Meeting Special Conditions of Island Service in coach construction
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THE craft of the coachbuilder has reached such a stage of flexibility that to build a body to suit certain specific conditions, which depart from standard practice, is a matter of comparative ease, although ingenuity is sometimes called for in the process. We are led to make these observations after inspecting a special Bedford coach, whith has recently been completed for Guernsey Motors, Ltd., in the works of Messrs. W. L. Thurgood, Park Road, Ware, who were responsible
for the smart and attractive 20-seater body.
The machine has been constructed to an overall width of 6 ft. 6 ins., which is the maximum allowed under the special licensing regulations in force in
the island. The vehicle will be exclusively reserved, under contract, for Guernsey Airways, Ltd., which, with Jersey Airways, Ltd., is a subsidiary of Channel Airways, Ltd. It will be employed for carrying passengers to and from the airport to the town, a distance of several miles each way.
The basis of the vehicle is a Bedford 26-Seater passenger chassis, the only alterations from standard being the use of single oversize rear tyres on special wheels, in place of twin equipment, the shortening of the petrol-tank filler spout and the reducing of the front wings and bumper.
From the outside, one gets little impression of a vehicle of unusually narrow width, largely because the general lines of the body are good, and the treatment of the green and cream panel areas is modern and pleasing to 516 the eye, particularly at the rear, which embodies a luggage compartment of ample proportions.
The interior aspect gives no suggestion of cramping and, despite the fact that the gangway is offset from the centre line, because there are single seats on the near side and double seats on the off side, one is not disturbed. by any feeling of ill-balance. The seats for 19 passengers are all transversely disposed there being a full-width. seat, for four people at the rear and five
rows of single and double seats, the full complement being made up by a single seat, facing inwards opposite the driver and alongside the wide insidesliding door on the near side, There is a wide emergency door at the rear on the off side The seats are tastefully furnished, a combination of green and orange moquette, green leather and cream pipings, creating a harmonious finish. The cushion casing; are of Dunlopillo and are extra deep, and the well-raked back-rests incorporate head-rolls. A feature of interest is that the seat cushions are all hinged on the front edge, so that they can be folded forward to enable dust to be easily swept from the seat board, The well-known Easiway head, in which the roof is divided longitudinally into two opening sections of good length, is included in the design. The operating handle for each half has been modified to give ease of effort in opening and closing the roof sections, and it is now connected to the roof' and main body structure, instead of only to the roof There is a 6-in, drop in the level of the floor from back to front, the gangway being sunken, so that all passengers get good vision.
Interior finishings are attractive, the garnish rails, parcel-rack edgings and inserts on parcel-rack brackets having Lainnyte sheet to give decorative effect. Incidentally, this material is manufactured in Ware by Warerite, Ltd., and, frcm our knowledge of its application. it. would appear to be a first-class medium for interior decoration, by reason of its light weight, durability and working possibilities.