PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
Page 24
Page 25
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Latest Doings and Developments in the Bus and Coach World.
A PROMINENT BOURNEMOUTH COMPANY S COACHING ACTIVITIES.
Details of the Organization and Factors Contributing to the Success of Elliott bros. Bournemouth , Ltd., who Run a Large Fleet of Standardized Vehicles.
T ONDON to Land's End—tours from 1.4 is. 60. to 12 guineas. That, in brief, is the 192,5 programme of road journeys organized by Elliott Bros. (Bournemouth), Ltd., of Bournemouth, who are the proprietors of the fleet of the "Royal Blue" motor coaches.
Bournemouth is exceedingly, fortunate in its location as a centre for motorcoach tours, for it lies in a district renowned for its historical associations and is within a day's run of many wellknown beauty spots. Some of the outstanding tours run by Messrs. Elliott include a day's run to London (200 miles), a complete tout of the Isle of Wight—one of the most popular of the "Royal Blue" runs—which includes a journey of 100 miles by land, 12 miles by water, two train rides, a taxi to the , coach and all pier and steamer tolls in the fare of 15s. Further outstanding day tours are those to Cheddar Gorge and others which embrace goodly portone of the New Forest. In addition to the long runs there is also a variety of trips which can be completed in a morning' c* an afternoon. In fact, as was proclaimed in the opening sentence of this article, the "Royal Blue" coaches run on tours which cover practically the whole of the South of England from London to Land's End.
The company was established in the year 1880 by Mr. Thomas Elliott, the father of the present proprietors of the
" Royal Blue" fleet of coaches. He brought Ms sons up in the business,which they took over upon his death. Of the sons, Mr. 1. T. G. Elliott, the present chairman of the company, undertook the reorganization of the business consequent upon a change-over from horse-drawn vehicles to road motors being made. He first acquired taxicabs, and achieved much success by giving a day and night service, after which he developed the use of hire ears and motor coaches.
During the war the whole of the "Royal Blue" fleet was commandeered by the War Office for military uses, and in this period the firm of Elliott Bros. supplied the Government with aeroplane engines. At the conclusion of the war,
e40
Mr. J. Elliott was faced with the problem of aequiring and equipping a new fleet of passenger-carrying vehicles for the road. In this matter his decision favoured the use of the Daimler vehicle, and the whole of the fleet of coaches and private cars (which now numbers over 100 vehicles) is, with a few exceptions, composed of vehicles of this make.
The company's motor coaches are of a mOdern type, and the bodies with which they are fitted are roomy and luxuriously Upholstered, thus ensuring comfortable riding for all passengers.
Considerable thought and attention are given to tho maintenance of the vehicles, and in this fact is to be found the reason for much of the success achieved by the company. Their workshops are equipped with modern machine tool plant which enables repairs, replacements and overhauling to be effected with the utmost expedition and efficiency. The bodies of all the coaches are removed from the chassis once every year, and are then renovated and repainted. The foreman of the works examines each coach, and makes a written report on the repairs, replacements and other work which he considers should be carried out. This examination is by no means cursory. Chassis details and body fittings are given equal attention. Doors and hinges, for example, are examined, as well as locks and striking plates, and if these are found to have worn unduly they are replaced in order that the utmost safety shall be given, and the possibility of rattle removed. If any section of the sheet steel bodies of the coaches has been damaged or dented, and cannot be beaten out, it is removea and replaced by a new panel.
The trimmers employed by the company have to give their attention to the seat backs, cushions, hoods and side curtains. The body subsequently passes into the hands of the painters, and any part which may have become scratched, worn, or damaged is scraped to the bare metal, rubbed down and given two coats of lead, two under.coats of blue, one of enamel, and two coats of varnish, being rubbed down after each operation.
So far as the chassis is concerned, the overhaul is very thorough, and no component is neglected. Replacements are made wherever there is the slightest doubt of the mechanical condition of any part, thus ensuring a wide margin of safety. It will thus be seen that no pains are spared in an effort to place the "Royal Blue" fleet of coaches on the road at the commencement of each season in first-class, condition and, by so doing, the vehicles are able satisfactorily to pass the tests of the local inspector. • In the running of a large organization of this kind, much dependence has necessarily to be placed on the staff, and it is certainly true that however modern the fleet of vehicles, the system devised and the programme arranged, unless a properly trained staff is employed, failure is inevitably balm' to occur. In the selection of staff, Elliott Bros., Ltd.,• have been very fortunate, and they make the proud claim that they have never had a serious accident, or lost a customer, through negligence on the part of a regular employee.
The company have a well-organized spare parts store, where adequate stocks of parts likely to be required are held. So far as the coaches are concerned, a complete range of spares sufficient for three vehicles is always available, and three engines, complete in running order, can be brought into immediate use should it be found necessary to replace the power unit of any of the coaches.
All the "Royal Blue" coaches are shod with Dunlop pneumatic tyres.
Every unit of the fleet is tested on the road every day, and the driver, at the end of his day's work, passes on a report to head office, and any complaint which he may make is given due consideration and the cause of it remedied during the night. In this -way the company, are able to keep practically 100
per cent, of their fleet on the road the whole season through.
Apart from the advertised programme of tours, part of the company's fleet is available for the use of parties who may desire to participate in a road journey which is not scheduled.
To maintain the popularity of their tours, publicity of every class is undertaken. Outside representatives are used to canvass the districts by car or coach, and at the booking offices of the Company large maps, measuring 10 ft. by 4 ft., give a bird's eye view of the range of tours which is run. Pictorial display sheets and posters are also used to draw attention to the tours, and amongst the literature which is circulated is an elaborate booklet which runs to a considerable number of pages. The ceropany acknowledge the value of -newspaper advertising, and occupy space of this sort every day. Their tours are also advertised on kinetaa screens, in post offices, and entrance halls in most of the hotels and boarding houses in and around Bournemouth. The company handle their own advertising throughout, and employ their own artists and copy writers, only printing and litho work being effected outside.
In spite of the fact thCtV 1924 was a wet season, and the company had to face the counter-attraction of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley, they recorded a successful season. On the Isle of Wight tour alone 20,000 people were carried.