HOW TO CARRY LUGGAGE on the Long-distance Coach
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An Informative Contribution by Our Coach. building Expert, which Contains a Number of Original Suggestions Regarding the Most Suitable Methods of Carrying Passengers' Luggage on Saloon Vehicles.
THE wide and low-loading modern motor coach may easily be adapted so that it can readily carry a considerable amount of luggage on the roof, The road-holding powers of such a vehicle are excellent and an unbanked corner may be negotiated at a good speed and with greater safety than is possible with some types of private car.
Some people are of the opinion that luggage should be carried only at the rear, at the sides of the chassis, or under the raised floor, but even if these parts of the vehicle be available to be converted into lockers, it is always an advantage for a portion of the roof also to be capable of use in the event of an extra load of luggage having to be transported.
If part of tire roof be used for the accommodation of luggage, it is usual to select the rear portion, because it is accessible from the back, as well as from each side. A ladder may also be fastened at the back of the coach, where it does not obstruct the outlook. The objection to the rear load is that the chassis is already supporting some 6 or 7 ft. of body beyond the hind axle and it is not desirable to concentrate an additional weight at this point.
From this aspect it is more advantageous to arrange the luggage enclosure ahead of the hind axle, The ladder cannot be fixed permanently at the side of .the coach, because, usually, the vehicle is already of maximum width. A detachable ladder may, however, serve two purposes, because, if the sides of the body be not extended more tham a few inches below the top of the chassis, the ladder may form a lifeguard. The advantage derived from such an arrangement is that the ladder need not be folded, nor need any special place be provided for its disposal.
When the coach body is mounted upon a chassis having forward control, the luggage enclosure on the roof may extend to the front bulkhead. Then, if the roof be continued only over the driver's cab, there vill usually be space for fixing a ladder at the front, by the side of the bonnet.
The loading or unloading of the luggage from the roof may occupy some 10 or 15 minutes, because each bag has to be carried separately up or down the ladder. There may also be delay at an intermediate point on the journey, if a certain case be required and if the load has not been arranged in a particular sequence.
It is suggested, therefore, that part of the roof might be flat, in order to provide a foundation for at B25 least one revolving tray. These containers could be circular in plan and mounted upon castors running on a metal track, with a central bearing having ball races. The tray could be partitioned and then any particular bag or parcel could be easily found by revolving the tray, as necessary.
Another advantage of such an enclosure is that one position of the ladder gives easy access to a comparatively large roof area. A simple catch at one or both sides of the coach is necessary in order to prevent movement of the tray during the journey.
Another method of carrying luggage is to utilize the whole of the roof for this purpose, with, of course.
the exception of the more sharply curved portions. If this be effected a series of roof lockers may be constructed which give full protection to each package ; also, any case may be removed without uncovering the others, such as is necessary when a large waterproof sheet is used.
Roof lockers may be accessible from each side, or, on the other hand, -they may be small and access afforded from a central gangway on the head. The contents of the lockers are more easily inspected than when the luggage is car
ried below the floor level of the coach body.
A plan which should save time at a terminal point when unloading the whole or greater part of the load is to provide a wood ramp or chute. This is placed at the side Of the coach and the packages are lifted on to the top of the chute by an attendant and are collected at the foot by another.
If there be sufficient space at the coaching station the chute may be placed at right angles to the vehicle and hooked on at the roof line, but if space be limited the chute should be selfsupporting and arranged as shown in one a the accompanying illustrations.
The use of the roof for carrying luggage should not preclude it from forming part of the ventilating scheme. When only a portion of the roof is railed off there will be sufficient space, both in front and at the rear, for fitting air extractors. If lockers be situated at each side of the head, these extractors may be set out along a centre line, if a middle gangway be provided.
Should the whole of the roof consist of a series of partitioned lockers, the extractors must be raised to the top line of the containers, suitable means for communication with the interior of the body being provided.
So far, the number of sleeper coaches in service is but small and doubtless many detail improvements will, in the near future, be introduced in their general design. In the case of a sleeper coach having an upper row of bunks, it is not advisable to carry a roof lead. At the same time, the lockers which are provided at the sides or under the floor may be inadequate.
It is suggested that an additional locker could be formed at the rear.This design is sometimes adopted for . the erdinary long-distance coach and particularly in the case of _those on Continental service. As it would be inconvenient to make this locker the full height of the body, or to build it un from, the floor level (it would , prevent a rear door being employed), it is suggested that the locker should occupy only the upper part of the body, so that it would have approximately the same height as that provided for the upper bunks.