MOTOR COACHES FOR WORKS USE.
Page 13
Page 14
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
In the Conveyance of Works Visitors to the Garden Village, and for the Workers' Use, Motor Coaches are Proving Useful at Bournville.
ALTHOITGH the chief use of motor coaches is for pleasure trips in obtaining fresh air, the enjoyment of the beauty spots of England, and the joy of the open road to many Who would otherwise be cut off from these amenities, a little thought will show that there are many other uses for this type of vehicle outside those covered by the ordinary scope of the motor coach proprietor.
Where such a specific full-time use exists, we find that vehicles are being purchased and employed for this purpose, and we have no doubt that, in the -future, the number of these special purpose and individually owned vehicles (as apart from the big fleets) will tend to grow. .._ .
• As an .example, two Leyland chars-a-banes have recently been purchased by Messrs. Cadbury Bros., Ltd., and are now performing a variety of functions in. connection with, their organization.
These . are mounted on four ton Leyland .reconditioned R.A.F. chassis. As is probably Well known, the horse-power of the engine is about 35 The bodies, which were supplied by Birmingham Garages, Ltd., and built locally, hold about 28 persons. They are painted a chocolate brown, and, while no attempt has been made at "de luxe." -effect, are comfortable and of good appearance. Generally, they have been found very suitable for the work on which they are enga:ged, as described .below.
For some time past it has been the _practice of .4:his firm to show visitors round their works and the surrounding grounds and village. The amount to be seen inside the works considerably reduced the opportunity of seeing the whole of the village, especially as this has grown, so that it meant some fatigue and a considerable walk to view the whole of it. With the advent of the char-a-banes, however, it is Possible to take all the visitors who hold passes a tour of Bournville and its environments: The tours occupy half an hour each. Starting from the main entrance of the works, the visitors pass through part of the old village to the estate of Bournville Tenants, Ltd. From here, they return to Bournville proper, passing the site of the experimental houses. Here they see bungalows in brick and wood, and houses in brick, concrete blocks, and pise-deterre, all of these having been built in order to demonstrate which is the cheapest and most satisfactory form of building. From here the remainder of the tour is through Bournville and back to the works.
The actual tour of the works itself is made either before or after the trips, and a time-table is made out so ethat it is possible to take the maximum number of visitors on the ehars4-banes in the course of the day. Visitors on ;all the trips have been delighted with the experience, in most cases an unanticipated one. This is the main work Of the chars-a-bancs.
In addition, the vehicles are employed mornings and evenings to convey employees to and from,woxk. They run between Ioseley, King's Heath, and Bournville. This service is inukh. 'appreciated by the employees, because of its reasonable cost and because it augments the not altogether satisfactory train service between Bournville and some of the outlying districts. The service may be augmented. During tlie works holidays and on Saturday afternoons the, chars-&-bancs are much In demand for works outings and tours. During the works 'summer holiday, motor coach tours were organized to the beauty spota of the Midlands, and -proved exceed ingly popular. The programme was varied, and enabled the patrons to see a great deal of the country. The most popular run was to-Symond's Yat, a delightful and beautiful run of 142 miles. The return journey was made through Gloucester, Tewkesbury, and Upton-on-Severn. Other runs were made to Bidford, Stratford, Kenilworth, Malvern, Bewdley, Worcester, and Holt Fleet. During this particular holiday period it is estimated that 400 people took part in the outings, The annual shop outings now generally take the form of motor coach tours, and the vehicles are booked up throughout the major portion of the year for these parties. They are proving most valuable in the triple functions; namely, the day servicq for the employees, the tour of the village for visitors, and for departmental and other excursions. The use of motor coaches in this way, in connection with a works, undoubtedly offers very great possibilities, and, without trespassing on the field of operations of the ordinary fleets, can be extended very considerably.