OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.
Page 28
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The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be on one side of the paper only and typewritten by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for views
expressed is accepted.
The Bristol-London-Bristol Bus Service.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2452] Sir,—In reply to your correspondent, E. M. Grover, whose letter appeared in the issue of The Commercial Motor for February 9th, re the Bristol to London bus service, this will complete its first 12 months of running this week, and, although we were not yet ready to make our public announcement regarding this route, yet We feel your correspondent's letter calls for a reply.
We shall in the near future be augmenting this service with two other vehicles, and the type to be used will be A.E.C. " Renown " chassis.
The time-table of the present service will be unaltered, and the second buses will leave Bristol and London respectively about midday. We shall be making a full announcement giving all details at a later date.—Yours faithfully, p.p.. THE GREYHOUND MOTORS, LTD., Bristol. SYDNEY T._ TOOGOOD, Manager.
Comfort in the Coach.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[24531 Sir,—We are very much interested in the article in the Special Passenger-vehicle Number of Tice Commercial Motor dealing with the luxury coach, and we take the liberty of pointing out that one detail which is very intimately connected with luxury is not mentioned; we refer to the pneumatic seat. This has been tried by various people in competition with spring and ordinary upholstery, and it has been found—we think without any doubt—to give far greater comfort than any other means of padding which is possible in the restricted space available in commercial passenger vehicles.
We are, as you know, makers of the Float-on-Air (patent) pneumatic upholstery, and we have lately been,much gratified by the results of a scientific test that has been carried out.
Unfortunately, the matter and diagrams are not quite ready yet, but they show undoubtedly that our pneumatic cushion absorbs and reduces vibration to a far greater extent than any cushion depending on metal springs. We believe that further protection from vibration by pneumatic tyres cannot be expected, and there is the additional consideration that tyres have no effect in absorbing the vibration caused by engine and transmission.
We are quite confident that the adoption of pneumatic seats will result in a definite increase of comfort to any form of passenger vehicle.-Yours faithfully, DAVID MOSELEY AND SONS, LTD.
Manchester.
Independent Omnibus Owners, The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2454] Sir,—Fnrther to the recent Press notices in connection with the alleged financial difficulties of the independent omnibus owner, we are now informed that In the near future the combine will be placing some 76 new-type single-deck omnibuses on service in the Metropolitan area.
Although we are repeatedly told that competition In transport is detrimental to the interests of the public, the first pneumatic-tyred omnibus to cater for the public in London was provided by independent proprietors, and within the past few days a number of additional vehicles of this type have commenced to operate on ront.es which were previously nonTexistent.
Much unwarranted criticism has also been directed at the independent proprietors, who are supposedly unable to maintain their vehicles in a fit condition— an entirely unjustifiable assumption, because a number of new vehicles have been put into commission when circumstances warranted such "a step, as the result of experience gained during the past 3-3years' working.
In addition to the replacement referred to, • independent omnibus proprietors are rapidly making provision for spare omnibuses, and this practice will undoubtedly grow, as it will more readily enable the maximum amount of efficiency to be maintained,—Yours faithfully,
ASSOCIATION OF LONDON *OMNIBUS PROPRIETORS, LTD.,. VERNON H. BURTON, Secretary, London.
How to Read Our Operating Costs.
The Editor, TEE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2455] Sir,—We have read with interest the article in your, issue of the 9th inst. on the subject ofyour Tables of Operating Costs, and we were partieuLarly interested, although somewhat alarmed, at the figures given by you as the cost per mile of running a passenger vehicle on pneumatic tyres, and we were wondering exactly on what basis these figures were calculated.
We note that you give the average mileage of a pneumatic tyre as 8,000. In our opinion this figure is unduly conservative. From the many reports we have received, and from conversations with proprietors of buses, we have formed the impression that the mileage generally obtained from 6-in., 7-in.' and 8-in, pneumatic tyres is in the neighbourhood of 20,000.
Our factory in America rece,ntly made an audit of the records of one of the big.bhs companies operating there. Instead of securing records of tyres that had completed their service, they wished to find the average mileage delivered by tyres running on 12 buses at the date of the audit. The tyre most recently fitted had up to the time of the audit completed only 2,600 miles. The oldest tyre still in service had completed 69,000 miles and the average up to the date of the audit was 25,750.—Yours faithfully,
SEIBERLING TYRE CO. (GREAT BRITAIN), LTD. A. BICKNELL, Director.
Birmingham.
The Inflation of Giant Pneumatics.
Tho Editor, THE "COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2456] Sir,—I was very much -impressed with Mr. Wyndham Shire's article in the excellent issue of The Commercial Motor for February 8th, in which tyres 'and tyre maintenance are dealt with so fully. I think Mr. Shire's article was particularly valuable, and I learned many tips that will he of great service to me. I, too, have felt that the inflator welch can practically be worked from the vehicle engine takes too long to inflate a tyre, but, as my chassis are so fitted, I am inquiring into the possibility of equipping them with cylinders to be charged with air during ordinary running, thus creating a supply of compressed air for use whenever required. I would like to have the opinions of other users.—Yours faithfully, GREEN COACHES. Harroga te.