time, but, of course, the coming of the motor vehicle lessened its popularity, and, as improvements in the 'design and construction of mechanical vehicles have advanced, this form-of travel has gradually become a memory of the past. Nevertheless, it remains an historical link in the chain of road transport progression."

Our informant continued': "Look at this photograph of comparative types. It will impress upon you the changed times ha which we live. It shows an old four-horse stage coach in the shade of. a 23 seater Leyland coach fitted with pneumatic tyres. You may care to publish it for the benefitof your readers." "We should! It will help to stir up vivid memories in the minds of those who have witnessed the . remarkable changes of the past 20 years. Have your -motor coaches achieved a -similar fame to that of the horse. vehicles! ".

" Rather ! And not a day passes during the summer months without several vehicles of the fleet carrying delighted . visitors to all the well-known beauty spots of North Wales, including the superb mountainous scenery of Snowdon and its surrounding heights." "Have you any other vehicles than the Leyland? " "Oh, yes. During the season of 1920 we ran four Leylands, two 'being 28 seaters and two 23 seaters; two A.E.C., each seating 28 passengers;. and an 18 seater Daimler coach. After the interruption caused by the war, we thought it wise to create a new and luxurious fleetof up-to-date vehicles, and our present fleet is the outcome of this decision. In order to keep our vehicles in first-class condition strict attention is given to their upkeep, and we are very particular' about the class of driver we employ. Their conduct upon the road has given marked Satisfaction both to the passengers carried and also to the 9ompany." "You pay special attention, then, to giving your passengers the maximum of comfort?"

" We most certainly do, and therein, in my opinion, lies the crux of a 'successful coach. business. All our vehicles are well appointed and are of moderate seating capacity, :which has been found-best suited to customers, who patronize Colwyn Bay. The latest addition to our fleet is the 23 seater Leyland coach to which I have already referred." , "You said this vehicle was running on pneumatic tyres, did you not,' " "That is so."

"How do you find these tyres compare with solids for char-babancs work ? "

"One of the Leyland 23 seaters is fitted with disc wheels:and pneumatic tyres of a large section, namely, 955 mm. by 156 mm. All the tyres are of the same size and are thus .interchangeable; singles being fitted on the front wheels and twins on the rear

wheels. Although we are using pneumatics, we still believe in the use of twin tyres on the rear wheels. As this vehicle is the only one 'equipped with pneumatics of which we have had any experience, any results obtained regarding its running must necessarily be subject to reservation, but, so far as we have been able to judge at present, the advantages to be gained by their use over, solid tyres con:Sist in the increased comfort of the passengers, the reduced strain npon the driver, less vibration to the chassis, a greater smoothness in transmission, and a slight. reduction in petrol' consumption. This coach did most of the season's•work on these tyres and our experience as to their durability was also satisfactory."

"What about the question of their maintenance ? " we queried.

"Well, there is an increased cost in the equipment and maintenance of pneumatics, but against this has to be set the gains which I have already enumerated. Incidentally, it may interest you to know that it was noticed that the. replacements and renewals of this particular vehicle were less than on others, of the same make, running on solid tyres."

"Your experience, then, with largesized pneumatics has really been quite satisfactory? "

"Subject to the reservation I have alreadymade, our opinion is favourable to the use of these tyres upon coaches of moderate capacity. When I tell you that we intend to continue our experiments in this direction, you may draw the inference of which you are in search." •

In response to a question as to which type of vehicle was best suited to local needs, we were informed. that the metor coach laeSt suited to the roads in the Colwyn Bay district is the 28 seater. The demand, however, is increasing for the smaller vehicles, and any additions Which are made to the preSentfleet run by Francis and Solt's, Ltd., will probably be vehicles of moderate seating. capacity and preferably with pneumatic tyres, which add, as already mentioned, considerably to the comfort of the passengers. Another point favourable to the smaller vehicles is that they are more suited to the business which Is available at the opening and closing of the season.

The company run over 10 or 12 alternative routes for the choice of passengers, and they are often required to run several different tours on the same days, for which purpose the smaller coaches possess distinct advantages. It is not necessary for Os to publish here a complete list of the tours run by the company—a lengthy list of Welsh names difficult to pronounce would not serve any purpose, and all lovers of North Wales will know--where the scenery lover is likely to be found; hut we may mention that, a range of tours is run from a purely nominal sum up to 35s.

The fares charged from Colwyn Bay are exactly on the same basis as at the neighbouring :resort of Llandudno, and it is therefore -unnecessary to repeat information which which has already appeared in our pages.„

Running through a list of tours which was handed to us, we were led to inquire as to the way in which the coaches tackled the mountainous gradients and various passes which. abound in this-part Of the country.

"To overcome any difficulties which might be brought about in this direction, by the nature of the country, we find it very ;necessary to have a good reserve of engivie power, and the best engine a.nd chassis construction which: can be relied upon to work under rigorous service conditions That is the mecha-'Meal side of the question. It is, of amuse, similarly incumbent upon us to secure finest-quality bodywork and upholstery, in order to give passengers the maximum of comfort. Our vehicles tackle some of the most awkward mountain roads and passes, and we have been free from any untoward accidents."

"Thanks to strict supervision," we butted in.

"Precisely. We pay very close attention to brakes, engine, and mechanical features generally, and our fullyequipped repair shops are a considerable acquisition in lieleing to maintain the vehicles in perfect running condition."

" Very necessary, too, when you cover big mileages." "Ys. Do you know that our coaches ran an aggregate of about 50,000 milee.last season? Our minimum charges worked out at about 2,cl. per passenger -mile." " Oh, no, they don't," was the reply of our informant to the suggestion that the coaches probably gave a low petrol eonsumption in view of the nature of the roads. lie continued : " Of course, if you consider a petrel consumption for the seven vehicles I have mentioned of seven miles to the gallon law. then I must revise my answer. Personally, I do not."

"Very good indeed," we rejoined. "It rellects. considerable credit on those responsible for the maintenance and supervision of your -fleet."

"Yes. Great as are the natural advantages of Colwyn Bay and its neighbour Rhos-on Sea, the visitors to those reSorts wish. to see the wild said beautiful parts of North Wales -so often deseribed and pictured, and, the accessible roads to the mountains have provided he oppOrtunitv of which we have availed ourselves.' •

Features in 1921 Coach and Bus BOdy Design.

A. RECENT visit to. the works of . Thenies Pass and Son, Ltd., of Coventry, revealed some interesting improvements and refinements in .char-ii'banes and busbodywork. Sixteenseaters are being standardized for the

coin i coining seaeon,n addition to larger models, and Special care is being taken in, order to increase the rigidity of the body on all types. On the smaller models a metal strip is carried low down right round the bodywork, making the rear portion much stronger. The strip is attached to the dash in front, which is held very rigidly, On the larger model, in order to preserve the rigidity of the body, the doors B19

over the wheels have been dispensed with the doors fitted instead to the centres of the third and fifth rows • of seats; this feature is clearly shown in the accompanying drawing. As the seats are built a's low as possible, it is quite a simple matter to step from one compartment to the next. Here,, again, the rear 'portion has been additionally braced to secure rigidity, another feature of interest being the ample foot-room provided under the seats in every case.

An all-enclosed bus body has just been completed, the backs of the seata being

made of three-ply wood finished to resemble mahogany. This three-ply is impervious to the damp and provides a comfortable and springy rest. The cushions are detachable, s Bodies in progress consist of a new all weather saloon tourist with fixed roof, glass and metal back, and detachable side curtains. The seats will be arranged' in arcs from the centre line of the gangway, which will accommodate a set of sliding seats, by moviag which access to the other seats can be obtained. The 4 accompanying illustrations depict some of the features described.

Motor Coaching in 1921.

-A Rapid Review of the Season's Prospects Indicating the Need for Providing the Public with what it Wants.

T N MANY of the northern induStrial 1 centres plans for the forthcoming season's motor coach traffic are in a very immature stage, but there is hardly a proprietor who is not out to beat the best record of last season.

During the last few weeks much attention has been directed to the consideration of methods of organization of motor char-a-banes proprietors, and rightly so, but it is felt this concern for efficient organization has arisen mainly from fear of the Severity of legislative proposals. Local organization has developed on fairly satisfactory lines, but the views of local proprietors have as yet by no means converged into unanimous assent for Merging the identity of the iota]. associations into a national one. It is, indeed, doubtful if such will be the case for some time yet, for some owners are of the opinion that, whether char-a-banes sections of the national associations are formed and developed or not, it will still be necessary for a local parliament of owners to deal with problems which are peculiar to themselltes. Some owners are in the position of already being . members of one of the national associations mentioned as soliciting the interest of the local associations, and whilst it is commonly recognized that the services of one of the powerful national traisaport associations are worth 320 having, if they could be Obtained by the process of affiliation, this is a course that would commend itself to the substantial moderate opinion. So lunch 'for the bigger aspect of trade organization. Judging from the reports we receive, a great number of motor c.hars-i-bancs are under construction, and will make their first appearance on the road by Easter. "What are the prospects of the sea

son's trade ? " is the question that has been discussed with a number of owners dosing the recent months, and to which replies were made that were guarded in their expressions of opinion.

Many fasters have to be taken into account, For instance, during the last two months unemployment has been increasing, the wheels of industry have revolved less rapidly owing to) a nujnbes of causes which need not be dealt with

here, and wages and market values both show a tendency to decline. Without being pessimistic, it is as well to face the fact fairly and squarely that at the present time the-man in the street, ever , a good patron of the motor char-&-bancs, is not so well off and has not the happy prospects that he had 12 months ago. To .put It bluntly, we are back again to the piping times of peace !

According to responsible opinion, there is little likelihood of a trade recovery iefore the end of February.

'One must not overlook the point that if money is tight, then there will not be the same disposition on the part of the public to seek Jong tours. They will -desire outings within the limits of their means. In other words unless there is a very rapid revival of industrial activity to replenish the impoverished domestic exchequer, there will be a demand for excursions to resorts within close proximity to the home town rather than to places 50 or 60 miles distant. This does not necessarily mean that the coach owner will fare any the worse, because, instead of his coach only making one journey a day, it may comfortably make two.

Attention might usefully be devoted to the matter of economic operation. In many of the big centres of population there may be a score or more proprietors. It frequently happens that two or more cif them run coaches to the same destination on the same day. Each of the owners may benefit, that is not disputed. hut on days when pubs, hely advertised tours are run, one would venture the suggestion that a better result might socrue if owners in ' large towns made some arrangement among themselves to prevent clashing.

It may be that the firm A allocates a coach for, say, Chester, without the knowledge that their friends B have already decided upon this_ The travelling public delights_ in .variety, and there can be no surer way to success than gliAng the public what, it wants. Owners should arrange among them4elves which of them, having vehicles free for public runs cm a specified day, should do the trip, and draw up an itinerary of the day's programme of inns, So that no firm will be irs competition on a given route. Then what is there to prevent all the parties to such an arrangement acting as booking agents for one another?

Of course, an entirely different set of conditions prevails in the seaside and holiday resorts.

vehicle tax. I am quite aware that the proceeds of the duty are to be devoted to the maintenance of the roads, and am not at all surprised to be told that steam and electric vehicle owners have not hitherto been called upon to pay anything whatever to that end. Nor am I strongly influenced by the argument, for it seems to me to be totally unfair to tax one section of the community to pay for roads which, if kept in good order, will benefit all classes, either directly or

• indirectly. It does appear to me, at least, that an excellent opportunity of easing the burden on heavy vehicle owners has been overlooked. I refer to the fact that no provision appears to have been made for an increase of speed, particularly in the case of rubber-tyred steam wagons (or petrol wagons for, the matter of that) when drawing trailers. [This matter is promised to form the subject of future legislation. —ED. " C.M.12] As will be spnarent when studying the tables, and as I shall point out shortly, the economy of running under the new conditions is more than ever affected by the total mileage per week, the incidence of the new. taxation being less and less as the weekly mileage increases. An. increase in the permissible speed with trailer to eight or ten miles per hour, instead of the present limit of five miles per hour, weuld have been especially .welcome and particularly helpful.

However, the net result of the tax will be in the

case of petrol vehicle owners, that they will be, out of one pocket and put in the other ; they will add to their standing charges and take from their running costs. Steam and electric vehicle owners are unfortunate in having to deal only with thern one pocket, that from which they pay out ; their standing charges will increase ; their running costs will be substantially as before. The net result, as between steam and petrol is that, for a time at least—pending further revisions in the prices of their respective fuels—the steamer loses much of the advantage whieh it has hitherto enjoyed, and, inmany cases, the petrol chassis has the better case when the question of cost is the only one under consideration.

In order that owners of petrol vehicles may better realize how they stand as regards the effect of the tax, I have asked the Editor to draw a thick line. on the tables. Above the line, the total cost of working is increased by the new. taxes; below the line, it is decreased. The result, as will be seen, depends on the mileage ; for example, in the case of a two-tonner on solid tyres, the cost will be more. unless it travels more than 400 miles per week while a four-tonner receives the advantage after the 200-mile -mark is passed.

B22

Where Weight Tells.

The inerease in the amount of the tax as between one grade and the next is not large, so that it will rarely be found worth while to cut weights, in order to come into a lower category, unless the owner proposes to keep a fleet of machine all of one type, which are of such a size that the weight of the complete vehicle comes near the border line. In such a case, it may be found well worth while to pare down so as to, come into the lower class. This is only likely to happen (unless in exceptional circumstances) in three sizes—the 7 cwt. Ford, the one thriller and the four tanner. In the ease of the Ford, I have assumed, in compiling the table, that the unladen weight of the complete vehicle is under one tone In some cases, 1,12, where the bodywork is heavy, this limit may be ex 150 ceeded, which will involve an addition of L5 to the 84 annual tax, which addition is equivalent to an increase

878

1,216 of 2s. per week in the standing charges. The ordinary

. one tonner, with high side body, comes perilously near

2,982 the two toe limit of unladen weight. In the tables1

have given it the benefit of the doubt, but, in many cases, it will be beyond that, which will involve an increase of £4 in the annual payment, or 10d. per week

on the standing charges' ' as they appear with this article. I have taken it thatthe weight of a four tonner will be over four tons. Ire the majority of cases that will be so. When it is less than four tons the tax will only be £28, and not £30 as I have calculated, which means a reduction in the standing charges of 10-d. a, week. As a matter of fact, .ownerg of chaindriven chassis, will be more, likely to benefit in this way than those whose vehicles are of the live axle type, a.s the former chassis axe, as a rule, lighter for the same load capacity.

• The Tractor and Trailer.

Paragraph 4 of the Schedule in the Finance Act deals with tractors; the tax on a tractor for general road haulage being £21 per annum. No mention is made, in that paragraph, of the tax on vehicles that also draw trailers. In paragraph 5, however, which deals with ordinary heavy motors, there is mention of an additional duty on those vehicles, if used for drawing a trailer, of 22. • It is not clear to me, therefore' whether this £2 is payable in the case of a nonload carrying tractor. I have added it in making up my tables. If I am wrong, and there is no such tax in the case of a tractor and trailer, there should be a. correction. of 10d. per week in the standing charges of the tractor and trailer accordingly.

The Electric Vehicle.

Electric vehicles are very favourably treated throughout. Theyare relieved of the necessity to include, in calculating their weight, the enormously heavy batteries which they employ. Moreover, machines of that type need not pay more than 26 per : annum provided that they do not weigh, exclusive of batteries, 25 cwt. [See page 722.—ED. " C.M.1

Wage Increases.

In revising the tables, I have taken into account the latest increases in the standard wages of motorvehicle drivers, which amount to 5s. a. week more now than they did at the time of the former article. This increase affects the standing charges, and, strictly speaking, I • should have• mentioned the fact when I drew attention to the effect of the tax on the total working expenses of the petrol chassis. Without the increases in drivers' wages, the benefit of the reduction in the price of petrol would have been evident at a lower weekly mileage than appears from the tables.

Hackney Carriages.

The taxation of hackney carriages is particularly heavy, and will make the lot of the taxicab owner and char-a-bancs proprietor less enviable than it has been hitherto, that is, if it really has been enviable. I will discuss the tax and the last point in a later article. THE SKOTCH.