Bus Salvage Vehicle for Heavy Duty
Page 38
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QOUTHPORT'S popular shore ser0 vice, operated along six miles of sand between Southport and Ainsdale by six Bedford four-wheel-drive open single-deckers, is rather out of the ordinary run of municipal bus services. In designing and building a new breakdown tender for use throughout the system, the corporation transport department has had to bear the requirements of these unique vehicles and their operational territory in mind.
The tender which has recently been
put into service is capable of dealing with the Southport fleet of 70 doubledeckers; as well as the two conventional single-deckers and the six special vehicles. Based on an ex-W.D. A.E.C. Matador 4 x 1 tractor, the tender is fitted with a Harvey-Frost 6-ton crane mounted on its own sub-frame. This gives the necessary clearance to permit the use of standard 14.00 by 20 Trakgrip tyres required for operation on sand.
The normal rear towing attachment has been lowered, so that a HarveyFrost heavy-duty towing ambulance can be used, whilst the power-operated
winch has been retained in its entirety. Behind the cab there is a covered workshop with a bench and vice, and a tout locker underneath the crew seat. Although the lower valance rail has been kept at axle height to avoid difficulties on rough ground, space has been found beneath the floor for two large additional equipment lockers.
The floor of the body consists of a series of removable trap doors which give easy access to the winding drum and to the winch rope for cleaning purposes, as well as facilitating the inspection of gearboxes.
A novel item of equipment is the amplifier and loudspeakers incorporated in the cab. The amplifier draws current from one 12-volt section of the vehicle batteries, A microphone is provided on a long wander-lead, so that the person in charge of towing or winching operations can direct the driver. Misinterpretation of signals is thus completely obviated and the positioning of the tender simplified.
Another wander-lead connects with a plug at the rear of the vehicle, from which a lamp may draw current, whilst a 12-24-volt booster plug and flexible cable permit the use of the breakdownvehicle batteries as slaves.
Adequate lightrng is provided for all emergencies. A C.A.V. BL.970 searchlight is fitted on Om of the cab and there are additional lamps on the crane and under the towing' ambulance, throwing beams to the rear.