Char-a-bancs Development in Lancashire.
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Convincing Reports by Bury and Preston Firms.
Not at the seaside resorts alone, but in the inland towns also, heavy motors are making tremendous advances for pleasure-plus-profit purposes, in addition to the purely industrial and commercial applications of motors. Two firms, concerning which some interesting facts are supplied by a Lancashire correspondent, are evidently well satisfied.
Messrs. Carr & Co., of Bury.
This firm has decided to have a third char-a-banes for the 1914 summer traffic—a 40 h.p. Dennis to carry 28. This is the same make as the 35 h.p. 27-seater and the 28 lap, 18-seater already owned by this enterprising firm of motor agents. The last-mentioned might be termed a "charry de luxe," for it is superbly appointed, and in proportion to its horse-power carries fewer passengers than the 35 h.p. vehicle. A slightly-higher fare is necessary to recoup the owners, and experience shous that it is most readily paid : people want comfort. Again, it is found that a little reserve of horse-power is useful; ergo, the new Dennis will have extra 5 h.p. (and only carry one more passenger than the large 27-seater). Patrons include all sections of the community—" pubs." and "clubs," societies of many sorts, Sunday-school parties, etc.
Last year the 18-seater was used on an eight-days tour via Carlisle, Edinburgh, Killin, Oban ; back by Lomond's shores to Glasgow, Penrith, ITllswater. and over Kirkstone Pass to Windermere, Lancaster and home.
The sturdy Dennis was declared by the licencee on Kirkstone Pass to be the first motor char-aabancs to have negotiated the fearful hill with its load on board. Mr. Carr, however, would not care to have the feat repeated ; for, whilst proud of his car's behaviour, he knows too well the steepness and peril of the acclivity. The Lakeland loop, as a matter of fact, was only taken because of the winsome pressure brought to bear by the passengers on the driver. For this trip to Scotia and back, 630 miles, the faro was per head, hotel bills included. The weather was fine, and the whole outing was a succession of serene pleasures—and a wondeiful illustration of heavy-motor possibilities. One of the two keen brothers who are at the head of the Carr firm said to the writer Perhaps we, like some other chars-a-bases owners, are in an advantageous position compared with the private individual who contemplates buying a vehicle as a profitable investment. Running pleasure vehicles in connection with our motor garage, we can buy everything at a right price,' and, if anything does go wrong, we have always expert mechanics at hand.
"As to wages," he said, " we could get men at 27s. a week, but ours are paid 35s. to £2: they are not merely steersmen, they are expert drivers, so there is no fear of mechanical troubles causing a deplorable delay to a party on the road. Moreover, when those men are not on driving duty, we have always an abundance of indoor work for them to do.
"Each Dennis did about 7000 miles in 1913, and the one we had in 1912 covered about the same mileage. We have really had no trouble, beyond a tire that came off, because it had been allowed to stop on till its life was nearly up ! Oil circulation failed on one occasioe, but the mechanic-driver located that in a few minutes. Of course, the matters I mention are mere trifles : they are not what you could call troubles: The 27-seater took a party on a fortnight's journey through Wales and the Wye Valley at £10 per head,
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and so complete was the success of the outing that the char-a-ba,nc.s is booked for a fortnight in Devon and Cornwall for this year. The party cherish most kindly remembrances of "Driver Joe." A good driver is indeed a valuable asset.
Messrs. Carr run some football trips, as is the case in many other Lancashire towns, on Saturdar ; but they do net continue them throughout the winter, preferring to have the vehicles dismantled and thoroughly overhauled during the dull, dark, wintry days, ready for the summer pleasure-folk. Industrial transport does not form part of the firm's work yet. The Dennis vehicles are sprung for 1I ton, i.e., suitable for passenger work ; and it is felt that the changing of springs as well as bodies for transport work would entail such labour and expense as not to be justified. Nevertheless, Messrs. Carr are quite aware of the enormous amount of heavy motor work done in their own neighbourhood.
Messrs. Merigold Bros., of Preston.
This is a concern which will in a few weeks celebrate its " silver jubilee," and it has been concerned. with motors since these first came into the realm
of practical polities. Incidentally, it. may be remarked that, now owning three garages and contemplating extensions, and paying hundreds a year in ground rents, it actually started in a place at 4s. a week. Quite a. page in the book of motor-industry romances!
The firm is owner of several chars-k-bancs : five 40 h.p. Leylands, seating 27, 27, 32, 32, 33; and a, converted 30 h.p. Beeston-Humber, carrying 11 (suitable for football teams); a total capacity of 162. And week after week in 1913 every seat was booked up ; indeed, the same remark applies in advance to many Saturdays of 1914. Two of the vehicles are also used for transport work. "We have no fixed contracts with anybody," said Mr. Alfred Merigold ; "we quote for any job mentioned to us, and we take all sorts. At present we are doing transport work for brewers and corn-millers, and also a lot of cloth-carrying between Preston and Liverpool. We take up to four tons, and the regularity of service has satisfied both us arid our customers. We find that we can quite well do both classes of trade."
Apart from the industrial and commercial service, the aggregate mileage on the big Leylands and the little Humber for pleasure-party service in 1913 was between 30,000 and 40,000 miles. And not once has a vehicle failed to return with its load. Journeys up to 150 miles in a day are undertaken including some of the hilly courses that lead to, and from, and round about Windermere ; and equally up-and-down roads up the Ribble Valley. The maximum scale charged is Id. per mile. That means 2s. 3d. a mile on the 27-seater; but a party of 20 will often charter the vehicle, and they pay proportionately extra. Messrs. Merigold simply compute the mileage, give a price for the trip on that, and the bargainers can take any number they like up to the seating limit. There has been such a boom in chars-a-banes drives from Preston that Messrs. Merigold will probably have an increased fleet by June next, for they have quite a busy (and profitable) service of two-hour rides on summer evenings. The chars-k-banes not. only pay their way, but form a great advertisement for the many-sided firm of Merigold Bros., cycle and motor traders, vendors of golf goods, athletic outfitters, etc.