Latest Types of Bus Shown at the Conference.
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Evidence of the Interest in the Type of Passenger Transport Vehicle that is Displacing the Tramcar.
CaNE of the features of the Confer ence which 'afforded the members an opportunity for acquiring first-hand information was a demonstration of motorbuses, invitations to take part in which were issued to a number of concerns in the commercial-motor industry. It is riot necessary for us here to describe in detail the vehicles which were shown to the members of the Association, because they will be well known to the majority of our readera—hence a brief reference to each will suffice.
The Associated Daimler Co., Ltd., had sent doviii a 80-35-seater, single-deck bus (in. fact, the Whole, of the vehicles with one exeeption were single-deck buses) on Model 41611 chassis, which' has a Daintier 40-70 h.p. steel sleevevalve, six-cylindered engine. This particular vehicle had already covered about 20,000 miles in demonstration work, for the first 8.000 miles having been fitted with an A.E.C. poppet-valve engine, and at the end of that distance being converted to Seceive a Daimler engine. The body was made by Short Bros., of Rochester, Ltd., and was typical of the excellent design and workmanship of that concern.
The three vehicles which were displayed by John I. Thoruycroft and Co, Ltd., were a 20-seater and two 29 seaters, the 20-seater omnibus being mounted -on the A2. long chassis with low, straight frame, and equipped with four-wheel brakes. It had its entrance at the front, the bus doors enclosing the stops. The seats were semibucket in form, and it was notable that they were particularly comfortable. The body had a dome roof with two Airvac roof ventilators. This is known as the Emerald 20-seater bus.
Of two 29-seaters, one was the Thanet mounted on the UB chasSis with a low frame, the entrance being at the front, the doors enclosing the steps, eight of the windows being made to drop and the roof being fitted with three Airvac roof ventilator. The other 21)seater on the LB chassis had its entrance at the rear, four of the windows being made to drop; and the roof, again, being , fitted with three Airvac ventilators. The staggered windscreen on this bus lent considerably to the smart appearance which the vehicle presented.
Tilling-Stevens Motors, Ltd., sent a 30-seater saloon bus, the bodywork being by Vickers, Ltd., the chassis being that very successful model, the B10A Express, one of the features of which is its light weight. It will be remembered that the engine of the Express 'bus was designed by Mr. IL Ricardo, and whilst it is rated at 29 h.p. under the R.A.C. formula, it develops 63.5 h.p. at 1,500 r.p.m. The body embodies all the requirements laid down by the Minister of Transport, and is particularly suitable for working in areas where the passengers require to enter and leave the bus in the shortest possible time.
Leyland Motors, Ltd., loaned for the purpose of the Conference two buses, one being the demonstration Leyland Lion equipped , with a standard 31-32-seater body, the entrance being at the front. This bus offers the utmost comfort and, in fact, affords Practically the convenience of a private car, which is what the bus passenger of to-day demands, and although the vehicle can attain a high speed, the comfort is not sacrificed at any point, the flexibility of the engine being such that top-gear speeds of from 4 to 40 m.p.h. can be comfortably maintained.
The Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., sent one of its standard 30-60 h.p., 32-seater, overtype, front-entrance models, a type which has gained a considerable sale since. it was introduced. Part of the regular equipment of this type of Albion bus is a four-wheel braking system, and the particular vehicle which was shown to the members of the Conference was fitted with a destination indicator, parcel racks, and conductor's pneumatic bell, the body being finished in a manner which was particularly smart.
The Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., had produced for demonstration a 82-seater saloon bus mounted on a Bristol low-level, light passenger chassis. The body was exceptionally light in weight, and yet, in order to attain this lightness, there had been no sacrifice of ,strength, durability and rigidity being afforded for the whole structure by the use of pressed-steel brackets and bolts for all joints, with the entire avoidance of morticing or the cutting of timber in such a way as to weaken it.
This type of body—viz., the AB— had a rear entrance and a front exit on the near side, but the type CB is
obtainable with n front entrance on the near side and an emergency exit at the rear. The unladen weight of the bus shown was only 2 tons 16 cwt.
The exception to the single-deck buses which were produced for inspection was a Karrier six-wheeler with a double-deck body to seat 67 passenger& which had been constructed for the Leeds City Tramways, and which was driven from Huddersfield to Cardiff with a party of members of the Association who were travelling by road to the Conference.
The chassis waa the WL6/2 Karrier having a six-cylindered engine 'which develops 61 h.p. at 1,250 r.p.m., and at its maximum revolutions, 80 h.p. The vehicle was equipped, with pneumatic pressure brakes on all four driving wheels. The bodywork was designed and made by C. H. Roe, Ltd., of Leeds, and was an excellent specimen of that company's work.
The Dennis demonstration vehicle was one of the E type, with a low load-line, the height of the frame loaded being 244 ins. The four-cylindered engine of this chassis develops 70 b.h.p., and the brakes act on all four wheels, their application-being assisted by a mechanical servo driven direct from the gearbox, this feature being manufactured under licence from Rolls-Royce, Ltd.
The bodywork accommodates 32 passengers, and each of the two entrances have folding doers, whilst access to the driver's compartment is obtained through an entrance on the off side. Three of the windows at the near aide and four on the off side, equipped with Robson's fittings, are made to drop, whilst for air circulation five Airvac ventilators are fitted in the roof.
The two buses -Which were sent by Guy Motors, Ltd., to the Conference for demonstration included a 25seater, which is one of four that are being supplied to the Corporation of Burton-on-Trent. This order for four is the sixth repeat order from the Corporation, bringing the Burton fleet up to a strength of 22 Guy four-wheeled buses. The second Guy vehicle was one of the new six-wheelers, having a sixcylindered engine and being equipped with a aingle-cleek body to seat 32 passengess. Unfortunately, we were not able; before the light failed, to obtain a photograph of either of these vehicles.