Seaside Chars-a-bancs-1913 Season.
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Fine Weather and Prosperous Industries Bring Good Business to Owners of Up-to-date Vehicles. A Growing Demand for 16-Seaters. The Winter Problem.
We are now, after a remarkable post-season effort on the part of the clerk of the weather, certainly at the end of 1913's summer. Taking it all in all, it has been a remarkable one.. There have, perhaps, not been long spells of oppressively-hot weather, but, on the whole, there has been a prolonged period during 'which the climatic conditions have been favourable for holiday-makers.
It is pertinent, therefore, to consider how this season, for which, presumably, all of us have been thankful, unless it be the farmer, who of necessity must have had something to say ill of it, has dealt with that branch of the commercial-vehicle industry which, in particular, depends upon the goings and comings of the holiday-maker—we refer, of course, to the motor char-a-banes: that mechanical substitute for the long-popular four-horse coach and the somewhat less-distinguished, but not less well-patronized, horsed char-a-bancs, of uncomfortable memory.
1913 has, on the whole, included a satisfactory summer or enterprising livery-stable proprietors and others who, at the commencement of the season, were already provided with adequate plant in the shape of up-to-date motor chars-a-banes. We had warned the majority of -them, who, by the way, our mail-bag tells us, are regular readers of this journal, of the necessity to take time by the forelock if they wished to be certain of securing' delivery of new and additional machines in time to take advantage of the arrival of the first batch of holiday-makers. Now, again, after a season whers owners' profits have been., on the whole, eininentIrsatisfactory, we learn of repeat orders all round the coast. Those who desire to be ready with increased plant in the early season next year will do well not to delay the placing of orders with one or other of the recognized Makers. Finer evidence of the money-making possibilities of the motor char-a-banes for its owners cannot be forthcoming than the praise which we hear bestowed upon it by the principal operators at the seaside resorts. There is,_pf course, a great number of owners who find the char-a-banes a particularly useful max:bk.-le
in respect of private-hire work in inland towns, and we may, on some future occasion, devote some of our pages to a considered report of developments which have taken place during recent years in this direction. At the moment, however, we find it seasonable to confine ourselves to a consideration of the British char-h-bancs owner and his works during the past summer. We have pleasure in reproducing the testimony of many representative proprietors. This collection of experiences is a valuable addition to that class of information which we. have sedulously collected during the past year or two for the benefit of those of our readers who are users or who contemplate becoming owners. We are probably*correct in our statement that this branch of the heavy-vehicle industry has developed to a far greater extent in Great Britain than in any other country. The motor char-abanes, French aslis its name, is the result of the experience of British owners, and our Colonies are rapidly following this country's lead in this respect. The torpedo body, with its refinement of panelling and its beautifully-upholstered seats, ample knee room, and other considerations for the comfort of the passenger, has quite displaced the type of body which was originally schemed somewhat on the lines of the American "rubber-neck "'atrocity. The majority of our big coach-builders have specialized in respect of this class of coach-work, and orders may be safely placed with them for char-a-banes bodies constructed on the most modern and approved principles. We should like here to mention a modese coach-building concern, the London Improved Motor Coach Builders, Ltd., 149, Lupus Street, Westminster, S.W., which has special facilities in this respect. Finally, we would direct attention to the probable extended use of petrol-electric chassis, of that type, for instance, manufactured by W .A. Stevens, Ltd.
The undoubted demand which is now evident for smaller and, perhaps, less cumbersome machines, with seating capacities for not more than 16 persons, is the outstanding feature of constructional development as a result of the season of 1913.