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Enter The Black Knight a plush coach for executives
Page 53
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ANEW coach specially designed for use by businessmen or for functions which require refreshments on the move was handed over to Evan Evans Tours Ltd., of London, on Friday.
The coach is a Daimler Roadliner SRC6 fitted with a specially adapted Plaxton Panorama 1 body with a total seating capacity of only 27 excluding hostess.
The chassis is a standard Roadliner coach chassis with air suspension. Cummins 9.63litre V6 engine and Daimler Daimatic semiautomatic gearbox. A standard Panorama 1 frame is used for the body, but the interior layout is quite different from the normal fitted to a luxury coach body.
In the forward part of the saloon, 20 passenger seats are fitted and these are arranged in two-andone formation with the single seats on the nearside of the body. They are of the extra-large Plaxton's adjustable reclining type, and are angled towards the windows at approximately 10 degrees to afford even greater visibility.
The rear portion of the saloon is arranged as a conference area with two directors' swivel armchairs and continuous seating for five people on a bench seat round the back. On the nearside of the conference area is a fully-fitted cocktail bar. equipped with a stainless steel sink unit, refrigerator, electric coffee percolator and storage for wines, spirits. cups, glasses and so on, so that light meals, with hot or cold drinks, may be served.
In addition to the normal radio and speaker amplification, which is of Plaxton 1967 standard design, there is provision for a GPO radio telephone. Other amenities include an ingenious wardrobe, partly sunk into the floor of the saloon, a tip-up seat for the courier or hostess and provision for a television set.
Much of the remaining specification is to Plaxton Panorama I standard, including individually controlled reading lamps over the passenger seats, jet air ventilation and window demisting, and four fluorescent roof lamps, each lamp being fitted with one warm white and one blue tube to give varied intensity.
Four Weathershields lift-up roof ventilators are hydraulically operated with individual controls
from the driving seat, a feature introduced by Plaxtons' at last year's Commercial Motor Show.
The interior decor is carried out in black and platinum which, together with a fully-fitted carpet on rubber underlay, gives a pleasing, restful effect. Externally too, the coach is painted black, relieved only by the chromium-plated mouldings, in place of Evan Evans' normal livery of maroon and cream. At the back the coach carries the fleet name The Black Knight" in bold gold lettering.
On a demonstration run to Ascot, the coach performed Nery well, giving a smooth and comfortable ride and reaching 70 m.p.h. effortlessly on M4. Over undulating and twisting roads, the smooth ride was still maintained, and Mr. D. G. Evans' confidence in this being an ideal coach to attract a new type of clientele seemed amply justified.
The next duty of The Black Knight was a trip northwards to Blackpool, where the coach was entered in the National Coach Rally—and was runner-up in the Coach of The Year class.
Altrincham Coach ways goes "solo' again THE SHARE capital and coach business of Altrincham Coachways Ltd. has been acquired by Godfrey Abbott Motor Tours Ltd. from the North Western Road Car Co. Ltd., a BET firm. Mr. Godfrey Abbott told COMMERCIAL MOTOR that Altrincham will continue to operate in its own right.
Fares up in Sunderland and South Shields
' UNDERLAND and South Shields Corporation transport undertakings have received permission from the Northern Traffic Commissioners to raise bus fares.
At Sunderland, travel tokens will be issued in batches of 12 for 3s. 6d. instead of 10 for 2s. 9d., representing an increase per journey from 3.3d. to 3.5d. This will bring the Corporation into line with private firms serving the same routes. In future both Corporation and private firms will accept each other's tokens.
South Shields is to add Id. to existing 5d., 6d. and 7d. fares. The new fares are due to higher wages and will avoid a deficit next year of £20,000.
BRADFORD FARES RISE?
BRADFORD City Council is to consider asking for an increase of Id. on all bus fares except the 3d. minimum. The increases would not be introduced until the period of severe restraint ends on June 30. Aim is to bring in an additional £165,000 a year.
Coach Firm Sold: For many years a coach proprietor at Caistor and Market Rasen (Lincs.). Mr. Arthur E. Brown has retired and sold his business to R. W. Appleby Ltd.