Early Buses with Covered Top Decks.
Page 14
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RUSES with covered top decks are not such a novelty as many may imagine. In 1900 the Corporation of Widnes ordered the four buses which are shown in the accompanying illustration. The town of Widnes called for something better than the ordinary open topped bus, for several reasons. The situation is a bleak and exposed one on the River Mersey, which separates the town from Runcorn, and is crossed by the well-known transporter bridge, in which a platform is slung from an elevated bridge and travels from shore to shore. The work carried on in Widnes ii mostly connected with the manufacture of chemicals, and is of an unhealthy character, and people coming
from such work should not be exposed to cold winds.
For these reasons, a thoughtful corporation decided to try the experiment of buses with covered tops. Having no low railway arches in the locality to go through, these buses could operate without any alterations being made to the levels of the roads. These buses were in use for a long period without any accident, so thefears expressed as to the safety of such buses need not be taken seriously. It is true that no further orders were given for such buses, but it must be borne in mind that, at that comparatively early period in bus history, very little was understood with regard to the system of management and maintenance of fleets, although we have never heard of any complaint on either scoxe, so far as this town was concerned.
Our illustration shows some members of the Widnes Corporation taking delivery of the buses at the works of Commercial Cars, Ltd., at Luton. The journey from Luton to Widnes was not without its excitements, as many railway bridges were met with which would not allow the buses to pass under them. In some cases an extra inch or two was found sufficient to allow the top to clear, so, in such cases, villagers were invited to fill the bus, and, by so•doing, depress the springs the necessary amount.
The wooden structure shown in front was used as a gauge, which, when a doubtful bridge was met with, showed whether a passage was possible or nat. In many 'cases, detours of miles in length had to be made to avoid low bridges.