PASSENGER TRAVEL NEWS.
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THE AVERAGE motorbus body in these days is designed and built to meet regular service requirements, and, in most cases, it,gives -a degree of comfort which is certainly sufficient to meet the readily satisfied ruseda of the shortdistance traveller. • The type of vehicle which is employed on services where the short-distance passenger is in the majority does not call for the embodiment of superfluous interior refinements, the chief considerations of-the user wile caters for such travellers being to secure the largest possible seating -capacity, after which the question of comfort receives attention.
Braiding thi,s ciass 01 uses maintains his vehicle in a Clean condition and sound mechanical order, he should— other things ,being equal—secure a fair share of the traffic which is offered. The passenger who is travelling only' a short distance is not liable to feel the discomforts of road travel in a vehicle where most considerations have been sacrificed to obtain the 'maximum seating.
With the bus used 'for linking-up two places separated by many miles, and passing through but a few straggling villages, the conditions of.operation are, however, somewhat different. In such cases, the service will appeal to those people who wish to undertake comparatively long journeys, and, having paid
comfort and seclusion in any sort of wea.. they and provide 4 fairly remunerative return under most conditions of service. In some rural areas vehicles of this type run only on market days and the busier days of the week (except on occasions when some function in the locality may serve as an .added attraction), and, accordingly, some enterprising owners make arrangements to undertake a limited amount of private-hire work. This kind of work is usually readily procurable, especially if the owner has shown foresight in the type 'of body which he has purchased.
Meeting the Needs of Regular. and Private-hire Patrons.
There may be some users who believe that a bus body cannot be designed and built to meet the requirements of regular and private-hire service, but that such is not the ease is indicated by the smart and well!proportioned saloon which has just been completed in the works of the Chelsea Motor Building Co., Ltd., of 164, King's Road, Chelsea, London, S.W. 3, to the order of the Grove Motor Co., of Balderton, Newark.
This body', which is mounted on a15 Ter (1923. model) Piet chassis, has been designed. chiefly for regular service work (for which purpose the seating is arranged to give the maximum possible capacity), but Silk° it will also be used for private-hire duty, special attention has been given to the " sociable " needs of a party.
With this object in mind, the seats at the rear of the body have been disposed along the sides and across the back, so that those passengers using them can easily reach a circular mahogany table fitted in the centre of the compartment. Hitherto, in bodies incorporating a table in their design, it has been the gesseral practice for the table tO be made to fold up in the floorboards or to be removed when not required, but in this Chelsea . body a new idea is presented for housing it.
The table top slides on a strong brass post-, which, connecting the roof and floorboards, also serves to give rigidity to the structure, and, when not required for a game of cards or the like, can be slid up the post and readily locked' in position immediately beneath the roof sticks. It can be called into use at a moment's notice or, if it is not likely to be required, an additional passenger can be carried ahead of the post in a detachable seat which can be easily fixed to the floorboards. This is only one of the many interesting features included in the design of the body, in which careful thought and attention have been given:to passengers' needs.
As will be seen from our illustrations, the body is of the front-entrance type, and it is arranged to carry a maximum of 19 passengers, exclusive of the driver. There are two pairs of seats on each side of a central gangway, which gives access to the rear compartment. The seats are framed up in selected wood with backs of three-ply and they are mounted on the inside on aluminium. brackets securely bolted to the floor, and fixed on the outside to the bodY-side framing.
In the body which • we inspected arrangements were made for using • the gangway for carrying additional passengers, for which purpose removable seat of a type , shown in. one of our illustrations are employed. There is also a special hinged seat mounted on the left of the driving seat, and this can be tipped up to give easier access to the seats behind.
Lengthening the Life of Cushions.
The Jushions are made up on strong spring fna,mes and upholstered in leather, deep back squabs also being used. Each of the seats is provided with a small air hole, which gives extra resiliency to the seats and also lengthens the life of the upholstery material. It has been found that, without the use of an air hole of this kind, the stitches at the corners of the seats often show a tendency to rupture,. which is avoided by making arrangements for the air to escape when the seat, springs are under compression. The framing of the body is, as usual, carried out in ash, all the joints being mortised and tenoned, or half-lapped and well screwed. The body framing is mounted on longitudinal runners and is belted to the channel cross-members.
All the panels in the lower half are of 22-gauge '0.R.C.A. steel, securely fixed to the framing, the rear-corner pa.nels being 'beaten to shape. All joints in the panels are covered by mouldings. The lining boards on the inside of the panels are of three-ply, and they are fixed to the garniSh rails and pillars. At a point where the side panels sweep in, a buffer moulding is fitted right round the body,
and this serves the purpose of protecting the panels from damage.
The roof is of matclaboarding. It is carried on ash heepstiaks strengthened. at vulnerable parts with steel brackets. The roof hoards are -covered with waterproof canvas, which is painted white, and a drip moulding
which is screwed to the cant rails runs round the edge of the body.
There is only one entrance to the body : this is of the two-piece type, and it is under the control of the driver, who is provided with a special device for its operation. It is a particularly safe type of entrance.
Ventilation and Lighting Properly Considered.
Four large-framed windows of polished plate-glass, 'with small fixed lights above them, are fitted on each side of the body, and these can be lowered and fixed in any position, stout leather straps being provided. In the case of the two rearmost side lights the straps ate carried through the back sqiiabs. A special typo of fitting, which is familiar on tour• ing ears and is shown in one of our illustrations, is used to avoid rattle. There is also a large oval light in the rear panel.
The question of lighting has also re
ceived proper attention, and four electric lamps are included in the interior equipment. To eliminate the risks attendant -upon refraction when nightdriving, arrangements are made for fitting a curtain, behind the driver's seat.
The interior of the body presents a very neat and pleasing appearance, all pillars, seat framing, roof, etc., being finished in the natural grain, whilst the lining boards and seat backs are .stained and varnished. To avoid the possibility of exhaust fumes permeating the interior, the floorboards are covered with linoleum as well as the usual slats.
A tool box is provided under the rear seat, access to it being gained by a lift-rip lid in the back panel. The workmanship of the body is up to the usual Chelsea standard, which is the best recommendation we can offer. This factor, together, with the attractive figure at which the body is marketed, should make it a ready selling propose tints.