SPECIAL PASSENGER CHASSIS AND VEHICLES.
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Brief Details of the Most Important Types on the British Market.
FEW BUILDERS of passenger vehicles have had more experience in this connection than have the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., of Walthamslow, London, E.17. The most recent example of their products is a fine saloon bus, which can be converted to a char-ibanes by the removal of the detachable tap. This is mounted on the new A.E.C. 2-ton long-wheelbase chassis.
The well-known 503-type chassis with the new 45, h.p. engine Is now used for carrying a large variety of coach and bus bodies, both of the single and double-deck type and seating from 32 to 54 passengers.
The range of chassismade by the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., Scetstoun, Glasgow, for passenger work includes a 20 h.p. -model for coaches seating 11 people, and 24 h.p. types for 14-seater buses or coaches and 20-seater buses respectively.
The, 24 hp. models have been specially designed for use on pneumatic tyres, and are provided with •a DOW and very efficient power unit, four-speed gearboxes and overhead worm drive.
The largest chassis is the Mark 11 model for bus work on solid or pneumatic tyres. This also has a new engine and final drive by worm gearing.
The chief .passenger models comprise the Viking coach, which is built an high-class private-car lines, the 19seater coach on giant pneumatics with a speed of 25 m.p.h. and the 15-seater coach for speeds up to 30 m.p.h. To all those who require buses of the one-mans control type the 20-seater Albion should -prove highly satisfactory.
Two chassis which have proved eminently -suitable for passenger work are the 2-ton:aud 4-ton Bristol chassis made by the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., Tramways Centre, Bristol. These chassis are of .particular interest, as they are the result of many years' experience in the running of passenger vehicles. The large model is suitable for char-i-bancs bodies, seating 28 passengers or for 30-seater omnibuses 131 the single-deck type, whilst the small model which is of the forward-dash type, is particularly suitable for 24seater one-man-controlled buses or coaches of approximately the same capacity. H. G. Burford and Co., Ltd., 24, Haymarket, London, S.W., build chassis which have proved very popular from the point of view of reliability combined with comparatively light weight. The 30-ewt. model has proved particularly useful in this respects and with a saloon. type bus to carry from 16 to 18 passengers weighs only 1 ton 8 cwt.
This chassis has a power unit developing 23 b.h.p. at 1,000 r.p.m. It is unitconstructed with the clutch and gearbox. Three speeds are provided, and the final drive is thraugh a dual axle with a separate load-carrying member and internal gears to the rear wheels. Although passenger bodies have been fitted to many Commer Car chassis, Commercial Cars, Ltd., of Luton, manufacture one particular model known as the 31' for this class-cif work. This has s standard body to accommodate 30 pas sengers, and the company also make a handsome semi-saloon, or Riviera type, to seat 29 passengers.
The 31' chassis hals a patent fourspeed gearbox and a short propeller shift leading to a second shaft enclosed in a tubular torque member, the final drive -being by overhead worm gearing. Dennis Bros., Ltd., of Guildford, Surrey, the pioneers of the worm drive for commercial vehicles, make five chassis with load capacities ranging from 2 tons to 4 tons, and particularly suitable for the carrying of passenger vehicle bodies.
The first two have wheel-bases of 13 ft. and 15 ft. respectively, and make excellent coaches or small buses for 18 to 20 persons. Next comes the 40 h.p. chassis for bodies seating 30 persons. Finally, there is the special long chassis of the salve horse-power, which , will carry 35-seater coach bodies or 48-seater double-deck bus bodies, and suitable for the requirements of the Metropolitan Police. The 20-seater one-man-controlled buses employ the ordinary 40 chassis.
Perhaps the best known of the vehicles made by Henry Garner, Ltd., of Moseley Motor Works, Birmingham, is their Bus-va.n, which has been brought right up to date, and is an almost ideal vehicle for the country carrier. The Garner chassis, however, may also be used very successfully for 20 to 24-seater open coach bodies. It is interesting to note that the Busvan is se constructed that it can with the greatest of ease he used as a oneman-controlled bus.
Guy Motors, Ltd., of Wolverhampton, have achieved particular success with their small one-man-controlled buses.' Actually, they provide chassis suitable for bodies carrying from 12 to 30 passengers. The smallest chassis is the 15 cwt.' designed to work on pneumatic tyres. Next comes the 25-cwt. and 30cwt., 2-ton, 2i-ton and finally the 3-ton models.
Features of these chassis are lubrication throughout by thin oil instead of grease, and an unusual but very successful design of cylinder head and valve gear, and in the larger models a doublereduction bevel-and-spur final drive.
Halley's Industrial Motors, Ltd., of Yokes, Glasgow, manufacture both coaches and buses capable of carrying from 14 to 40 passengers. They have also recently supplied a large number of 20-seater one-man-operMed Mises.
For the smaller vehicles use is made of the 2-ton and 2L-ton worm-driven chassis, with a four-cylinder engine -and four-speed gearbox, whilst for large coaches and buses there are the 35 h.p. and 45-50 h.p. six-cylinder models, also with four-speed gears and worm-driven axles. These are the only six-cylinder large passenger vehicles manufactured in this country. Karrier Motors, Ltd., Karrier Works,
Huddersfield, build chassis for all types of coaches and buses, the farmer ranging from 14-seaters to 33-seaters, sod the latter from 12-seaters to 56-seaters. For this season the most popularotype of coach has proved to be the 14-seater on giant pneum-atieS, whilst the most popular -bus is the 20-seater one-manoperated model, and the company have, -accordingly, concentrated on these. The -coach chassis has a 25 hp. power unit driving through a three-eel gearbox to an overhead worm, or a fourspeed box can be provided if required.
For the bus, u i
se s made of the C.Y. ty-pe, Which closely resembles the srnall model, but is designed to carry a lead of not more than 4 tons.
The Model 0 is. the type of Lacre chassis which is particularly suitable for coaches seating from 20-24 passengers. This is a chain-driven vehicle made by the Lacre Motor Car Co., Ltd., of Letchworth, which has proved itself highly -successful in many branches of work. There is, however, a new 3-4-ton model which can be fitted with passenger bodies of the largest size. This is a particularly interesting type, as the final drive is by worm to. a differential gear suspended from the frame and thence by short =den shafts and spur gearing to the wheels.
So many different types of -chassis are available for passenger use amongst those manufactured by Leyland Motors, Ltd., of Leyland, Lancs., that it is quite impassible in the space at our disposal to refer to them all.
There are three passenger models in the 2-ton group, two in the 3-ton and a similar number in the 4-ton, whilst in the 30-cwt. group there are models suitable for open coaches for from 14 to 18 persons and for single-deck buses of the 20-seater type, including those for oneman control.
In the larger types of open coaches there is the 18-seater char-a-bancs de luxe on the A7 2-ton chassis, and 28seater models on the C5 and G.H.5 chassis.
Amongst the buses there is the famous Crosville type, with entrances at the side and rear; the Edinburgh 32-seater, with single entrance at the back; and the one-man-operated York type.
Although a comparatively, recent production, the L.V.L. chassis made by Light Vehicles, Ltd., of Powlett Street, Wolverhaiiipton, has already won a . good reputation, Irt, should be suitable for small coaches of from 14 to 20 seats and the lighter types of -bus. Of particular, interest at the last Olympia Show were the new 30-cwt. and 2-ton chassis made. by the Maudslay Motor Co., Ltd., of CoVentry, and these; especially when -fitted with giant-pneurnatie :tyres, -Should .prove eminently suitable for paisenger work, particularly where fairly 'heavybodies. are required, such as for kingle-deck buses. 'Itwill suffice. if • We give a brief specification of the 2-tan model, which has a highly efficient overhead-valve engine, anewtype of plate clutch, a four-speed gearbox with a .transmission brake and art overhead worm.
The electric trolley-bus is making steady headway, and a large number of this form of vehicle is being supplied by Railless, Ltd., Whitehall House, 2930, Charing Cross, London, S.W.
present this company are specializing in three types—the S 42, which has a single DK 42 b.h.p. motor and single
deck body to seat up to 40 passengers. Next comes the 0 20, which has two motors of 20 bh.p., mounted side by side, the chassis being suitable for a similar body to that used on the first type. The third model is the D 32, also of the twin-motor type, but in this case each motor develops 32 b.h.p, and the chassis can carry a double-deck; body to suit about 50 passengers.
Three types of passenger chassis are produced by the Star Engineering Co., Ltd., of Wolverhampton. The smallest is the 20.1 h.p. with dry-plate clutch and unit construction of engine and gearbox. Four speeds are provided, and the final drive is by overhead worm. This is built for 25-cwt. loads.
The intermediate size chassis is the 30-40-cwt., but both this and the largest model (which is the 2-3-tonner) embody an engine of the same power as the light type. The final drive in all is by worne.
The two most popular chassis for passenger service made by J. I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., of Thornyeroft House, Smith Square, Westminster, London, S.W.1, are the 30 h.p. B.T. and the 40 h.p. J. types. Of these, the smaller serves for open coaches with 14 to 18 seats and single-deck buses seating up to 2Kpassengers, whilst the well-known J. type takes 32-seater coach bodies or 30-seater single-deck buses.
Lately they have built several buses for the London streets on a specially modified chassis. Thy also make one of the finest examples of coaches in the form of the 18-20-seater Patrician.
The petrOhelectrie type of chassis has achieved a well-deserved popularity both for bus and coach work, and, consequently, those made by Tilling-Stevens Motors, Ltd., of Maidstone, who have more of these chassis to their credit than any other maker in the world, are of particular interest. Their latest models are the T.S.6 and T.S.7 types fitted with forward steering. These chassis can carry bodies seating up to 48 passengers, and they are remarkably smooth in operation owing to the fact that there is no mechanical connection between the engine and drive. It is interesting to note that this corn
pans, are also makers of trollei-bises.
One of the most successful passenger chassis is that manufactured by the Vulcan Motor and Engineering Co. (1906), Ltd., of Crossens, Southport, which is utilized to an increasing extent for 20 and 26-seater single-deck buses. The smaller of these is of • the one-manoperated type, whilst the larger is a combination vehicle with two doors, one of which may be locked if requires, so that it also may be used with one man. There are two standard chassis, one 'having a 20.1 h.p. engine and the other a 22.4 h.p. power unit. In addition to-the vehicles described, there is a light 14-seater bus with facing seats, whilst the heavier chassis is also eminently suitable for 20-seater open coach bodies, of which the company make a standard type.
We neednot here do more than refer to the special W. and G. passenger model, as this is fully described elsewhere in this issue. One of the most popular 'buses used by independent bus ownersis the Atype Straker-Squire. This has already been described by us in detail on several occasions, and we will, therefore, only refer to it en passant. It is manufactured by Straker-Squire, Ltd., Angel Road Works, Edmonton, London, Nt.18.
(Notes on other chassis and vehicles will be found on page 198.) •