UP-TO-DATE L.M.S. PASSENGER VEHICLES.
Page 70
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Safety and Comfort Features Embodied in New Coaches for Long-distance Routes.
NO fewer than eight vehicles which were ordered a short time ago by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co. were recently shown at the Commercial Motor Exhibition at Olympia. Of these four were passengercarrying machines. They comprised an A.E.C. Regal 21-seater (details of this are given in a following paragraph), a 24-seater Albion with a body by P. W. Watson and Sons, Ltd., a 19-seater Albion with a London Lorries body,
combined with a rug-rail. Lighting is effected by lamps on the pillars, and ventilation is by Ashanco devices in the roof. An interior heating system is installed and Acetex safety glass is used throughout.
Dealing with these L.M.S. vehicles in general, it will be noticed that the seating capacities are well below the maxima of the chassis, this idea being adopted so as to give adequate space for all occupants. The scheme of de It is not good for the prestige of the industry that booking agents should be appointed indiscriminately. A good plan is for owners to work together cooperatively, and to act as booking agents for each other on a commission basis, appointing mutually approved sub-agents, to be carefully selected, and on uniform terms.
Where there is a centralized motorcoach-booking organization, passengers will gravitate to that part of the town to make their inquiries and to book their seats, because they know they will be able to get authoritative and reliable information, or, at least, direction to the owner able to give them the particular travel-service that they require, The business is so competitive that many owners have bullt up quite substantial accounts on a reciprocal arrangement by passing over traffic to other owners, the basis of which is commission on all bookings.
The motor-coach owner-agent has advantages that do not come within the province of the tradesman-agent His interest is limited to the commission he receives. The owner-agent is concerned for the future of the industry and the trying out of methods that will stimulate the keener desire for travel.
Regular 'daily services, summer and winter, impart a definite feeling of stability. All are out to make road travel popular for 52 weeks in the year, because that consummation will help owners to cover their own local estati
3344 and a 51-seater Leyland Titan ; the last-named bus has emergency exits for both saloons. Dealing with the A.E.C. Regal model, this, of course, has a chassis of the type which was described in our issue dated October 22nd. It has a six-cylindered engine, a four-speed gearbox and offset transmission. The body of this vehicle is by Thomas Harrington, Ltd., of Brighton. The sliding roof is of the Walman type, ad the seats are arranged in banks of two on one side of the vehicle, there being single seats on the other side. This arrangement gives a generous amount of interior space.
The bucket seats are upholstered in natural-grained furniture hide, and the back of each has a flush-fitting table voration has been arranged to give the appearance of considerable comfort without being in any way gaudy, and in certain respects it is reminiscent of the best railway-carriage practice.
In all instances unspliuterable glass is used and the driver is isolated from passengers, and several safety. features are included.