MOTOR COACH DOINGS AND DEVELOPMENTS.
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Matters of Topical Interest to Proprietors of Chars-a-bancs.
Harrogate's Hostility.
Organized Opposition to Keep Away Motor Coach Trippers.
IN Harrogate the char-a-bancs driver finds himself in an atmosphere which
• is definitely hostile and where everything possible is done to put difficulties in his path. In the belief that motor coach trippers will ruin the amenities of the Yorkshire Spa, there is organized opposition on the part of the corporation, the police, the hotel keepers, and even the café proprietors. An unmistakable attitude of snobbery permeates every phase of activity sd far as char-a-bancs parties are concerned, and the result is that motor coaches pass through Harrogate to Knaresborough, three miles away,. and if the attractions of this pretty little township are not strong enough.—they usually are—the passengers make their way to Harrogate by various means of transit, and then mix with the crowds of blue-blooded aristocracy and gentlefolk who are there "for the cure."
The publicity manager of the Hav•ro• gate Corporation and the manager of the Royal Baths have frankly admitted that the town wished char-a-bancs proprietors and drivers to look with disfavour upon -Harrogate, and said they did not want this kind of patrortage._„.!` Why they should come here, vie-cannot explain, for we are trying to discourage them," he added. Tryingto justify the attitude of Harrogate, "the business manager" of the town denounces char-i-bancs trippers as a. whole because of the rowdy ones, and argued that, although they recognized thatthere were many well-behaved parties, if they catered for these the rowdy ones Would come also. He speaks of the number of coach trippers becoming "beautifully less" since restrictive 'measures were taken, and adds that it is essential that. Harrogate should retain its restful character, and that it should do nothing to encourage the day tripper.
The suggestion that parking accommodation should be provided for motor coaches was mooted before a committee of the corporation, but the suggestion got no further, and it is stated that the garage proprietors prefer the private car trade to the garaging of chars-k-banes, and neither they,nor the hotel keepers who have yards, look with favour upon the garaging of motor coaches. The police are ever on the alert. The speed. limits inside the town are rigidly watched, and, great care is taken that no vehicle stands in the highway for more than 15 minutes. There is accommodation for only 40 chars-a-banes in the whole -municipality.
Strange though it may seem, in view of the stringent attitude adopted towards motorcoaches coming from other towns, Harrogate has a number of motor coaches of its own, and a stand in the Stray has been set apart for them. The behaviour of the passengers on these coaches is held up as a model, but, of course, these Passengers are just the people who would be frightened away to Continental, spas if motor coaches brought passengers into Harrogate.
Improving the Breed.
On What Lines Will Motor Coach Developments Be?
wAS THE vogue of the _large 32 seater motor coach determined by the sudden growthS in popularity of this form of passenger vehicle? The coming of the coach has been revolutionary rather than evolutionary-4 and the question suggests itself : if the development of this form of road passenger transport had been slower, would the type of vehicle now so dominfirl upon our roads have been the one adopted? Large bodies of passengers presented themselves, and the fleets to carry them had to be called into existence in a very short apace of time. Delivery dates were well ahead when many of the orders for the present-day coaches were given, and, in most cases, organizers of services werc too much troubled about getting vehicles at all to trouble about details of their construction.
It is true the present-day motor coach is a remarkably efficient vehicle, and it carries out its duties in a very economical
manner. It is .doubtful whether the vehicle of to-day could be improved upon, greatly on the •score of economy, but, nevertheless, it might be considered whether certain modifications could not be introduced, which, _although they were somewhat more expensive, would bring witir them further advantages.
During recent months, the development of the pneumatic tyre has been watched with interest, and there is little doubt that those who have studiedthe matter closely are considering its adoption when orders for other vehicles come under consideration. Orders for new vehicles are not being given out in such large numbers, however, and it will be some time before any pew invention or development makes itself evident, in view of the size of present-day fleets ad the small impression new vehicles will make in comparison with the large number of coaches of this season's, and last season's, use only, which are at present upon the road.
Fashions in regard to motor coaches will change but slowly, therefore, but, it behoves those who are considering additions or replaeements to fleets to consider very carefully anything which is novel, and to keep in touch with public feeling in this matter. The priblic has shown its favour for the motor coach as at present constituted. It does not follow, however, that the public would not readily adapt itself to another type of vehicle which Presented advantages over the char-sbancs of to-day.
Smaller vehicles, pneumatic tyres, saloon type of body, and other inno tions are being experimented with and adopted for general use to meet the individual requirements of particular proprietors. These men are the leaders of fashion in motor coaches, and it behoves every owner to watch individual developments as closely as possible, and to adapt them to his own particular needs and requirements. His demands upon the manufacturers and coachbuiklers should be in accordance with plans he has made for best catering for the public, with whom he is in personal touch.
The public should not be considered in one huge body, however. For instance, atm coach proprietor with whom the writer came into con,tact found that by keeping his parties somewhat select, avoiding the rowdier element, and providing a few additional comforts he could charge somewhat higher prices for
seats. The little trouble he took . was well worth while. He. laid his plans to cater for a certain section of the public, positively refused certain classes of customs but in the end made a better business than his rivals who made no discrimination.
Luxurious Coaching.
A Small Pneumatic-tyred Char-a-banes in Great Favour.
HOWEVER MUCH may be said in favour of standardization in general practice, there is a strong argument against the universal adoption of chars-a-banes of only one size in any particular fleet. Vehicles of varying size snake it possible forsany number of passengers to he Catered for exactly, but in the ease of the universal adoption of large size vehicles it is either a case of running one vehicle almost empty or unduly crowding another when the total number of passengers is not divisible-by the number carried in each vehicles Given two or three sizes of vehicles, however, almost any number can be accommodated. Standardizing with 32 seater Churchill vehicles the Premier Transport Co., of Keighley, have in regular use a 22 seater Daimler char-a-bancs and
a 14 seater pneumatic-tyred Garford vehicle. By this means they are able to make up any party almost, and thus run with every vehicle full, a state of affairs which means more comfort to passengers because a fully loaded vehicle travels much better than one travelling light. The 14 seater Garford coach, which is shown in the accompanying illustration, is a very interesting vehicle and attracts universal attention when on the road. A. standard Garford 30 .cart. lorry chassis was taken and a neat body Was fitted by Messrs. William Midgley and Sons, coachbuilders, Tngrow, Keighley. With the body and a full complement of passengers it is estimated that the vehicle is about correctly loaded, and certainly whether empty or full it travels along any kind of road in a delightful manner. Goodyear giant pneumatics, 36 ins. by 6 ins. are fitted, and when moving at any speed the vehicle is almost silent. Certainly there are many private cars on the road .which do not travel so quietly, or give such comfort to passengers. Travelling 'for the first time passengers invariably express amazement at the ea-e and silence of the vehicle, and if it has one disadvantage it is that 12 miles per hour does not give the sense of motion which is given by a heavier running coach. . The strain, when taking a long journey is also much less on the driver than it is on a heavier vehicle.
LI the case of smaller vehicles running expenses per passenger are greater than in the,casesof large vehicles, besause the cost of the driver's wage and other ttanding charges are not neutralized by the increased economy in running expenses. The petrol consumption of this vehicle averages about 10 miles to the gallon on all journeys, but on account of the pneumatic tyres depreciation and repair charges are mush lower.
The charges for replacements and repairs on the vehicle during.it --(running this summer are stated to be practically_ nil, but, neverthelass, in spite of all these advantages the proprietors feel justified in making considerably heavier charges for seats. A charge which approximates to 24s1. per mile per pas-. senger is made, and for the shortest regular journey, an evening trip, 3s. is charged, whereas 2s. 6d, is the regular fee in the larger vehicles. Additional demand for, the vehicle, on account of its extra• comfort, also gives a reason for charging more, and in this respect " Sylvia, for that is the name given to it, bears in respect to the ordinary coach the sa,me relation that first-class carriages bear to third-class on the railways. In most cases " Sylvia ' is engaged by private parties, and all the seats are usually engaged at one booking. A party of 14 friends is much snore easily arranged thau a bigger one of double that number, and it has been found that a better class of passenger than that which ordinarily uses the motor coach is prepared to engage the vehicle. In fact, the proprietors do their utmost to reserve the vehicle for the best class of customer.
In using " Sylvia " when parties of numbers which could not be easily divided into the standard ssize vehicles presented themselves at a stand some little difficulty occurredi at one time. Passengers hung back, and were unwilling to take seats in the largs vehieleS when they thought the pneumatsr-tyred vehicle would be brought -out to relieve the situation, and all kinds of subterfuges had to be adopted to make the solid-tyred vehicles more acceptable.
Members of the Premier Transport Co. hold out great hopeS for the smaller vehicle. Though they would not agree that such small vehicles as those with 14 seats would be universally adopted, they believe that there is a great future for vehicles similar to the 22 seater Daimler, especially when fitted with pneumatic tyres. They are particularly handy to manoeuvre, and are quieter and more comfortable, Although the expense of running such vehicles is somewhat heavier than" with bigger coaches, the opinion wa,s expressed that the public would be prepared to pay more for heifer facilities.
With regard to the cost of fitting pneumatics, it was stated that although the initial expense was greater, the Goadyears on the vehicle referred to were only just showing signs of wear, and, judging from their appearance, it was considered that when depreciation expenses and repair charges were taken into consideraa lion on solid tyred and pneumatic tyred vehicles, there would probably be little to choose between the two types in regard to cost. The extra comfort, provi.lesi to the passengers justified increased fares, and, consequently, the return is greater.