BRIGHTON'S TROLLEYBUSES AT WHITSUN
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AS reported in our issue dated April 7, Brighton Corporation introduced its new buses on April 1, and, by Whitsun, the new service of trolleybuses will be officially inaugured. The new fleet, deliveries in connection
with which are now being made, will be comprised of 21 A.E.C. Regent double-deck buses and 44 two-axle-type dbuble-deck trolleybuses.
The Regent chassis, which' are, basically, of standard design, have direct-injection oil engines of 6.8-litre capacity, the standard power unit being of 7.7-litre capacity. These chassis have hydraulic transmission systems.
A number of amendments and additions, dictated by Mr. Winston Robinson, A.M.I.A.E, A.M.Inst.T., general 'manager of the Brighton transport undertaking, has been introduced into the trolleybus chassis, among which may be mentioned the incorporation of no fewer than six braking systems.
The electrical equipment employed in these chassis is of Crompton West manufacture. Regarding the braking systems, the rheostatic brake, obtained initially on the air brake pedal, is a standard feature on A.E.C. trolleybus chassis. The regenerative brake will prove particularly useful and economical on the Brighton system, where a large number of gradients is encountered.
Then there is a run-back brake which operates electrically, but which is entirely independent of the main power supply. Its function is automatically to limit the speed of the vehicle to approximately 5 m.p.h. should it commence, for any reason, to run away on a steep gradient.
A hand lever controls the coasting brake and this can be used on• a long gradient to limit the, speed of the machine to approximately 25 m.p.h. The air brake equipment includes the A.E.C. patented combined reservoir and control unit, which considerably simplifies the piping arrangements.
The hand brake lever operates the eight foot-brake shoes in the rear drums quite independently of the air system.