A Dennis Agent's Progressive Policy
Page 61
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THE distributors for Dennis vehicles in Lancashire and northern Staffordshire, the Old Trafford Motor Engineering Co., of Talbot Road, Manchester, is certainly a go-ahead concern, for in addition to filling the usual role of official agent and distributor, it runs a well-equipped service department. and a bodybuilding works. The concern is allied to H. Jackson and Go., Ltd., of Ashton Old Road, Manchester.
The company specializes in the production of medium and large-size passenger bodywork for Dennis chassis: The two vehicles for lArells's Express Service, which are shown in an illustration, incorporate Dennis Arrow chassis. Botk are of identical construction and for the present season they will be put into coach service, but will later do duty as buses, operating in the Pottery area. To this end the requirements of both types of vehicle have been closely studied. The rear compartment, Which has accommodation for 14 passengers, is separated from the remainder of the 32 seats by a partition above the wheelarches. Below the seats there are luggage lockers. One of the most interesting features of this vehicle concerns the type and disposition of the seats. The passengers are accommodated in pairs on spring-back seats upholstered in a rather unusual, but practical, manner. The cushions are mainly covered with leather, but with a moquette border, whilst the squabs are upholstered in exactly the opposite manner, that is, with a leather border. , On a Dennis E.V. chassis a 32-seater bus body has been Wit, in which there is an interesting arrangement in the driver's cab. In addition to the normal door on the off side of the vehicle, there is a sliding partition behind the seat, so that in an emergency it is possible either for the driver to get into the main compartment or for the passengers to use the driver's door for escape. Another interesting phase of the company's activities lies in the production of a six-wheeler extension for the Dennis 30-ewt. chassis. The extension adds 5 ft. 6 ins, to the platform .length, making a total of 13 ft. 2,1 ins, from behind the driver. In order to lengthen the frame, 6-in.-section channels are 'bolted to the normal frame; with an overlap of several feet. Spaced 2 ft. 4 ins, apart, the rear Wheels forming the bogie are swung by means of balance beams' from a bogio axle. The supporting pieces for the balance beams also form the anchor pads for semi-elliptic springs, which are shackled at each end where they are attachedto the frame. The action is, therefore, perfectly free, the whole unit being located longitudinally by the torque tube to the driving axle.
• The brake gear has been well arranged, for both the pedal and the lever apPly shoes 'in drums attached to all four wheels. Each set of shoes is provided with a point of adjustment.