SHEFFIELD BUYS MORE BUSES.
Page 21
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Brief Details of the Latest Acquisition of an Enterprising Municipal Authority, which Already Owns a Number of Motorbuses and is Making Further Additions to its Fleet.
IN THE provision of adequate passengersenger transport facilities for the inhabitants of the city and adjacent areas,. the Sheffield Corporation has displayed considerable enterprise, and, apart' from maintaining a tramway service, it has acted wisely in appreciating the worth of modern tendencies by establishing a number of bus routes. The corporation has used motorbuses for some little time past, and that they have proved successful in operation is best indicated by the fact that several additions have been made to the original fleet of vehicles in the service of the tramway:4 find motors department.
The latest acquisition of the authority Is the A.E.C. forward-dash-type saloon bus illustrated on this page, which brings the number of buses of this make in its service up to 21 of various types. The size of this fleet, and the fact that a further eight chassis are at present under construction in the works of the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., are testimony to the value which the Sheffield Corporation sets upon A.E.C. products. The chassis on order, by the way, are to be fitted with covered-in double decks.
The corporation's latest saloon bus provides seating accommodation for 38 passengers, and the driver's seat is entirely cut off from the main compart ment. he driving position is the same as on the latest-type L.G.O.C. bus in service in London, but the cab is completely enclosed.
The skeleton of the body is framed up in the usual way, and the panelling is carried out in sheet steel, which is painted a rich shade of dark blue.
Pour of the windows on each side of the bus are so arranged that they can be lowered into the body panels, but ample ventilation is given to the—interior, by vents of the usual type, which are disposed over the side windows.
The entrance to the seating compartment is to the rear of the back wheel on the near side, and -the door is well recessed so as to facilitate the movements of passengers and to give a wide tread to each of the two steps. Lighting of the interior is carried out by Rotax equipment, and Moonbeam head. lawns are tau]. The chassis on which this, body is mounted is the A.E.C. Model 503, the main features of which are a 45 h.p. four-cylinder engine, a cone-type clutch, a four-speed-and-reverse gearbox and a worm-driven rear axle. A point of im
portance is that the height of the top of the frame from the ground is only 2 ft. 7 ins., so that it is possible to secure a low-load-line vehicle. Several details of design render the chassis particularly suitable for passenger work, notable amongst which is the system of springing.
The tyres on the new Sheffield bus are Dunlops of 38-in, by 7-in, dimensions, twins being fitted at the rear. In order to acquaint the driver if the air pressure falls below a definite level, they are provided with a puncture-alarm device.