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News of the Week

15th October 1948
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Page 28, 15th October 1948 — News of the Week
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CONTRACT LICENCE REFUSED: APPEAL HEARING NEXT WEEK

ONE of the most important appeals yet heard by the Appeal Tribunal appears in the cause list for October 19-20. It is by Harold Sergeant, Castle Garage, Rogerstone, Monmouthshire, who, as reported in " The Commercial Motor" on July 30, is appealing against the South Wales Licensing Authority's refusal of a contract A licence.

The case raises the vital question whether, if the duties of Licensing Authority and Regional Transport Commissioner conflict, greater regard should be paid to the matter of fuel issues than to the strict interpretation of the provisions of the Road and Rail Traffic Act affecting the issue of contract A licences.

Notice of appeal has been served on the following:—Robert Wynn and Sons, Ltd.; Elliott's Transport, Ltd.; Gibsons Road Transport Co., Ltd.; Risca Mon Transport (R. J. Beavis); H. S. Wheeler; W. E. Jones (Transport), Ltd.; Hicks Transport, Ltd.; Granville Transport Co., Ltd., Northern Aluminium Co., Ltd.; Road Haulage Association; Railway Executive; Road Transport Executive; and Traders' Co-ordinating Committee on Transport.

The appeal will be heard at Halifax House, Strand, London, W.C.2.

NUFF1ELD-AUSTIN POOL

T°permit maximum standardization, increase efficiency in manufacture and reduce costs, the Nuffield and Austin organizations have reached an agreement for the pooling of factory resources.

An official statement said that Lord Nuffield and Mr. L. P. Lord had recently held a series of talks, as a result of which there was to be a constant interchange of information on production methods, costs, purchases, design and research, patents and other items which were likely to bring manufacturing economies. The arrangement begins immediately, but there is stated to be no financial amalgamation.

The Austin Motor Co., Ltd., has an authorized capital of £5,000,000, of which £3,591,641 has been issued. All the £5,650,000 capital of the Nuffield Organisation has been issued.

FOUR YEARS BETWEEN SHOWS?

WE have heard that the Society of YV Motor Manufacturers and Traders has decided that the Commercial Motor Transport Exhibition will not be held in 1950. It seems that the majority of the members concerned has voted for the next one to take place in 1952.

A26 AUGUST OUTPUT DOWN

HOLIDAYS and other causes resulted in the production of British commercial vehicles dropping from 13,435 in the four-week period of July to 12,519 in the five-week period of August. Of the output in August, 6,248 vehicles were for the home market and 6.269 for export. Production by classes was as follows:—Under 15 cwt., 4,104; 15 cwt. and under 6 tons, 6,186; 6 tons and over, 677; motorbuses and trolleybuses, 1.234; battery-eleetrics. 318.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 110,206 vehicles were produced in the first eight months of the year. Of these, 58,156 were for the home market, and 52,044 for export. Vehicles under 15 cwt. carrying capacity numbered 38,063; 15 cwt. and under 6 tons, 56,373; 6 tons and over, 4,357; motorbuses and trolleybuses, 8,886; battery-electrics, 2,527.

CRANES TO MAKE ALLHYDRAULIC BOGIE TRAILER ABOGIE of new design, intended for use on trailers built to carry weighty indivisable loads, is at present being subjected to experimental tests by Cranes (Dereham), Ltd., Dereham. Norfolk. The model which a representative of "The Commercial Motor" inspected showed it to be built of two eight-wheeled bogies between which the carrying beams are slung.

The chief points of interest lie in the suspension system, and the means adopted for turning the wheels. Each bogie comprises eight wheels, mounted independently in pairs. Each pair of wheels is suspended hydraulically, the • cylinder being arranged vertically between the wheels.

Not only can the degree of resistance be varied according to the load being carried, and so provide for a variable type of suspension, but the same hydraulic systems can be used to lower or raise the loading platform, thus dispensing with separate jacks.

The four pairs of wheels on each bogie are so linked that they all turn together on their respective axles, the arc described by each pair being in relation to the position they occupy on the bogie. The whole eight can be turned at right angles to the trailer frame.

So far, the demonstrations carried out with the model have proved that the principle employed is practicable, and whilst certain modifications may be necessary when building a full-size prototype, there is little doubt that the system, which is patented, will mark a new advance in trailer design. The first full-size trailer will be for carrying loads up to 150 tons.

NO NUFFIELD-DOUGLAS DEAL

AN official of Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd., Birmingham, denied, on Monday, that he had knowledge of any proposed amalgamation between his company and Douglas (Kingswood), Ltd., Bristol. There have been rumours for some time that the Morris-Commercial concern was contemplating the manufacture of battery-electrics, and during the Show the name of Douglas was connected with this surmise.

W1LLEME COMPANY IN U.K.

IT was learned at the Paris Salon that 1 the French Willeme Company is soon to set up a . subsidiary in this country. It was interesting to note the presence of Mr. F. A. Le Vol and Mr. L. C. Rawlence on the Willeme vehicle stand in Paris. Mr. Le Vol was connected with the Latil concern before the war and is now in business with Mr Rawlence in L. C. Rawlence and Co Ltd., near Lingfield, Surrey.

OBITUARY

WE regret to announce the death of TY MR. GEORGE Towilay, manager of the central export division of Joseph Lucas, Ltd., which co-ordinates the whole of the export activities of the Lucas organization, including those of C.A.V. and Girling. During the war he served with distinction in the mechanization branch of the Ministry of Supply, where his duties included the control of import and export licences for motor-vehicle spare parts. Mr. Tollady was 40 years of age and died after a short illness.

MR. AUBREY LLEWELLYN COVENTRY FELL, C.B.E., a veteran of road passenger transport, has died at his home near Dover, at the age of 79. For many years he was general manager of the London County Council's tramways, and previously was general manager of Sheffield Corporation tramways department.

MR. ALBERT ENTWISLE,

A.M.Inst.T., Bolton Corporation's deputy transport manager, collapsed and died at his home on October 7. He was aged 51. He joined the department in 1913 and on his return from the 19•14-18 war became personal assistant to the general manager. in 1935 he was appointed chief traffic assistant, becoming deputy-general manager four years later.

EXPERT ON BEARINGS

FIRST lecture meeting of the session of the Scottish centre of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers will be held in the North British Hotel, Edinburgh, on October 25 at 7.30 p.m., when Mr, M. I. Knaggs, M.LMech.E., head of the automobile division of the Skefeo Ball Bearing Co., Ltd., will read a paper on " Ball and Roller Bearings with Particular Reference to Road Transport."

BRITISH VEHICLE DATA

CHASSIS specifications of all British `.-' vehicles made in this country are given in a publication issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. A useful feature incorporated is the alphabetical arrangement of model titles adopted by vehicle builders.

A second publication, of similar character, gives the chassis specifications of all British machines built for export. The respective prices of these catalogues are 10s. and 5s., post free in each case. Copies can be obtained from the Society at 148, Piccadilly, London, W. I.

BIG FLEET ORDERS " ETEETS of Morris-Commercial 32

seater buses were ordered during the Show for use in India and Ceylon. The vehicles will be fitted with oil engines and will have all-metal bodies, which will be shipped knocked down.

The Indian Army has also ordered 250 Commer lorries with underfloor engines.

BETTER ROADS COMING?

THE Minister of Transport has told the Roads Improvement Association that he "has some hope of being able to relax some of the restrictions on road maintenance in the not too distant future, though this will depend largely on the maintenance or improvement of the present rate of economic recovery."

KR. CARTAGE COURSE

EIG HTEEN cartage supervisors from all regions of British Railways attended a five-day course of instruction, this week, at the Railways Training Centre at Hadley Wood. This is the first time a group of cartage supervisors from all regions has sat down with representatives of the management, to discuss openly the aims and objects of the railway cartage service, and means for improving its economy and efficiency.

" TRENT " TOUR RECORD

DURING the past season the Trent L./Motor Traction Co., Ltd., has set up a record in the operation of extended tours. Eighty-nine long-date tours have been run over more than 83,000 miles. and 2,456 passengers have been booked.

Next year all the 1948 cruises will be run. possibly with slight variations, except the tour to the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District. Provisional arrangements include extra I2-day tours to Scotland and a seven-day cruise to the South Coast.

APPLICATIONS FOR CHANGE OF BASE

ATTENTION has been drawn by Mr. Frank F. Fowler to a misunderstanding of his remarks made at the recent Road Haulage Association Conference, and published in our issue dated October 1.

Referring to possible changes of operating base, he said that whatever happened, with regard to the first decisions, the hearing of these cases in their thousands by the Licensing Authorities could not be completed before the end of this year, perhaps not by then, because he hoped that the ase for every application (by an operator) would be fought and would not be settled in camera.

NORTHERN ALUMINIUM EXTENDS

/-1 A NEW sales office under the man

agement of Mr. F. Layton, 27, Park Row, Leeds, 1, is being opened by Northern Aluminium Co., Ltd. The territory will include Lincolnshire, Yorkshire (with the exception of Middlesbrough) and Rutland.

The company's Newcastle-on-Tyne office is now managed by Mr. D. M. Eadie. PRIZES FOR USED VEHICLES

A FIRST prize of f100 and a second r-L prize of £50 will be awarded to successful entrants of used commercial vehicles, including buses and coaches, in a sale and exhibition to be held on October 19 by the Measham Motor Sales Organization at hi easham, Burton-on-Trent.

BUS SERVICE CUTS EXPORTS

AFTER hearing evidence in Glasgow, on October 6, that the export production of the United Thread Mills, Ltd., Paisley, was suffering because of the inadequate transport service for workers living in Glasgow, the Scottish Licensing Authority granted Garner's (Bridge of Weir), Ltd., permission to operate a direct bus service from the Ferguslie and Anchor Mills, Paisley.

Mr. L. W. Rewe, personnel officer at Ferguslie Mills, told the court that the labour turnover at the mill was just over 1,200 from a staff of about 5,400. Ot the workers who had left, 228 came from the Glasgow area, and 10 per cent. of them gave as their reason the difficulty of getting transport. Because of transport problems, about 75 per cent. of the workers living in Glasgow had been put or. day shift, and production, about 80 per cent, of which was for export, had suffered.

HAULIERS' FUTURE RESTS ON NATIONAL RATES STRUCTURE

THE future of the independent haulier would depend largely on whether there was in existence a national rates structure, said Mr. Henry Rossington, national chairman, at the annual general meeting of the London and Home Counties area of the National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses.

With such a structure the free operator would still be able to sell his services on the basis of .personality and individual attention, but without it competition from Government-owned transport would be overwhelming. Mr. Rossington contended that the advisory rates schedule prepared by the Conference provided the protection which independent hauliers needed.

Mr. J. W. Ellis was elected chairman of the area, with Mr. N. E. Bennett and Mr. Frank Partington as vice-chairmen. Mr. Bennett and Mr. H. G. Clifford represent the area on the National Council.

INTER-STATE TRAFFIC

IL/ RITAIN was one of 10 Western

European countries which sent delegates to a 10-day conference at Geneva, opened on October 7, to draft international conventions to simplify Customs formalities for tourist coaches, lorries and private cars. America was also represented. One of the matters for discussion is the revision of the 1937 draft convention on road traffic, which was never ratifiec.

The meeting i. being held by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

NEW BROCKHOUSE COMPANY

ANEW private company, Brockhouse (Trading Facilities), Ltd., has been formed with a capital of 110,000. Its objects are to manufacture and deal in vehicles and other products. Mr. John L Brockhouse„ chairman and managing director of J. Brockhouse and Co., Ltd., is a director. The other directors are all on the board of J. Brockhouse and Co.. Ltd. In a Line or Two

On Monday a new Firestone subdepot was opened at Bonnington Goods Station, Newhaven Road, Edinburgh, 6. • A new catalogue of vehicle lamp bulbs has been published by Solar Electric Co., Ltd., Ballards Lane, London, N.12.

Price of Ford reconditioned 8 h.p. engines has been reduced from f16 to £.15, and that of the 10 h.p. model from £17 to £16.

Over 100 electric vehicles have been ordered from Q. Vehicles, Ltd., London, W.I4, by the London Co-operative Wholesale Society.

A factory to be started at North Shields by Cold Rolling Mills, Ltd., is expected to manufacture, among other things, bus-body frames.

Sciaky Electric Welding Machines, Ltd., Slough, states that it has supplied the resistance-welding equipment for the new Austin factory in Canada.

Essex County Council is planning to establish a central repair depot at Boreham, to be staffed by a transport officer, workshop manager and 29 other personnel.

The Southern sub-area of the Metropolitan area of the Road Haulage Association will hold its annual dinner at Pyne's Restaurant, Lewisham Way, S.E.14, on October 18 at 5.30 p.m.

Sqdn. Ldr. B. Pilniak, A.F.C., will be the guest speaker at the Institute of Traffic Administration Merseyside centre meeting at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, on October 26 at 7.30 p.m.

COLCHESTER SEEKS HIGHER FARES: TOLD TO CUT COSTS

FACED with an estimated deficit of £10,500 on this year's working, following a £6,058 loss during the past financial year, Colchester Corporation app:ied, last Friday, to the Eastern Licensing Authority for permission to increase fares, and was told by Sir Alfred Faulkner, chairman, to reduce expenditure on repairs and maintenance.

The corporation proposed to charge Id. for the first half-mile and id. for each subsequent half-mile. Price of special return tickets for workmen was to be increased from 2d. to 3d. It was stated that operating costs had risen by over lid. per mile during the year 1947-48, whereas traffic receipts had fallen by id. per mile.

Representatives of the Eastern National and Eastern Counties companies expressed the opinion that there should be co-ordination in fares between all operators.

Mr. W. Astin, general manager of Colchester Corporation's transport department, said that any saving in eipenditure would reduce the efficiency and service of the organization.

Sir Alfred Faulkner agreed to the increase in return-ticket rates, but asked for revised proposals for other fares. He indicated that expenditure on repairs and maintenance should be substantially reduced.

SCRAPING THE POT

TO maintain bus services despite the acute shortage of vehicles, London Transport is withdrawing instructional and test vehicles from their normal duties and converting them for passenger carrying. The Executive has two " mock-up " buses with plywood bodies 8 ft. wide, which are used to survey routes where 8-ft. service vehicles will run later. One of these buses is also being converted to passenger duty.

COUNCILS TO BUY GATESHEAD TRAMS?

GATESHEAD has reversed a decision, made two years ago, not to proceed with the acquisition of the tram system of Gateshead and District Tramways Co., Ltd., for conversion to trolleybus working.

Under the Gateshead Trolley Bus Order, 1938, the company's tramways were to have been changed to trolleybus operation. When the present Government's plans to take over transport became known, Gateshead and District Tramways Co., Ltd., told the local authorities concerned that it would not incur the expenditure of conversion without some assurance from the Ministry of Transport about compensation. This assurance was refused.

The company has now suggested that the councils of Felling and Gateshead should inquire into the possibility of taking over the system, and a price is stated to have been mooted, I.R.T.E. MEMBERSHIP TOPS 1,000 MARK

ACCORDING to the third annual report of the InStitute of Road Transport Engineers, to be presented at the annual general meeting on November 4, 250 new members were elected in the year ended June 30 last. During that period total membership rose from 724 to 954. "The Commercial Motor" understands that this week it topped the 1,000 mark.

Income exceeded expenditure by 1349 and the loss incurred during the first two years is being wiped but.

One of the early projects of the Institute was the setting-up of advisory panels to assist members to solve mechanical problems through the experience of other members having specialized knowledge of the operation of particular types and classes of vehicles. The central panel committee has selected members of the various panels, which, the report states, will be working before the end of the year.

Some 20 factories in all parts of the country were visited by parties of up to 60 members. A survey on technical education facilities was also undertaken.

"RADIO" REFUSE COLLECTION?

pROPOSALS are before the cleansing committee of Whitley Ray Urban District Council for the installation of radio telephones in cleansing vehicles. Mr. G. Holden, the director of public cleansing, recommends that each vehicle should have a telephone, and that instruments should be installed also at the tip and in his office.

MR. STRAUSS AT THORNYCROFT R, G. R. STRAUSS, Minister of Supply, recently visited the works of Transport Equipment (Thornycroft), Ltd., and met the joint production committee. This committee was set up in 1943, a year before the Government decreed that such bodies should be formed in all factories.

, FUEL INJECTION REVIEW

A T a meeting of the North Eastern rI centre of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (Automobile Division) at Leeds University at 7.30 p.m. on October 20, Mr. C. L. Edwards, of C.A.V., Ltd., will read, a paper on "Fuel Injection Equipment and Hydraulic Governors."

TIPS TO BE TAXED

(NE HUNDRED drivers at the %--/Larbert depot of W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., have been told by the income tax authorities that they must make returns of all tips received.

MISCHIEVOUS TALK" ABOUT B.T.C. .

ISCHIEVOUS talk about the British 1V1 Transport Commission was condemned by Mr. R. B. Stockdale, chairman of the road transport section of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, when he spoke at the second annual dinner of the Liverpool area Transport Managers' Club last Friday.

He declared that it arose from discontent, and caused suspicion and antipathy towards the system of State transport and towards the men who, from a high sense of responsibility, had offered their services to the country. Such opposition could do nothing but harm. The country was entitled to a united effort from those in the industry.

Mr. H. T. Dutfield said that, although there had previously been widespread .suspicion, a free exchange of opinions and an endeavour to understand the point of view of the other man .made it possible for all to work for the common good.

TRANSPORT MANAGERS' CLUB IN EVERY BIG CENTRE?

ADINNER and dance were given last Saturday by the Transport Managers' Club (London Area), the chairrnin being Mr. W. C. Chandler, A.M.Inst.T. The toast of the club was proposed by the national president, Mr. H. T. Duffield, M.Inst.T., who is a part-time member of the British Transport Commission. He referred to the great progress that the club had made in the few years of its existence. It now had branches in London, Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester, whilst others were being started elsewhere. In fact, he thought it would not be long before there would be one in every important centre.

Replying, Mr. Chandler said that the club had been born in the suburbs, where it had been inaugurated by unit controllers of the Government Road Haulage Organization, and discussion meetings were held monthly just before the controllers had to face their higher authority Now, the club had moved to the West End.


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