PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
A SMALL GANGWAY MOTOR COACH.
An Attractive Body in the Design of which Special Consideration has been Given to the Comfort and Convenience of Passengers.
.WTHERTO the gangway method of
body the
for motor .
coaches has been almost exclusively used for medium and large-size bodies. This feature is not difficult to understand, for the simple reason that, as a certain amount of space is lost in providing a gangway, it is necessary to build a body of such a size that will enable sufficient passengers to be carried to provide a remunerative return at fares which aro comparable with those charged on more or less ordinary vehicles. For vehicles which are used on half-day or daily runs the gangway body is unnecessary; and it is more suitable for use on vehicles which are intended for touring purposes, and where the comfort and convenience of the passengers must receive primary consideration.
touring coaches the gangway body has several advantages, notable amongst which are that this method of construction enables a certain amount of passengers' luggage to be accommodated in the body interior, and it also dispenses with the need, for a door to each row of seats, a. form of construction which inevitably introduces certain fundamental weaknesses in the build of the body. Moreover, the elimination of the doors and the full-width seats enables a reduc
lion in the weight of the body to he effected.
We have recently had the opportunity of examining a small gangway-coach body built by Messrs. Alldays Motors, of 78, Jermyn Street, St. James's, London, .S.W., and fitted to a 50-cwt.. capacity Z-type Lancia commercial chassis. The body is built to seat 20 persons, inclusive of the driver. The framing is, as usual, built of ash, and the 'body Sides are panelled in leadcoated iron.
The body is built on most attractive lines, and possesses a symmetry which is pleasing to the eye. It is of the torpedo type, and the dashboard, as can be seen from our illustration, is specially shaped. There are only two doors, that on the near side being for the passengers, and that on the off side for the driver. They are particularly wide, measuring 24 ins., in order to facilitate entrance and egress of passengers, and are hung on three coach hinges, each being fitted with double slam locks to reduce the risk of it flying open due to Nibration or road shock.
So far as the seating is concerned, three pairs of transverse seats are arranged on each side behind the ariver's seat, the full-width seat, to accommodate five persons extending the whole length of the body at the rear. The seat boards are each 22 ins, in depth, 161. ins, being allowed for each passenger, and the gangway side of the seats is provided with arm-rests in order to add to passengers' comfort.
The upholstery of the seats is carried Out in hand-buffed leather hides, and attention should be drawn to the fact that the spring frames. are 'of special type, in which each cushion has four rows of springs so designed as to withstand hard wear over a long period. The
back squabs are provided with two rows of springs. The method of finishing the back of each seat with a pile carpet covering instead of paint, as is often the case, is of note in that it is quite a simple matter to brush the carpet, whereas the seat backs, when painted, are liable to become scratched.
The inside of the doors and quarters are trimmed in leather, and to give a neat finish to the upholstery a brass beading is employed round its edges.
The method of supporting the seat boards in this Alldays body is, we think, unique—at least, for a coach body— being that more often adopted in bus body construction. The angle-iron supports which are used reduce the weight considerably, but, at the same time increase the rigidity of the body.
Attention should be directed to the sturdy construction of the body throughout, especially the hood rest irons, which, with the object of obtaining better security, are carried right down to the body sides, being held at. the top by means of a bolt and nut which passes through the top rail of each body sidemember. The hood frame is covered with duck material, the hood itself being of the Jackson type, in which patent hood-stick separators are employed.
. Special thought has been given to the general appearance of the body, and the inclusion of a facia board, in which oil and petrol gauges are mounted so that the driver may have an uninterrupted view of them while on the road, is evidence of the tendency to favour touringcar practice. Other points, small per hap s in themselves, but which indicate the attention given to appearance, • . chide the small detachable curtains in side the scuttle dash, the small screws utilized for fixing the metal beading which is used for attaching the leather upholstery to each seat, the screws and cups employed for fixing the canvas to the hood props, and the heavy-gauge domed wings which, on the near side, connect the running board, which is covered with linoleum and has brassedged plates. A. nickel-plated windscreen is fitted.
It will be observed from one of our pictures that provision is made for carrying a spare wheel and tyre. on special brackets below the off side of the body, in which position it can be conveniently stowed away and is readily available for use when required. On the vehicle which we inspected, no provision is made for luggage carrying other than that which can be accommodated in the interior of the body itself, but, should it be deemed desirable, luggage boxes could be slung below each side of the body or at the rear of the vehicle.
THIS YEAR'S MOTOR COACHING FARES.
A Northern Coach Owner Emphasizes the Need for Stabilized Conditions.
"I do not see any possibility of coach owners being able to reduce their charges to the public this coming coaching season below what they stand at now. As it is, we enter the 1923 season with our ranks depleted, and it, therefore behoves us to conduct our trade on a firmly economic basis."
This, the view of Mr. C. F. Rymer, of C. F. Rymer, Ltd., motor coach owners and motor haulage contractors, of Wallasey and Liverpool, is a useful reminder to coach owners that, in the months to conic, they will have to proceed very cautiously. Mr. Rymer is not convinced that a strong motor coach section of the C.M.U.A. is all that motor coach owners require.
"One of the first drawbacks to it," he says, "is the intention not to touch questions of rates, leaving them to be decided by the local people themselves. The only excuse for an association is standardization of rates.
" As I have said," he continues, "there will be fewer coach owners this
year for a normal amount of traffic, that is if the weather does not turn enemy, and, in view of our experiences last year, it does devolve upon us to form a strong trade association. In the past, fleet owners have encountered the competition of the owner-driver, who was completely oblivious of wages charges, the necessity for making adequate provision for maintenance costs, fixed charges for tyres, etc. I do riot anticipate that this condition will be so manifest as formerly. "At the same time, however," added Mr. Rymer, "we need organization. I advocate an association of the leading coach owners—owners of standing and establishment—in all parts of the country. Companies with a big capital at, stake, who have experienced practically all that there • is to be experienced in coach operation, are the people who should be organized, and I think it Would be a -good thing if membership were restricted to those possessing a minimum of six vehicles."
Asked for his views as to what would be tne popul r coach for the 1923 season, Mr. Ry er said he thought that, owing to conomic conditions, the smaller coac movement had suffered a temporary se back. This type of coach would certai ly be popular, but until coach owners had more funds available, the 28-seater would be "the motor of the millions," so to speak.
"Coach o in the main, will have to hay at least one good season before they ill be enabled to go in extensively fo the exploitation of the smaller cam. . The period of useful life of a motor co ch is too limited each year to entertain he idea of putting it Out of service prem turely. It we could em
toy our veh'cles during the winter, or have a long r season, the difficulty, to some extent, would be overcome." Neither do s Mr. Rymer holdout any hopes for in reasing the popularity of the converti e coach-bus, one of his objections to i being its susceptibility to develop "ra le."
" A coach out for the job is the perpetual want" he said, adding that lighter chess s were wanted, with lower frames and etter springing. The tyre manufacture s must also help by producing tyres that give longer life than pneumatics, nd more resilience, and the body builder by reducing weight." As to ope atmg conditions, the view was -express d that the effect -of last year's depre4sing conditions was bound to reflect itself in this season's rates, not by establishi g them on a low basis, but by the fixing and maintaining of reasonable rates th season through, free from the violent fluctuations of last year's
trading. •
Although coaches have been converted exper mentally for winter service in other dire tions, Messrs. Rymer's experience is 11 against such conversions because of ( ) the cast of conversion, (21serious clapr ciation af bodywork, and (3) heavy w ar and tear. Endeavours have been made to inaugurate winter motor omnibus services, but the opposition of local councils, evidently anxious to preserve their powers' and afraid lest the coach owner should create a goodwill which they might have to buy out when they come to operate buses, has been the stumbling block.'",
Already Messrs. Rymer have started their 1923 rooter coach elub, as indicated in one of our recent issues, and payments received on the instalment system for tours in the summer are paid into a separate account at the bank, so that the credits are intact until members purchase coupons for the tours which they wish to make.
This year, again, C. F. Rymer, Ltd., will be running extended tours to all parts of the country and on the Continent, and • intend catering on a large scale for American tourists, at whose service there will be a small fleet of private hire cars. Arrangements have also been made for the conveyance of parties to the Woodlands Hotel, Grasmere, which will be a special centre for seven and ten-day tours to the Lake District.
Messrs. Rymer, who have splendidly equipped workshops at their -Wallasey
Depot, as from January 1st, are eying a special guarantee certificate for all repair work danc to motor lorries, cars, etc. The undertaking is in the following terms ;— "We guarantee that the work carried out by us on your car, registration No. , engine X. , as specified and charged on our invoice No. ,
date 19 , was exec.uted with all necessary skill and care, and that in the event of the said work not proving to be satisfactory in fact, we will as quickly as reasonably possible remedy any faults that are attributable to our workmanship without ftirther charge, provided always that a claim under this guarantee must be made within three calendar months of the completion of the said work, and that this guarantee does not apply to the consequences of parts not made by us proving defective, or to any consequential damage at all arising out of the failure of the said work or of the materials used, and that we are not liable for loss of use of the vehicle while repairs under this guarantee are being executed."
THE C.M.U.A. POLICY.
A Note of Disagreement from a Prominent West of England Motor Coaching Concern.
IN OUR last, week's issue we drew at.
tention -the contents of the document issued by the Commercial Motor Users Association outlining the 1923 policy of the National Council.
The programme of motor organizations which advocate the same petrol tax (4d. or 5d. per gallon upon both 'commercial and private motors) is apposed by theNational Council of the Association because this would mean a substantial increase in the price of the fuel to the commercial user. Should there be a reversion to the petrol tax, and such a tax be found to be practicable, the Association announces its determination to fight for the old basis of half the rate of tax per gallon, whilst, should it be decided to retain the vehicle tax, the Association will endeavour to secure various improvements in the method of the issuing of licences, in the granting of one-:.clay licences in the off season, and in a reduction in the licence fees: This circular has been sent, out to members and other persons connected with the road transport industry, and we are in receipt of a letter from' the managing director of Trelawny Tours, Ltd., who run a large number of motor coaches from Penzance, St. Ives, and Nowquay, enclosing a copy of a letter sent by the company to the C.M.U.A. It is couched in the following terms, and we reproduce the whole of it because we think it is eminently desirable that all sides should be heard, although we do not go so far as to believe that any advantage is to be obtained, by those who disagree with the C,M.U.A, policy, iri severing their connection with the Association.
The policy of the -Association mast, obviously; he the policy of the majority of its members,. and, the only way in which to secure a'peedominence for one's views is to remain an active participant in the discussions at themeetings orthe National Council.
COPY e January 4th, 1923. " F. G. 13ristow, Esq.
secretary, C.M.U.AP.,
"50, Pall Mall, London. "Dear Sir,— " I am in receipt of the Annual Subscription Form, together with the 1923 Policy of the National Council of the Association.
" The receipt of this statement of Policy reminds me that it is a much belated duty for me to express my serious dissent from the :decision of • the National Council on the Vehicle Taxation question. • ". I am only one among a very great number of Cornmercial Motor Users who have suffered heavy financial loss by reason of the absolutely wicked and farcical system of Taxation (or business persecution', to give it its correct description) to which we have been subjected since ." The present iniquitous measure is in effect, no better than legalized rob
bery, and : it has been a matter of astonishment to me that business men have endured the torture of itso long. "Why, in the name of British justice, are men who have had the misfortune to invest their capital in a perfectly honourable and useful business to be subjected to the treatment we have reCeived?
"Take my own case as an example. Why should I be compelled to close down my business on September 30th of each year and keep it closed 'doWn until March 25th•of the following year, because of some foolhardy regulation? ". It is the common experience, in: tbo ' Motor Coach Tours ' business that the summer season; in so far as the close of it is concerned, is entirely dominafed by the state of the weather.
"-If the weather collapses, as it did at, the end of last September, out' busiL ness collapses with it:. If;' on tbo Other hand the weather holds good in Octo ber, -as in 1921, so does our bueincss.
" Why mould we have to speculate on 218 licences, mutliplied by the number of our machines, which may not return us as many shillings? Surely business is sufficiently difficult without preposterms obstacles of this nature.'
" Then, again, oft-times during the period from September to March, a business chance comes our way. Can We take it? No, because of this unreasonable measure.
" The bitter experiences I have had (I could quote a, long list) have convinced me that rules and regulations won't do.
" I am going to plump for a Petrol Tax, as the only acceptable alternative offered.
" Therefore, in view of the expressed Policy above referred to, I regret I must, for the time being, resign 'Membership of the C.31.U.A. until this business is settled.
"The Association has done splendid work, and is worthy the support of every user in a general way, but, because "I so strongly disapprove of the Policy decided upon, I feel compelled to take this step.—Yours faithfully,
TRELAWICY TOURS, LTD.,
"J. HARDING,
" Managing Director."
Dividends on Coach Tours.
Several co-operative societies are organizing holiday trips and tours by their own motor coaches for the coming season. Already plans of weekly payments, on which dividend will be paid when the trip is taken, are being .arranged by the Failsworth and other co-operative sociee ties in the Manchester area. At Whitsun a three-day run to Oxford is promised for L4 4s. ; at the Newton Heath wakes a seven-day tour to Scotland, including the Lakes and the Grampians, will cost £9 9s. ; at the August Bank Holiday there will be a five-day tour to the English Lakes for £6 10s.; and at the Oldham wakes week a seven-day excursion to Devon is announced:. for 29.9s.
Chepstow-Newport Bus Service . Debate.
In the matter of the Chepstow-Newport bus service run by the South Wales Commercial Motors, Ltd., a communication was recently received from the company by the Chepstow Urban District Council Stating that, owing to lack of public support and •difficulties iii the matter of running with the Newport Corporation, they had been compelled to suspend the service.
A discussion ensued upon this point, and several members expressed the opinion that the decision of the company would deprive a, large section of the public of a convenient means: of access to Newport and Chepstow. • It was revealed, however, that as a result of a public meeting held at Pentiow; the company had agreed, subsequent to the date of the letter, to continue the service for a month with a possible-reconsideration. later of the decision to suspend the services.
The opinion was expressed that the running of bases for Lim.. public 'should be facilitated in every was,* -possible, and satisfaction was expressed at the new decision of the company. • Local authorities all too seldom regard these matters from the point of viewof the travelling public. _