PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
Page 23
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and -Coach World.
MUNICIPAL BUSES IN SOUTH WALES.
Improved Details of Design Included in the Vehicles Just Put Into Service by the Merthyr Corp-oration. ........
DURING the past few weeks we have made several references to the plans of the Merthyr Tydfil Corporation in connection with the running of municipal buses, and in a paragraph on our news pages in this issue we give details of the 'results of working during the first -week that the vehicles were in service. Ifmight be as well to supplement the information which we have already given by a brief description of one of the fleet of Leyland buses -which the corporation has pot into service,
To those who have studied the development of bus services iand who have a knowledge of the extent of operations of this kind in different parts of the country, it may, at first, appear that the 'distribution of motorbus services in South Wales is somewhat uneven, but the reason for this phenomenonean be correctly asicertained by perusing a map showing the density of the population in different areas. It will be found that there are few towns in the South Wales districts which can claim big populations; but, apart from these centres, the distribution of the inhabitants varies Very considerably.
Ammanford, for example, is not a large town; in fact, the population does not reach five figures; but it is a commercial centre for a well-peopled area, and, accordingly, motorbus services have been necessary to its development. One of the largest proprietors in this centre is Mr. James, -who owns several Leylands, of which excellent reports have been received.
Merthyr Tydfil is, as we have indicated, the latest authority in this area to undertake the working of bus serVices, and it has recently put into operation a fleet of eight Leyland buses, Merthyr Tydfil has a population of close
on 150,000, and it ranks as one of the largest towns in South Wales, being an extensive centre of the Welsh iron and steel industries, and its need, therefore, for satisfactory and efficient bus services is a factor of paramount importance.
The new Menthyr Tydfil buses are standard 26-seaters. The. bodies are the company's Farington type, and the chassis are A13 2-tonners. In most respects the bodies of these vehicles conform to orthodox practice, but in one or two features, notably in connection with details which make for. added comfort, certain new ideas are incorporated.
For -example, there is a new type of seat-cushion fixing. On previous models the cushions were held in position by means of a metal valance which protruded above the edges of the seat-board at the sides and at the front. On Merthyr's new buses the use of this valance has been dispensed with, and loops of wire which protrude through the bottom edge of the cushion—to the frarne.of which they are attached—pass throuigh holes in the seat-hoard and are firmly held in position by wooden wedges. This is quite a detail in con-, struction, but it is one of some importance in so far as it, enables a reduction in weight to be made without affecting, f„,he security of the cushion.
Another fitting which has been improved is the hack support for the seats. This has recently been introduced by the Leyland Co., and has been adopted as standard. The support consists of two flat bars of spring steel, both of which extend the full depth of the seat, to the underframe of which they are securely attached; one reaches to the full height of the back-rest and the other to the' top of the pilfering board. By this form of construction ample resiliency and strength are given to the seat back.
The disposition of the seats in the interior is conventional, and is very attractive appearance is given to the panelling and lining boards by varnishing instead of painting, which reveals the natural grain of the wood, except in the roof, where the longitudinal boards are stained light and dark alternately.
The passenger entrance is to the rear of the vehicle, and the driver enters his enclosed compartment from a door at the front near side. The exterior of the vehicle is painted in a most pleasing shade of scarlet lake, and from the picture which we publish it -will be noticed that side lifeguards of the pattern used on the London buses are fitted.