BRITISH BUSES MAKE ADVANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17906, 23 July 1926, Page 10

BRITISH BUSES MAKE ADVANCE.

STATE OF INDUSTRY FULLY REVIEWED. His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner in New Zealand (Mr L. B. Beale), has received from the Department of Overseas Trade, London, the attached interesting review of the latest developments in the British motor omnibus industry : The modern development of the motor passenger transport vehicle has included no more important and interesting phase than that of the “low load” or safety motor coach. Previous designs included the type of motor bus which has in the past been considered normal and which, developed in the streets of London, the largest urban area in the world, set the fashion for other countries. The British type of urban ’bus has no superior anywhere and has been widely copied by* foreign motor ’bus manufacturers, who have in many cases engaged members of the personnel of the London ’bus system in order to secure as many advantages from the originatons as possible. The firms producing the London omnibus have not, however, stood st’ll and their latest designs, as well as those of other British ’bus builders, are still in advance of their foreign competitors.

For sight-seeing purposes and for touring in more open country a different type of vehicle was evolved. After the war finished there was a continued prevalence of fine weather in England, especially during the summer of 1921, with the result that it became customary to travel long distances by road. This type of motor touring therefore developed to an unprecedented extent and for this purpose the motor chara banc or 'bus came into being. In this vehicle 25 to 40 persons can be seated, usually in tiers rising backwards. The .vehicle is open in fine weather but provided for showery conditions with hood and side curtains of the type used on private vehicles. This type of vehicle still retains its popularity, especially for sight seeing, as the passengers obtain a less restricted view of the surroundings than they would from other vehicles owing to the more ele vated position of the seats.

SUITABLE FOR ALL PURPOSES Attempts have been made to combine in one chassis the advantage of both the above types of vehicle. The safety motor coach or ’bus is intended to be suitable not only for urban passenger work but also for sight seeing or long distance work on country routes. With this in view both the chassis and the body work have acquired a new style. The vehicle is essentially a single decker and the mechanical layout has been arranged so that the platform is lower than in the older types. The body work most favoured has for its ideal the design used for private saloons or coaches in that it provides a degree of comfort in travelling which approaches and in many cases exceeds that possible in a private touring car. These vehicles are usually run at speeds much higher than those adopted for ordinary work, and they have, therefore, a more powerful engine. The suspension has received special study in order to obtain the greatest luxury of springing. The six-wheel type of construction has been adopted in some designs but with features superior to those found in earlier six-wheel types. Pneumatic tyres are practically universal for thi; motor, the twin or giant forms generally being fitted. The interior body work is usually available in various forms at a range of prices and with different degrees of refinement to meet the idea’s of individual purchasers Where cost is of primary importance British manufacturers are able to advise passenger transport companies regarding equipment so as to reduce the price without sacrificing the essential characteristics of safety and comfort. It is necessary r to mention this because it is often represented that British manufacturers are unable to compete in price with their rivals, whereas the higher price of the British Vehicle, where it exists, will be found to be due to the fact that the goods are different in quality and lavishness of equipment from those with which they have been compared. Some of the examples of coach work seen at the last Commercial Motor Show in London were without equal for sheer luxury and comfort, even when price was disregarded, and could justly claim to be some oi the finest embodiments of the coach builder's art.

SAFE AND SANE TRAVEL. Apart from the increased comfort which is the chief reason for the production of this new class of vehicle, the question of safety is paramount. Indeed, if increased speed and comfort were to be purchased only at the cos* of reduced safety it is improbable that any British firm could be found to interest itself in this type of coach. Brit ain is above all things the land of safe and sane travel. All statistical evi denoe demonstrates that the record for freedom from accident in the United Kingdom is unapproached by any country in the world, in proportion to the number of passengers* carried. The unsatisfactory position of certain other countries in this respect is notorious, and such a record of death and accident by road vehicles as they possess could not possibly be tolerated in England. It may therefore be regarded as axiomatic that the safety of passengers is well provided for by the British vehicle. li* this respect the British Ministry of Transport has taken a hand. In conjunction with the trade a set of recommendations on points of design were prepared for common use. In this wav the ideas of the various trade designers were directed along approved channels, and although they were free to discard such influence if they ielt inclined and to evolve a type of vehicle which in their opinion offered greater advantages, it so happened that the general points recommended by the Ministry of Transport were embodied m their designs. It may, therefore, be claimed that the British motor coach design is based upon a much wider experience than any single firm could possibly gain. So successful has this policy been in practice that although the structural requirements recommended bv the Committee of the Ministry of Transport have no statutory force at present, the Minister of Transport has announced that when considering questions relating to public service vehicles he would feel it his duty to give great weight to the Commitee’s recommendations.

It mav, therefore, be seen that the British safety coach has been developed with the utmost care and under the best guidance it is possible to secure. Transport authorities would accordinglv be well advised to attach the fulle&t weight to the high qualities of these vehicles when contemplating additions to their fleets.