SIDE GANGWAYS GANGWAYS
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for Upper Saloons
Our Bodybuilding Expert Explains How the Arrangement of Central Seats for the Upper Saloons of Double-deck Buses Affects the General Design of the Compartment
0 NE of the more important problems connected with the design of the upper saloon of the double-decker is whether the seating arrangement with a gang: way on one or both sides be likely to increase or decrease in popularity.
The side gangway effects a saving in overall height of 12 ins. to 14 ins., which usually represents the difference of headroom required by a standing and seated passenger respectively in the lower saloon.
The bus with side gangways in the upper saloon has a centre of gravity closer to the ground than has the ordinary type, but if the experiment were made of comparing the safe tipping angle of each kind of bus it is considered that the amount in favour of the side gangwAy would be comparatively small.
The reason for this is that the lower bus usually has, within an inch or so, about the same height of side framework to both upper and lower saloons as has the higher vehicle, the latter having a greater dome to the roof, which provides the extra headroom required above the centre gangway of the upper deck. The roof, being lightly constructed, has little adverse effect on the stability of the vehicle.
The Value of a Low Overall Height.
The chief value of a bus which is 13 ft. instead of 14 ft. high overall is that it may be put Into service on routes through tunnels and under bridges where headroom is restricted. There. is more scope for alternative routes when roads are undergoing repair or for transferring the bus to a new service. The reduced overall height is also of importance where them are overhanging trees or lamp standards and similar obstructions at the side of the roadway. .
On the other hand, some bridges may preclude the use of any kind of double-decker, whilst others, although they would not allow the passage of a vehicle exceeding 15 ft. in height, would provide a satisfactory clearance of, say, 14 ft. 0 ins.
The reason why the side-gangway type of vehicle may. be less popular is that it is not quite in the same favourable position as formerly, because recently more attention has been given to reducing the cant-rail height of the lower saloon.
With an off-set main drive the central-gangway floor may be not only lower than with the conventionally placed cardan shaft, but it may also be hollow in section, so that it is lower in the middle than at the sides.
s36 Furthermore, modern methods of. mounting allow the seat floor to be laid on the chassis with only in. or so of insulation material between, whereas with heavy crossbars the floor may be 4 ins. or 5 ins, above the top of the chassis.
The height of the chassis itself also affects the height of the lower-saloon cant-rail. The chassis level has been reduced an inch or two since the covered top for the upper compartment first came into general use.
Taking these various factors into consideration, it will be seen that there is a great deal of difference between the overall height of a covered-top double-decker which was put into service some four or five years ago and originally had an open top, and a new model embodying every feature which gives scope for reducing the roof level of the lower saloon.
Apart from these considerations, some people are of the opinion that although the upper side gangway makes a safer, less heavy, and more compact design of vehicle, the passenger may prefer the usual seating and gangway arrangement.
Double and Single Gangways.
With a gangway on both sides, each crosswise seat accommodates three passengers. When the seats a re not fully occupied they are ideal for two persons, because each passenger may enter or leave by separate gangways. When three are seated the central passenger may feel hemmed in, although there is no real justification for such an attitude, because he or she has the same facility for leaving the seat as with the ordinary double crosswise seat. In fact, the passenger has a choice of direction that is impossible with the usual pattern of seat.
The same argument may not apply in the case of a crosswise seat for four persons and only one side gangway, but, at the same time, much depends on the spacing apart of the seats, which, with this variety of upper saloon, is usually carried out generously.
Another slight drawback is that a side gangway has to be wider than a central one, because the passenger is restricted on one hand by the side structure of the saloon.
This does not provide much-opportunity for increasing the allowance per passenger beyond the legal minitnum. Still, reviewing the 'situation as a whole, the saving of 12 ins, of overall height is not a matter to be lightly abandoned, and in view of what has already been achieved it is considered that new ways of utilizing this economical, means for construction will yet be devised.
The proper ventilation of the upper saloon should not be a difficult matter, because it is well out of the reach of engine fumes and road dust, also it is not obstructed by the driver's cab, nor is the design of any drop window hampered by the presence of a wheel-arch. The front canopy may have a set of louvres placed horizontally under it, or. inserted above the front windows: Sliding windows have recently been much in favour for the sides of the saloon, because they do not require any casing below the waistline. But the half-drop "window has similar advantages and is a close rival. In any ease the utility of the window depends not so much on whether it moves horizontally or vertically, but rather on the ease with which it may be manipulated and kept in efficient order.
Although the sliding roof is to be found on a large percentage of coaches, it has virtually not yet found its way into the upper saloon of the doubledecker. A pattern that provides for the opening of two separate panels would appear to be the most desirable.
Ventilating the Saloon.
The Opening of the roof need not prevent the" use of roof ventilators, because half of the head would Still be fixed, whilst ventilators could be inserted in any panel which divided the two sliding portions. In fact, this arrangement has already been adopted with the coach.
The upper saloon is usually the smokers' compartment, but there does not 'appear' to be any facility for supplying the sannkerik en routewith cigarettes or matches. The manufacture of coin slot machines for the delivery of cigarettes is a comparatively new and thriving industry, as anyone may see.
Some of these machines are extremely compactly designed, and, with little or no modification, would be suitable for mounting in the upper saloon. If placed centrally behind the front windows, a certain amount of obstruction would be formed and the cross gangway to the front row of seats would have to be wider than usual.
A better place, although, perhaps, not so desirable from the machine proprietor's point of view, would be in the near-side back corner of the saloon. Here the seat is often some distance from the rear panel of the bus, in order to provide sufficient headroom above the staircase. By increasing this space a position would be afforded for a small machine and there it would cause a minimum of obstruction.
Is it expecting too much that a part of the upper saloon should be reserved for non-smokers? If such provision were made not more than one-third of the forward portion of the saloon need form a non-smokers' compartment. Any partition which might be inserted could be of the simplest and lightest description.
The 'additional cost of such an arrangement would be negligible, whilst the convenience to passengers would be considerable. A further advantage of the division of the upper saloon is that the separating portion would give extra strength.
It is suggested that the partition should reach only to the seat level, in order that, with a clear spice below, it would provide legroom for the passengers sitting behind the partition and thus interfere as little as possible with the normal seating plan of the upper deck.