News and Comment.
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The authority, circulation and influence of this journal rest upon facts.
The first instalment of our report upon interesting exhibits at the Engineering and Machinery Exhibition, which will remain open at Olympia until the 26th inst., will be found on pages 25 to 28.
Mr. G. F. Barrett, a director of the Hoffmann Manufacturing Co., Ltd., of Chelmsford, contributes an interesting letter about ball-bearing protection to our " Opinions from others " columns this week (page 98).
Is it not time that the regulation of the pedestrian was taken in hand I' A few comments upon this probability will be found on page 23. The happy mean between English and French law should undoubtedly he struck.
Halley's Motors (Manchester), Ltd.
It deserves to be pointed out that the voluntary liquidation of Halley's Motors (Manchester), Ltd., which is being conducted by Mr. J. D. Steel, C.A., of 30, George Street, Glasgow, is taking place as a necessary formality consequent upon the running of the business by the B.U.R.T. Co., Ltd., which development obviated the necessity for the continuation of the Manchester company as a separate undertaking.
Good Advice.
The leading atticle in the commercial section of " The Australian Motorist" of July last contains the following paragraph : "We cannot help suggesting that if firms must write home, it would be better to address a letter to the Editor of THE COMIXERCIAL MOTOR, in London, which journal deals exclusively with these cars, and has information collected from all parts of the world, and would be better able to impart the information required than some firm who is interested or not, as the case may be, in transport of a purely-local nature, and without any knowledge of conditions in other parts of the world."
This recommendation will no doubt add still further to the hearty recep tion which awaits our " Dominion and Overseas Special Number," for which members of the industry will be interested to know that not-inconsiderable spaces have already been reserved for business announcements by substantial manufacturing concerns.
Metropolitan Garage Association.
We desire to point out that the fleet of Unic vans in the service of Messrs. Bourne and Hollingsworth, one vehicle of which was illustrated on page 11 of our issue of last week, is both owned and maintained by the Metropolitan Garage Association, of Palace Street, Victoria, S.W. The vans are run by contract, which is the ordinary method of this association's business.
Goodchild Sells More Belhaven Vehicles.
Two three ton Belhaven vehicles have recently been supplied to the Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society, Ltd., of Bladnoch, Wigtownshire_ They have Stevenson "Reid Riekie " spring wheels on the front axle. Our readers will be aware that both home and colonial inquiries for vehicles of this make should be addressed to F. B. Goodchild and Co., Ltd., at Craven House, Kingsway, W.C., which company holds the sole concession for them. The engines are specially designed to run on either petroleum spirit or paraffin. Second Rubber Exhibition.
The Second International Rubber and Allied Trades Exhibition, in London, has been fixed to take place, from the 24th June to the 11th July, 1911, at the Royal Agricultural Hall.
Motor Ambulances.
Cardiff had a dedication. parade, for its motor ambulance, in Cathays Park, on the 3rd inst.
A decision had not been reached, at the moment of our going to press, in regard to the intended purchase of a motorvan by the Greenock Combination Hospital Board.
Wolseley Motor Sledges.
The Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Co., Ltd., of Adderley Park, Birmingham, has received a letter, postmarked Nome, Alaska, bearing the address : " To the Manufacturer of Motor Sleds, England." It contained an inquiry for . motor sledges, from an Alaskan resident who is interested fit the conveyance of merchandise over frozen surfaces during winter time. The achievement is creditable alike to the Press and the Post Office.
Getting Down to the Miniature Van, but Still far Above It.
No one, whether he be interested in light fast motorvans or not, need go farther than Piccadilly Circus to see what are undoubtedly the prettiest pair of 10 cwt. vehicles within the Metropolitan area. If it is true that "Handsome is that handsome does," these little vehicles should be particulatly attractive. The first vehicle, owned by Messrs. Swan and Edgar, has been in service over two years, and, after considerable experience with this machine, a second chassis was purchased to add to the service. Both are 9 h.p. two-cylinder vans, the bodies being by Messrs_ Wilkinson, of Uxbridge; they are finished in vermilion and white. Owing to the nature of some of the parcels carried, it was decided t.. fit the second vehicle with a slightly-larger body than the first.
Touching on the service rendered by these maclines, we are informed that from 70 to 80 miles a. day is usually made, the vehicles getting as far as Kingston (Surrey) in the S.W., and Eltham (Kent) towards the S.E. Pneumatics have always been employed, and, owing to the fact that Stepneys are carried, they are not much trouble in the matter of punctures. Mr. Walter Norford, the firm's secretary, sums up on the subject of his light motorvans thus : " So far, they have been highly satisfactory, and very economical to run." Our illustration depicts the vehicles while they are waiting for loads in Piccadilly Circus. at an early hour of the forenoon. " Encyclopaedia Britannica."
The 11th edition of the " Encyelopaadia Britannica," which will be published towards the end of this year in 28 complete volumes at one and the same time, has been taken over, by the Cambridge University Press. Private motorcars are treated by the late Hon. C. S. Rolls, and utility vehicles by the Editor of Ti COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
New Registrations.
C. and W. Motor Exchange, Ltd., with an authorized capital of 26,000 (5,400 preference shares of 21 each, and 12,000 ordinary shares of ls, each), by Jordan and Sons, Ltd., to carry on the business of proprietors and manufacturers, repairers, and letters to hire, agents for and dealers in motorcars, omnibuses, etc. First directors: T. F. Gillett and W. McMahon.
Edinburgh Motor and Cycle Factors. Ltd., with an authorized capital of 2.3,000 in 21 shares, and with its office 35, Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, to manufacture, buy or sell, motorcars, vehicles and accessories of all kinds. First directors : J. Morgan, F. Firth, and A. Allan Hay. This company was registered in Edinburgh.
Wellington Tractors Tor the Natal Government.
William Foster and Co., Ltd., of Wellington Foundry, Lincoln, has shipped its two compound tractors to Natal, and we illustrate one of the machines herewith. The driving wheels are 62 in. in diameter, with 16 in. treads, and are shod with the usual diagonal cross-bars for a width of 12 in., the remaining 4 in. being left smooth in order to provide an additional bearing when travelling has to be undertaken through sandy country, which these tractors will frequently have to visit. The front wheels have 9 in. treads.
The Hon. W. A. Deane, who visited this country in May last, and who made various purchases under the ad
rice of this journal, was particularly impressed with the excellence of Foster's external-spring suspension, which A Pickering governor is mounted on the cylinder, and the flywheel is specially prepared to receive a belt for power purposes, such as the driving of a mealie shelter or a threshing machine. All the transmission gearing is machine cut from the solid metal, which conduces to quiet running and reduction of power losses. The water tanks are of 15-mile capacity. Forcefeed lubrication is employed for the compound engine, and the boiler is fed by a geared feed pump and an injector.
Parochial Lewisham.
The General Purposes Committee of Lewisham Borough Council, in a report issued on Monday, relates the steps that it has taken since March last to bring about an amendment of the law in regard to heavy-motor and traction-engine traffic. The Committee states that some time ago it wrote to the London County Council on the matter and received a reply from that body referring to the existing law and regulations on the subject, and asking whether with regard thereto the local authority desired to press their suggestion for the promotion of further legislation. The Committee of the Lewisham Council has now resolved that the L.C.C. be informed that Lewisham does desire the Spring-garden authorities to press for further legislation.
The Pedrail Again.
Mr. B. J. Diplock, whose address now is Wheat.sheaf Wharf, Crabtree Lane, Fulham, S.W., gave an interesting further demonstration of his Pedrail tractor in London on Friday last. There was a gross load of 14 tons behind the drawbar.
Motor Mails.
—The motor-mail service between Pit'ochry and Kinioch Rannoch, to which we referred last week, will lie carried out by the Argyll combination mail van and char-it-banes which we illustrate herewith.
A 20 h.p. Halley vehicle has been ordered for -the carriage of the mails been Lisburn and Downpatrick, which includes the villages of Hillsborough, Ballynahinch and Annacloy.
Mr, W. D. Marshall, of Sutton Road, Shrewsbury, has secured the contract, for a motor-mail service between Dublin, Navan and Kells, which service will be started On the 27th November next. Orders have been placed with Clayton and Co., Ltd., of Huddersfield.
The motor-mail service between Glasgow and Edinburgh has proved so successful that other services are to be instituted On the same lines, The Greenock mails are to be the next to be motor-conveyed, and tenders are now being received by the postal authorities for the supply of a van. At present, a pair-horse van leaves Glasgow every night, at 10.30 p.m., calling at the various offices on the road to Gourock, the return jouney being commenced at 7 a.m. next morning. Parcels only are carried by road, but with the aid of a motor vehicle it is intended to make later dispatches and earlier deliveries; also, by using different routes in each direction, a much-larger district will be covered than is possible at present. The distance from Glasgow to Greenock is a little over 22 miles.
Fire-Brigade Matters.
To-day (Thursday) an inquiry will be held at Wilmslow (Cheshire) with regard to the sanctioning of a loan of £2,500 for the provision of a fire statien. We hope some motor equipment will be purchased.
An inquiry was held at WaIlsend, on the fith inst., by one of the engineering inspectors to the Local Government Board, with regard to an application from the local town council for a loan of £2,785 for the erection of a new fire station and the purchase of a combined motor fire-tender escape and chemical engine.
The recent fire at a 13rixton drapery establishment, when two lives were lost, again points to the urgent necessity, for rapid additions to London's self-propelled equipment. Not a few eve-witnesses have borne testimony to the fact that a saving of a couple of minutes on thisoccasion would have prevented any loss of life.
Why Not the Thames Motor Department?
Members of the Society of Engineers, on the 7th inst., paid their fifth vacation visit to works. This, by the courtesy of the Thames Ironworks, Ship Building and Engineering Co., ['td., and with the permission of the Admiralty, was to the well-known works at Canning Town, E. We are sorry to observe, from the account of the visit, that the party did not also take tho opportunity to inspect the welt-equipped motor department.
"Yorkshire" Tippers.
The accompanying illustrations show a standard Yorkshire steam wagon with its tipping body in: (1) the travelling position ; (2) run back upon the frame ready for tipping; and (3) fully tipped. The arrangement is as follows: upon the underside of the body, there are brackets carrying rollers which rim in channels fitted upon the top el the frame of the chassis. On the top of the chassis, a horizontal screw is fitted with a nut to which are attached two levers, the other ends of the levers being attached to the under. side of the body ; by the revolution of this screw, the body is moved backwards upon the chassis until semi-circular brackets attached to the underside of the body come into contact with rollers attached to the end of the chassis, thereby stopping the backward movement of the body. The body is now practically in equilibrium; the continued revolution of the screw elevates the front end, and gives the body the necessary angularity for the discharge of the load. By reversing the engine, the sequence of operations is changed, and the body is returned to its original position. The whole of these operations are mechanically performed by the engine; it is only necessary for the driver to depress a font lever on the footplate of the wagon. and this action puts into operation a friction clutch which drives the tipping screw. Upon the top of the chassis, two inclined planes are fitted : these give the body a slight angularity before the actual tipping takes place. and relieves the levers and screw of any thrust when the backward movement of the body is arrested. On the front and hack of the body, spigots automatically fit into recessed brackets to hold the body firmly on the chassis when travelling. The advantages of this tipping wagon over the earlier types are : (I) the body is supported for almost its entiro length by the frame; (2) the wheelbase of the wagon can be increased to any length, thereby relieving the hind axle of the excessive load which previously came upon it owing to the short wheelbase which was necessary ; (3) the wear and tear upon the tipping mechanism is greatly reduced, as there is practically no dead lift ; (4) economy in time and labour, owing to the mechanical performance of the operations by the engine.