Special Buses Built for Great Orme Service
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:EAT ORME'S HEAD, the 679-ft. hill which overshadows the North :3 resort of Llandudno, is the scene new bus route which was inauguI, last week, by the Llandudno icipal undertaking. It is being ated by two special Foden buses. ir over 20 years the borough has ed summer visitors along the tie marine drive around the Head, stance of about 5i miles, whilst has been a cable tramway up the e for 49 years. At the summit is rudno's Church and cemetery, but are some way from the tram route. arting from the Town Hall, the new route proceeds to St, Tudno's -ch via Arfon Avenue, Tudno t. Tygwyn Road, Llwynon Road, .y-Coed Road and St. Tudno's d. Gradients of 1 in 7 are frequent the steepest is 1 in 4.9. Because of severity of the route, no standing mgers will be allowed.
4d. Up: 2d. Down
se return fare is Is. 6d. with one ; at Llwynon Road for the benefit nidents, the fare being 4d. up and down. The entire route covers two s and the running time is a little tr 20 minutes.
immer services will operate from to September, leaving the Town hourly between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., duplicates as required. A winter ice will run daily to LIwynan Road )ol and on Sundays, Wednesdays Saturdays to St. Tudno's Church. 1st week the two single-deckers were ially handed over by Mr. W. Foden, aging director of Fodens, Ltd., to chairman of Llandudno Urban net Council and members of the it Orme Transport Committee.
le special Foden chassis have Gardner 112 b.h.p. K-type power units and full-fronted 35-seater coachwork by Metalcraft, Ltd., and are fitted with sprag gear of the type successfully employed by the West Monmouthshire Omnibus Board.
The composite body, which is 29 ft, long and 8 ft. wide, is built of Yugoslav beech and 16-gauge aluminium panels, and is of particularly substantial design to withstand the stress of operation over the Orme.
The entrance is by a sliding door located to the rear of the front wheel, with an emergency exit opposite. Behind the 'driver is a bulkhead with an archway opening leaving a space to the left of the driver for luggage accommodation. In addition, there is a capaeious. boot at the rear. In fine weather, a sliding roof can be opened.
At a luncheon which preceded the handing-over ceremony, Mr. 5. E. Foden said that the introduction of the buses would bring great benefits to those who lived at the top of the Orme and he looked forward to the time when the service would have to be supplemented.
The vehicles offered maximum safety, having a five-speed gearbox with a super low gear which alone would hold a bus on the descent. The sprag gear would always hold the vehicle when climbing, although in fact the hand brake was sufficient in itself.