British Coach Rally Wanted
Page 57
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A N international coach rally in Britain (" The
Commercial Motor," May 18) would do a tremendous amount of good for the development of coach travel and vehicle design. Existing organizations do not at present adequately cover the field that you have in mind, and they might form a Coaching Federation. This could be sponsored by bodies such as the Public Transport Association, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Royal Automobile Club, British Travel and Holidays Association, Council of Industrial Design, National Federation of Vehicle Trades and others. Each section of the industry concerned with coach travel and coachbuilding could be represented, and each could feel an equal partner.
I agree that a popular resort should be the ideal rallying point, as I think it is most important that each coach entering the rally should be fully loaded with passengers. Thus, the coach could be properly tested under normal conditions. Moreover, the hotel industry would receive a boost and the sale of coach travel generally would be promoted. The passengers should, of course, pay their own fares. One of the factors to be taken into account by the judges should be the fares charged by each concern. Some allowance would have te be made for foreign competitors, so that the basis of judging was comparable.
A tremendous amount of organization would be required to ensure that adequate accommodation was available. It should be stipulated that no vehicle should travel after 6 p.m. or before 9 a.m., and marks should
be lost for a breach of this clause: ;
I would suggest a week before Easter as the best date for all concerned. Easter is the climax of the coachbuilding season and the beginning of the coachoperating season and, apart from not interfering with hotel bookings for Easter week-end, the date I suggest would not unduly upset coach operation or bodybuilding.
The only disadvantage of holding a rally in the spring is that it might compete with the Commercial Motor Show at Earls Court. An international rally, such as you suggest, might prove to be an even more important coaching event than the Show. The Exhibition then might no longer reveal the latest trends in coach design,. as manufacturers might tend to reserve their secrets as last-minute surprises in the spring rally. Nevertheless, there seems to be no alternative date.
As regards adjudication, awards should be made for individual items, such as design, comfort, economical operation, adaptability, luxury, finish, construction, etc., with a grand award for the coach considered to have secured the highest number of points all round.
I wish you 'all success in your crusade to launch this most desirable event.
G. H. HARRINGTON
(Managing Director, Thomas Harrington, Ltd.). Hove, Sussex.
COURTESY ON THE ROAD CANNOT agree with the opinion expressed in the I paragraph, "A Little More Give Than Take is Needed," which appeared in "The Commercial Motor" dated July 6. Our exit is on to a main country road where there is a constant stream of traffic during the summer.
I have often been surprised at the 'generosity shown by most people in making room for me to get out. I just run forward into.a convenient position, signal and wait for someone to give way. Usually I do not have
long to wait. V. SMITH
Somerset. (Real, Medland and Wills, Ltd.).
ONE WHO HOPES TRAMS WILL NOT SURVIVE
REFERRING to the leader "Will Tramways Revive?"
in "The Commercial Motor" for July 6, I am amazed that there are those among us who would support such an idea—an " Emrfiettic " one, shall I say?
Both my father and grandfather were employed on the London tram ways system. It might be said that I was born on tram lines, and it could certainly be said that on several occasions I have been very nearly killed on them.
I do not sugget that this is sufficient reason for the suppression of tram ways, but I recently revisited the North London main road which, in my day, was infested with trams. The tram lines ind wood blocks are gorie. The road looks twice as wide and the surface is even' and safe. Undoubtedly there is more traffic than there used to be, but it does not appear so.
The remarkable thing to me is that although there are many more people about the place is so much quieter..
No, sir! We were glad to have them while they were there, but we are happy now they are gone.
Bristol, 1. G. W. LARWOOD, A.I.R.T.E.
—AND ONE WHO HOPES THEY WILL THE heading to the article on page 640 of your issue I of July 6 appears to require the following addition in order to complete it—" Not if we can prevent them!" The article, which purports to summarize the position for and against the employment of trams, reeks with prejudice. We have, in fact, become so out-of-date in this country that few people have any up-to-date knowledge of modern tramways.
The same prejudice is present on page 582 of your issue of June 22, where, in reporting upon the Congress of the International Union of Public Transport, you introduce a note of detraction' by placing the word " surprising" before "Approval for Retention or Adoption of Trams." In the second paragraph, in reporting upon the support for tramways, you also attempt to discount the decision by stating that "no mention was made, however, of the adverse effect on goods traffic flow which tramways must inevitably have." What goods traffic, for example, do you refer to? Local traffic or through traffic?
Many of the great lumbering vehicles on the road should never go through.the centre of towns and cities, causing congestion and pounding the roads to pieces. Much of this traffic should be on rail and not on the roads. Have you not also discovered "the adverse effect on goods traffic flow" catised by these goods vehicles when parked for long periods on through roads?
Twickenham. R. D.'REYNOLDS. •