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A " Bowton " Char-a-bancs Owner.

20th February 1913
Page 26
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Page 26, 20th February 1913 — A " Bowton " Char-a-bancs Owner.
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The Experiences of a Local Carrier With Public Passenger Transport.

On the opening day of the Show at the City Hall, we had completed a round of the exhibits for the third time. On the stand of TEE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, typewriter keys were tapping as fast is expert operators oould move them, as they transcribed the dictated " oopy " for the "first completely-illustrated and described" Show Report. The Editorial staff was limp and weary, and was experiencing severe pangs from hunger and lack of sleep. Intermittently, the brilliant flash of a photographer's apparatus startled the more nervous of the visitors, as the last-remaining work on the stands was bustled through in the foggy atmosphere.

We decided to take a gentle turn round the Show, more for our own interest, and with a view to a quiet chat with our friends, than with any idea of securing further information. It was while so engaged that we halted before a fine char-h.-banes on the stand of Milnes-Dainder Mercedes, Ltd. We now had time for more detailed inspection of an extremely-smart model, and were engaged in a critical examination, when we were accosted by a keen-faced gentleman with a most decided northern accent.

" A fine machine, sir," he said, with just a tinge of pride in his voice.

" Remarkably fine," we agreed.

"Aye, lad, she's a beauty: " He patted the bonnet fondly. "There's over one thousand quid of mine here, and she's worth it, I tell yo' ! Does tha' knoaw aught abaht it?"

We signified a modest assent. "Well, hey a look at it," he said. "Hop inside, lad, and try it fbr thee'sel, and see if tha likes her."

Together we climbed into the front seat, and we gave some little attention to the easy control and very comfortable provision which had been made for the driver. Our companion introduced himself as Mr. J. H. Bromilow, a well-known jobmaster carrying on business in Bolton. The machine in question had a seating capacity of 35, and was of the latest 35 h.p. Milnes-Daimler type. " Have a look at eimprovements I've lied done. How dost like t'seats, mon ? Aren't they nice and tilted ? I doan't believe in crowding my passengers,

I doan't Alek. 'em comfortable and they'll come again. Dost see this rail at back o' t'seat? " He indicated a brass rod running the whole length of the back of each seat. This was intended for the carrying of passengers' coats, scarves, umbrellas, and so forth. It was certainly an excellent idea. Pockets were fitted to the inside of the doors on each seat, and ash-trays were provided for the convenience of smokers. The leg room was ample, and the tip-up seats conducive to comfort even during a long day on the road.

"We think that you were already employed in the carrying or haulage business before purchasing a motor vehicle, Mr. Bromilow? " we queried. "Aye, lad ! I have been in it for years. I hed a lot o' horses, but tha's got to geet up early in t'morning these days if tha's not goain' to be left behind.

When I saw that motors were coming in. I resolved that I was going to have them myself. A chap like

me, tha' knoaws, even if he has a comfortable busi ness. cannot always put his hand on brass ta' tune of 23000 or 24000. It took a bit of nerve tha' knoaws to invest the money needed for the purchase of a 28-horse 33-seater by the same makers as this 'tin we're sitting in I got rid of Chorses, which I reckon eost me ten bob a week each for food alone, not to mention the vet., insurance and animals dying. I hed to look around then to see where I could put t'garage. I managed to get a piece o' land they were doing some alterations on, and one way or another the bank had £200 less of ray money before I

possessed a concrete-floored, electric-lighted plane big enough t'hold three machines as big as this 'ma.

There's an inspection pit, and all t'things necessary to gladden the heart of any driver in England. Well, the first year's working were pretty graidly. I made a bit o' money, but not as much as I might a' done. Likely, I hed a lot of my experience to pay fur. Anyhow, t'prospects were good enough to justify the purchase o a bigger machine for the same job, and now I've had it a matter of a few months."

"Of course, you are a reader of THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR, Mr. Bromilowl " we asked.

"I've got to be, lad, if I want to know what's doing in this line 1 It's t'only paper as ever tells me aowt worth knoawing. We all tek it in Bowton." "And so, of course, you have noticed the remarks we have made recently on the employment of chars-ahence for winter work ? "

"Now, I'll tell thee summat," said our friend. "Any mon wi' t'sense of a goat can use the chars-k

banes if he has reet bodies made. I can change this one

in a couple o' hours, and put on a lorry body capable o' teking a four-ton load. Well, tha knoaws we've had a lot o' foot-and-mouth disease here during t'winter? Oh, tha knows that, does tha? Well, does tha know there's a big lairage at Birkenhead where they kill a lot of cattle as cums fra South America ? Well, my machines have been meking a trip three times a week to Birkenhead and back fra Bowton during ewinter. That's a distance of summat like 70 miles in all, which they do easily in a day. Thall understand fra this, especially when I tell you I've never hed a machine held up, that the more cattle disease there is up here the more pleased I am. . " Dost tha want to hear my view on little things I have found out in connection with the running of these vehicles? "

We replied that we would be very pleased. "Well, efust thing is, that if tha'r goaing to mek anything of running these vehicles, tha mun hey big tires on. Makers fit 100 mm. by 810 mm. tires in

front and 1.20 mm. by 810 mm. twins on the rear wheels. Well, I cha.nged that, and put on 140 mm. by 810 mm. singles in front, and 140 mm. by 1010 min. twins on t'rear. Now come and hey a look at 'em. They've done over 3000 miles already."

We clambered dawn from the somewhat-high seat, and inspected the tires. Considering the mileage, they were in almost perfect condition, being so little cut that it was a difficult matter to detect any injury of this sort at all. Certainly, a flatness of contour was noticeable on the tread, but the tires were apparently good for another 12,000 to 16,000 miles. " Now then, lad. here's another little thing tha should have a look at."

The next improvement to be noticed was on the rear wheels, the spokes of which had been covered by discs painted the body colour. This work of fitting the discs had been properly performed, however, and was a. strong and substantial job. Thus there was no tendency to noisiness and looseness. " When a machine like this is running on dusty

country roads, t' spokes on t' back wheels churn it up and. make it a. nuisance to other users of the road. I find this a champion improvement.

" Now, I reckon that a machine of this type costs is. 3d. a mile to run, and that's counting everything, and that's what I base all my estimates on."

We assured him the estimate was an ample one.

" In summer." Mr. Bromilow announced, "I am going to do some touring with this machine. What I reckon on doing is making up a party to do a week's trip to London. I reckon to be two days going, to spend two days in London, and to be two days returning. That will give t' passengers plenty o' time to admire the scenery, to spend an hour or two stretching their legs, and having a bit of summat to peck at, without tiring them or making too long a, day's journey. If tha satisfies customers they'll come again, and if tha doesn't they weant."

Which. remark we thought was a good specimen of sound Lancashire philosophy and symbolic of Mr. Bromilow's very-evident business perceptiveness.

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Locations: London

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