PROGRESS IN PASSENGER TRAVEL.
Page 19
Page 20
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
A Coach Hood Suspender.
A Device which Renders Raising and Lowering an Easy Matter.
THERE are signs in certain quarters that the problem o( providing a really satisfactory hood for motor coaches, which can be raised and lowered without laborious effort, is receiving attention. A6 we eaid in our last issue, in dealing with an original design of _ hood which possesses interesting possibilities, until the ordinary coach hood can be efficiently raised or lowered in a few minutes, the char-it-banes of the open type can hardly be called an all-weather vehicle.
Although designers and inventors may be thinking on new lines in order to devise means of overcoming the hood difficulty, some coach proprietors are of the opinion that radical improvements can be effeeted with the type of hood at present so largely used. These men are perhaps not in the majority, but their views are certainly deserving of consideration. When one remembers that when the ordinary type of hood has to be raised or lowered it entails reel hard work of a straining nature for three or four men, there cannot be two opinions on the need for vast improvement.
Mr. William Mumford, of Salisbury Road; Plymouth, is to be commended on the attention he is giving to motor coach improvements, his latest device, which is called a hood suspender, is likely to receive much attention from proprietors. With this device, it is claimed, the operations of raising and lowering the ordinary hoed become a simple task
calling for little exertion. When it is desired to raise the hood,-one man holds it in an upright position, whilst another attaches the wire cables on each side of the vehicle to the windscreen by leather straps, as shown in the illustrations which we publish herewith. The hood is then suspended on the cables, and, oil account of its weight being supported by them, can be moved forward without any difficulty, each hoop stick being fixed to its bracket in the usual manner. To lower the hood, the operations are simply reversed.
Although Mr. Munifoed's device takes the.strain off the men engaged in raising or lowering the hood, we have one criticism to make, and that is that it puts undue strain on the windscreen pillars, and thus tends to alter the position of the screen itself. Provided additional strength can be introduced at this point, the device appears to overcome in a satisfactory and efficient manner the inherent drawbacks of the ordinary type of hood.
Northern Coach Owners,
A Record of 12 Months' Activity of the Liverpool Association.
THE first annual meeting of the Liverpool and District, Cheshire, and North Wales Motor Char-it-bancs Owners' Association was recently held at Chester, under the chairmanship of Mr. T. Garnett, (of the Mid-Cheshire Motor. Bus Co., Northwieh).
There was a lengthy discussion concerning a difficulty which had arisen through " cut-rates," and in the particular instance a deputation was appointed to interview tho parties concerned.
In his annual report, the secretary, Mr. H. R. Davis, stated that since the formation of the Association 34 members had been enrolled. The Association is at present divided into three areas—Liverpool, Chester, and Northwich. In the Liverpool area there had been much activity, and a central call office had been established, which he understood was proving a fine success, and was BUM to be of the greatest value to members in that locality. He regretted to say that he was disappointed with the progress which had been made so far in North Wales, but the council was considering what steps could be taken to bind together the motor coach proprietors in. the district for their
mutual benefit and for the general welfare of all the members of the Association.
They hoped that the time was not far distant when all firms would realize that it was to their good to work hand in hand with their competitors rather than to endeavour to have the largest number of chars-k-banes on the road earning the lowest prices. The council had had under conssderation the possibility of a, joint insurance scheme for the benefit of the members, but so far no decision had been arrived at. Last season the Association was formed too late for the members to reap the full advantage of the minimum rates which were decided upon, but they hoped that the season which had now commenced would justify the fixing of a minimum rate, and simplify the making of quotations. The Liverpool area had already fixed its scale of charges.
The secretary's report and the financial statement, which showed. a satisfactory credit balance, were adopted.
The rules were ccnsidered and slightly revised. It was mentioned that a suggestion had been made that passengers should not be allowed to carry refreshments on coaches, but the feeling 'of the meeting was that coach owners vexe poWerles,s to do 'anything in the
matter. They could no more interfere with coach passengers in this way than with train passengers. The reason why the suggestion was brought forward was to stop bottle throwing. It was agreed that the question should be dealt with by the individual firms.
Mr. F. H. Macdonald (Birkenhead) was elected chairman; Mr. F. Taylor, vice-chairman; Mr. H. Davis secretary; Mr. Killip, auditor; .asd Mr. Shaw, treasurer.
The secretary was instructed to go into the matter of insurance and to obtain the three best specimen policies, which would be considered at a subsequent meeting.
An Open-air Garage. .
What is termed an open-air garage is to be establis,he.d at Kendal, on the common land adjoining the New Road. The Corporation has instructed the surveyor to draw up regulations. The suggested charges are as follow ;--Motor chars-abanes to carry 12 or more passengers, 7s. 6d. per day or part of a day; other four-wheeled vehicles, 5s.; two-wheeled vehioles, 2s. 6d. . _ Southampton County Council proposes to ask the Ministry of Transport to make an order prohibiting the use of some roads by char-it-bancs traffic.