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PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.

9th October 1923, Page 24
9th October 1923
Page 24
Page 24, 9th October 1923 — PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.

TRAFFIC BEYOND THE CAPACITY OF THE TRAMCAR.

An Interesting Type of I hornycroft Bus Which is Being Used for Linking-up New Areas of Population at Northampton.

TR' .EXAMPLE of the Northampton Corporation is a further interesting instance of the employment of motor omnibuses to supplement and link up existing tramway services. For some time past the passenger traffic of Northampton has been steadily inCreasinguntil it has reached a volume which • cannot properly he met by the tramway service. The town is the main centre of the British boot and shoe industry; and its factories, which are growing in size, are distributed over a comparatively wide area.

Some idea of the extent'of the traffic can be gauged from the figures relating to the operation of the tramway services over the 12 months ended March 31st last, which, reveal the fact that over .11i million passengers were carried and the total car mileage was 818,185—this ,distance being covered over the 64-roile system. A traffic census taken in Northampton. some time ago revealed the rather peculiar fact that the average worker was not employed in a factory adjacent to his home, but usually journeyed through the :town to suburban districts.

This factor, coupled with the completion of three new housing schemes, has rendered it imperative on the part of the municipal authorities to provide additional travelling facilities, and they have come to the conclusion that these can best be given by a fleet of single-deck buses. Accordingly, five new buses of a modern type have just been put on the road, and it is probable that they will form the nucleus of an extensive -fleet. The chaSsis of these vehicles have been suppliedby JohnI. Thornycroft and Cu., Ltd., in accordance with the re-' qairements of Mr. 3. F. Cameron, the tramway manager, who also had the bodies built by the Brush Co. to his specification.

The vehicles are up to date in every respect and incorporate improved features which have proved their worth under actual service conditions. Each bus provides seating accommodation -for 28 passengers, the seats being disposed in the conventional manner, as is shown In one of our illustrations. They are upholstered in leather and have deep double-spring cushionsand padded spring backs which make for real comfort.

The bodies are so designed that the vehicles can each be placed in the charge of one man or can give employment to a driver and a conductor, the idea being that in the slack hours of the day the conductor can be dispensed with, whilst when the traffic is at its height a second man may be efficiently employed. Fash bus has two doors, that at the front leading out of the driver's cab into the passenger compartment, whilst the rear door is of a type which can be readily locked when it is desired to use only one opening. When the vehicle is one-manoperated passengers entering by the front door will deposit their fares on a small ledge alongside the driver, who has at his side a lever which controls the door leading to the interior.

The vehicles are most attractively finished in the Northampton colours— red and cream—with suitable lining, whilst the interior is mainly of polished teak and maple, only the root being painted. They are certainly excellent examples of the latest efforts to provide comfortable and well-designed vehicles to meet regular service requirements.

In these Thornycroft 'buses arrangements are made for dynamo electric lighting, six interior lights, two step lights, and front and rear destination lights forming part of the equipment.

With the advent of these buses new routes have been opened up by the Northampton authorities, so that those persons who desire to travel from one outlying district to another are not compelled to pass through the centre of the town.

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