A "Walk-round" Store on Wheels
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PROVIDING shelf space for a full display of canned and packed goods and insulated locker space for perishable foodstuffs, a new travelling shop body, designed and built by Silent Transport, Ltd., Woking, marks a progressive step forward in the conveyance of goods to customers in outlying areas. The new body, mounted on what is basically a Douglas 2-ton battery-electric chassis, has many refinements not usually found in mobile shops.
The customers enters at the front and walks along a central gangway, on each side of which goods are displayed on racks. A raised Perspex roof over the central gangway gives headroom of 6 ft. 3 ins., and dispenses with the need for interior lighting.
Counter at Exit
At the rear end of the van, the assistant stands in a well behind the wheel-arch, where he has a counter, complete with scales, cash till, and a drawer for books or papers. Insulated lockers formed in and above the counter may be used to accommodate such perishable items as butter. bacon and cheese.
After being served, the customer passes through a central doorway at the rear of the van. Ample headroom is provided at both the entrance and exit.
The shelves on each side of the gangway are adjustable for height, to accomodate any size of bottle or package. Locker space in the dropped floor under the central gangway is provided so that 'a large quantity of goods may be carried and. the stock on the shelves replenished en route. To keep the floor clean, the step at the entrance to the van is slatted and fitted with a link-pattern mat.
Louvre windows, fitted to the raised roof, afford adequate ventilation to the interior. The roof panels are coated with cork paint to absorb moisture.
To display the goods and to add to the interior lighting, deep side windows are installed along the length of the body, heavy plate glass being used.
Both the front and rear doors are equipped with catches to retain them in the open position and their inner sides are fitted with blackboards on which attention may be drawn to any particular goods on sale.
External Locker Space
The counter has a sliding partition up to waist height and the assistant has ample room in which to move and work. An outside locker is provided to accommodate items that should be• kept apart from food. When the van returns io the depot at the end of the day, the insulated food boxes can easily be removed and placed in a refrigerator for the night.
To provide ample space, the original body has been cut and a section let in at the centre. The chassis has also been lengthened by 6 ins.
In repositioning the electrical components, Silent Transport, Ltd., has shown that the maintenance question has been studied. The control panel, incorporating the forward and reverse switches, has been moved to the front of the chassis and normal service can be carried out through a detachable panel.
Speeding Up Servicing
To reduce the time required to remove the driving motors or axle, the motor wiring is connected to a terminal junction at the rear. Both batteries may be reached from the interior of the van or retracted through the side panels.
The driver's cab is .entered through a full-depth door on the off side, the inner side of the compartment being screened from the remainder of the body by a waist-high panel. The panel forms a convenient arm-rest for the driver. The main electrical resistance is accommodated beneath the seat, a feature which should be enjoyed by the driver in cold weather.
Intended for operation in outlying areas, the van has a high mileage range, and, as the original rear axle is retained, has a useful maximum speed. At present this model is being operated by a retail co-operative society in the south, where it is in service supplying groceries to clusters of houses on closely spaced estates.
In preparation for moving between its sites, the van can be quickly closed up and locked against theft. With the characteristics of a battery-electric, it completes the daily round in considerably less time than a similar petroldriven van.