FOR LIGHT VAN DELIVERIES AS WELL.
Page 9
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A Dual-purpose Body for Carrying 15 Passengers, Or One Ton of Goods.
T HERE ARE many owners of , single
vehicles who find that they am unable to keep their machines fully employed on one particular class of service, and to them the dual-purpose vehicle must make special appeal. For instance, the user who employs a van for five days "a week in connection with his business might find it advantageous to employ the vehicle for passenger work on the two remaining days, in spite of the fact that, by se doing, he •would be called upon to pay a higher rate of taxation. It is realized by all those engaged in the running of commercial vehicles that a machine, be it heavy lorry or light van, renders the most remunerative account of itself when regular employinent is found for it, for in this way the running cost per mile is reduced to its lowest level, always providing, of course, that clue attention is given to the maintenance of the mechanical condition of the vehicle.
We are not staunch believers in the conversion of a goods vehicle to passenger uses, or vice versa, particularly in the case of vehicles of 50 cwt. or greater
• capacity, where the divergence between ' the two types is much wider; but where 'due respect is paid-to carrying capacity, when the vehicle is used for goads or passenger purposes, we do not think that much harm is dope in the case of the small type of vehicle. It is for this reason that we feel sure that many of our readers will be interested in the Cbaloss dual-purpose body, which is intended for light commercial vehicles, in that it enables a, vehicle to. be used either as a goods van or a passenger bus.
One of the illustrations on this page how's an exterior view of the vehicle as ,equipped for passenger use. The front is entirely enclosed, and two: doors at the 'front give access to the interior, one being intended for the use of the driver and the other for passengers, each being fitted with windows of the drop-down type. Three windows on each side of the body are readily detachable, and, when not required to enclose the body, can be packed away in a, receptacle, specially made to take them, against the driver's seat.
It will thus be seen that the bus body is of the all-the-year-round type, enabling passengers to enjoy the comforts of the coMpletely enclosed vehicle dur ing the winter menthe, and of the semienclosed type during the better months of the year. The back of the body is made in two portions, the bottom half being hinged from the bottom, whilst the top half is hinged at the top, and when required to be opened swings outward, and is held in position by strong quadrants.
This arrangement permits of easy access to the interior from the back without the need for disturbing passenger; i.e., when passengers and goods are being carried, or when goods only are to be carried the loading arid unloading can be done from the back. A feature to be noted is that these doors can be opened from either inside or outside, and they, therefore, conform to the regulations in some districts where the police require that on all passengercarrying vehicles there must be means •
of egress from both the front and rear of the mechipe. It will be seen that the maximum width of entrance has been provided. The other illustrations on this page show the body fitted for the carriage of part passengers and part goods and for
the transport of goods only. *hen the vehicle is put to the former use, passengers' use the front entrance and goods are laded from the rear. The windows can, of course, be removed when the vehicle is being used for goods purposes if so desired, but if they are left in and the back is closed, a roomy covered van
i body is provided, n which the front entrance can be used for packing or re, moving small parcels and the rear ena trance used for bulky articles.
When,useel as a bust he vehielOhas accommodation for 15 passengers, , the seats being arranged transverselyin pairs down the off-side and in single seats down the near-aide, a:gangway allowing easy entrance and egress from the front of the vehicle. The driver, moreover, can col, led] the fares without leaving his seat. Ample ventilation is provided by ventilaa tors in the side and back panels.
The body, as illustrated, is fitted to an Oldsmobile chassis, the engine of which develops 21.7 h.p. Electric light is fitted throughout, and the 'vehicle runs on pneumatic. tyres. The inclusive price of the vehicle ready for the road is L495, and, at this figure, it certainly represents good value for money, 'especially when one considers-that it virtually combines the merits of two vehicles in one.
The Chaloss dual-purpose bus has been designed and is made by Challa.nd.s, Ross ',and Co., Ltd., of Canal Street, Nottingham.