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GIVING COMFORT IN ALL WEATHERS.

30th March 1926, Page 28
30th March 1926
Page 28
Page 29
Page 28, 30th March 1926 — GIVING COMFORT IN ALL WEATHERS.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

A Saloon Coach Body which can be Used in Four Distinct Ways and Gives Protect-ion Under All Conditions.

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IT WAS roughly three years ago that London Lorries, Ltd„ Spring Place, Kentish Town, London, N.W.5, introduced their quadruple-purpose saloon coach body, and during the intervening period the company's design has won a deserved place of popularity amongst motor coach owners. The general design of the body remains very much as it was when first introduced, although detail improvements have suggested themselves as the result of actual experience. These are embodied in the latest type of body which, as the accompanying illustrations show, is a high-class product possessing a distinctly attractive appearance.

The London Lorries quadruple-purpose body enables a saloon coach to be used in the followir ways :—(1) As a completely enclosed vehicle, with the side windows up and the hood drawn across the body. (2) As a semi-open vehicle with the hood up and the side curtains down. (3) As an open vehicle but with the side frames raised, thus providing adequate protection from dust and wind. (4) As an entirely open coach, with hood in its folded position at the rear and side frames lowered.

With such a body it is possible to secure comfortable conditions of travel in all sorts of weather, and such are the vagaries of the English climate— the past few days will bear testimony to this fact—that no one can doubt the

VER since the London General

Omnibus Co., Ltd., intimated that

they had received the sanction of the ' Scotland Yard authorities to experiment with a. limited. number of covered

top double-deck buses, a certain section . of the travelling public has raised its voice in protest against the possibility of this type' of vehicle completely sup

planting that with the open top. It is evident from 'opinions which have been

expressed in the Press and elsewhere that the company's attitude towards the use of such vehicles is not clearly an-, derstood and, to avoid any misappre-. hensinm they have recently made an announcement which defines theif position.

It is pointed out that for some time past the company have been pressed by the public to consider the advisability of introducing the covered-top doubledecker, and it is largely common know ledge that they have met with certain opposition from official quarters. For many years it was apparently not deemed expedient in the public interest to grant licences for such vehicles, which, on account of their overall height were, possibly, thought to be un stable under certain conditions. With the advent of the N.S.-type bus, how ever, which possesses a low centre. of gravity, these fears have been removed and it is now possible to cover the upper deck without offending the police regulations governing the height of publie-service vehicles running on the London streets.

The company, accordingly, undertook an experiment to test public feeling towards the covered top and placed four buses so equipped into service on route No. 100, between the "Elephant mid Castle " and Epping Town: This was over four months ago and; although ,

the patronage :extended to the vehicles and their general popularity have been

en ref ally .followed, it has not been Pos sible to secure conclusive proof of the need for the use of a large number of such buses. They.:have, of course, at tracted much notice, chiefly by reason of their unfamiliarity on the London

streets, although those. who have occasion to visit some of the busy provincial centres Win have noted that totally enclosed double-deckers have been in service for some considerable time.

As mentioned : in • our issue dated March 16th it has, therefore,been decided to conduct a wider experiment and, with this object.in view, it is the

Intention' of the L.G.O. Co., to construct and put into service a fleet of 200 covered-Lop double-deckers. These will be put on the streets at the rate of about eight per week and, since a B-type vehicle will be withdrawn from service as each new vehicle is :com-, missioned, the cornpnny's total fleet will not be increased.

Careful observations will be kept on the working of the' covered-top buses during the forthcoining summer and the following winter, sad at the end of this ' period, after "having operated the vehicles during different parts of the

year and under varions,•conditions, the company, hope to be in possession of the

opinions of a sufficiently large number of bus travellers to enable them to judge the general views of the public. Only then will it be possible to determine future policy in regard to such vehicles.

In the meantime it should be definitely understood that the L.O.O. Co. have no intention of equipping the whole of their fleet of buses with covered tops. They realize that the hire, the Birmingham and Midland Omnibus Co., Ltd., offer further inducements to road travellers by way of cheap fares. Ordinary fares work out at just over id. per passenger per mile, and in some cases at not over id. Special privileges are offered in the form of discount tickets, "anywhere " tickets, excursion tickets and return tickets.

The following are a few exampIeS; the ordinary single fare first being given and then followed by the return charge in parentheses :=4d; (6d.) ; 6(1.

(10d.) Id. (1s.) ; 79d. (1s. ; 8d. (is. 24.) ; 9d: (1s. 2d.) ; 94. (1s. 44.) ; 101d. (Is. 4e1.) ; 11d. (1s. 641.).

Then on the.discount tickets 2d. in the shilling can be saved, and return tickets can be purchased with discount tickets, so that a saving of about 44. in the shilling, is effected.

Discount tickets are obtainable in blocks as follows

50 Id. tickets, value 4s. 2d., for 3s. 04. 66 10. „ „ 6s. 3d, „ 5s. 3d, 50 24. „ „ 8s. 44. „ 7s. Od.

25 3d. „ „ 6s, 3d. „ 5s. 3d. '

12 6d. ,. Os. Od. „ 5s. Od.

10 Is. „ „ 10s, Od. „ Ss. 4d.

Discount tickets can he used for single or return fares, but not for " anywhere " or excursion tickets. . "Anywhere " tickets are issued at open top deck has an attraction for those taking summer-time excursions into the country, whilst to the hardy Londoner it makes an appeal at all seasons. It is safe to say that the takings on country services in the summer months would be much reduced if only enclosed double-deckers were available.

The company hold the view that there must always be a place for covered and uncovered buses, but until they are convinced as to the extent of the public need for the former type it is not their intention to put more than the 200 vehicles referred to into regular service.

The ticket is virtually a one-day pass all over the Midlands. It is issued from other centres at varying prices. At Worcester, for example, it costs 4s. 6d.

Excursion tickets are issued by the company from Birmingham and other towns on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and the following table gives a comparison of ordinary single, return and' excursion fares from Birmingham :

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Organisations: Scotland Yard
People: Body

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