Varied Tours from Eastbourne.
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CHAPMAN AND SONS, 1, Victoria Place„ Eastbourne, claim to be the largest motor coach proprietors on the South Coast, and the size of their fleet probably substantiates this assertion. The company own 30 coaches, which are chiefly 40 hip. Dennis machines with a seating capacity for 28 passengers. They have a number of new vehicles in use with extra long chassis, which allow the bodies to be lengthened, and the extra length to be used as a luggage box with a door at the back of the vehicle. The company build many of their own bodies, and, in their design, they have allowed sufficient MOM under each seat for the accommodation of a large-size suit-case, whilst a luggage box is also built on the off side of the vehicles fitted with this tyre of body,
The new Dennis vehicles in their service embody a number of mechanical improvements, amongst which we may mention a more effective cooling system and a much-improved system, of lubrication, which dispenses with all small oil pipes which have been found to give considerable trouble. The engines fitted to these machines can carry sufficient oil to enable them to cover 1,000 miles without the need for replenishment, whilst an all-round improvement has been effected in the brakes, a much larger drum and brake shoe now being used, which almost doubles the braking power. The company resumed their Londonto-Eastbourne service at Easter, and as the season advances they propose to increase it to four trips each way per day. They have recently opened new offices at 5a, Relgrave Mansions, Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W., where seats can be booked.
A special day excursion from London to Ea.stbourne was run on Easter Monday, the return fare being 20s. These journeys to and from the South Coast resort will be continued throughout the season at a single fare of 1.1s. and a return fare of 20s.
The company's long-distance tours also began at Easter, with the inauguration of a four and five days' tour to the Isle of Wight, the fare for the former being ten guineas and for the latter eight guineas. This particular tour will be repeated at intervals during the season. Most of the other long-distance tours, which are scheduled in the tabulation below, commence early in May :— Many ca the tours organized for the coming season are already in demand, and the season promises to be a very busy one.
The company, as might be expected, also run a number of day and half-day local tours from Eastbourne, some of Which are run, to a limited extent, all the year round. On May 2nd a 25 days' tour to France and Switzerland is being run. In conneetion with' this tour, the company will make 13istory, for next to their tour to the Riviera it will be the longest and probably the most interesting tour ever undertaken by motor coach.
Each of Messrs. Chapman's vehicles is fitted with a mirror to enable the driver to observe the approach of traffic wishing to pass, whilst on the back of the penultimate seat an electric push-bell is fitted in a convepient position so that a passenger in the rear row of seats can communicate with the driver* when another vehicle wishes to pass. This idea 'was intrOduced last summer, 'and' since its use 1,134 company have received no comPlairith Of ether traffic being obstructed on the road:.