THE END and the means
Page 42
Page 43
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
By Tom Walkerley
" THE late William Shakespeare had something to say (I believe in Hamlet) about
The glass of fashion and the mould of form, .
The observed of all observers. . . .
Slogger Shelley, too, spoke of A dome of many-coloured glass, Stains the white radiance of Eternity.
It would seem that these eminent poets had enjoyed a foresight of contemporary coach design, and I suggest that their allusions are to the current large glazed areas and .the increased use of glass-fibre mouldings which are, indeed, the fashion.
I have found it to be both entertaining and rewarding to make a study of the rear-end treatment of the coach, for, in the nature of things, there is little about the rear panels to stimulate original thought in the designer. At the front, styling and design go merrily hand in hand; the rear, which all too often is the unit the private motorist has most time to study, seldom matches the other end in Oriental splendour. It is refreshing when one comes across a design which is at once pleasing and practical.
The aims of the designer are simple enough. They are, basically, to seat his rear passengers in the greatest possible comfort, and in such a way that they can see as much as possible of the country through which they are passing.
There are also the problems of providing adequate luggage space in the c6 boot for some 40 travellers and of meeting legal requirements, particularly regarding lighting. In detail, there are as many solutions of the problems as there are coachbuilders.
There is to be observed today a growing tendency to reduce the area of the rear window, matched at the same time by an increase in the size of the side windows. There is logic in this, for few passengers care to admire the beauties of nature for long periods over their shoulders. It is far less fatiguing to gaze out of a deep side window, with an occasional glance upwards through an observation dome.
(Above) On their Europa 41-seater, Yeates favour the divided rear window and slen
der quarter pillars. The exterior panelling is in aluminium, relieved by bumper and rubbing-strip mouldings with coloured plastics inserts. The direction indicators are well placed, above the boot hinges, and the bumper has a . functional degree of "wrapround." (Right) The "observation coach" par excellence. The Plaxton Panorama has a shallow roof turret to allow the maximum use of glazing. Note the bold combined rear lighting sets, arranged in unit with the bumper. Direction "flashers" form part of the
operator's name plate. • The best way to increase the size of a side window is to add an inch or two at the top, because it detracts little from the strength of the longitudinal panelling, To reduce slightly the stiffening effect of the roof structure is not of great importance and the additional light reaching the interior will be welcome. For complete comfort, the depth of the side window should be of about elbow height.
Additional stiffness can be provided where it is needed by doing away with the wrap-round rear quarter light and substituting a roof pillar. This is, perhaps, a case of history repeating itself, but it does strengthen •the corners, especially where glass-fibre panelling is used.
This method of construction has. been adopted (or probably re-adopted) by Burlingham in their latest .glassfibre-panelled Seagull, by Roe for the Dalesman, and by Yeates in the Europa. Burlingham and Roe favour a single, rather shallow rear window, and Yea tes a divided light.
In the latest Panorama, Plaxtons have shortened the roof eaves to achieve a greater depth of side window, but retain the bold, curved quarter lights at the rear.. Harrington use much the same technique in their new 41-seater, and the result is perfectly pleasing and in no way "dated." In neither case do the passengers occupying the outside seats of the rear bench suffer from a " blind-spot."
Current lighting regulations are clearly something of a bogy to stylists. There must be brake lights, reflectors and red rear lights and, for preference, amber direction indicators and white reversing lights. In most current designs I have seen there is less sweetness than light.
Probably the best solution of the problem lies in the combined lighting unit, some of which lend themselves well enough to the decoration of rather odd vestigial wings. Others look less happy and resemble pillars of assorted fruit jellies. Least successful are arrangements which have lamp glasses of different shapes and sizes dotted everywhere from the boot panel outwards.
Of the combined type, perhaps one of the neatest, although by no means the smallest (it is not the function of these components to hide their lights under bushels), 'appears on Plaxton coaches. This combines lights and flashers in a chromium-edged teardrop moulding, with the legal reflector at the bottom.
The unit forms the end-piece of a small extended wing and, at the same time, provides a locating socket for the rear bumper. Duple supply a fitting of somewhat Similar type, and so do Burlingham.
Most coaches today have really capacious luggage lockers, extending from a point just aft of the rear axle. This is sometimes supplemented by a second compartment in the body side. .Excluding the space for smaller parcels provided by the overseat racks, a good boot will offer something like 100 cu. ft. of space.
The method of hanging the boot door is fairly evenly divided between the top horizontal hinge and vertical side hinges. Roe, Harrington and Burlingham favour side hinges; Duple, Mulliner and Yeates prefer top hinges. All, however, provide secure locks and rain-water guttering over the' boot opening.
In many cases, the boot lid is of plastics material.. It is properly contemporary to have the fleet owner's name carried in a recessed and illuminated panel between the lower edge of the rear window and the top of the boot.
It would be appropriate at this juncture to mention the new Mulliner 41seat coach, which made its first appearance at Earls Court recently. Stylewise, the vehicle presents several unusual features, perhaps the most obvious of which, is the tail treatment.
There is a very large rear observation dome, in which the central window is deep, curved and broad. This glass is matched on each side by full, wrapround quarter lights of almost equal size, and is surmounted by a tinted Perspex roof with conspicuous eaves.
Equally eye-catching are the deep' wings that extend rearwards beyond the boot line. These house the combination lighting units and are pro tected by corrugated chromium-plated mouldings and skid-like bumpers, stretching forwards to the• bottom of the wheel-arch.
The luggage-boot lid is curved and secured by a locking handle beneath the lower radius. There is no transverse bumper.
The boldness of the rear lines is emphasized by the use of pale grey and sky-blue paintwork and chromium plated or aluminium-alloy strip. A striking rather than handsome coach, the Mulliner succeeds in breaking a little new ground which could well lead to its imitators in the next year or so.
Although it has been said that there is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will, one wonders quite what to expect at the next Commercial Motor Show. Shall we see a revival of the rear observation window, led by Mulliner? Or will the ball break the other way?
Shall we see the cost of full airconditioning brought within the reach of all, and with it the fixed window? Will the increased use of plastics develop new construction methods? Or shall we continue to hew roughly for a little longer?
With the exception of the Mulliner, there is a tendency towards stagnation in coach design. The curved dome and flat rear panel appear to derive from the saloon car of the thirties. Perhaps a little unorthodox thinking on the subject might produce a rear view that is both refreshing and functional.