AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

No Accidents With Controlled Doors

8th November 1957, Page 151
8th November 1957
Page 151
Page 151, 8th November 1957 — No Accidents With Controlled Doors
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords :

EQUIPPED with M.C.W. bodies

having driver controlled front entrances, 15 30-ft, by 8-ft. doubledeckers have been operated by the Potteries Motor Traction Co., Ltd., since October 1 on regular services in the Stoke-on-Trent area. and their use has enabled loading and unloading times to be substantially reduced.

Moreover, it has already been shown lhat the vehicles tend to reduce accidents. During October, the average distance :overed by the buses was 1.000 miles a week, and no case of injury to a Passenger was reported.

The first front-entrance double-decker :o be employed by the company was a converted 27-ft. 6-in, by 7-ft. 6-in, bus, which was completed in the undertaking's workshops in June, Since July this vehicle has covered 10,000 miles.

All the latest buses are based on Leyland Titan P03.4 chassis powered by he maker's 9.8-litre oil engine developng 125 b.h.p. Transmission components ncludc a single dry-plate clutch and iynchromesh four-speed gearbox. and he braking system is of the air-pressure YPe.

Seats for 37 passengers are provided n the upper saloon and for 31 in the ower, the total of 68 comparing with a naximum of 72 which could have been ,eated if less consideration had been Oven to passenger comfort. Although .:ompletely separated from the lower ialoon, the driver has a full view of he entrance through a triangulated window recess in the front bulkhead, :ombined with an additional cab window approximately at right angles o his line of vision.

Electrically operated jack-knife boors provide an unobstructed entry width of nearly 3 ft„ and a platform with a slight ramp gives access to he straight-sectioned stairway of the toper saloon on the left and to the ower saloon on The right. The doormerating mechanism comprises a 'eters gear and C.A.V. electrical unit. [he first step is approximately ft. 4 in. from the ground, and the ,ingle step to the platform has a height )f about 1 ft.

In the lower saloon the seats face 'orward, apart from two inward-facing )ench seats over the wheel arches. rwo permanent vents are fitted in the 'ront canopy of the upper saloon, and here is a hinged vent in the rear lame, whilst the lower bulkhead is quipped with both permanent and " hitnd-miss '' vents.

A Clayton Dewandre heater located at iaist height under the stairs draws fresh ir from grilles in the off-side body elle, and warm air is ducted to single t,itlets in the upper and lower saloon and a the driver's cab. Luggage space adodes an open compartment below the heater and one in the upper saloon, the latter being formed by enclosing part of the staircase fender. Six sliding windows in the top saloon and four in the lower can be used for additional ventilation.

All the seats are of the tubular service type having a single toprail and corner grab rails of stainless steel, Vynidecovered Dunlopillo cushions and rubberhair squabs covered with scratch-proof fabric. Lighting is by means of 14 openreflector lamps in the upper saloon and 10 in the lower saloon.

Structurally the -body conforms to established M.C.W. practice. The main

members comprise steel sections of various types, the pillars and roof carlines being tubular. Side and end structures are braced by light-alloy stress panels riveted on the inside, and plastics is employed for the front and rear domes the rear mudguards and the lower corner panels at the rear. Light-alloy exterior panels are Pop-riveted to facilitate removal.

The weight of the body, including all fittings, is 2 tons 16 cwt., unladen weight of the complete vehicle is 7 tons 13 cwt. Of the 500 buses in the P.M.T. fleet, 302 are single-deckers with front entrances and the location of stopping-places is, therefore, genet ally suitable for the new doubledeckers. Mr. Warwick Wroth, general manager of the company, believes that the system represents an important contribution to safety The possible loss of fares from passengers who would board the bus at traffic halts if the platform were of the open type is considered by Mr. Wroth to be far outweighed by elimination of the resultant haiard.

Tags

People: Warwick Wroth
Locations: Stoke-on-Trent

comments powered by Disqus