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New Overseas Market for British Buses

27th April 1940, Page 39
27th April 1940
Page 39
Page 39, 27th April 1940 — New Overseas Market for British Buses
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THE .first A.E.C. passenger vehicles to operate in Portugal are now arriving in that country. Ordered by the British-owned Lisbon Tramways, the fleet. comprises six Regent-type single-deckers with bodies built at the Addlestone works of Weymanns Motor Bodies (1925). Ltd., part of the NI.C.W. organization. The new vehicles, as well as being the first of their type in Portugal, are also the first buses to be acquired by the Lisbon Tramways. They were purchased in order to cope with the increased traffic that is expected to result from the Portuguese Centenary Celebrations to be held in June.

The Regent chassis used is powered by a 7.7-litre six-cylindered directinjection oil engine of the latest type. It incorporates a combustion chamber of the open pattern, in which mechanical and thermal losses are reduced to a minimum. The general design of the power unit is, apart from the combustion chamber, the same as the A.E.C.-Ricardo engine which has a well-established reputation for sound performance and reliability.

The engine also incorporates a special exhauster, driven at half engine speed, in tandem with the fuel pump, for brake operation. All the Lisbon Trainways chassis are fitted with hydraulic transmission.

Outstanding Features of the M.C.W.

Bodies The bodies, of the well-known M.C.W. patented metal construction, are designed to accommodate 32 passengers, 28 seated and four standing, and are built to the dimensions specified in the new provisional regulations of the Portuguese Ministry of Transport for public-service vehicles.

The roof is framed in metal, the exterior being of steel. The interior is lined with Sundeala hardboard and the space between has Alfol insulating material; the same material is used between the inner and outer side panelling.

Two right-side entrances are provided, one at the front and the other at the rear, and both *are fitted with manually operated, double-folding, jack-knife-type doors equipped with rollers and runways of patented design. There is also an emergency exit at the left-side front, fitted with a coach-type door opening Outwards. The driver's half-width cab has a windscreen in which the bottom, as well as the top half, is made to open. The windscreen, the cab side windows, the upper part of the emergency exit door, and all the half-drop windows of the passenger compartment have Triplex toughened safety glass.

Ventilation.–..an important point in view of local climatic conditions—has

been given special attention. Foremost arc the half-drop windows, of which there are five on the left side, four on the right side and one on the left side of the front bulkhead. All these are set in chromium-plated frames and, with the fixed windows, have, on the exterior, deep-section metal louvres to minimize sun glare. Then there are an intake ventilator in the front bulkhead, linked with cellulosed metalpanel distributors, special adjustable ventilators of the same type over the front entrance and emergency exit, and, finally, four extractor ventilators in the roof.

Upholstery Material Treated to Withstand Tropics • All the seats face forward and are of the tubular-steel type. Cushions and squabs are made up on latex rubber fillings and are trimmed in green, tropically treated, hand-buffed leather. The backs of the squabs are covered in Rexine (also tropically treated) of the same colour. Green is, in fact, the predominant interior colour, and in conjunction with walnut mouldings contributes to an attractive and restful decorative scheme.

The exterior colour scheme comprises green panels and wheels, cream waistrails, pillars and roofs, and black horizontal mouldings and wings. Exterior equipment includes destination and route-indicator boxes at the front, rear and right sides, the last named being above the rear entrance.

Passengers Protected from Glare of

the Sun Primarily for the purpose of reducing exterior heat and eliminating strong sunlight, 12 roller blinds are fitted. When withdrawn, these blinds are entirely concealed. Among other interior fittings may be mentioned chromium-plated hand-rails and ashtrays, and ceiling hand-poles with rubber truncheon grips for standing passengers.

Illumination is provided by 12 24volt 12-watt lamps, all of them, with the exception of a lamp in the rear dome, which is housed in a circular fitting, being encased in rectangular jelly-mould glasses.

The vehicles go out to Lisbon at a time when the need for the &veto,: • ment and retention of trade with foreign countries is more than ever imperative, and there is no question that these vehicles, by actual demonstration of their capabilities, will provide convincing evidence of the high-quality workmanship of passenger Vehicles constructed in .Great Britain.

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Locations: Lisbon

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