PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
MOTOR COACHING IN THE BRISTOL DISTRICT.
The Activities Of Two Prominent Proprietors.
THE LARGEST fleet of coaches in the Bristol district is that operated by the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Cu., Ltd. it comprises about 100 40 h.p. machines of the latest Bristol type, all fitted with open bodies provided with the ordinary type of hood, although a neat new form of hood has been devised and is now being tried out on one machine. This hood we shall describe later.
The company have standardized on one chassis, which is eminently suitable for 28-seater bodies, and have no intention at present, of running smaller
vehicles. Although they have experimented with Michelin pneumatics, which experiment is continuing, at present a very large proportion of the fleet is equipped with Macintr it N.A.P. tyres, twin at the rear and single at the front, and these are giving very satisfactory results.
As practically all the runs are comparatively short, no provision has had to be made for luggage; but if it should be necessary to carry any, certain of the seats would be left vacant., and there is also room for suit-cases under all seats.
For this season bookings for private parties are at least up to anticipations, whilst the programme for public tours is much the same as last season, including runs to Clevedon, Cheddar, Bath, Minehead, Bournemouth, Stratford-on-Avon, etc. Seats for these runs may be booked in advance by telephone or letter, but must be paid for 15 minutes" before the time for starting. Weekly and fortnightly tours are run in conjunction with Thomas Cook and Sons, Ltd. This company hire the chassis from the Bristol Co. and make all the arrange-. meats for hotel accommodation, etc.
No coach tour is run with less than 12 people, and the company reserve the right to cancel any tour.
The chief cause for complaint is the 12 m.p.h. limit. The police authorities in Somerset were particularly stringent last season in enforcing this absurd restriction. .
As an example of the amount of work done by the company, the total mileage run by the coaches last summer was 350,000. During this time between 60 and 70 vehicles were employed. The petrol consumption of the vehicles averages 14 m.p.g., whilst, the high figure of 1,000 m.p.g. is obtained on lubricating oil. The average tyre mile-, age over the bus and coach fleet is 20,000, a figure which is certainly quite satisfactory.
Twelve coaches were licensed through out the winter. Six of these coaches were kept in service at Bristol and others at Bath, Cheltenham and Gloucester. They were chiefly employed in the carrying of football parties. The company have coach garages at. Bath, Weston. super-Mate, Cheltenhhm, Gloucester, Wells and Swindon. Running repairs and dock overhauls are attended to at these branches, but complete overhauls are carried out at the Bristol works.
Another well-known firm running coaches in Bristol is Henry Russett and Sens, who run eight coaches known as the " Royal Blue." The fleet comprises two 33-seater Daimlers, four 28-seater Thornycrofts, one 23-seater Albion and one 18-seater of the same make.
Henry Bassett and Sons have been in the passenger-carrying business for some 32 years, but their first motor coach was not obtained until 1918.
Mr. Henry Bassett informed us that they had a. very successful season last year. The coaches were not, idle for a day and there were no breakdowns.
The whole fleet of vehicles is on solid tyres, but these are removed when slightly worn, and used on the dozen or so lorries which the firm also maintains. At present they have grave doubts as to the advisability of fitting pneumatic tyres, as they coesider that on long runs trouble will be caused by the pneumatic tyres becoming hot and expanding. Mr. Russett quoted one instance which occurred last year with a solid tyro. This was practically new, and became very hot on the flinty Hampshire road, with the result that it suddenly flew to ribbons.
The bodies were all built to Mr. Russett's" specification. They have very low seats with cushions 9 ins, deep, these materially contributing to the comfort of the passengers. The latter are further protected by adjustable side-flaps on the windscreens. For the carrying of luggage, compartments are provided at the rear, but the vehicles are seldom employed OD long tours; they. mostly convey the factory workers who can seldom afford more than half-day or day trips.
The coaches are being well booked up for this season and they are very popular, perhaps for the reason that the firm have never stranded a party, either on their old horsed vehicles or the motor vehicles, during their long career.