WHAT COACH PROPRIETORS ARE DOING.
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Coach proprietors have why, captost without exception, reached the stage of definitely planning for the forthcoming season, and an inclicatirrn of the preparations which are being made appear; week by week in our pages. We welcomethe fullest information which coach proprietors are able to give us for inclusion under
this heading. •
Coaching. and Catering as a Dual Business.
A North Country Concern that Intends to Specialize in Long-distance Tours.
THE RYMER motor coaches this year will traverse the length and breadth of the land. C. F. Rymer, Ltd., of Liverpool and Wallasey, operate a fleet of about 18 coaches—nine 28seaters (seven of them being on TillingStevens daassis), seven 24-seaters and two 14-seaters (on Vulcan chassis). Thus the total seating .capacity is abbut 450.
It might not be remembered that amongst the motor coach owners' plans and programmes we published in the early part of last year it was intimated that C. F. Rymer, Ltd., had acquired hotels and estates at Llangollen, Grasmere and Bettws-y-coed. The firstaamed venue was a popular destination for the day tourist, who, on his arrival at this charming resort, was regaled at "The Woodlands " with a lunch that could not be served with a greater daintiness anywhere. Many thousands of coach passengers are familiar with this " motorists' rest."
Of no less appeal is Messrs. Rymer's Grasmere establishment—also "The Woodlands." There could be no pleasanter way of spending a week-end than to travel in one of the company's small coaches to the Lake District, there to be accommodated amid the comforts of a private mansion with the facilities of a modern hotel, making the return journey on the Monday. The thought. of work on the followine days becomes a
nightmare !As for the Bettws-y-coed estate, this is mainly used by private motorists. Messrs. Rymer's " The Woodlands" therefore appeals to three big classes of road users.
This season it is intended to inaugurate a series of long-distance tours to Devon, the Wye Valley, Cornwall, the Lake District and Scotland. These will commence in May and will continue up to September. The Lake District tour, which will be of ten days' duration, will be distinctive in this respect, that Grasmere will be the centre and there will be tours from "The Woodlands." Conceivably, a daily tour would become.irksome, and for this reason only four daily coaching excursions have been enumerated, and for this holiday an inclusive charge of twelve guineas will
be made.
A feature is also to be made of weekend trips to the Lake District, staying at Grasmere, leaving Liverpool on Saturday and returning on Monday. It is felt that the week-end tours lend themselves to considerable development, and a particularly interesting week-end programme for an outing in North Wales has been engaging attention. The mileage is about 250, and the fare, inclusive of meals and hotel accommodation, is mentioned at 24. The itinerary which has been drawn up is as follows:— Saturday, Liverpool (or Birkenhead and Wallasey), . Chester, Wrexham, Ruabon, Llangollen, Ruthin, Ithyl; Sunday, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno, Carnarvon, Lienberis, Bettwe-y-coed ; Monday, Llangollen, Wrexham, Mold, Queensferry, West Kirby, Iloylake, Birkenhead. It is also intended to run a daily service to Llangollen, the fare for which will be 10s., meals being extra. As showing the popularity of this coaching centre last, year, it, may be mentioned that in one month alone no fewer than 12,000 meals were provided at "The Woodlands." Other popular runs will be to the Loggerheads, Mold, Ruthin and Bettws-y-coed. -Fares generally will be on the basis of lid per mile.
A feature of the Llangollen establishment is the small holiday camp, where small parties so desiring can utilize a number of bell-tents provided with spring beds, etc. The camp is situated on the banks of the River Dee. Meals are served in "The Woodlands." Thus it. will be seen that coach owners are not lacking in enterprise to provide facilities for the enjoyment of-an ideal holiday. As for the longer-distance tours, the type of coach used will depend very largely on the bookings. For large parties, the biggest type of coach will be used in order that plenty of storage room for luggage will be afforded. The question of luggage storage, however, is a matter that is still under consideration. The smaller coaches are much favoured for distance or tourist work, and Messrs. Rymer intend to continne their campaign for booming the " quality " tours. Messrs. Rymer are hoping to run their battlefield tours again this summer, Bruges being the centre for the operation of the coaches. Arrangements are also being made for American tourists to see England, a service which is advertised in America. A fleet of small touring cars is at the disposal of hustling
Americans in aAhurry to see the "old country."
As showing that the _public is not neglectful of the approach of the coaching season, it is interesting to note that already the Grasmere estliblishment of Messrs. Rymer's is almost booked up, whilst half the accommodation at Llangollen has been spoken for.
Llandudno's Royal Blues and Royal Reds, THE KEY to motor coach tours in North Wales is Llandudno, where there are at least two really first-class fleets of 28-seater coaches—the Royal Islues and the Royal Reds—whose friendly rivalry in the discovery of new routes and tours is at all times manifest; Who, having once visited this popular seaside town, can have overlooked announcements of the motor coach tours through the "Switzerland of England," "The Famous Mountain Loop," "The Swiss Alpine Tour," "The Highland Tour," "The Killarney of North Wales," and other picturesque destinations? The titles of some of the tours -certainly are suggestive of good advertising and undoubtedly have pulling power.
Fares last year were about twopence a mile. There were morning tours, afternoon tours, evening tours, half-day and whole-day tours—in fact, tours from early morning until late at night. The motor coaching industry is now dormant; at Easter it will emerge from its hibernation.
An Owner's Plans in an ' Industrial Area.
A Fleet of Thornycrofts to Do Service for a Walisend Proprietor..
FEwFIRMS on the north-east coast have displayed more enterprise or devoted more time and study to the task of providing comfortable pleasure travelling for the muses, or in developing the motor coach business in this thicklypopulated industrial neighbourhood, than the Wallsend Motor Co., Ltd., who operate one of the largest fleets for pleasure purposes in the district. During the 1921 season they had on the road eight vehicles, consisting of five J type Thornycnsfte, one X type Thornycroft, ono 14 seater Fiat, and one 13.T. type Thornycroft, providing seating capacities for from 14 to 35 passengers. For the forthoorniug season the same fleet will be operated, and it is the in
742 tension of the management to augment it as circumstancee warrant.
Discussing their 1922 prospects with a representative of The Commercial Motor, the managing director of this progressive concern, Mr. J; Denney, in
that it was their intention to run excursions on much the same lines as -during last season. Amongst the features which Would be given especial prominence would be long day tours over carefully selected routes, each posseasing points of outstanding interest in a variety of ways, long-distance weekend tours, and five to ten-day extended tours during the-holiday season. Claming to the all-important question of charges, Mr. Denney very concisely summed up the whole state of affairs, so fax as this district is concerned, into a very few sentences. "The question of rates," he told us, "is as vital to the coach owner as is the matter of wages to our clients, as thousands of our local workers have suffered reductions, some very drastic indeed. We lack organization for the controlling of passenger rates amongst the local coach owners in the North.
"For the present season, I consider the rates in our district will be a very 'ticklish question, and instead of speculating on the uncertainties of the future, it seems to me that, whilst there is a
prospect of a good season in front of us, hard-and:fast rates, much as they are to be desired, are not 60 easy of attainment under all conditions from the beginning to the end of the-season. The prospects for the coming season," he continued, "entirely depend on trade revival in our
d ustria 1 concerns . "
Turning to the kind of trade, Mr. Denney assured us that they were developing a better class of passenger, end, in consequence, it was their intention to provide coaches of smaller seating capacity. These would be fitted with pneumatic tyressand would be provided with suitable accommodation for carrying luggage on the longer tours.
Two leading factors stand out in favour of the smaller vehicle, in the opinion of this firm. First, of course, MOM oomfortable travelling facilities are assured, and, secondly, this type of vehicle possesses undoubted advantages in view of the nature of many of the roads traversed. The 611101 coach is certainly a step in the right direction, for rnahy popular northern beauty spots are only accessible to this kind of coach owing to the narrow roads. Moreover, the suggestion of closing certain roads in the county of Northumberland to the large coach adds to the popularity and utility of the 14-20-seater.
The construction of the body on the ' company's 20-seater Thornycroft coach is interesting. Last year much difficulty was experienced with the door of the larger vehicle, which, owing to incessant vibration brought about, by the bad state of the roads, would frequently fly
open. The smaller body was accordingly designed to obviate this trouble. In this design only two doors are provided, one at each side at the front. Bath doors lead into the driver's seat, and access to the rear is gained by a small door, opening from the cent-re, and leading to a corridor passing down the middle of the coach. The seats are divided on each side into pairs. The back compartment contains, besides comfortable seating arrangements' a small table for card playing 'etc., and this is sheltered by a specially fitted windscreen immediately in front of this portion of the coach. A hood is also provided, and when this is raised and the side curtains put into position, the whole constitutes a really comfortable and cosy chamber, which etefies any kind_of weather, however unpleasant. This vehicle-is in big demand. At present it is fitted with solid tyres, but these are to he replaced, prior to the opening of the season, with cushion tyres. Some of the places finding most favour in the 1921 programme were Wooler, Alnwick, Carlisle, Rothbury, Warkworth and Alnmouth, Carlisle, Jedburgh, Morpeth and Durham, for single day 'trips, and these places will -figure in this year's list of runs'. One of the most popular tours last season was the three to five-day tour of the Lakes, and the company intend again to Organize this tour during the forthcoming season.
This tour is workedto time-table, and the firm are proud of the fact that last year their drivers' sheets did not show 10 minutes variation on this route for the season, no involuntary stop being made. All catering and accommodation are arranged for by the company.
Bodybuilding in Newcastle.
Turning from the user to the supply market, we find that, with the approach of the coaching season, business is picking up. We are indebted to the North of England Motor Trading Co. for some interesting particulars of the Northern market. This company cover the whole of the Northern Counties, and have extensive and excellently equipped bodybuilding and repair shops, etc., in St. Thomas's Street, Newcastle. They have turned out, during the past few months, some exceedingly handsome vehicles, and they find ar. unquestionably in. creased demand tine season for the smaller vehicle with seating capacity for from 14 to 20 passengers. Not only is the entry of the smaller man in the business the cause of this, but also the growing tendency of the larger concerns to develop a better class of trade by means of the faster and more comfortable and homely coach is a big factor. At the same time, there is still a good demand in the North for the larger vehicle. The tendency in bodywork design is towards the simple and neat outline. Small, neat vehicles in attractive and pleasing colours are the vogue.