A.E.C. Coach for Toronto Exhibition
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AT the works of Duple Bodies and Motors, Ltd., Hendon, London, N.W.9, we have recently examined an A.E.C. Ranger coach which is being sent to Canada for the Toronto Motor Exhibition, to be held in January. The chassis has a petrol engine, hydraulic clutch and epicyclic self-changing gearbox and is equipped for normal control, the driver being on the left
The bodywork has been specially designed to meet the extremes of summer and winter climate which are experienced in Canada and the United States, and embodies several features noted by Mr. Reginald E. Brown, a, director of the Duple concern, during his recent tour through those countries.
Most of the passengers' luggage has to be carried inside the vehicle and, for this purpose, large cantrail luggage racks, extending the full length, are fitted above the forward-facing seats, the load being carried partly by pendent brackets from the roof
members. These racks extend inward almost to the central gangway, but -between them there is a generous headroom, so that there is no difficulty in passing up or down the coach, whilst the height above the racks is sufficient to allow a great deal of luggage to be accommodated.,
The floor slopes upward towards the rear, reducing the headroom from about 6 ft. 6 ins, at the front to about 6 ft. 2 ins., and the object of this is to reduce the intrusion of the wheelarches, whilst improving the range of vision of the passengers. The roof is swept down behind the rear axle, but the fact is concealed externally by continuing the curved quarter panels to the rear. Thus an external luggage space (for bulky trunks, etc.) is pro vided over the rear end of the roof, this having a laced tarpaulin covering and fixed steps with hand rails. Special drainage provision is made.
Quicktho tubular reclining seats are fitted and Rawlings full-drop balanced windows are used. There is a singlepiece fixed windscreen and all the glass throughout is of the unsplinterable kind. Over every window in the winter time can be fitted an outer window having a metal frame and rubber beading, this being held by metal thread screws. Two Clayton heaters are provided and the pipes to these are carried above the floor, where they are the better protected from frost. Another feature is that the floor linoleum is laid over insulation fabric al-in. thick.