PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
A LONG-DISTANCE TOURS SPECIALIST.
A Lancashire Owner's Sixth Year of Motor Coach Operation.
SIGN8 are not wanting that this year Lancashire motor coach owners intend to extend their facilities for longdistance or extended tours. Not only are many newcomers entering the field, but established proprietors are adding new . tours a-nd are malting• improved arrangements to meet the convenience of passengers.
One of the south-west Lancashire companies, whose chief concern is extended touring, is Lewis Crenshaw, Ltd., of Blackburn, who from 1916 onwards have lost no opportunities of popularizing this form of holiday-making. Their tleet con. sists of eight 28-seater Daimlers, all of which run on solid tyres, but some of them on Dunlop super-cushions, with which all machines, as tyre renewals become necessary, are being fitted. One set of tyres has already done 4,000 miles with little signs of wear.
This season Messrs. Crenshaw will have booking offices or agencies in London and Edinburgh, mid Mr. Crenshaw explained that, the reason for this is the fact that many of their passengers in past seasons had travelled by train from the extreme north and south of the.coun. try to join the coaches at Blackburn, and it was to meet their convenience, therefore, that some of this season's coaches would commence their tours from the Metropolis and from Edinburgh. Of course, the carrying out of this programme will add to the empty mileage, for the return journey to each ilace is about 400 miles.
Mr. Cron.shaw reiterates the complaint made by all coach owners who engage in distance work—that of hotel charges. A few instances have occurred where some hotel keepers are this year actually asking for higher charges. Speaking generally, no reductions have been made in the hotel schedules, therefore no reductions are likely to be made in the costs of the tours. On tours which extend over 14 days or so, passengers expect to be provided with comfortable hotel accommodation, and rooms are therefore booked at first-class establishments. Some charge as much as 18a. 6d. for dinner, bed and breakfast. As to the system of organizing these tours, Mr. Cronshaw usually has the complete list of bookings communicated to the hotels about a week in ad vance of the arrival of the party, so that accommodation might be reserved, whilst late bookings are arranged for by telephone or telegram. On the very long tour, difficulties are always presented in the finding of sufficient accommodation for the storage of passengers luggage. The 28-seater coaches of Messrs. Cronshaw are usually loaded up to the extent of 20 to 22 passengers, each of whom is allotted space for a week-end suit-case or small portmanteau. No more than four passengers occupy each row, and it is always possible, therefore, for passengers to have with them small bags or attache cases "wanted on the journey." As for the bulkier luggage, a spacious box is slung underneath the body for its accommodation, whilst boxes are also fitted between the steps on the near side of the vehicle. To ensure the running of the 'coaches at the advertised times, a minimum complement of 15 passengers is required.
Asked for his programme for the ensuing season, Mr. Cronshaw mentioned that the Blackburn to Scotland tour of 700 miles, occupying eight days, which he started six years ago and maintained weekly last year, would be one of his star features this year For this sightseeing holiday a fare of 15 guineas will be charged, inclusive of dinner, bed and breakfast, passengers to provide their own lunch en route. Arrangements art made for meeting at the Preston railway station of the passengers from Liverpool and Manchester.
A second and shorter tomwill be of five days' duration, in North Wales, visiting all the well-known beauty spots and traversing the passes. The inclusive charge will be £7 10s.
A 20-guinea tour is from Lender? to Scotland. This journey will commence on a Saturday, when the coach will get as far as Coventry, which will be left on the Sunday morning so that Blackburn might be reached at night, thus
permitting northern touriststo join the Blackburn coach on the Monday morning. The total duration of the tour is 12 days.
A new 1,200-mile tour, Occupying 15 days, will be inaugurated this summer, starting from Edinburgh, through the Midlands, touring Devon and returning to Edinburgh.
Every fortnight a coach will run to South Wales and Wye Valley, taking the coast road down and returning via Cheltenham and the Peak District. This tour occupies seven days, and will cost passengers 12 guineas. Another special run, of .13 days' duration combines a journey through North Wales and Scotland, the fare being 21 guineas.
Two important race meetings are also to be covered, these being the Ascot races-and the Epsom Summer Meeting. The fares ere based on 2d, per passenger per mile, plus hotel expenses. On
these tong-distance tours a mileage of about 100 per day is generally accomplished. It has been noticed that passengers do not like, on the lastesvening of the tour, to stop at a destination within easy reach of home; they prefer a long run on the last day and a shorter ono on the day previous. After each long tour every coach is thoroughly examined and made ready for the next journey, MeSRI'S. Cronshaw having as up-to-date repair shop.
In addition to.extended tours, Messrs. Cronehaw' in season' dons lot of private hire work and day trips. Last season,. when money was rather scarce' they ran afternoon and evening tours. Mr. Crenshaw has just returned from a 2,000mile journey through Cornwall, Torquay, Devon, Bournemouth, London, Cambridge, Yarmouth, Cromer, Lincoln, York, Edinburgh, etc., arranging for his long-distance tours._