THE PROGRESS OF A SCOTTISH MAKER.
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A Brief Review of the Activities of the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., with Notes on the Leading Products from its Extensive Works.
VOR many sears past the name of Albion has stood for reliability and efficiency in transport, not only in this country but in numerous parts of the world, for the Albion Motor 'Car Co., Ltd., Scotstoun, Glasgow, has an enviable position as regards its overseas trade.
The company has been associated with the manufacture of commercial vehicles from the earliest days of motoring, and its 28 years' experience is very evident in the quality of its products, the majority of which has been designed and built since the Commercial Vehicle Exhikition of 1925.
Successful New Models.
The company's new range of chassis is proving most successful, both as rega-rds the passenger and goods vehicles. The most recent model; the 4-ton overtype which was introduced some three months ago, is attracting so much attention that the company has never before produced One that has met with a better reception: Its outstanding features are, of course, a short wheelbase and overall length. With a platform 13 ft. 6 ins, long, the overall length is under 20 ft., and with its 11-ft. wheelbase the vehicle can turn in a tirele of only 45 ft. in diameter, thus rendering it particularly useful for employment in congested areas, Such as railway yards and narrow streets.
• The chassis is not rearranged for overtype construction as an afterthought, therefore it has been possible to give it a high degree of accessibility. All ordinary adjustments can he carried out with the engine in pOsition, but if the engine has to be removed for a complete overhaul the cab can be taken away in about 10 minutes as it is held by four bolts only.
The vehicle has an excellent appearance with a V-fronted cab and a radiator sunk flush into it.
Anotber most successful goods chassis is the model 27 which was introduced just over a year ago and which is proving increasingly popular for high-speed work, the latest example being equipped with 34-in. by 7-in, pneumatic tyres and fourwheel brakes.
In the lighter classes of vehicle the company % is equally successful. One 2-tonner now under construction is a special 24 h.p. model with a wheelbase of 12 ft. 9 ins., so that it can accommodate the maximum possible load. The body is specially designed to carry 33 bread trays, each accommodating 28 loaves.
There is a strong demand amongst important users for the well-known and popular 25-cwt. and 30-cwt. models.
Visitors to the Scottish Show will be afforded an opportunity of inspecting a new and most attractive type of saloon touring coach. This is known as the Monarch. It is on the 30-60 h.p. chassis and has a boily giving accommodation for 20 passengers, to whom the greatest attention has been given to prevent them from becoming tired, even on long runs. All the seats are equipped with arm-rests and pneumatic cushions.
Luxury in Coach Construction.
Although this coach is of the fixedroof type it in no way resembles a service bus. Tbe wheelbase of the chassis is 16 ft. 3 ins., and with the comparatively few passengers ample
room is provided for each, The seats are arranged at each side of the gangway, those at the off side being in pairs, whilst those at the near side are single ; those over the wheel arches, however, are in facing pairs. Seven windows are made to drop, whilst those on the right of the driver and over the wheel arches slide. Curtains are fitted at the sides of the windows, and the interior equipment includes eight parcel racks over the windows, ash trays within easy reach• of all passengers, folding tables sunk into the backs of the cross-seats and a large portable folding table fixed on the floor between the facing seats.
The interior illumination is by eight lamps along the sides and a large roof light. Light luggage can be accommodated in lockers under each seat and in spacious compartments under the floor of the body, access to these being afforded by doors fitted above the footboards at each side. There are two entrances of ample width at the near side.
Ventilation is assisted by four 1Vluirhead devices in the roof. The windscreen is sloping and of the four-panel flap type provided with a sun visor. Rubber floor covering is This body is the product of the Hoyal Body Corporation, Ltd., Pollen House, Cork Street, London, W.1.
c26 . Another particularly attractive passenger vehicle of an improved pattern which is likely to prove highly popular as .the result of the drastic weather conditions experienced this summer is an all-weather type, the special features of which are a fixed back and a roof extending over the Tear seats and as far as the front of the rear-entrance door. Forward from this point the roof takes the form of a hood of black leather cloth which can be
rolled back to the fixed portion, the hood sticks sliding to the rear along the fixed window framing. This type may be termed a development of the Riviera pattern, with the difference that there is no partition and the fixed roof is not carried so far forward as in that type. There are a central gangway and two doors at the near side. All the windows drop and have Rawlings rod-type fittings. The windscreen is a onepiece model, hinged. at. the top and equipped with parallel-action -automatic. screeti wipers. Ventilators are fitted both on the dash and, on the fixed portion of .the roof and the• dash is of the floating type.
A number of Albion vehicles tried out in Blackpool some two years ago had the back of the body built up so that the top covering could be rolled back without necessitating the use of folding hood sticks, etc. This idea proved most successful and was extended last year, when the back portion was carried forward to form a roof as far back as the edge of the rear-entrance door, and the coach we have just described is a development of this model. A point which we have not mentioned in connection with it is that there is a very large window in the back of the vehicle.
It is hardly necessary for us to refer on this occasion to the service buses made by the company. One of the most popular of theee, however, is the 32-passenger .overtype rearentrance bus which is well known throughout the country. • It has the 30-60• h.p. engine, a four-speed gearbox, underneath worm 'drive and a law-level frame • with a Specially dropped.rear.end.
We may add that a large extensiOt Is beingimilt on to the Glasgow works.