THE HEIGHT OF LUXURY IN COACH DESIGN.
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An Exceptionally Well-appointed Vehicle Built Expressly for Select Touring in Foreign Countries.
FOR certain classes of long-distance
tours in tiiis country, most luxurious cOaehes have been used, but the height of refinement certainly appears to have been reached in a saloon coach which leaves to-day (Tuesday) for an extended tour in North Africa. One day last week we weak afforded an opportunity of inspecting the vehicle in the works of Messrs. Strachan and Brown,
WalesFarm. Road, London, W.3, preparatory to its departurefor.-France.
The exterior appearance of the vehicle itself is most imposing, but the interior is exceptionally well appointed. Before proceeding to a description of its outstanding features, however, we will give brief details of the tour for which it-has been expressly designed. In the first place, let it be said that the tour has been •organized by Mr. Graham Lyon, of 36, Victoria Street,
London, S.W.1, who has been respon sible for similar ventures through Central Europe, and it was following the success of these tours that Mr. Lyon was led to organize a month's tour embracing Tunis, Algiers and Morocco. The tour; which starts to-day, is of an exclusive nature, being, "conducted" only so far as the comforts of the actual road journey are concerned and -the arrangement of hotels and similar conveniences.
These tours are devoid of anything in the nature of the excursicanst element, and provide congenial surroundings for those who wish to extend their knowledge of foreign countries and custom. It is expected that the journey will take about a month to complete from London
back to London. The actual point at which the motor Pullman is first met is at Casablanea, the journey to -this, point being catried out by first-class steamer and train. .From this point until the completion of the road journey at Tunis the motor coach is the sole means of locomotion relied upon.'The return journey will be made from Tunis on November 10th by Lust--class steamer to Marseilles,
London being reached on November 12th.
The cost of the complete tour is 95 voineas, and it must be remembered that it includes first-class hotel, railway and boat accommodation, including all meals and hotel gratuities, and over 1,000 miles of travel by road. It is obvious that, fer a tour of this deScription, a special type of vehicle must be used, and we now propose to refer to the outstanding features which are to be found in the special motor coach which is shown in the illustrations accompanying this article.
The chassis which is employed special White coach model with left-hand drive, and it embodies features in its design which have proved their worth on vehicles used solely for passenger carryin,g. It is to the body, however, that we must look for unusual features.
The actual body shell follows mofe or leas conventional design, being composed of ash framework panelled in steel. The interior, however, . is most luxuriously appointed, and might be said to incorporate details which are not often to be found even on private cars. It. provides accommodation.. for 10 passengers, six of whom are seated in revolving armchairs, which have high backs and deep armrests aridare carried on circular aluminium base plates secured to the floorboards by six bolts. There are three of these seats on each side of the body, and behind them at the rear is a special seat arranged to carry four passengers.
In the middle of the rear panel a deep cabinet is built which, is designed to carry ti' tray for spirit or wine decanters. This cabinet has a two-piece hinged lid, The front of the cabinet forms the back of the centre seat for two passengers, on each side of which is recessed a roomy seat. . • .
• In front of each of the revolving seats and the two single seats at. the rear, a small mahogany table is fitted. This, normally, folds up against the interior panels and, when in use, is supported on hinged arms working on an. oblong bracket. Each of these tables has ledges at its sides and top, and these are channelled in order that a glass top ma"' be slid into position_ It is intended that a route map should be carried below the glass in order to enable the traveller to follow the itinerary which i being taken. Behind each table a special farm of nickel ashtray is fixed.
The revolving chairs can be completely turned round so that each table can he made to serve two passengers. It is true that the clearance when turning these seats is small, but it is quite sufficient to avoid the risk of damage to any of the equipment. On the back of each revolving seat a rail is fixed, and this can be used for carrying a rug or light coat. Rings for holding umbrellas and sticks are located at interwals throughout the body, whilst racks for light luggage extend the length of the body over the window tops. • The seats are built up on double spring cases, and springy bank squabs and sides ensure absolute comfort being given CO the occupants. Each passenger is a small square footstool so that any draughts along the flooring are not felt.
The interior of the body is panelled in three-ply, which is covered with a pleasing shade a f light brown cloth, silk cord stretching from the corners of the panels and being secured by a neat ornament in its centre. The iniarior cabinet work, fillets, etc., have a mahogany finish, and are fixed with oxydized screws.
There are two wide doors to the driver's compartment, each fitted with slam locks, that on the off side being used by passengers and giving access to the interior by way of a sliding door with two bevelled glass panels. Immediately behind the driver is also a sliding window.
All windows at the side of the body are fitted with Beclawat channels and, by means of the Strachan and Brown patent balancing gear, can be adjusted to any
required height. All otherare firmly bedded in rubber in ordr to eliminate rattle. There is a large oval light in the rear panel, on each side of which a vertical mirror is located.
Special attention has been given to the finish of the interior, in which no harsh shades of colour are used. The upholstery is carried out in grey pegamoid, the general finish being in polished mahogany. A silk blind is fitted to each window, and this runs on cords which are pinned below the waist rail.
The body incorporates in its design the patent sliding roof designed by Messrs. Strachan and Brown, to which we have on several occasions in the past referred. In this vehicle there are four slatted sections on each side of the body, each or all, of which can be made to slide into the longitudinal runner which extends from the rear of the body to the front canopy, which partly eovers the driver's
seat, and from which, on the underside, a waterproof covering is stretched to the windscreen pillars, where it is secured by fiynuts.
On tours of this description each passenger is permitted to carry a reasonable amount ot luggage, and proper provision has been made for its storage without in any way inconveniencing the occupants. Each traveller is loaned a small trunk for which he is given a key, and six of these cases are housed in capacious lockers on each side of the vehicle. These kickers extend from the outer limit of the body to the chassis frame, and for this reason it has been found necessary to make a special case to be housed on each side of the vehicle where the front hangers of the rear springs intrude. A folding step is attached to the cover of the foremost locker on the off side.
In the rear panel of the body there are four lockers. One of these forms a comparatively shallow receptacle below the wine cabinet in the interior, and is intended for the accommodation of a special tea urn and various crockery, whilst below it there is a capacious locker for two spare wheels and tyres and a collapsable table, which is intended for the use of those two passengers who are seated at the rear of the vehicle, and are not provided for in the matter of folding tables. On each side of this locker there are two small compartments, one for the recap lion of tools and the other for spare tins. of petrol.
Anything that might disturb the comfort of the passengers has been carefully avoided; for instance, the Water leads bracketed to the front vertical body pillars, and imilar curved leads at the rear are used in order that water may be drained from the drip channels which run alongside the cant rails at the top of the body sides.
The interior is electrically lighted, the fittings being disposed at the four corners of the passenger compartment. A detail that should not be overlooked is the bell-push .alongside the rearmost seat on the near-side which is intended to be operated by the occupant of that seat when overtaking traffic is desirous of passing, the actual signal being conveyed to the driver by a bell located below the canopy above his seat. The exterior finish is fully in keeping with the resplendent interior. The body panels, roof, window framing and wings are finished in a serviceable shade of grey, the deep mouldings being in black lined out in gold. The chassis and wheels are painted a distinctivecherry red, which, with the painted aluminium discs to the wheels (these carry Fisk pneumatic tyres of giant section) and the nickel radiator, give a most handsome appearance to a vericle which must attract attention wherever it goes.