PNEUMATICS ON ANOTHER DOUBLE-DECKER.
Page 59
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Brief Details of a 52-seater A.D.C. Bus which has Just Been Supplied to a Prominent Bristol Company.
pR..kCTICALLY all single-deck buses put into service nowadays are' equipped with pneumatic tyres, and only in a few isolated cases are solid -Ores used, special factors usually then being involved. From efforts which isre now being made in many directions, however, it would appear that it will not be long before a greater number of double-deck buses will be shod with large-size pneumatic_ tyres.
We have already published illustrations of such vehicles so equipped, .
amongst them being certain types of six-wheeled bus, and we now learn that the Associated Daimler Co., Ltd., Walthamstovs, Loudon, E.17, has just supplied its first pneumatic tyred covered-top double-deck bus, in which the model 409 chassis is employed. This chassis, which has a low load-line, serves as the basis of the NS-type buses used in London, but it has also achieved much success in the provinces, both amongst municipal and private users. The latter include the National Omnibus and Transport Co., Ltd., Watford, the East Surrey Traction Co., Ltd., Reigate, Waterloo and Crosby Motor Services, Ltd., Liverpool, Harvey and Burroughes, Ltd., Hull, and Greyhound Motors, Ltd.
It is the last-named company which has recently taken delivery of the pneumatic-tyred double-decker of which exterior and interior illustrations are shown on this page. This concern operates a large flea of passenger vehicles on regular service in and around Bristol and, as our readers will recall, runs a daily service between London and Bristol and vice versa. The latest purchase of the company is a 52-seater, and the tyre equipment consists of Dunlops of 36 ins. by 8 ins. dimensions on the front wheels, whilst on the rear wheels twin tyres of 1,085 mm. by 185 mm. size are used.
By fitting pneumatics at the rear the height of the wheel arches has been increased, and this has made it neces
sass to modify the seating arrangement so that the passengers using the seats at this point are not inconvenienced. The usual longitudinal seat for two people has been split into two parts, each accommodating one person. One seat is arranged longitudinally over the smaller arch for thelnternal gears of the rear axle and alongside the arch which houses the wheel. The wheel arch is neatly encased in plywood, and the top, which is covered with rubber, is .available for carrying parcels, etc. There is also a longitudinal seat for one at the rear of the wheel arch proper.
The body, which was built to the in
structions of the Associated Daimler Co., Ltd., by Short Brothers (Rochester and Bedford), Ltd., follows in general design the standard NS-type. It is 25 ft. long, 13 ft. 7 ins. high, and 7 ft. 2 ins, wide, and seats 24 people in the lower saloon and 28 people in the upper deck. The upholstery, both for the seat cushions and the padded backs, is of red -antique leather, whilst the seat frames are also of red and the roof and window frames of white enamel. The exterior is
painted in two shades of grey and white and presents a clean and attractive appearance.
While on the subject of pneumatictyred covered-top double-deck buses we may mention that the Birmingham Corporation has been experimenting for some time with an A.D.C..Model 507 vehicle of this class and, we are told, up to date it has given satisfactory results.