A MOBILE BOOKING OFFICE.
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Variety Entertainment Propaganda, Both Visible and Aural, by the Use of a Six-wheeled Vehicle.
ANAN extremely striking publicity has just been completed by The North .London Engineering Co., Ltd., 109, Cobbold Road, Willesden, London, N.W.10, for the Stoll variety entertainment interests. This will be used for a news service of the public-address kind, and embodies a booking office where tickets can be taken for the Leicester Palace. The particular Morris-Commercial vehicle shown in accompanying illustrations is destined to be used in the vicinity of Leicester. We understand that by the time these words appear in print it will have commenced its work. The staff attached to it consists of a driver who can sleep on board — suitable accommodation being provided—and an announcer who will operate the wireless installation.
The Wireless Equipment.
For this service four Brown loudspeakers are fitted in the roof,. speech or music being transmitted through a microphone situated in the main part of the vehicle interior, in which is also housed all the necessary wireless apparatus, including high and low-tension batteries and a charging board. There is also a powerful gramophone for broadcasting selections from the entertainments for which the booking of tickets is 'solicited.
c26 The booking business is transacted in a Small office at the rear of the vehicle, there being folding seats for the two clerks in the well behind the rear axle of the bogie. Folding desks are provided behind the bay windows, which hinge in the middle and unfold to close the pay windows after a filler board has been inserted in each to protect the glass. . Double doors are used between the wireless cabin and the booking office.
In front of the wireless room is the sleeping compartment for the driver ; it houses a folding bed and a collapsible wash-basin, with a toilet clipboard above it. Storage accommodation is also provided for the driver's kit and a door closes the entrance to the wireless room, whilst there is a curtain between the driving compartment and the sleeping section ; the two doors of the former can be locked. The driver's bed is of a collapsible type and it is housed during the day in a cupboard built into the right-hand side of the body.
The body space behind the driver's seat measures 12 ft. by 6 ft. The roof is of the clerestory pattern, having four pivoted windows on each side, those on one side opening forward and those on the other opening to the rear, thus providing variable ventilation according to the direction of the wind.
On the top of the roof is a hinged advertising panel, normally held by a strut on each side, but this can be folded down flat towards the left-hand side so as to reduce the overall height. To obtain access to the roof for folding this sign there is an ingenious " ladder " mounted on the right-hand side in the driver's compartment. This has two steps; thus allowing the driver to mount from the floor of his compartment on to the roof when the right-hand door is open. These folding steps are locked in position,. either forward in use or backward out of use, by raising the pivot bar, which has a square lower end,, and dropping it after turning, thus locking it in either position.
In terior Illumination.
An Air vac ventilator is installed in the roof of the booking office, and this embodies a light in its centre.. All the interior lights of the vehicle are supplied with current from the wireless batteries carried in cabinet on the right-hand side of the central room.
In the wireless section is a swivelling seat for the operator, and this can be removed bodily and fixed in a socket beside the driver's seat, thus giving additional accommodation for travelling purposes. Use is made of every available inch of space in the wireless compartment by fitting luggage lockers over the wheelarches; small packages can be stowed in the " V" between the mudguards of the bogie wheels. There is also a cupboard on the forward bulkhead over the charging board.
In the rear door is a large window, extending almost the full width of the framework, which can be used for the display a posters or other announcements, and it is possible that a screen will be fixed here upon which will be projected lantern slides or cinema films from an instrument inside the body, thus increasing the advertising :licope of the vehicle.
Full use has been taken of the 'body panelling to adopt a striking colour scheme. The main finish of the body is pale yellow with a dark blue waist-line an light and dark azure mouldings, whilst orange is used for the jagged edged "light beams" on the upper main panels and on the rear door. The under-carriage and wings are in black; Whilst the valances between the froi and rear wings are partly treated in orange, which tends to balance the general appearance. The
aluminium wording " Stoll," which is used in the windows of the wireless room and the booking office, is removable for cleaning purposes, as, obviously, a vehicle of this kind must be kept up to concert pitch in regard to smartness to be truly attractive.
The chassis used is the MorrisCommercial D-type 30-cwt. sixwheeler, having eight speeds. The spare wheel is carried on the off side of the body. Triple-bar fenders are used at the front and a special Stoll mascot is fitted to t h e radiator cap.
The vehicle is a self-contained tilt-Veilingpublicity and booking office which can be completely locked for safety, as will obviously be necessary owing to the curiosity which is certain to be aroused • by its striking design. The purpose for which it will be used is highly original, and the employment of a six-wheeled chassis strikes a fresh note in mobile publicity outfits. The very fact of the vehicle being a sixwheeler is bound to attract the public eye—if any extra inducement to stop, look and book be required !
We understand that this vehicle is in the nature of an experiment on the part of its users. Should the principle prove in practice to he financially Sound there seems every possibility of an extension of the plan. Naturally, with such a large number of variety amusement interests as bear the Stoll name, touch experience is at the disposal Of the purchasers; it is important to note that they have deemed it worth while going to a great deal of trouble,in co-operation with The North London Engineering Co., Ltd., to design a special machine.
' The result of this -venture will be watched with interest by all advertising concerns • and commercialmotor . manufacturers, and coachbuilders Will do well to keep watchful eye on the future prospects of this particular branch of mobile publicity.