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More Flexible Design for Vans?
Page 119
Page 120
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WHEN designing a van for mass production a problem
arises that, with present methods, is virtually insoluble because of the varying needs of operators. For some, 250 Cu. ft. on a 2k-ton-payload chassis is satisfactory, others want 500 Cu. ft. on a 30-cwt. chassis. Some want a 2-litre engine, others a 31-litre, oil or petrol.
Is it an impossible design problem to meet these needs by greater assembly flexibility of interchangeable parts?
For example, twice recently an operator had to have chassis extensions and special bodies when the same vehicle maker can supply a larger van, with a chassis of adequate length, but unsuitable owing to engine size, tyres and suspension. Far too many tyres on medium-weight vans are worn out more by bouncing owing to underloading than as the result of fair wear and tear.
The answer seems to be two chassis lengths, for standard bodies of 300 cu. ft. and 500 Cu. ft.; two engine sizes as mentioned, with possibly a choice of oil and petrol in both sizes; two designs of front and rear springs for payloads of 30 cwt. and 50 cwt., whilst a choice of single or twin wheels should take care of tyre loadings. I am assuming that most of the parts are already in production for existing vehicles, as it might not be economical to design and produce a completely new series.
Aluminium bodies, or at least panels, would avoid excessive body weight and eliminate the rusting at the joints that seems inevitable after a few months use of mass-produced bodies, despite careful painting.
After 30 years of operating vehicles on door-to-door
• work I have come to. the conclusion. .that no manufacturer .wants to be bothered with giving us the engines we need, and yet, in smaller sizes, for vans under 1 ton, they might become exceedingly popular for private cars, thus reversing the usual tendency of modifying cars to make light vans.
For economical local deliveries the first requirement is quick warming up and ability to keep the engine hot. Cannot we have ducted air-cooled oil or petrol engines with thermostatically controlled fans, eliminating at the same time freezing troubles and water-pump maintenance? The fan clutch could be magnetic, with thermo-switch or directly controlled by thermostatic bellows actuated through a capillary tube from a heat-sensitive bulb on the engine. Even better might be a minature fluid coupling controlled in the same manner, so that the fan speed was always related to engine temperature. It should be possible to design such engines up to 21 litres for vehicles up to 30-cwt. payload.
When manufacturers realize that it takes longer to climb into a vehicle instead of walking in, we might also get independent rear suspension and a 2-ft. floor line, together with a high stool instead of a seat.
have yet to understand why, with automatic transmissions, we have two-pedal control. Surely the logical arrangement is one pedal which, when fully released, would give full (power) brake application, whilst progressive depression would release the brake, speed up the engine and engage the transmission. Collaps,e of the driver would then ensure automatic braking. On local-delivery vans a hand lever could replace or duplicate the pedal, or a handlebar with power steering and 'twist grip be used instead of the normal steering wheel. This would obviate the fatigue associated with continual sitting and standing. My experience of seats in factories is that soperators will not use them if their work involves frequent standing.
I hope some manufacturer will take heed of these suggestions and incorporate them in future plans.
Bognor Regis, Sussex. LAUNDRY CONSULTANT.
Aldershot and District Disagree
VJAY we reply to the letter you published from B. I" Williams in your issue dated February 21, in so far as his remarks refer to us?
These are entirely without foundation when he says that the Blue Anchor fare stage is completely new, for that point has been on our fare charts since September 20, 1939, when we had a stage Blue vAnehor-Petersfield Station; this would of course include Petersfield Square. Consequently, there was no need for a separate fare to be shown between the Blue Anchor and Petersfield Square until a recent application by the Southdown Company for fares on a mileage basis provided for a 2d. fare between those points.
Our application to come into line was one which is normally made, for it is an accepted precept of fares charges that the fares to be charged shall be those granted to the operator with the greater frequency of services.
On the other hand, Mr. Williams applied in Notices and Proceedings No. 431 (South Eastern Traffic Area) August 2, 1947, to take -over a service of stage carriages previously operated by W. A. Potter between Stedham and Petersfield, and the fare table published in connection with that application shows, no intermediate fares between Sheet (Half Moon).and Petergfield Station. The grant of this application waspublished in Notices and Proceedings No. 475 on July 31, 1948.
In our view, therefore, it is quite wrong of Mr. Williams to say that we have introduced a completely new and competitive fare stage on a common section of route, for it can hardly be new, having operated since September, 1939, and certainly not competitive when the conditions attached to his Road Service Licence preclude him from picking up passengers at intermediate stages between Petersfield Station and Sheet (Half Moon).
On the other hand, he appeared clearly to demonstrate his tactics when, at a South Eastern Traffic Court held at Chichester on February, 14, last, in cross-examination he was asked "Do you want to enjoy something that you have not enjoyed previously?" and he replied " Yes, of course."
We are at a loss, therefore, to understand Mr—Williams' interest in this matter, for to all intents and purposes, whilst the route is common between Sheet and Petersfield, our respective services are not competitive in respect of intermediate passengers for whom be is not licensed to cater. To put the matter bluntly, it would appear that, having failed in an application which would have meant abstraction of traffic and thereby financial loss to other operators, designed, as he frankly admits, to give him financial advantage, he now resorts to a deplorable misrepresentation of facts through your columns. With regard to the stage-carriage service formerly operated by F. H. Kilner (Transport), Ltd., between Horsham and Plaistow, that service was taken over by the Aldershot Company at the request of the Traffic Commissioners on December 22, 1954, the day following its relinquishment by Kilner. The fares charged on that service were related to the fares on an existing service that we operated between Haslernere and Horsham via Plaistow,. and it was not until the following March that a further application for a general increase in fares was granted, and this of course included the Horsham-Plaistow service.
Aldershot. P. N. GRAY, General Manager, Aldershot and District Traction Co., Ltd.
He Was Coming Through
I HAVE been interested to read the views on light
• signalling of several of your •correspondents, following the letter from me which you published in your issue dated January 10, and I would like to thank them for their suggestions. It is necessary, however, to point out that the side lights of the van in question were switched on and off while•it was abreast the other two vehicles proceeding in the same direction. The tail lights, therefore, could not have been seen by the drivers of these vehicles if, as your correspondents assume, the lights were intended as a signal of thanks to them.
I feel that the switching on and off of the van's side lights was for the sole purpose of giving the indication "I am coming through," this representing another example of the "Blow you Jack" attitude so much in evidence on the roads today.
Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex. • G. W. KNIGHT.