PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
SALOON BUSES OF LARGE SEATING CAPACITY.
The Suitability of the Side-type Chassis for Carrying Large-capacity Bodies.
MHE STRENGTH of the average
chassis which is used for passengerCarrying work is such that it can adequately support many more people than can be reasonably accommodated in the body with which it is fitted. It, is generally admitted that the greater the relationship between the load which is Carried and the capacity of the vehicle the more economical and efficient the results which will he obtained in the matter of running and general maintenance costs.
The distribution of passengers over a bus body, even if the utmost use be made of the available capacity, does not give such a heavy poundage per sq. ft. of floor space as does the average dead, load carried by a goods vehicle. Bodybuilders and chassis manufacturers have long been aware of this disparity, and various endeavours have been made to use. larger bodies in which more passengers could be carried so that the gross load more nearly • approached the full capacity of the vehicle,
The prolonged wheelbase for which provision is made On sonic passengercarrying models has met the problem to some extent, but it involves difficulties when the vehicle is operating in narrow streets and is called upon to negotiate sharp COnlors. Of course, the best solution of the problem is, perhaps, the double-decker, which has acquired considerable popularity in the largest towns, but this type of vehicle cannot often be remuneratively operated in sparsely populated areas and, moreover, the upper deck of such a vehicle is seldom used in rainy and cold weather. The over-Gaspe pattern ohassis can also be oaid to accommodate a body in which a greater number of passengers is carried than a standard production with the driving seat in the normal position, but this form of vehicle offers only a partial solution of the difficulty.
Leyland Motors, Ltd., think' that the 'problem is best met by the use of a sidetype chassis, better known, perhaps, As the forward-dssh type—A pattern, be at noted, introduced by 'the company close on two years ago for use in conjunction with single-deck bus bodies. This particular chassis has proved to be exceptionally popular in all parts of the country for bus work, providing, as it does, a long loading space without an extension of wheelbase anal without the. elevation of tile driver's seat to au unorthodox position, such as is found in the overtype chassis. This Leyland model has a wheelbase of 16 ft. 6 ins., and a bus body to seat 40 passengers comfortably can be mounted on it—the' weight of the body filled to capacity forming a load which is best suited to the power of the vehicle. The first of the side-type buses was put into service by the Crossville Motor Bus Co., of Chester, some time ago, and it gave such satisfaction that 11 buses a a similar type have been acquired by this company, who, in addition, it may be remarked, have purchased several Leyland bus chassis of a smaller pattern. One of the illustrations. on stlus page gives a good idea of the general .design and construction of this particular model.
Two further types of body were later designed to be fitted to the side-type chassis, and these were arranged principally to meet the requirements of the Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., and the Cumberland Motor Bus Co.; and each .figures in the company's list, of models Under the name of the user. Each of these bodies seats 38 passengers, and they differ from each other and from the 'original Croaville type only in details of seating arrangement, which do not, however, affect the main features of design.
Leyland Motors, Ltd., introduced a further refinement into their side-type saloon bus early last summer in the form of a floasting dashboard. In this design 'the dashboard is not shaped in the usual manner, but consists of a plain rectangular sheet of metal which is surrounded by the front part of the body, a clearance of in. being left all round. • This space is shielded by a, eurved draught plate which is bolted to the front cross-member of the body, and its purpose is to exclude dust and rain frbm .passing through the 'space between tho body superstructure and the dashbeard. . Briefly, it obviates many of the body stresses sot up by frame flexure 'and thus guards against the. nuisance of rattling windows and the like.
The Success of the Leyland side-type chassis is. further consolidated by the advent of the Scottish Transport bus, the external features of which are clearly' shown in another of our illustrations. Deviating from the design of the other large-capacity Leyland buses, only one . main doorway is provided for the use of passengers. This, however, is of an unusual width (3 ft. 4 ins.) and is placed slightly forward of amidships on the
• near side. In the Matter of seating arrangement the 'design conforms more or tees to conventional practice irk that there is a lengitudinal gangway disposed between the transverse seats, each of which accommodates two persons. There is, however, a seat for two passengers located in the immediate rear of the entrance, and this seat faces inwards.
A somewhat unusual feature consists of the provision of a hinged spring-tip scat in the centre of the penultimate row : a leather strap serving as a back-rest can readily be detached so as not to interfere with the ingress and egress of passengers to and from the back row of seats.
In the eentre of the rear of the bus there is an emergency, exit in front of which a detachable seat is usually located. The beck equala aituated above the seat is hinged along its upper edge, its rotetion ahent this axis forming the method of releasing the door.
Framed drop windows are provided oil each side of the body in addition to the usual ventilators above them, and as no transverse partitions are incorporated in its design (except, of course, that separating the driver's cabin from the passenger compartment), four brass stenettions are used to give additional support to the roof.