AN ATTRACTIVE BUS FOR ESTATE WORK.
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A Graceful and Dignified Vehicle, Comprising a Touring Car Chassis of Proved Merit and Reliability and a Saloon Body.
. A LTHOUGH it is generally admitted ..tIthat, for passenger-vehicle work, a somewhat modified edition of the ordinary farm of commercial chassis is most suitable, -there are quite a number of instances where ordinary touting-car models, fitted with comparatively light bodies, have been found to give ,satisfactory results. For use in areas where traffic is not exceptionally heavy and where a small type of vehicle will meet the demand, the touring-car ,chassia fitted with a roomy body has certain merits, particularly if it. be desired to appeal -to the prospective passenger by the use of an attractive type of Yehicle which doe5 not resemble, so far as exterior appearance is Concerned, the usual form of passenger-carrying unit.. ft may be agreed that it is not necessarily
the most economical type of vehicle to use for all-thei:year-round bus work; but where a select class of custom has to be cultivated, or special passenger-carrying work has to be performed, it should be found an ideal type of machine. There are ceetain classes of work upon which it would be found most efficient to employ such a, machine, and one of these is in connection with general estate work. A vehicle which has been constructed for this purpose is illustrated on this page. It' consists of an ordinary Daimler landaulet chassis, to which Morgan Bros., Ltd., of Leighton Buzzard, have fitted an attractive bus body constructed in their own shops. There is little need to refer to the chassis itself, which is of proved merit and reliability.
So far as the body is concerned, the framework is constructed of English ash which was cut, about 14 years ago, arid is, therefore, well-seasoned. The top and lower quarters of the body so far as the front door are panelled in Mahogany, the front door and the scuttle, of course, being panelled in aluminium in the usual mariner.
The body, it will be seen, is built on extremely graceful and dignified lines. The windows are all made to be raised or lowered as in the ordinary type of saloon vehicle, and the body is mounted on a subsidiary frame, which is a practice followed by the Daimler Co. in connection with certain of their productions. It is generally agreed by coachbuilders that this practice has much to commend it in so far as the lack of rigid connection between body and chassis makes for extreme flexibility and minimizes the effect of road shocks.
The interior of the body under the upholstery is panelled, 60 that when the upholstery is removed it can be used for carrying ordinary baggage, etc., for which purpose; it. will be observed, there is an extremely wide door at the rear, which is intended to facilitate the opera-. tions of loading and unloadiug. It, will also be noticed that there is a special type of step which folds up automatically as the door is opened or closed, and in this way the annoyance caused by children hanging on the back of the vehicle is avoided.
Due consideration has been given to the comfort of the driver, and the seat of the cab is upholstered in leather, and side glass panels are provided to ensure as much protection as possible from the weather. The body has been considerably lightened in .weight by the boxing-out of ash framing wherever possible, although this operation has not been carried out where the utmost strength is required. The complete weight of the body, ineluding the luggage rail and the spare wheel, is only 9 cwt. • Two longitudinal seats running the full length of the body interior are provided, the seats being well upholstered and provided with deep spring cases and springy back squabs which are formed by the side panels. • • • • • • • The vehicle should prove ideal for the purpose for which • it is intended to use it.