FEATURES FAVOURED IN PASSENGER VEHICLES.
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Small v. Large Coaches. Attention to Comfort. Protection from the Weather. Luggage Accommodation. Developing the Small Bus.
THE DESIGNof passenger vehicles, both of the coach and bus types, has now more or less settled down there being few startling innovations. "Where alterations have been made in vehicles built for the coming season, they are mostly confined to points which will increase the comfort of the passengers and render the vehicles more attractive in their appearance.
Dealing first with coaches, the ten.7 dency is more and more to the smaller type of vehicle, to which the use of the roads is not so restricted as in the case of the large machines, and as coaches become smaller, they are more -closely resembling touring cars, from the points of view of both comfort and appearance. The majority now run on pneumaticor cushion tyres, the sides are lower, domed mudguards are often fitted, -and their appearance is enhanced by nicely rounded panels. In the latest types, the comfort of the passenger has been studied to a remarkable degree. In the older vehicles it wee chiefly a matter of how many persons could be equeezed in, but now a different view is being taken of the matter. To begin with, entrance and exit are facilitated by the use of wide steps, in some cases folding portions being provided for the lower.
The majority of coaches still employ the arrangement of one door to each row of seats, and where a door is immediately above the rear-wheel arch, special steps are fitted to enable this to be reached without difficulty. Many of the later machines are, however, provided with gangways, and then they usually have two doors only. Sometimes the gangways run the whole length of the vehicle, in other cases each door permits entrance to approximately half the number of seats.
Greater attention is being paid to the upholstery. Sonic of the seats are made of double depth and the squabs are well sprung. The material is often of fine qaality leather. Certain makers are fitting armchair seats. These at first were made single, but the double armchair is now more popular. More attention is also being paid to knee room and leg room, and those who ride for the first time in the latest coaches, after having used the older types, will at
once recognize the difference in this respect.
Attention is also being turned to the provision of small refinements, which, although perhaps unimportant singly, in the aggregate tend to popularize the vehicles. Coat rails, ash trays, stick stands, small shelves for carrying light articles, and such like items are all appreciated.
One of the difficulties encountered is that of preventing coaches from becoming shabby. For instance, polished or coach-painted seat backs soon become • dirty and scratched, and it has been found advisable to cover these with pile carpet. The provision of footrests is also a point which deserves attention.
The comfort of the passengers often depends to a great extent upon the weather. A few vehicles have been provided with screens to each seat, but this practice has not gained ally great popularity, possibly on the score of the expense and weight involved. Ilowever, the passengers in the front seats are often partially protected by side wings carried on the windscreens. In spite of the considerable number of special hoods which have been 'evolved, few developments have occurred, but the latest designs are dealt with elsewhere in this issue.
All-weather vehicles have attained a certain amount of popularity for winter use, but their use has not extended so much as was antipicated in many quarters. Coaches utilized for winter work are more often of the permanent-canopy type, and some very fine examples of these have been produced, particularly _ by such coachbuilders as Strrachan and Brown; the Chelsea Motor Building Co., Ltd. ; Christopher Dodson, Ltd.; and the Wilton Carriage Co.
Included amongst the most interesting of the all-weather vehicles, by which we mean those which can be opened or closed at will, are the Strachan and Brown, which has what might be called a roller blind_ roof; the Dodson Charsbus, in which vehicle also a portion of the roof at each side can be rolled up and carried in a central housing; the Buck" ingharn, Which is previded with a removable roof ; the Chelsea, in which tho roof is carried on a series of duralumin supports; , and the special quadruple. purpose coach made by London Lorries, Ltd., this is a luxurious type of vehicle, which can be used open, with the hood alone, with side windows raised and hood folded, or as a completely enclosed -coach for winter use.
An interesting type of Small coach is that built by Alldays Motors on a Lancia chassis. This has ,a 14-16-seater with an all-weather saloon top, so arranged as to be interchangeable with the ordinary type of Cape-cart hood, so that the vehicle is rendered suitable for sum
mer or winter use. In addition, the hood can be used in conjunction with side curtains.
We also illustrate a handsome Commer Car coach provided with an enclosed rear portion and open front with hood ; a body closely resembling this LS■ the fine semi-enclosed-type built by Short Bros. (Rochester and Bedford), Ltd.
Most of these vehicles are provided with drop windows, so that when these are down and the vehicles are arranged for fine-weather use they axe nearly and, in some cases, quite as open as the ordinary touring coach.
A less pretentious, but apparently very satisfactory, method of rendering coaches more comfortable in winter and cold weather is that of providing side curtains of detachable framed lights similar to those shown on a Vulcan coach in one of our illustrations. In
some cases these are so arranged that they can be opened with the doors, and this is also the case with those on the detachable winter top made by Strachan and Brown.
It is noticeable that the mud wings are usually of improved design. They not only prevent the vehicle itself from being splashed, but they do a certain amount in obviating the throwing of mud to the sides of the road.
Very little is being done in the de. velopment of dual-purpose bodies designed to carry goods in winter and passengers in summer. It is very difficult to make these look other than what they are; and passengers very often object to riding its a coach which is palpably used for carrying goods. The more usual practice now is completely to change tile bodies, storing one whilst the other is being utilized. In most vehicles provision is made under the seats for the carrying of light luggage. In addition to this, some machines have lockers along the running boards and a large boot at the rear. Of course, there are a few special vehicles, such as the Tilling-Steitens, used by Pickfords, in which a portion of the seating capacity is sacrificed in order to provide room for a luggage container at
the tear. Some of the permanent canopies are provided witha rorif rail, but it is not advisable to use this part of the vehicle for heavy articles. In the case of vehiclea.rtinning on pneumatic tyria; -there is also the difficulty of carrying a spare wheel or wheels. Usitally, only one extra wheel i.e provkled, but -even -then space has usually: to he allowed for one-or more spare tyre:eta addition tothat on the wheel. On the small Albion coaches the spare wheel is usually carried on a spindle or bracket on the off side of the body, not far in front of the rear -wheel.In other coaches a bracket is provided at the back, and the wheel is inclined so that it. does not spoil the curved appearance
of this portion of the body. Where apace permits, a neat method of dis• 016
posal -is to slide the wheel into a .container fitted under the frame. For this purpose a door is usually provided between the two running boards. Some' times, also, the wheel is carried flat in a container, access to which is gained by removing a panel at the back of the body. When carried in the boot, it unfortunately reduces the luggage accommodation.
There appears to be no reason why more 'attention should not be paid to the matter of warming the vehicle by means of exhaust heaters, particularly so in the ease of those which are permanently enclosed. Such heaters would not be difficult to fit, and would • certainly be appreciated.
In considering the development of the bus, we find that this is proteeding in two distinct directions. One is the
vehicle of large seating capacity for use in the main -centres of populatioii,. and the other is the much smaller machine which is becoming popular for country services.
With the smaller bus the matter of the number of persons employed in connection with its operation becomes of increasing importance, and to reduce expenses in this direction many of them are of what is known as the one-man
operated type, in which the driver acts both in this capacity and as a conductor, in that he collects fares from thepassengers. To assist him in superintending the vehicle, he is usually provided with some means for controlling the single door for exit and entrance; incidentally, these buses with single entrance usually have to be provided with an emergency door at the rear. As a rule, these small busea seat about 20 persons, and their lowupkeep casts, and the fact that they can be filled, Or nearly filled, far more easily than the big vehicles, is tending to extend their use.
It is noticeable, both in small and large buses, that increasing attention is being turned to the question of separating the driver from the passen gers either by a complete partition or bysome other form of screen, which is usually glazed.
In buses, also, we find developments in connection with the promotion of the passengers' comfort: Many are quite .luxuriously upholstered, and in some
i cases, as n the vehicles employed in Edinburgh and in the Bristol buses, the back supports take the form of springs, which gave a: movement uf several inches. In vehicles used on public service work, attention has to be paid to the ease and rapidity With which they can be loaded and unloaded, and there is a noticeable improvement with regard to the provision of wider or folding doors.