AMERICAN EXPORTS DOWN.
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Duriag May last, 6,235 vans, lorries and commercial chassis were exported from the United States, bringing up the total for the first five months of the year to 36,560 units, of an estimated value of £3,823,173, as compared with 43,056 and E3,917,161 respectively for the previous year.
The bulk of the vehicles (26,892) had a carrying capacity between 1 ton and ton, 3,099 were for loads under I ton, 5,367 between 30 cwt. and tons, 941 over 2* tons, the remaining 261 being used vehicles. The best markets for American commercial vehicles, at the present time, are Australia, Japan, Brasil, Mexico, South Africa, the Argentine, Cuba and Egypt.
Details of London Transport Latest Trolleybus Order.
Further to the paragraph appearing in our issue for last week, we have now received details of the recent order placed by London Transport for 300 70-seater trolleybuses, which are to be used in connection with schemes for the conversion of certain tramway routes to trolleybus working. The Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., is to supply 200 chassis and Leyland Motors, Ltd., 100 chassis and a similar number of bodies, whilst Metropolitan-Cam mell-Weyman n Motor Bodies, Ltd., and the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Co., Ltd., are each to supply 100 bodies.
Shipping Guide for Hauliers.
The following is the number of ships arriving at the London docks, wharves and jetties named, from August 16-24 inclusive:—Docks: King George V, 9; Royal Albert, 9; Royal Victoria, 2; Surrey Commercial-, 6; West India, 4; East India, 1; SouthWest India, 2; Tilbury, 5; Tilbury Stage, 1; Millwall, 5; London, 2. Wharves: Hays, 5; Middleton's, I; Mark Brawn's, 1. Jetties: Tilbury Jetty, 2.
Brighton Road Improvement._ Dual carriageways are to be intrOduced in connection with a scheme for the widening of the London-Brighton road between the "Queen's head." Bolney, and a point 750 yds. south of the junction with the Cuckfield-Lower Beeding road. The Minister is making a grant towards the cost of the improvement, which is estimated at about £30,000.
A .Useful Book for
Engineering Students.
A revised edition of "Machine Drawing "—Book I, by the late Mr. T. Jones, M.I.Mech.E., and Mr. T. G. Jones, M.Sc. (Manchester), Wh. Sch., has recently been published by John Heywood, Ltd., Deansgate, Manchester. The object of the book is not only to train the engineering student in such a manner that he acquires a good style of draughtsmanship, but also to give him a knowledge of the construction of mechanicalengineering details and to develop in him an orderly imagination, so essential
B22 to all concerned with constructive work.
A section is devoted to the principles of projection, and the method adopted throughout the book is that recommended by the British Engineering Standards Association.
The bOok should prove of value to all students of engineering, and may be obtained from the publisher at the address mentioned above. The price in Great Britain is 6s., postage 6d.
Road-accident Returns.
The following figures are extracted from the Ministry of Transport return of persons killed or injured in road accidents during the week ended August 3, 1935, the figures in parentheses being those for the corresponding week in 1934. The number of persons who died as a result of accidents during previous weeks is included in the total, In England 123 (127) persons were killed and 4,698 (4,933) injured, whilst in Scotland 8
(12) were killed and 4.44 (466) injured. The figures for Wales show that 7 (9) persons were killed and 269 (222) injured.
Leyland Chassis-shop Extensions.
Following closely upon the extensions to the body-building shops of Leyland Motors, Ltd„ plans have been passed for extensions to the buildings devoted to chassis manufacture. A bay 400 ft. by 60 ft. is shortly to be added to the Chorley branch works in order to cope with the company's much-increased overseas business and the demand for fire-engines.
Hunt's Safetisigns.
New premises as works and offices have been secured in the Great West Road, 13rentford, London, by A. H.
Hunt (Safetisigns), Ltd. Here the company will continue the manufacture and distribution of its well-known motor-vehicle signals, rof which. there is a special large model for commercial vehicles.
HAULIER'S FINE REMITTED.
Mr. Frank Thompson, head of a concern of road-transport contractors, of Boston, Lincolnshire, has had a fine of 22 remitted by the Home Secretary. Mr. Thompson was fined by the Bedford magistrates. in April last, for not fitting mudguards to the middle pair of wheels of a six-wheeled lorry.
It is pointed out that the body of the vehicle is sufficient to prevent splashing, mudguards being unnecessary.
New High-speed Electric Metal Engraver.
• Claimed to be ten times as quick in operation as a mechanical engraver, and as easy to use as a pencil,, a scribing tool called the Engravex has just been introduced by Runbaken Products, 280, Deansgate, Manchester. It is suitable for marking lettering, designs, etc., on all metals, including hardened steel, the marks being arcetched indelibly into the surface of the metal.
The tool consists of a renewable stylus point mounted in a thick-bodied tapering holder which incorporates an internal solenoid. Contact of the point with the metal sets up, by means of the. solenoid, a rapid vibration. accompanied by sparking from the stylus. The device is guaranteed for three years and can he supplied with current either from the mains or an automobile-type battery. For use with the former the price is El 19s. 6d,, and with the latter, El 5s. Spare stylus points cost ls. each.
In order to complete the electric circuit a clip is provided for attachment to the work.
New Air Brake for Light Vehicles.
The 13endix-Westinghouse Automotive Air Brake Co. has, it is reported; from New York, started production of a new type of air brake specially suitable for light commercial vehicles.
INTERCHANGEABLE LICENCES SUGGESTED.
Councillor Green moved the following resolution at a meeting of Wrexham Town Council:—" That the Minister of Transport be urged to consider -the advisability of granting to every owner of a fleet of 10 vehicles a special interchangeable licence, which it would be permissible to use while any of his vehicles was under repair." It was decided that the matter be referred to the transport committee.
Progress of-Shorter Hardening Process.
We are advised that the Patent Gear and Metal Hardening Co., Ltd., has changed its name to Shorter Process Co., Ltd., and is removing its head office and main works to Celtic Works, Sa-vile Street East, Sheffield. The company has, for a number of years, carried on an extensive business in 'the hardening of gears and other metal parts under the Shorter patents and is now engaged in installing some of the latest types of hardening mathine in the new works at Sheffield.
A 177,000 By-pass in Shropshire.
The Ministerof Transport has now approved plans for the construction of a by-pass, 4 miles long, at Church Stretton, Shropshire. The scheme' will be carried out by Salop.Connty Council and is estimated to cost £77,000. A new road is needed in this locality to avoid a narrow and winding section of the Shrewsbury-Hereford road.
C.M.U.A. Parades Revived.
The Commercial Motor Users Association officers in Blackburn have already pushed well ahead the details for their parade of commercial motors on September 21, when it is expected that there will be a large number of competitors from all over North-east Lancs. Mr. W. Chamberlain, chairmant • of the North-Western Traffic Commissioners, will present the prizes. Amongst those invited to judge is Mr.
• W. E. Macve, C.M.U.A. chairman in Manchester.