West Goes East and Benefits the Native.
Page 27
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IT is only of recent years that coontries in the Far East have given attention to modern vehicles for passenger transport, the type of vehicle which has been favoured for a long while being of a very primitive kind. It is largely due to British enterprise and capital that these changes are being brought about, and that they are certainly desirable can be well appreciated by a reference to the pictures which appear on this page showin types of bus in service in China.
These illustrations show a Ford ton chassis to which is fitted a body of most homespun appearance, carrying seats which could hardly be expected to give much comfort under ordinary conditions of running. Compare this body. with that which is shown in the other picture, wherein a. modern Dennis 30-40 h.p. chassis is to be seen carrying a wellappointed saloon bus body.
This vehicle provides seating accommodation for 30 passengers, S being accommodated in a first class compartment and 22 in a second-class section. The compartments are separated by a partition and a door which offers communica tion between them. Special attention has been given to the question of the comfort of the first-class passengers, and the .seats are deeply upholstered in leather and set at an angle which provides plenty of knee-room. Entrance to the first-class compartment is at the front of the body, and a door at the rear gives access te the other compartment.
These two buses are now operating over the same route, and surely only cheaper fares could induce passengers-to use the vehicle fitted with what is undoubtedly an antiquated type of body. It should perhaps be mentioned that the body on the Dennis saloon bus was built in .China, and it forms a striking contrast to that on the other vehicle.
Et is apparent, therefore, that certain of the more enterprising bodybuilders in the country possess a full knowledge of the latest developments in connection with passenger-vehicle construction in countries where the road motor is in use to a greater extent than in China.