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f Aircraft Work to Coachbuildai lul EMBERS of Cardiff Transport 1V1 Committee, with Mr. J Dunning, general' manager of the municipal undertaking, were present when the first completed double-deck bus left No. 1 hangar of Air Despatch (Coachbuilders), Ltd., Cardiff. It was the forerunner of 35 vehicles ordered by the corporation.
In October, 1946, the company first discussed with Mr. Dunning the possibilities of turning over from work on Government contrails to coachbuilding. Every facility was extended to the concern by Cardiff Transport Dept., and in July last the work of body construction began in two of the airport hangars on Pengam Moors, Cardiff.
The bodies are designed by East Lanca sh ire (Coachbuilders), Ltd., Blackburn, with which Air Despatch (Coachbuilders), Ltd., is associated. An output target of one body a week has been set and is expected to be achieved.
Cardiff's order is for 15 A.E.C. Mk. II double-deckers and 20 Bristol 8-ft. wide double-deckers. Newport Corporation has ordered 10 double-deckers based on Leyland 8-ft. -wide chassis. West Monmouthshire Omnibus Board is buying two low-bridge double-deckers, and Gelligaer Urban District Council two A.E.C. Mk. III double-deckers. In addition to these orders, negotiations are proceeding for the export of complete buses during 1948 and, once details of chassis and prices have been agreed upon, shipment will begin.
Mr. Anthony E. Bruce, managing director, told our Cardiff correspondent of some of the difficulties which the company had had to overcome. As South Wales is not a coachbuilding centre, skilled workers were practically unobtainable locally.
"We had to search for a solution in both longand short-terms plans," he said, and explained the scheme of apprenticeship for young people entering the industry which had been evolved in collaboration with a course in coachbuilding started at the City Technical College. The biggest problem was that of immediate labour requirements, and. work was sectionalizqd, semi skilled men concentrating on making certain sections, whilst the trained coachbuilders whom the company had been able to engage maintained the balance between the workers.
Problems were also presented by the nation-wide shortages of components, such as Seat frames, sliding
gwindows, leather for upholstery, and timber, and' great difficulty had been experienced in obtaining wood-cutting machines, but these had now been installed and all wood parts were shaped on the premises. Two hangars are being occupied at the moment, but a third may be taken over later.
Among constructional features of the bodywork is the cutaway doorway into the .lower saloon. At floor level the doorway is the usual width, but it is cut away 3 ins, on each side just. above 'knee level, thus giving. an extra 6 ins.. for passengers passing to and fro.
The floor of the upper deck, is constructed-of two layers of wood, with an intermediate layer of waterproof fabric. Alta the floor has been washed,. water' is carried away through the drain holes in the sides-and out through vents undtr. the heading where the upper and: lower decks join. , Repairs to old buses of many. types. have been effected since the change-over to. coachbuilding, and this side of the business will. not be neglected in the plans to increase the output.