CHAR-A-BANGS AND SALOON BUS ACTIVITIES.
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The Doings of a Grimsby Concern. Linking Up Country Districts by Bus.
Palladium Chars-a-bancs in Service at Grimsby.
wE ILLUSTRATE on this page one of the three new 45 hep. Palladium type 31 36 seater chars-e-bancs, the-. property of the Provincial Tramways Co., Ltd. (Grimsby), which embraces several new and inyeroved features in design and construction.
The entrance jest the front, two doors being provided, one for the driver, and the other for the main body of the car. This latter door is particularly wide. A central gangway provides access to the seats, which are arranged to seat two passengers each, excepting the Eeat directly behind the driver, which accommodates three passengers, and the rear seat, which seats five. Gangway seats, which accommodate five additional passengers, can be brought into use. These seats form part of the sides of the main seats, and let down, as required, to form the extra seat. The seats, moteover, are arranged on a sloping floor, enabling all passengers to have a clear view ahead.
Contrary to usual practice, the sides and back of the body are panelled in mahogany; the rear corner pieces are
• also of wood, this form of construction resulting in quieter running when de car is operating over uneven ground, no drumming effects being produced, as is the case when sheet metal is employed. As will be seen from the illustration, three steps are provided in the place of the usual two. The top step is inside the body. This space is covered when the car is travelling by a hinged flap fitted to the door. The,flap, when down, acts as a safety device, preventing the doer opening in the event of any passengers
leaning against it. The res.r of the body _ is protected by a covered steel buffer, effectively protecting it from being damaged.
The Provincial Tramways Co., Ltd., have found that the Palladium chassis is particularly adaptable for large char-abanes bodies, due to all the chassis frame being utilized. The radiator is mounted at .B44 nearly the end of the dumb irons, whilst the fact that the bonnet is shorter than is usually the ease, results in nearly 2 ft. being gained for body space, as compared with other chassis. The fact that the 45 h.p. engine is quiet running, anet is capable of climbing severe gradients with ease, combines to make it an ideal machine for long or short distance touring. The bodywork on the vehicle illustrated was designed and built to the specifics-. tions of the company's engineer, Mr. H. Orme White. The company have had two months' experience with it, and their experience, coupled with the satisfactory opinioes expressed by clients, leaves little doubt as to its present and future Popularity. The .seating arrangements provide more comfort than is the case with the efecommodation provided on the morelusual type, of ',body.
The Proviecial Tramway e Ltd.,
have in service eight Palladium Co.,„haesis, and when it is stated that some of them have run 11,000 miles-since delivery last December over atrocious road surfaces with heavy loads, it is not difficult to appreciate the reason for the company's laudatory comment of their capabilities. From Worcester to Malvern by Saloon Bus. THE MIDLAND system of enclosed pastenger buses is stretching its tentacles further and further afield from its headquarters at Birmingham, and will undoubtedly exercise a powerful influ ence on the development of theecountry districts which it seeks to link up with the big towns. In certain cases the time
taken by road for a journey is approximately the same as that taken by the train, eehilet the faxes also are similar. The chassis are petrol-electric of TillingStevens make, and the bodies employed have a seating capacity for 29 persons. The bodies are very comfortable, and well finished in every respect. Finding the train service inconvenient, one of our staff travelled in one of these care from Worcester to Malvern the other day, and was most faveurably impressed with the comfort of the machine.
Whether the service can he made to pay is another matter, for the fare for seven or eight miles was only 10d.; and the load averaged about 12 persons on
the trip. On these vehicles there is a small smoking compartment which will hold about eight persons, at-the rear of tho body, a notice stating that ladies are requested not to occupy smokers' mats if others are available being pOsted up. One sudtesiion we have to make is that the omnibus-operating companies' publish their schedule of times and places in the railway Bradshaw. At present it is not too easy for a casual visitor to find out when and where the supplementary road service is running. He has either to buy a local paper or timetable, and waste valuable time in discerning the pospibilities of the service, during which time he probably misses the vehicle and has to wait an hour or so for the next. ,,Another point to be emphasized is the importance of starting punctually. These cquntry services -will be used more and mbre by business men as well as coantry _folk, in which case a delay of live or ten minutes in starting is not to be encouraged. The practice of starting late, is probably due to the ability of the driver te; make up time on his scheduled speed on the road, but this only wears out the machine unnecessarily.
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