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WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.

10th April 1928, Page 42
10th April 1928
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

"The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it rans."—John Beattie Crozier.

L.G.O.C. Developments.

We are often asked questions concerning the composition of the bus fleet of the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., and particularly why it is that, whilst most routes are favoured with covered-top buses, other routes are still served by the older vehicles with open tops. There are at present in service about 1,100 of the K-type buses (first introduced in 1019), 890 S-types and 2,220 NS-type buses. Already many of the NS vehicles have covered-top decks, and it is expected that the others will be fitted with covered tops by the end of the year.

A few of the big six-wheelers on pneumatics have been put into service upon certain routes. These buses carry 72 passengers, and are intended not to replace the smaller buses generally but to deal with exceptionally heavy loads.

A Transference of Licences.

Merthyr Watch Committee has transferred to the Imperial Motor Co., Abercynon, the licences granted to E. E. Snow and Son for a motorbus service between Treharris and Bedlinog.

A Bus Owners Association.

The private bus owners of Leicestershire and of the county town have decided to form their association into a limited liability concern and the organization will, in future, be known as the Leicester Bus Federation, Ltd.

A licensing Appeal Upheld. .

A decision has been given by the Ministry of Transport in the matter of the recent appeal by Messrs. Ralph's Garages, of Abertiliery, against the• refusal by the Ebbw Vale Council to issue licences for a bus service from Ebbw Vale to Newport, via Cwm, Llanhilleth. The grounds for refusal were the alleged adequacy of services in the area in question and the stated unsuitability of the route.

The Ministry states that, after consideration of the evidence and an Investigation of the facts, it is of opinion that the appeal should be allowed and licences issued to the corn Pony. The Ministry makes a proviso that Messrs. Ralph's Garages should agree to loin the buses at hourly intervals and submit a time-table to the council for approval. We learn that Messrs.. Ralph's Garages have agreed to these conditions.

Disfigurement of the Countryside.

The House of Lords has discussed the question of the disfigurement of the countryside by the advertisements of oil companies, allusions being made to the "horrible pumps" at roadside filling stations.

Lord Deaborough said the 3overnmeat was fully alive to the question, and he pointed out that in the Petroleum Bill now before the House there were proposals to empower county and borough councils to make by-laws regulating the design and appearance of filling stations.

A Benzoic Company Aoquired.

We are advised by the National Bensole Co., Ltd., Wellington House, Buckingham Gate, London, S.W.1, that it has acquired the motor-spirit business of the Newcastle Benzol Co., Ltd:, conducted from Milburn House, Newcastleon-Tyne. The transfer of the company's benzole interests were made as from the first of this month, and the brands of spirit distributed by the Newcastle Benzol Co., Ltd., will be substituted immediately by.National Benzoic products.

A New Sussex Coastal Road.

The borough engineer of Eastbourne recently submitted plans to the corporation highways committee showing different routes for the proposed new coastal road between Eastbourne and the Bexhill borough boundary, these being (1) from Friday Street Farm, estimated to cost £230,000, (2) from Hide Hollow, estimated to cost £198,000; (2) from the Aylesbury Farm through Revensey BaY, estimated to cost /197,000. The proposed route from Aylesbury Farm was approved.

Falmouth Buys a S.D. Freighter.

We recently alluded to the fact that the Falmouth Town Council was buying a tractor for use in connection with the collection of house refuse, and we now learn that the machine decided upon is a S.D. Freighter made by Shelyoke and Drewry, Ltd., of Letchworth.

North London Bus Fares.

On certain motor services in North London, it is officially stated, the fares regarded as uaremunerative have been raised so as to bring them to a general level of approximately a penny a mile.

Lower French Tractor Duties.

The French Tariff Bill, providing for extensive changes in import duties, including reduced rates on small tractors, has been approved by both houses of Parliament. The reduced rates on tractors are :-250 francs per 100 kliegs. on those weighing less than 1,250 kliegs.; 225 franes per 100 kilogs. on those weighing from 1,250 to 2,000 kilogs.; and 175 francs per 100 kilogs. on those weighing from 2,000 to 3,000 kilogs. The rate on tractors weighing over 3,000 kliegs. remains at 85 francs per 100 kilogs A Popular Associated Daimler Model.

Although the production of the Associated Daimler Model 204 2-24-ton goods-carrying chassis was suspended during the latter part of last year, the Associated Daimler Co., Ltd., has now decided to continue the manufacture of this sturdy lightweight model in view of the continued demand for it. As is well known, the chassis is equipped with a 28 h.p. four-cylindered poppetvalve engine of monobloc construction, four-speed gearbox and overhead-worm drive. The price of the chassis with solid tyres and electric-lighting equipment is £545.

U.A.S. Progress.

The continued expansion of the huge network of bus services worked by United Atitomobile Services, Ltd., in the north-country, and the necessity for the provision of adequate maintenance facilities for the ever-growing fleet engaged in the area, were discussed by the managing director, Mr. E. 33. Hutchinson, at the 17th annual dinner and reunion of members of the pre-war staff held recently at Darlington.

Mr. Hutchinson, sketching the rapid growth of the company, said that 17 years ago they had four buses, four conductors and four drivers. At present its fleet numbered 600 machines, and this was to be augmented in the course of the next few mouths by a further 200 vehicles of the latest types. The company now employed over 2,000 people, and its buses carried over. 60 million passengers per annum. He added that it was now the company's object to grow better rather than to grow bigger, and with this idea in view it was contemplating the erection of a large central repair depot somewhere in the Darlington or Stockton neighbourhoods.

Excursion Road Motor Services in France.

The various French railway companies restarted their summer season motor excursion services on April 1st. Amongst those inaugurated by the Paris-Lyons and Mediterranean 'Railway Co. iSe one for the benefit of visitors to Pads, viz., daily and afternoon

trips through the Forest of Fontainebleau, starting and finishing at Fontaineblen station. . From April 1st to June 30th, and from October 1st to November 3rd, there will also be full-day trips four times a week, 83 well as daily during the intervening months. The Orleans Railway Co. is also running several times a week three different excursions from the town of Bloi.s, and no fewer than six excursions to the interestiug castles in the Loire district from Tours are being operated.

Another Long-distance Service from Yorkshire.

On Wednesday of last week the South Yorkshire Motor Co. started a, regular service of saloon buses from Bradford to London, which will be run twice weekly. The buses leave Bradford on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8.30 a.m., returning from London on Tuesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m. The single fare is 16s. 9d. and the return fare 28s. 9d.

Official Orders for February.

Amongst the contracts for commercial motor vehicles given out by Government departments during February last, were the " following :—By the Crown Agents for the Colonies, one for lorries divided between the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., and Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd.; another for ambulances placed with the Star Engineering Co., Ltd. ; and a third for vans with Morris Motors (1926), Ltd, The Air Ministry placed an crder for road-sweeping machines with the Eagle Engineering Co., Ltd. The G.P.O. authorities ordered a number of vans from the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., and Morris Motors (1926), Ltd., and bodies from Bonnallack and Sons, Ltd., and Messrs. Medley, Brooker and Smith.

Meeting the Needs of the Furnishing Trade.

One of the main transport requirements of the house-furnishing trade is ample loading space, and it is for this reason that so many concerns engaged in this business make use of the commercial-vehicle chassis having a for ward-control position. The value of this construction is clearly typified in an accompanying illustration which shows a Garner 2i-ton van supplied to a well-known concern, Messrs. Eastham's, of Goole. Not only does the vehicle possess a useful loading area in its interior, but additional space is available above the driver's cab, whilst ortain goods can be carried on the strongly supported roof, part of which is enclosed by a rail. It will be noticed that a well is provided at the rear Another Garner product is shown in the other illustration, this vehicle, which is a 30-35-cwt., model, also being for a house-furnishing company. This Vehicle is of thy more orthodox type, and it has a tilt van body, the inside dimensions of which are as follow :— Length, 11 ft. 7 ins. ; width, 5 ft. 8 ins. ; height, 6 ft. 6 ins. A crotch is fitted at the rear, as well as curtains with fish-fail ends to cover the cratch when it is down. The loading area of this vehicle is approximately 465 cub. ft. "

The Ulster Roads Bill.

The Ulster Toads Improvement Bill, which gives local authorities the power to close certain roads to bus traffic, has passed its third reading in the Northern Ireland House of Commons. It is not anticipated that many important changes will be made in the Senate.

"Northern General" Dividends.

After providing £53,082 for renewals and placing £10,387 to reserve, the directors of the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., recommend the payment of a final dividend of 3 per cent., less tax, on the preference shares of the company, . making 6 per cent. for the year 1927, and a final dividend of 71 per cent., less tax, on the ordinary shares, making 10 per cent, for the year, against 7 per cent. lii the previous year. After these allocations have been made, a balance of 113,29B remains to be carried forward. As is well known to our

readers the company operates a large network of bus services• in the Tyneside and Durham districts.

Ulster Farmers and Bus Prosecutions.

A meeting of the executive committee of. the Ulster Farmers' TJnilm has passed a resolution protesting against the many vexatious prosecutions which have been instituted against motorbus owners, and urging greater elasticity in the administration of the Motor Acts, particularly ifi conditions of emergency.

• First-aid Boxes for Buses.

At a meeting of the Stoke-on-Trent Watch Committee, the 'town clerk submitted a letter from the North Staffs Trades and Labour Council, suggesting that each bus licensed in the city should carry an ambulance box and that drivers and conductors should he required to take instruction in first aid. The committee approved the suggestion, and decided that it should be brought to the notice of all bus proprietors.

A Tool to Aid Valve Grinding.

A neat device to assist the mechanic in the task of grinding-in valves is mar

kited by Richard Crawford and Co., Ltd., 128, Much Park Street, Coventry. The tool in question is known as the l3.R.M. valve grinder, and appears to be mainly constructed on the lines of a hand-brace, being provided with a hand grip for keeping the tool in correct alignment, a winding handle and a revolving shaft on which the attachment to connect with the head of the valve is fitted. Three of these attachlnents are supplied with each tool, and thus enable the operator to deal with all ordinary types of slotted or socketed valve head. The apparatus sells at an attractive price, and a fitting which allows the tool to be used with tulipheaded valves can also be obtained.

American Production Down.

Figures which have been issued show that 27,765 commercial vehicles were produced in the United States during the mouth of January last. This figure. shows a marked decline as compared with that for the corresponding month in the previous year, when 42,907 commercial vehicles were constructed.

Big Garage for Glasgow's Buses.

'The tramways committee of the Glasgow Corporation has decided to provide a garage in Putterbiggius Road to accommodate 100 buses, at an estimated cost of £35,000.

A New Myth Bus +Concern.

A new company, under the title of Blyth Motor Services, Ltd., was registered a few days ago to carry on the business of motorbus proprietors from Blyth. The nominal capital of the coin

pany is 18,000 shares.

Tyre Companies' Profits.

According to an advice from Akron., the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co. made a total net profit during 1927 of $13,135,666. Which compares with $8,799,138 in the preceding year. Au additional 29,000 acres of rubber land in Sumatra were acquired during the year, and new manufacturing plants were established at Sydney, Australia and Wolverhampton in this country. The combined capacity of the factories is now aproxiraately 75,000 tyres and tubes daily, The B.F. Goodrich Tyre Co. also made a big net profit in 1927, the actual figure being $12,780,306.

Austin's Paying Dividend Arrears.

The Austin Motor Co, Ltd., has decided to pay one year's aricars of dividend on the company's one million 6 per cent. B preference shares, amounting to £75,000, less tax at 4s. in the £--equal to £60,000 net.

A Paper on Anti-detonating Agents.

At a meeting of the Institute of Fuel to be held at the -Chemical Society's rooms, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W.1, on April 18th, the chair will be taken by Mr. Roger T. Smith, president of the Institute of Transport, and a paper entitled "The History and Development of Anti-detonating Agents for Motor Fuel" will be read. Blackpool Coaching Rules.

Motor coach owners and motorbus owners sending vehicles to Blackpool should note that for Easter and Whitsun weeks and the months of June, July, August and September. the following regulations for preventing obstruction are enforced :—All drivers of coaches or motorbitses entering the borough must, after unloading the vehicles, drive off immediately to a garage. No coach or bus will be permitted to remain in any street longer than is necessary for the expeditious unloading of the passengers from the vehicle, or cause an obstruction in such street. The proprietor, driver or other person in charge of a coach or bus must load or cause the vehicle to be loaded at a garage and not in the

Street. • The Value of a Dental Van.

For the purpose of providing adequate dental service for scholars at isolated schools in the northern part of Northumberland the county education committee is considering the advisability of purchasing a specially fitted dental van at a cost of about £500. A special sub-committee reports that the van would be more economical than the establishment of clinics at the larger centres, which would entail heavy travelling costs for taking the children to the establishments. It is estimated that the vehicle would cover about 8,000 miles per year at a cost of £200, or approximately 6d. per mile. A deputation is to inspect a similar van in use by the county education authority of Cumberland.

New Fitments for High-class Bodies.

Two interesting new fittings, both of which are suitable for incorporating in up-to-date passenger-vehicle bodies, have recently been placed on the market by Cooper Webb-Jones and Co., of Stockwell Works, Walsall, Staffs. The simpler of these is the Sicilia door buffer, which mainly consists of a •length of strong rubber tubing, which is firmly embedded in a brass channel. Provisions are made so that the channelling can be screwed to the edge of the door, the rubber tubing being then pulled into position. The device should suit doors of both the sliding and folding types and is claimed to make a joint which is proof against both rattles and draughts.

The other new Sidno fitment is a ballbearing runner designed for fitting to wooden or metal hoopstichs. The main feature of this runner is the manner in which it allows the hoopstick to be easily pushed along the cant rails when it is desired to manipulate the hood. • Eastbourne's Bus Profits.

It is announced that the Eastbourne Corporation made a profit of 18,489 on the operation of its motorbuses during the past municipal year.

A New One-gun Washing Outfit.

Brown Bros., Ltd., Great Eastern St., Loudon, E.C.2, has jut forwarded to us details of the Hardie special onegun vehicle washer, which has been designed to provide great capacity and dependability at a low price. The plant is driven by a 1ih.p. motor, and maintains, a constant pressure of 300 lb. It is supplied complete with suction and discharge hose and the Hardie gun, and

is assembled ready for use. It is mounted on a pressed-steel stand and is capable of handling hot or cold water and any soap solution.

Petrol-electric Lorries in America.

Petrol-electric vehicles, hitherto only used in the United States in the form of motorbuses and snow ploughs, have recently been adopted by the Philadelphia Rural Transit Co. for goodscarrying purposes, a fleet of 19 lorries, each capable, in conjunction with a trailer, of dealing with a total load of from 8 to 10 tons. The vehicles were built by the Walter Truck Co., -with electric equipment by the General Electric Co.

A.A. Wireless Road Report.

During the next three months the British Broadcasting Corporation will broadcast to all stations from 2L0 a short weekly report by the Automobile Association on road conditions throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The report will be transmitted on Friday evening i with the second news bulletin.

American Exports Increase.

The New Year opened with a very active tone as regards the exports of vans, lorries and buses from the United States, no fewer than 11,584, valued at £1,461,013, having been shipped during January last, as compared with 7,704 and 11,098,308 respectively in the corresponding month a year ago. The Argentine has displaced Australia as being the principal cuStotner, the Commonwealth being now second, with Germany a close third, Great Britain being sixth in the list. Nearly 85 per cent, of the exports consisted of vehicles of a carrying capacity of less than 20 cwt.

An Invaluable Buyer's .Guide.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has just issued a buyers' guide, which should prove invaluable to those interested in any branch of the motor industry of Great Britain. This publication has been prepared from information supplied by members of the S.M.M. and T., and is designed to form a classified directory of the manufac turers in Great Britain and the Empire of motor vehicles, components, accessories, materials and equipment used in the motor trade. It provides information as to the source of supply of the majority of the many and varied items required for the construction, use and maintenance of all types of motor vehicle.

Dublin Bus Contracts.

Contracts for the supply of fourteen 32-seater bus chassis to the Dublin United Tramways Co. have been secured by Dennis Bros., Ltd. A contract for the supply of six buses for the same company has been secured by Leyland Motors, Ltd.

Controlograpb Prices.

In our issue for March 27th we referred, in an article concerning mileage recorders, to the prices of certain models of the Controlograph, which are made by the Mechanical and General Inventions Co., Ltd., 10, Charles Street, London, &W.I. Two of these prices were given incorrectly, and should have been reversed, that of the Magic model being actually 1.15 15s. and that of the A.T.L type being 19 I7s. Municipal Action Upheld. • On March 19th the Ministry of Transport held an inquiry into the appeal of Messrs. T. Burrows and Sons, bus proprietors of Wombwell, against the action of the Wombwell and Wath Urban District Councils in refusing the company licences in respect of a proposed increased bus service between Wath-on-Dearne and Leeds, except under certain conditions, these including certain clauses protecting the Dearim District Light Railway, a tremways undertaking in which the two councils ate interested. The findings of the Ministry have now been made known and it is stated that, after due consideration of the facts, it has been decided not to make an Order on either of the licensing authorities, which means that the action of the municipalitiessis upheld.

Bus Profits for Road Reconstruction.

At a meeting of the motorbus committee of the Eastbourne Corporation the minute of the finance and general purposes committee, with reference to the Proposed malting-up of Eldon Road, at a cost of 112,059, was reported. It was decided that the council be recommended to agree that the charges for sinking fund and interest in connection with this matter be borne out of the profits of the motorbus undertaking by means of a contribution towards the relief of the rates.

A Irulcanizing Instruction Book.

Harvey Frost and Co., Ltd., the inventor of the well-known HP vulcanizing process, has just issued an entirely new vulcanizing instruction book dealing very thoroughly with repair work to cord covers. Every phase of tyre repairing likely to be encountered by the tyre repairer has been dealt with in an interesting and comprehensive manner. From nail-holes to blow-outs, abrasions to side-wall bursts, sectional repairs to retreading, all stages of their treatment are fully described in a particularly lucid style.

The book is profusely illustrated, special photographs having been taken of actual work in hand, and much valuable advice concerning various damages and their cause, together with notes on the maintenance of a tyrerepair department, is included. Details of the various vulcanizing plants available are given at the end of the book, as are particulars of some of the valuable workshop appliances marketed by the company—these including the H.P. giant tyre changer, universal rim wrench and trammel wheel aligner. This most informative book is priced at 2s. 6d. and can be obtained from the company at 148-150, Great Portland Street, London, W.1.

"Straight-eight" Lorries.

An American concern, the World's Motors Co., of Cincinnati, U.S.A., has recently put on the market a series of 11-ton, 2-ton and 21-ton lorry chassis known as the "World Eight," the feature being the use of " straight-eight " engines. The latter are of Continental make, and are stated to be able to develop 85 h.p.

Municipal Co-operation.

Manchester Watch Committee has granted licences to the Rochdale Corporation to run an express motorbus service between Rochdale and Urmston in conjunction with the Manchester tramways service.

Reconstruction of Bridges.

During the forthcoming financial year the Ministry of Transport proposes to set aside a sum of £250,000 to be distributed by way of special grants from the Road Fund towards the cost of the reconstruction of weak railway and canal bridges, as well as the construction of bridges to replace level crossings on important roads.

Mr. Adey's Successor at Merthyr.

The Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council has decided to appoint Mr. T. H. Thomson, of Durham, to the position of manager of its bus services in succession to Mr. D. F. Adey. Mr. Thomson will commence his duties immediately.

Tyre Inflation Simplified.

. It will be remembered that in our recent special issue dealing with body-: work and equipment, we mentioned a number of makes of appliance for use in connection with tyre inflation. As an addition to these, attention may be drawn to the Eco automatic air etation, which is handled in this country by Equipments, Ltd., Morley House, Regent St., London, W.1. We understand that this conlpactly designed appliance has recently been adopted for service purposes by several concerns well known in the commercial motor trade, and amongst these may be named Appkyard of Leeds, Ltd., and Cat cm's, Ltd., of Eastbourne.

The Eco machine in question, which is the makers' Model 20, possesses several especially useful features, included in these being the provision of means whereby the hose is automatically drawn back into its container when the operator releases its nozzle from the tyre valve. A further advantage is its extreme simplicity of operation, all that is needed •to inflate a tyre being the turning of the indicator dial to the required pressure, the drawing of the hose from its reel in the container and the application of its nozzle to the tyre valve. A bell then ;starts to ring as the compressor is automatically set in operation, and immediately this ringing stops the worker knows that the tyre is inflated to the desired pressure, and that he can release the nozzle of the hose from the tyre valve.

Lorries and Buses in the United Statee.

Some official figures lately to hand show a continued steady growth in the number of motorvane, lorries and buses in use throughout the United States, the return showing a total of no fewer than 2,971,668 vehicles at the commencement of the present year, as compared win 2,839,149 at the beginning of 1927, an increase of 132,519 vehicles, or about 4.7 per cent, in the 12 months. Of the present total it is estimated that 29.738 are motorbuses.


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