. COACHING ACTIVITY AT CHRISTMAS.
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Harrogate Proprietors Turn the Holiday Profitably to Account.
some parts of the country quite a . number of motor coaches and saloon buses was to be seen on the road during the Christmas Holiday, and at Harrogate much activity prevailed amongst Meal owners. All the proprietors in this popular centre had their vehicles in use on the morning of Boxing Day conveying parties of visitors to the Bramham Moor Hunt, which Was held at Wetherby, eight miles away. The agreed-on fare for motor saloons for the 18-seater motorbuses in regular service at Harrogate was 4s. return, and an allowance of just over an hour was made in which to see the meet of the hounds and the huntsmen riding off, with Lord Lascelles, the Master of the Hunt, at the head.
All the vehicles of the Harrogate Road Car Co., Ltd., and also of the Harrogate Carriage Co:, Ltd., were en
gaged on the trip. Both concerns have their booking offices on the Montpellier Parade, and a representative of The Commercial Motor, who endeavoured to arrange for a journey on one of the vehicles of the Road Car Co., was informed that bookings had been completed, although he was courteously referred to the Carriage Co.—a simple instance of the good-fellowship that exists between the rival companies.
Mr. W. H. King is the managing director of the Harrogate Carriage Co., Ltd., who are the oldest conipany catering for tours from the town. They began in the horse-coach days, and quickly turned to motor vehicles when mechanical traction become the feature of the highways. Now they have in use a fleet of 15 Thornyeroft and Fiat motorbuses, which are in regular service. During the summer drives to the his
teric and picturesque abbeys and dales of Yorkshire are the main attractions, and half-day trips to the favourite spots in the localities are also well patronized.
All the year round motorbus services are maintained to various villages, the longest run being to Pateley Bridge, 16 miles distant. These start with railway-like punctuality at stated times from the bug stand in Victoria Avenue, and the traders of Harrogate have long recognized their value in furthering their interests. Delivery of special pareels to appointed agents on the line of routes to the village termini is feature of the facilities afforded.
Specialists in All-metal Saloon Bodies.
We have in the past had occasion to refer to the special system of light steel construction which is employed by Messrs. Motor and Accessories Co., of 40, Waterford Road, Walham Green, London, S.W.6, for various classes of passenger vehicle, and we reproduce on this page a saloon bus recently delivered by the company which is built on these lines.
The method of construction which is followed enables a body of very light build to be used without in any way sacrificing strength and rigidity. One of the great assets of this system is that it results in a saving of weight of at least 30 per cent. as compared with the ordinary method of construction when heavy wood super-structure is used.
This saloon vehicle, which is designed to seat 21 people, has been expressly built for one-man-operation, and the deep door at the front is under the
driver's control. The vehicle is particularly well appointed, the trimming being carried out in real leather with carpet on the backs of the seats, door panels and the aides of the body. The windows on each side are made to be lowered, and an emergency door is embodied in the rear panel. When this door is operated the tip-up seat in front of it folds down and forms a step. The body, it should be mentioned, is mounted on a Lancia chassis, and the complete vehicle sells at £085.