Barton Designs for Maximum sibility
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IN 1949, Barton Transport. Ltd.. Chilwell. Noitsi modified a number _ of forward-cOntrOl single-deckers based on Leyland PSI chassis to increase the seating capacity from 35 to 39, and to improve the driver's vision; this was done by shortening the bonnet and moving the steering wheel to within a few inches of the windscreen. The succeSs of the modification .encouraged the managing director, Mr. T. A. Barton, M.Inst.T., and his brother, Mr. Murray Barton, the works manager, to plan an "optimum vision" single-deck borl., with the maximum number of seats to be based on readily available chassis.
Leyland TD5 double-decker chassis had been increasingly used following the original purchase of the type in 1938, and surplus frames were in stock. Mr. L. Taylor, the coachwork manager. was requested to imagine himself as the composite of the average driver, three kinds of passenger, the M.O.T. certifying officer, the maintenance foreman, the the critical onlooker, and to design a body that would satisfy everyone. He was told that he could have a chassis of any reasonable length with modfications to suit his purpose.
It was decided that a chassis with a wheelbase of 18 ft. 111 ins, would be needed, and that preferably the frame should not have more than one join in each side member. This was comparatively easy to arrange. The front half of d'ne TD5 frame was married to the rear half of another with a plus margin of the necessary-2 ft. 6 ins., an extra standard tubular cross-member was fitted to span the jo:n, and 6-ft. flitch plates were welded into the side members.
A short intermediate propeller shaft with flardy Spicer joints was mounted on the two closely spaced crossmembers, and a Layrub joint fitted behind the gearbox. For the underslungworm final drive the high ratio of 4.8 to 1 was employed.. Thus the foundation was laid of the Barton 43seater Viewmaster, a service bus with an 8-ft. by 30-ft. body, powered by an 8.6litre oil engine. The first of a fleet of 20 has now successfully covered 11,000 miles, and four more are in course of construction.
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The outstanding feature of the frontal treatment is the downsweep of the windscreen at the sides of the 8-ft.-high radiator grille to within 5 ft. 6 ins, of the ground. The distance between the steering wheel and the windscreen has been reduced to 21 ins., and the driver has a broad view of the road across the flat front, which it would be impossible to provide' in any other body.
The windscreen pillars are drawn in 1 ft. 11 ins, on each side to give an appearance of narrowness. The divided windscreen features Qu:cktho fully opening windows operated by patented side hinges which are self-locking in any position. Forward and side vision s still further improved by Perspex vindscreen corners, and curved Perspex :orners at the rear eliminate high-level And spots when reversing.
The driver's seat is open-to the saloon, Ind this will be of special benefit if an application be granted for conductorless running on certain routes during slack periods. All the front panelling is of aluminium checker plate, and the detachable near-side panel gives access to the engine injection pump and dynamo, The floor treads are of stainless steel.
The front-entrance door slides along the exterior of the body, and is power operated by Peters equipment. Vacuum power is provided by the brake-system exhauster, and control is by electric solenoid. Two push buttons for door operation are fitted on the inside, one for the conductor and one for the driver, and a third emergency button is let into a body panel on the outside near the passengers' door.
Light Body
The lightweight body is built on a framework of one-piece steel pillars and roofsticks with aluminium rails. Electric welding is used throughout. The body is mounted on Siamese yang crossmembers, and the fillets are of yang or Burmese teak. The floor 1s ramped from 11 ins, at the front to 1 ft. 3 ins, at the rear, which gives a• floor height of 3 ft. 1 in., rising to 3 ft. 5 ins. The frame is lined with insulation tape to prevent drumming and vibration, and the panels are pop riveted to the pillars, waist rail and cant rail. All the steel parts are pre-treated with Jenolite to remove rust and to provide a seal for the paint.
The front of the body-support frame is of 3-in. by 1-in, steel, and the two members are cantilevered over the bulkhead body brackets and bolted to the first cross-member. Bracing is given by the upper bodywork structure. A dropped extension of the chassis frame at the rear allows space for a large luggage compartment with a capacity of approximately 83 cubic ft.
The spare wheel is roller mounted ' amidships above the chassis on the neat side. The emergency spare-kit compartment, containing the jack, bar and wheel spanner, is located below the wheel, and access to it is gained by breaking a glass front. This follows the practice of glass-sealing the first-aid kit compartment, recessed into the near-side front panel, and effectively discourages unauthorized use of the equipment.
The saloon has an interior height of 6 ft. 81 ins., and notable features include luggage racks with a depth of 1 ft. 1 in. and a width of 1 ft. 10 ins. The five pairs of Quicktho Fleximount windows are fitted with pivoting-sliding ventilator sections which slide or fold down according to the opening required. The four full-size windows on each side measure 2 ft. 1 in. by 4 ft. 11 ins. The glazing is mounted in Claytonite strip.
Four Perspex panels in the roof greatly improve the interior lighting by day, and ample night illumination is provided by 14 lights under the racks and by two at the front. The upper quarter panels of the service bus are covered in repp; moquette will be used in the private-hire luxury coach, which will probably seat 37 passengers.
A Clayton Dewandre heater mounted under one of the seats feeds into a duct with five outlets on the off side.