A LUXURIOUS SMALL COACH.
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0"OF THE neatest little coaches that we have seen for a long while is that which is illustrated on this page. It depicts a Lancia. chassis fitted with a 15-seater motor coach body and sup
• plied by Messrs. Alidays Motors, 78, Jermyn Street, St. James's, London, S.W. 1, to Messrs. Jones Eros., of . Aberystwyth, who are said to be the • largest motor coach proprietors in this South Wales coastal resort.
The body possesses a very graceful and distinctive appearance, being, as it of the bulbous torpedo type. The framework is built of selected ash, and a point to which we would draw readers' attention is that the body is strengthened with a flat-edge iron, which is securely attached to the near-side main body bearer, and runs its entire length, the iron being fixed at the front end to the door pillar, and at its rear extremity to the back pillar of the rear door; furthermore, an additional iron, which runs up the front pillar of the rear door, is welded to the main iron, thus giving the utmost rigidity.
Each of the four passenger seats has an inside measurement of 6 ft, 2 ins., which allows 181. ins, seating space per passenger. The seat cushions are well sprung, and are provided with four rows valances, are each neatly bound with leather. All cushions, with the exception of those fitted in the front seat, are made in one length; the reason for making the foremost seat in two pieces is to enable the driver to gain ready access to the tool kit. The. seats provide passengers with ample leg-room. The back squabs of each seat are deep, and are provided with two rows of springs. The bark of each seat is covered with carpet to harmonize with the leather upholstery. It will be seen from the illustrations that the doors, of which there are four on the near side, are wider than those usually fitted to coaches of this type.
One of the most interesting points in the construction of this body is the luggage compartment built into the rear of the body. This compartment runs almost the entire width of the back.
Another point of importance is the method of supporting the hood when in the closed position. Two hood stays are bolted to the framework of the body above the luggage locker portion, which, as will be seen from one of the illustrations, -is cut away in order to give the hood a graceful appearance when not erected. Each hood-stick supporting iron, in addition to being screwed to the top rail of the body, is extended and fixed to the framework of the seats. Patent hood-stick separators of the Jackson type are fitted to prevent the possibility of the hood material chafing.
The construction and finish of the body throughout give evidence of the careful thought which has been expended upon its design; for instanCe, small nickel. plated screws are utilized for retaining the nickel-plated beadirrg which runs -round the edges, and is used for finishing off the ends of the upholstery.
Stained mahogany-polished fillets are fitted wherever they are considered desirable, and, in particular, across the back of each seat for the purpose of fixing the leather and carpet into position.
All metal parts throughout the body are nickel-plated, door handles wheel nuts, and other such fittings being of pure white metal so as to obviate the possibility of the nickel-plating wearing off. The edges of carpet are mostly bound with leather, the kicking pieces at the bottom of each door serving as an illustration.
The finish of the body is in keeping with its general design, and it is painted in a neat shade of Frenel grey, the upholstery being in a black and white antique leather.
It is perhaps unnecessary for us to describe the Lancia chassis, but we might fittingly mention in passing that the 50-cwt. model is particularly suitable for coach service. Messrs. Alldays Motors have made a speciality of the lighter passenger-carrying coaches, and during the past two seasons have supplied many such vehicles to most of the best-known proprietors who, in accbrdance with the general trend of events, have adopted smaller coaches running en pneumatic tyres.