T "public is being educated to expect a high degree of
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comfort in the modern coach, and it considers it has cause for complaint if the correct standard be not achieved in any particular passenger vehicle.
During the hearing of a summons recently at Southend it 'was mentioned that a certain coach was terribly noisy, had very poor brakes, ‘became full of smoke when stopped, wand had cushions through which the springs were protruding in every direction. It was important to note that one of the witnesses for the police was a dissatisfied passenger.
The resulting cost to the owner6and the driver would have gone a long way towards putting the vehicle in better order.
IN developing its new Empire Model chassis, Bean Cars, Ltd., was anxious to produce a vehicle which could be looked upon by overseas buyers as being entirely suitable for the conditions of service in places where the requirements are much more exacting than here, and most stringent tests were carried out with this object in view.
Of the first eight chassis built, three were shipped to Australia, and the total mileage completed by BIG
the fleet in this country and abroad was over 150,000. The "Home" edition of the Empire Model differs only in a few details and is classed as a 2i-ton machine for good roads instead of a two-tonner. Forceful personality goes a long way in a development of this nature, and in this connection the company is fortunate in having as its managing director' Mr. Noel Martin. While on this subject we would point out that Mr. Peter B. Brown is chairman of Bean Cars, Ltd., and that Sir Robert Hadfield, although chairman of Hadfields, Ltd.„ of Sheffield, the company controlling Bean Cars, Ltd., is not connected with the latter company.
RATHER late at night, we were crossing a square
near the Central Markets, of Paris, in one of the new Renault-Scemia buses. These buses, which are very fast, have. astonishingly powerful brakes. In the middle of the square we. stopped; that is to say, the bus stopped. Those within it continued to move forward until brought to rest by contact with solid matter of some kind, suclhas a seatback. We thought that we must have hit a refuge. The conductor got down and ran around to consult
with the driver. A mute later he returned, grinning broadly and carrying two gigantic melons, the luscious dark-green kind which has pink interiors. "Just right," he observed, stowing them away in a secret locker under one of the rear seats, "one for me and one for my mate."
It appeared that the driver had seen the melons fall from a market cart arriving at Les Halles.
ONE of the most ridiculous assertions which we have seen put forward in the courts is that the taking of a vehicle for joy riding is not theft. It might just as well be said that a man should not be accused of stealing a watch because he wanted to use it for seeing the time and did not intend to sell it. We are, glad to note, however, that others concerned in the administration of the law are not taking the " borrowing " view.
Cases have already occurred of coaches being "removed," which is an even more dangerous matter to other users of the road than when a private cur is concerned, particularly as the drivers appear to be extremely reckless, judging by the number of smashes which occur.
We think the best cure for the propounder of the theory is that he should have his own ear taken by one of these light-fingered gentry.
WE have received a complaint from one of our readers with reference to the impoliteness of certain concerns in the industry. He says he has written on many occasions regarding employment, each time enclosing a stamped addressed envelope. In most instances he has had no replies and his stamps have been retained.
We quite realize the difficulty when a large number of applications is received, but, at the least, a stereotyped slip could be enclosed in the envelope and posted back.