PROGRESS IN PASSENGER TRAVEL.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
A Coach Station for London. Plans tor Its Erection in the West Central District.
LONDON is to have a motor coach station of its own; Several stations are now in existence in certain parts of
• the country, each of them doing much to overcome the objections of loading and unloading in public thoroughfares. They
are being well patronized by tourists, as was indicated by the feet that over 8,000 passengers passed through the station at B.lackpool during the Whitsuntide holidays.
The London coach station, which is the project of Mr. Samuelson, of the Samuelson Transport Co., Ltd., of 28, Denmark Street,. Charing Cross Road, London, W.C., will apparently be run on
lines similar to those already in existence and the usual conveniences , required by passengers such as restaurant, ' waiting-rooms, booking offices, telegraph and telephone service, will be provided, although it is only to be expected that a coach station in the heart of the Metropolis will be on a more elaborate scale than those in the provinces. During the past., fewmonths—and partisu
laxly since th;a coal strike, there have been many hundreds of coaches in daily operation from London, and there is little question that if the largest of these earvines can he run from a centralized station.the public .and other road users will .benefit.
From what we gather Mr. Samuelson's scheme is devised for his own machines only, but if some workable plan can be conceived whereby stations could be established in, say, four different centres—north, south, east, and west—then the need for loading up in or near main and congested thoroughfares could be avoided.
The site which has been chosen for the erection of the coach station is stated to be situated in the heart of tho west central district and admirably located for the purpose: The size of it can be gathered from the fact that, according to present plans, 28 large size coaches will be able to load up at one time.
An Attractive 14-seater.
THE SMALL motor coach is gaining in popularity amongst, tourists, because it off erz comfortable travelling which approximates very closely to that provided by the ordinary touring car, and gives exclusiveness which the larger machine carrying 30 or more people cannot claim to possess. The 12 or 14 seater coach also possesses other advantages which make it an ideal type of vehicle for road touring.
The Unic 14-seater char-a:banes is a machine to which we had occasion to refer recently, and it is a particularly fine example of its type. The coach of this make whieh we illustrate herewith is fitted with a handsome bulbous-sided body made by the Westminster Coach Works,. Ltd., of 45, Horseferry Road, S.W. The body is very roomy, and special attention has been paid in its design to the passengers' seating room, and it is possible for them to sit entirely at ease without their legs being cramped.
The floorboards are covered with goodquality linoleum, and the body interior is luxuriously upholstered in best handbuffed leather. To enable passengers to have a dear view ahead, without being subject to the discomfort of wind currents, a tall all-metal windscreen is fitted, which has side wings to protect those persons sitting on the outside seats. A one-man type of hood is fitted, which, it is claimed, can taise itself automatically on springs.
The bulbous sides and back give the coach a very pleasing appearance, to which the neatly domed wings contribute, and so effective are these that it is said the vehicle can be driven over muddy ground at a fair rate of speed without splashing the body. The chassis itself is amply protected by side valances. An exceedingly roomy tool box is fitted on the off side running board; likewise is a spare wheel housed in special fitting. The vehicle is shod with pneumatic 'tyres, twins being fitted on the rear.
The 13-24 h.p. Unic chasMis and the Westminster 14-seater body form an ideal coach combination:
A Pullman Coach.
Aeroplane Methods Adopted in the Construction of an 18-seater body.
ALTHOUGH in France the totally enclosed and also the semi-saloon types of motor coach are in general favour amongst tourists, there has so far been little indication that either of these types are preferred by the travelling public to the typical English open-air vehicle. Signs, however, are not wanting to show that the enclosed type of vehicle is gaining in. popular favour ; in fact, where regular services are run throughout the year this type of machine is uSually employed.
We have had occasion, during the past few days, to inspect a new design of Pullman motor coach body, which, fitted on
a Wallace chassis has been on view at the showrooms of the Richmond Motor Lorries, Ltd., at 222, Great Portland Street, London, W.
The structural details of the Wallace Pullman .body are of absorbing interest.
A great deal of weight has been cut down by the uSe of suitable materials and the adoption of aeroplane methods, so that the 18-passenger coach shown in our illustrations weighs only 2 tons 11 cwt. The driver. sits in a separate compartment, communication between him and the passengers being -made by push-buttons and a buzzer, or through one of the roller blinds. Separate seats of the bucket type are provided for each passenger, and although in this model they are not readily detaehable; we understand that provision is being made for them to be immediately, removable by means of yacht type fittings, and their place taken by tables if the latter should be required. In the present arrangement there is ample room for freedom of movement from one part of the body to another.
The interior of the body is lofty, and each of the eight windows has a roller blind, which can he drawn down to exclude rain, sun, or draughts. The lighting set supplies two neat roof lights.
Attention has been paid to the important matter of luggage accommodation, and 18 suit-cases can be comfortably stored in four lockers, two of which can be seen below the body. The canopy, which is permanent, does not interfere with the vision in any way. There are only two doors provided, one on each side, that on the near-side enabling passengers to gain access to the whole of the interior of the body. Ample light is provided for the rear of the body by two large glass panels in the back. • The coach should give very easy and comfortable riding, being fitted, as it is, with large Firestone pneumatics of 38 in. by 7 in. dimensions and extra long springs. The Wallace coach is not a passenger vehicle of the ordinary type, and many of the features which are incorporated in its design show original lines of thought, and mark CZnstinct improvement in body construction. Mr. Washington Wood who is the inventor of the body design, is to be congratulated on his achievement.