1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150 
What do operators want in coach design?
Page 72
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
continued that a retarder is an essential (though at about £300 an expensive) item of equipment on the VAM and VAL models, One operator said he found that the VAL Rave a very comfortable ride, but he had experienced teething troubles with the kingpins and brakes. Small wheels were no good for fast travel, he thought, as the brakes got too hot and so did the cylinder rubbers.
Mr. C. B. Kenzie, a former British Coach Driver of the Year and consistently good performer at the Brighton rallies, said he could not understand why Bedford did not fit air brakes of the type employed on their KML trucks.
Mr. L. H. Withey of Knightswood Coaches, Watford, claimed that only one brake adjustment had been necessary in 20,000 miles operation of a retarderequipped VAM of his. He thought that a retarder must add to the second-hand value of a coach, although he understood that Telma Retarder Ltd. would transfer one from a relatively new "used" coach on to a new chassis for £75.
Styling and decor One aspect of coach design where individual opinions differ considerably is in bodywork styling and interior finish and decor. At present the only body available from Plaxton is the Panorama Elite. apart from the small 29-seat coach on the Bedford VAS which is of earlier Panorama style.
Duple. on the other hand, offer the Commander IV for underfloorand rear-engined chassis. Two new Duple designs are the Vega 31 and Vista 25 for the Bedford SB and VAS chassis respectively. which are virtually restyled versions of the otherwise superseded Viscount body.
Continental appearance Operators looking for a real change can now obtain the Moseley Continental body froth the Moseley Group. These are coaches of distinct Continental appearance, built by Salvador Caetano of Portugal on any British coach chassis. At the recent Moseley coach exhibition I compared the latter coaches with the latest Duple and Plaxton styles, on exhibition in the same showroom.
Mr. E. D. MedIdy, manager of Pemberton Coaches, Upston. Yorkshire, liked the look of the Continental bodies, but wanted to know how they would wear in service, particularly on second-class roads, and also what their second-hand value would be—a most important consideration.
Mr. Medley emphasized that two of the most important requirements were reliability and serviceability; with regard to the latter consideration he liked the PVC seating of the Moseley Continental body.
Mr. C. L. G. Gulley (Gulley's Coaches, Newport, Mon.) liked the "smart lines" of the Continental body—then added that it was not as comfortable or as warm-looking inside as British-built coaches!
Moseley maintains a large stock of spares and its employees have been trained in the coaches' maintenance and repair which should elevate their second-hand value.
It was at another coach exhibition—at Luton Commercial Motors—where I met Mr. Withey, Mr. P. T. Carter, of H. and C.
Transport Ltd.. and later Mr. Kenzie, Here the bodywork style was a straight choice between the Panorama Elite and the Viceroy. There was a comment that the Viceroy was a little bare inside, compared with the Elite, although Mr. Withey remarked that the former improved towards the rear. He was, however, very impressed with the Viceroys external appearance.
Appearance spoiled?
Some comment was made that the appearance of the Elite was spoiled by the retention of an out-dated frontal grille, compared to the impressive one on Duple coaches. And general remarks I have overheard this autumn indicate that the bareness of the Viceroy body complained of by some coach operators is welcomed as a cleaner, brighter interior by others.
General styling opinions are conflicting enough, but when one turns to finings, then the contradiction really begins! One thing which Mr. Kenzie had to say was "I wish the coach manufacturers would provide a better driver's seat." As he is a champion driver, his opinion is one which I suggest the builders should heed. Mr. Kenzie also thought that existing heaters were inadequate, and more evenly provided heat was required. There were more "outlets" for heat than sources of heat. he claimed.
Ventilation Turning to ventilation, the fun really begins. For every operator who wants sealed windows and forced-air ventilation there is an operator who thinks that such fittings are unnecessary, and who would prefer sliding windows. Mr. Medley thinks forced ventilation is not essential and that sealed windows are ideal if other ventilation is adequate. Mr. Gulley wants sliding windows instead of the "luxury of forced air".
Also against forced air is Mr. Carter who complains that to obtain sliding windows in a Plaxton body an operator has to resort to the Panorama II—an out-dated body style. Mr. Withey prefers forced ventilation, as does Mr. Kenzie, to avoid the endless argument among passengers about whether sliding windows should be ,open. But Mr. Kenzie wants better ventilation—he thinks there is plenty of room for improvements, and does not like the additional £140 for the provision of forced air on a VAM coach.
The fact that heaters are not included in the basic specification was mentioned by all the operators I spoke to, and they also confirmed the salesmen's view that radios were "out" so far as touring coaches were concerned. A wireless was just a source of trouble, said Mr. Withey. But he liked the idea of public address equipment, although he grumbled because an operator spent £5,000 to £6,000 to buy a coach, then had to spend about £400 for necessary extras, including heaters.
Mr. Medley had earlier told me that he thought such items as forced ventilation blowers would be more efficient if they were fitted as standard equipment. Most operators were satisfied that, even with the maximum number of seats, there was ample leg room in modern coaches. (Some of my long-legged colleagues on CM would disagree violently with that.) One had to provide the maximum to compete with other operators it was emphasized. Plaxton seats were criticized for a tendency to collapse after some years service, but Duple seats were complimented for their strength.
In short, what the average coach operator is looking for is plenty of choice in specification and styling, greater reliability, more sophisticated heating and ventilating incorporated as standard, a better and quieter driving position, brakes and engines capable of economical 70 mph cruising, and all at an economical price. At least most of them seem to agree about that!