British Buses for Kenya
Page 64
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ASHIPMENT of 13 Albion ' Valkyrie buses, with Gardner 4LW oil engines and special bodies by Duple Bodies and Motors, Lt, London, N.W.9, is shortly to be dispatched to East Africa for Kenya Bus Services, Ltd., Nairobi. This company will operate the vehicles on short. stage services, and the purchase has been arranged through the Overseas Motor Transport Co., Ltd., London, of which Commander F. T. Hare is managing director. We have this week inspected the, vehicles, which appear admirably suited to the severe conditions in which they will operate, their bodywork being particularly interesting. Five of the buses cater for second-class traffic only, seven of them have both first-class and secondclass compartments, and one bus is for only first-class passengers.
The two-compartment buses seat 18 first-class passengers in front of the partition and 14 second-class passengers in the rear. All the seats have been supplied by G. D. Peters and Co., Ltd., Slough, the first-class seats having rattan finish with leather trimming, whilst the second-class seats consist of wood slats: The body construction is unusual, in that the floor frame comprises welded H-section steel members, whilst the rest
of the framework consists of fully Hitched members of iroko, this being an African hardwood, somewhat similar to teak. It is said to be ant proof, and to make assurance doubly sure every member is treated with Solignnm. Single steel panelling is used for the body sides and double steel panelling for the roof. The iroko hoopsticks have 1-in, holes to permit a cooling air draught to pass rearward between the two roof panels.
Young balanced windows are fitted to the first-class compartment, whilst the windows of the second-class compartment have no glass whatever. The cantrails are double and have ventilating louvres. The partition between the two compartments is panelled in frosted glass and has a door. The wheel-arch seats are lengthwise.