Another Home on Wheels
Page 53
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AN interesting vehicle, which is de.scribed by the builders of the body as a touring hotel, is shown in an accompanying illustration. It comprises a Bedford chassis carrying a surprisingly well-equipped body built by Messrs. Crerar's Motor Depot, High Street, Crieff.
In the design of the body the best possible use has been made of the available space. There are three bedrooms on the upper deck, all being joined by a corridor on one side. During the day the front section is intended to serve as an observation compartment, the bed which it houses folding up to form a settee. There are three builtin wardrobes along the corridor, one opposite each bed.
The roof of the corridor is 6 ins. higher than the remainder, so that people of average height can walk along it without the need for stooping. This raised portion folds down, so that the height is kept within 12 ft from the ground.
At the rear end of the corridor is a lavatory and wash-basin with hot and cold running water. The staircase is in front of the lavatory and above it is a storage space for suitcases, etc.
On the lower deck is what might be termed the living room, which serves as a dining room, sitting room, etc. In it there is a table which has sliding extensions to make it suitable for the size of the party. There are wide cushioned seats along one side and across the front of the compartment. Below the latter is a linen locker and under the other seat is a full-sized bath with hot and cold water.
Towards the off side at the rear is the kitchen, and between it and the dining room there is a refrigerator for
the storage of foodstuffs. The kitchen houses an oven, a sink with hot and cold water, and a number of shelves and lockers for accommodating utensils.
On the right-hand side of the main entrance there is another lavatory and wash-basin, which is also supplied with hot and cold water. No chemicals are used in the lavatories, which are flushed with fresh water.
All the tanks are under the floor. There is a compressed-air tank, a freshwater tank, a paraffin tank and a sewage tank. Compressed air from the storage tank is led to the water tank by means of pipes with the necessary control valves, which keep the water always under pressure, so that it passes out of the taps in the same way as in an ordinary house.
The vehicle is intended to accommodate six persons, although eight could be carried if necessary, and all of them are provided with comfortable beds. In addition, the driver and cook have their sleeping quarters in the driver's cab, the two beds being designed like ships' bunks, one above the other. They are also supplied with a small writing table and lockers.
The layout of the body is planned on good lines, and apart from the details to which we have briefly referred, there is a number of interesting refinements.