News of the Week
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A FRUIT TRANSPORT CONCESSION
THE Ministry of Food, in conjunction with the M.O.W.T., has announced that to allow flexibility in allocating traffic between road and rail, the road-radius restrictions imposed last year in connection with the transport of fresh fruit and vegetables will not be reimposed this year, except in the case of tomatoes.
Any transport directions issued by the M.0.17for the movement of fruit crops during the ensuing season will be the same for rail and road transport, but road traffic will be subject to a general restriction of 35-miles radius administered by the R.T.C.s under petrol rationing: Traders should apply to the R.T.C.s where the distances are over 85 miles, but only for essential movements, if the rail services be not
adequate or suitable. The R.H.O. should be offered traffic of 60 miles or over.
"CM" FIRST-AID GUIDE STILL AVAILABLE
rOFIES of the simple guide to firstaid issued. by this journal are still. available from booksellers and bookstalls at 6d., or 7d. direct from these
offices. The booklet forms a neat pocket compendiuin on an important subject.
M.O.W.T. 'HAULAGE DRIVER FINED ACASE was recently brought by
Messrs. D. Milehatn and Sons, Victoria Docks,. London; E.16, against one of their drivers for obtaining money by false pretences and making false statements on his vehicle-record sheets. The vehicle was one on hire to the M.O.W.T. Road Haulage Organization. The man in question was fined £7 at • the West Ham Police Court. • TRANSPORT ENGINEER AVAILABLE
A ROAD-TRANSPORT fleet engin1-1 eer, under 50, with commercial and military workshop experience and a considerable knowledge of engine testing; requites a suitable position. His 85 years in the industry have covered steam, petrol, oil and electric vehicles, apart from many types of industrial, marine and aircraft engine. Excellent testimonials are available.
Letters should be addressed " Transport Engineer," care of the Editor of this journal.
BUS COMPANY'S PROSPECTS IN BANNED AREA 3PEAKING at the 25th ordinary .general meeting of the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Co.; Ltd., Mr. Sidney Gazcke, C.B.E., chairman of the company, referred to the fact that the whole area worked by the concern veaS•ndw dosed ta visitors • Whilst it 'was bound to reduce revenue, he said, he thought that the effect would be small.
"Certainly," he added, "it will
A 16 have no influence on the profits available for distribution to shareholders, for it will merely reduce the big margin which, to-day, • we pay away in excess profits tax."
PERSONAL PARS
ML C. D. Law, B.Sc., is now giving the whole of his time to his new post of chief staff training and appointments officer to the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., after 25 years in the technical department at Fort Dunlop. Training officers appointed to 10 of the company's main divisions are building up a complete card-index register of their men and women in the Forces or in Government Departments with a view to their suitable reinstatement when the• •war ends.
MR. A. HEALEY, B.Sc., has been awarded the Colwyn Gold Medal by the Institution of the Rubber Industry for censpicuous services in connection with the technique of• tyre manufacture, with special reference to the problems that have arisen during the national emergency in the use of synthetic rubbers. Mr. Healey, who is at present. adviser onsynthetic rubber usage to the Ministry of Supply at Rubber Control, is a director of the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd.
S.M.M. AND T. APPOINTMENTS
AT a meeting of the Council of the S.M.M. and T., on May 5, Mr. C. B. Nixon, chairman and governing director of Leyland Motors, Ltd., was elected president of the Society. Other appointments which were made were: Deputy president, Mr. A. F. Palmer Phillips (Vauxhall Motors, Ltd.); vicepresidents, Messrs. E. C, Ruffle (Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd.), and R. C. Rootes (Rootes Securities, Ltd.); honorary treasurer, Mr. F. I. Connolly (Connolly Bros. (Curriers), Ltd.).
S.J.C. ATTITUDE ON MISLEADING" STATEMENTS I N the course of the debate on Defence Regulation 73B in the House of Commons, last week, the Parliamentary Secretary to the M.O.W.T. made certain statements which, in the opinion of the ,Standing Joint Committee, are misleading. The S.J.C. is drawing the attention of the M.O.W.T. to these points, but it is felt that, at this juncture, no useful purpose would be served, having regard to the national situation, in pursuing the matter in public.
"WAR ON WHEELS"
EXHIBITION IN LONDON WE have already referred to the VY • " War on Wheels " Exhibition, to be held in the Haymarket, London, S.W.1. This Will be opened at 3 on May 16, but for operators, drivers and maintenance staffs on May 18, continuing to June 30. The daily session will be 11-12 and 3-4, except on Saturdays. Tickets should be obtained' from the " War on Wheels " Exhibition Secretary, Ministry of Supply, Room 207, Berkeley Court, Glentworth Street, London, N.W.1.
Every type of tyre employed in war operation will be on view, and there will be other interesting exhibits including a 6-pounder gun, a section of a Tank and a paratroop's motorcycle.
WIDNES MUNICIPAL BUS ; RECEIPTS UP
BUS receipts of Widnes Corporation in the year ended March 31 last amounted to £52,459 on town services, £1,486 on the co-ordinated service between Widnes and St. Helens, and £336 on the co-ordinated service with Crosville Motor Services, Ltd. In each case the figures are slightly higher than those for the previous year.
TRUNK ROAD SUGGESTION IN EAST RIDING
INTIMATING the intention to frame 1 legislation for a substantial increase in the existing mileage of trunk roads, the Ministry. if War Transport has forwarded to the county council for the Yorkshire East Riding suggestions as to East Riding roads considered suitable for inclusion in the scheme.
ACCRINGTON'S AIM FOR BUS EFFICIENCY W/ITH a view to effecting greater effi ciency' and more economic operation, Accrington Transport Committee has decided to convert 14 double-deck buses from 4S-seaters to 54-seaters, to purchase two more double-deckers and to reorganize the maintenance staff.
MILLIONTH PART FOR
ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES DECENTLY, Mr. J. Sherwin, general Pt manager (works) of .the Daimler Co., Ltd., presented to the Mayor of Burton-upon-Trent, Councillor T. H. Walters, a gearbox coupling which comprises the millionth part for the armoured fighting vehicles produced by the engineering concern of E. E. Baguley, Ltd., sub-contractor to ihe Daimler concern., • OVER 1,000 TRAILER GAS ' PRODUCERS IN SERVICE REPLYINC to Sir Douglas Thompson regarding trailer gasproducer outfits, Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, Parliamentary Secretary, M.O.W.T., said in the House of Commons, last 'week, that about 1,000 vehicles of this type were in use. The estimated saving which they achieve is at the rate of about 9;000 tons of petrol and 1400 tons of oil fuel a year. He added that ttie estimated consumption of rubber on trailers is five or six tons a year.
GOODYEAR TYRE PROFIT FOR 1943
I N 1943, the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co. (Great Britain), Ltd., made a profit, after meeting all charges, of £.145,055; compared with £148,008 for 1942. A dividend of 17 per cent., free of tax, has been declared on the ordinary shares, against. 12i per cent. in the previous year, leaving £285,245 to be carried forward, compared with .294,190 brought in
TUBULAR-SEAT MAKER'S NEW TITLE
WE are advised that Cox and Co.. of Watford, the well-known maker of tubular seats for motor vehicles, etc., has been converted into a private limited liability company under the title of Cox and Co. (Watford), Ltd. There is no change with regard to ownership.
BENEVOLENT FUND EXPANSION IN YORKSHIRE ''
rtA_ LARGE extension of the area covered 'by the Mid-Yorkshire Centre of the Motor and Cycle Trades Benevolent Fund has been approved by the Council of the Fund. As the enlarged Centre embraces the whole of Yorkshire, with the exception of Sheffield and districts adNining that city, steps are being taken to rename it the Yorkshire Centre.
With headquarters. in Leeds, the MidYorkshire Centre has made such progress since a revival of its activities began a few years ago that it now has a membership of approximately 350. It is aimed to bring the total membership of the enlarged area to 1,000 within the first year.
,PURCHASE TAX ON REPAIR. CORD FABRICS
THE National Association of Tyre Specialists, 81, Lancaster Avenue, I ladley Wood. Herts., has taken up with H.M. Customs and' ExciSe the question of the purchase 'tax on repair cord -fabrics. The various processes of retreading have been accepted by the Customs as being in the same category a§ new tyre manufacture. Consequently, Members of the Rubber Manufacturers Association have been able to obtain such 'Material free of purchase tax.
.The N.A.T.S. feels, however, that the cast of its members is almost parallel, and that what is good for one section of the industry should be good for the other, and suggests that its members include a considerable num= her of concerns engaged in the repair
of tyres as a means for processing " such tyres in readiness for resale through 'authorized channels laid down by the Ministry.of Supply, under which reselling prices . are controlled. It, therefore, wishes to apply for all such repairers to be registered as in the ease of retreaders, so that they may be permitted to purchase their supplies of repair cord fabric free of purchase tax, and claim back thetax already paid.
LINKING UP PASSENGER " TRANSPORT IN LANCASHIRE
ACCRINGTON'S position in relation to .link-ups with other local transport authorities was put before Accrington Town Council, last week, by Mr. Pilkington, in explaining that a deputation had recently conferred with transport undertakings at Burnley, Nelson and Caine, when the subject was diseussed. The managers of undertakings conceined were instructed to consider what improvements could be effected
and submit their proposals to a further conference.
A committee has expressed the view that the interests of the authority in relation' to Blackburn, Darwen and Rawtenstall areas were more important than those concerning the Burnley dis= trict, and that this aspect of the matter should be borne in mind in any negotiations.
Mr. Pilkington said that all matters of transport link-up were important, and he believed there would be big Post-war developments on bus routes.
O. C. POWER-MEMORIAL • THE name of Mr. 0. C. Power, j.P., I. former traffic manager of the Birmingham and Midland Mbtor Omni1)115. Co.., Ltd., is being.perpetuated by the provision of an " 0. C. Power "! mentorial bed at the Woodlands Cripples Hospital, Birmingham. The plaque at the head of the bed was formally unveiled last week by Mr.
R. J. Howley, chairman of the coinpany; at a ceremony attended by members of the'hospital's committee of management and representatives of the staffs of Midland " Red "'garages.
DAIMLER DOUBLE-DECKER NEGOTIATES A MOUNTAIN
AN accompanying illustration shows Mr. John Dent, general manager of the Daintier Company's service and repair depot, congratulating a driver, Mr. E. W.. J. Morley.. This followed a remarkable exploit by the latter while driving a Daimler bus over a mountain hill where no double-decker . had ever before been seen. •
• Caerphilly in Glamorganshire had lest some buses through fire, and a request was made to Mr. Dent to supply two replacement buses. The driver concerned, who has been with the Daimler concern for over 20 years, Set out for . Caerphilly. Having reached Cardiff, he inquired his way, but was, unfortunately, misdirected, with the result that he proceeded on a route oirer Thorn Hill, which has a gradient' of 1 in 4, with a steep drop to the destination.
Mr. Trevor ThOmas, bus 'engineer .
and generalinanager to the Caerphilly was amazed that a .vehicle of this type could have climbed and descended the mountain.
The driver said that in all his experience this was the first time he had ever been scared:. and that was when Making the descent. However, owing to the excellent design, power and efficient braking of this Daimler. product, : his fear was apparently unjustified.
BID TO BAN THROUGH TRAFFIC FROM SHOPPING CENTRE
ABAN whereby all through traffic, as well as public-service vehicles, would be excluded from the central shopping area of Huddersfield is recommended irt a report by the borough engineer, Mr. W. Jaggar, on the development of the town's central zone.
The replanning_ scheme proposed in the report is based on a possible future population of 200,000, with provision for new arterial roads, including a . by-pass to carry heavy east,to-west traffic.
• MAGNETIC FILTRATION OF CUTTING OILS AND COOLANTS
ALTHOUGH the principle of the magnetic filter is not new, its application to the removal of the finer conlaminating particles from cutting oils and coolants is not without interest. The use of such a filter does not, of course, remove the necessity of the conventional weir avid settling tank in the removal of the main bulk of the swart, and it is in connection.only with those metal .particles which otherwise would be carried over thrt the magnetic filter perforits its valuable function.
The one under discussion is the Philips, a product of Philips Lamps, Ltd., Century Houst, Shaftesbury Avenue, London,' W.C.2. This concern's magnetic filters have already proved successful in the case of engine lubricating oil, and this new application forms a new sphere for it.
By using such a filter for this purpose, those fine particles which otherwise would remain in suspension and which would be. carried around through the circulating pump, are removed.