FIRES ON MOTORBUSES. A READER'S VIEWS.
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The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2284] Sir,—In 1906 I was called upon to design a commercial motor chassis which was destined to become the " Commer
At that time there was a great deal of fear regardmg the use of petrol. Several fires had happened at about that time, so it was important that every precaution should be taken to convince intending purchasers that petrol could be used without fear of it getting alight. With these facts in view, I designed the petrol tank so that the filler projected from the body in such a way that any splashing or flood from overfilling should fall on the ground clear of the vehicle, and notrun over the seat and floorboards, 042
almost identical with the methods upheld in a recent article in The Commercial Motor_ A further precaution was the provision of a valve contained within the tank, so that, should the petrol pipe break, it would be possible to stop the flow of petrol whilst standing on the ground by the side of the vehicle, instead of groping under the chassis for a tap, which might be enveloped in flames. So far as I know, no fires ever occurred with vehicles so fitted. I cannot help thinking that, had this construction become general, we should have been spared many of the fires which have occurred.—Yours faith fully, C. M. LINLEY. London.