WHEELS of INDUSTRY " 7::se wheels of wealth will be
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slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness
of the roads over which it runs."—Jahn Beattie Crazier.
Pedestrians' Deputation to the . Ministry.
The Minister of Transport recently received a deputation from the Pedes
trians Association, on the subject of the recently introduced Road Traffic Bill. The deputation expressed sstrong objections to the proposal to abolish the speed limit in certain eases and considered that, in other instances, the proposed limits were too high. Furthermore, it thought that the provisions as to dangerous driving were not sufficient safeguards. The deputation stressed the need for. the 'construction and maietenonce of suitable footpaths at the sides of all roads, and urged the desirability of dealing with the problem of headlamp dazzle.
Reference was made to the desirability Of co-ordination between the various classes of road user, and an as to keep road problems under review it was suggested that a council of representatives of the various organizations interested should he formed. .
. The Minister thanked the deputation for placing its views before him and promised that all the points should receive careful consideration. He welcomed the formation of the Association and said that in the event of it becoming really representative he would give consideration to the question of consulting it in matters affecti n g pedestrians.
L.G.O.Co. and the London Public Omnibus Co.
One day last week it was announced that the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., was about to absorb the London Public Omnibus Co., which, for some time past, it ' has controlled. The change means that the "London Public" organization will cease to exist and the Public buses will be run as Generals, and ultimately will be painted to conform with the standard colours of the"! L.G.O. Co. It may be called to mind that the London Public Omnibus Co. was formed in July, 1927, with the object of acquiring a large number of independent bus concerns.
Aberdeen's Latest Bus Orders.
Aberdeen Corporation, which runs a large number of buses and coaches, is making additions to its fleet. It is buying five 32-seater chassis from the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., and five BC-forward-type 32-seater bus chassis from John I. Thernycroft and Co., Ltd. When these Albion vehicles are delivered the corporation will have par-• chased nearly 40 vehicles of this make, whilst so far as the Thornycrofts are concerned, the new order is the 14th repeat which has been placed.
Dennis Fire-engine Activity.
During the past month much activity has been displayed in the fire-engine section of the business of Dennis Brothers, Ltd., of Guildford, and many fire-fighting appliances have been delivered. These include an 80-100-gallon C20
portable pump, supplied to the Admiralty for service in Singapore, a 500-700-gallon low load-line pump supplied to the Birmingham authorities and a. 300-400-gallon pump, with firstaid equipment, delivered to the Gloucester Brigade.
In the same period the company has received orders for fire-engines from the authorities at Brackley, Southampton and Calcutta, whilst the Southern Railway Co. has indented for a 200-250'gallon self•einitained trailer pump for service at Ashford.
Our Next Issue.
The issue of The Commercial Motor dated December 24th will be on sale on Monday, December 23rd—one day earlier than usual.
A Lancashire Distributor's New Depot.
Built at a cost of £15,000, as the Willys Overland distributors' depot for a large part of Lancashire, a new showroom and garage, adjoining Pallowfield Station, Manchester, has recently been opened by Mr. J. Anderson. The duty of " opening.the door" was to have been performed by Sir William Letts, K.B.E., managing director of the Willys Overland Crossley, Ltd., but in his absence abroad' Mr. Edgar Stafford, the company's sales manager, officiated. Anderson's Garage is the distribution centre for the area mentioned for both commercial and pleasure-car products of the company. A full range of models and spares are being carried.
Important Guy Orders.
A number of important orders has recently been obtained by Guy Motors, Ltd., Fallings Park, Wolverhampton, and amongst the most interesting can be mentioned the following :—Tweuty 26-seater six-cylinder buses for Birmingham Corporation, 12 six-wheeled double-deck trolley-bus chassis for Hull Corporation, 10 six-wheeled doubledeck trolley-bus chassis for the South Lancashire Transport Co., 12 20-seater chassis for the Septtish General Transporr'Co., 12 30-cwt. chassis for the proprietors of The Evening Stamford, and six 14-seater chassis for the Belfast Omnibus Co. A Paper on Overheads in Transport Costs.
The subject of overheads and other factors influencing road-transport costs, as viewed by an engineer, was discussed at some length by Major Charles Wheeler, 0.B.E., M.I.A.E., formerly chief automobile engineer of the General Post Office, at a meeting of the Royal Society of Arts held at John Street, Adelphi, London, W.02,on Wednesday last. • Mr. John Maughtling, C.A., was in the chair.
The question of coatings has always been important in Major Wheeler's duties, because the possibility of utilizing a cheaper alternative means for transport is considered in each case before a consignment is Sent by a G.P.O. motorvan.
At the outset, Major 'Wheeler emphasized that cost accounting Ili practised nowadays is a systematic method of computing expenditure "right on the heels of the causative agents which originate the expense, each factor of work and its influence being segregated and scientifically analysed." Whilst costing must never be ineffectively done, those in charge of transport organizations must keep their systems simple.
Broadly, Major Wheeler finds that direct wages (drivers and mates) absorb practically 50 per cent, of the total all-in costs of a road-transport undertaking, and he mentions that The Commercial Motor Tables of Operating Costs corroborate this figure. He reckons fuel costs at 33 per cent. of running costs and 11 per cent, of all-in costs, and emphasizes that the importance of lubrication can never he measured by the significance of the sum spent upon it, as it appears in the total expenses.
Dealing with the maintenance figure, he drew attention to the fact that -this is very often rendered high by the inaccessibility of vital components due to chassis design, and he emphasized that this item is bound up with that of working days lost while machines are in the repair shop. He expressed a personal opinion in favour of separate construction of engines and gearboxes.
Towards the end of his paper he stated that he prefers regarding depreciation as a running cost rather than a standing charge, in spite of the fact that depreciation does go on when it vehicle is standing idle.
The discussion on the paper, opened by the chairman, centred mainly around accountan-ey problems. Several speakers supported the chairman's opinion, that establishment charges should be divided amongst man-hours of labour, and not amongst wages or material.
Personal estate valued at £99,358 was left by the late Mr. J. M. Strachan, the well-known maker of bodies for motorbeses and coaches.
Mr. N. A. Scurrah, technical assistant in the tramways ,department of Bradford Corporation, has been recommended for the position of works superintendent.
Bus Results at Stockport.
The report of the tramways manager of Stockport Corporation for the year ended March 31st last shows that the traffic revenue on the motorbuses, of -which the corporation Owns 30, was £33,951 (10.72d' per bus-mile), whilst expenditure totalled 128,822 (9.10d. per bus-mile).
So far as the operation of trams and buses is concerned, the total income was £182,566, and the total expenditure 1131,883, the balance of £50,683 being carried to the net revenue account, where it was increased to £59,997 by the sum of £8,000 brought forward and bank interest After allocating £8,000 in aid of the rates and making allowances for income tax, rent of leased lines and other items, the main part of the balance was appropriated by the purchase of motorbuses and by sums for the reserve and renewals account and the replacement of motorbuses account. The carry-forward, which is available
in aid of rates for the 1929-1930 period, is 18,000.
During the year the buses covered an aggregate mileage of 759,933, and carried 5,244,477 passengers. The buses of the Stockport Corporation serve 37.40 route-miles, and the trams 25.81 route-miles, including those operated under running agreements. The fleet of the corporation consists of 25 Leyland buses and five of Vulcan make.
G.W.R. Big Orders for Thornyerofts.
Amongst recent orders received by John I. Thornyeroft and Co., Ltd., one of outstanding interest is a contract from the Great Western Railway Co. for 23 4-ton and 20. 30-cwt. freight chassis, which brings the total of vehicles of this make ordered this year by the company to 274. These have comprised a wide range of goods chassis for loads of from 30 cwt. up to 10 ions, and several models of passenger chassis.
Awards to Rotherham Passenger. vehicle Operatives.
Grants are to be made to Rotherham Corporation bus and tram operatives .who have worked their vehicles on the minimum amount of petrol or electric current. The sum of £5 and two prizes .of £2 10s. each are to be awarded to the first three men in the rramcar seotion, and a prize of £3, £2 and 11 to the first three men in the trolley-bus section. In addition, a prize of 110, is to be divided amongst the first 10 petrol-bus drivers, and each man is to receive a grant of 11.
Result of a Morris-Commercial Competition.
Upon the introduction of a new 30cwt. vehicle in September last, MorrisCommercial Cars, Ltd., inaugurated a competition under which 1100, 150. £10 and other cash prizes were offered to motot traders and their salesmen for giving, in order of importance, 20 features taken from a list of 30 good points on the competition form. The prizes have just been awarded, and the first has been won by Mr. G. It. Fairhurst, North Street, Leatherhead.
The sealed key list revealed the 20 features in order of importance ; the first eight were as follow :—(1) Exceptionany low running costs ; .(2)
record low price ; (3) world-wide service facilities ; (4) high second-hand value ; (5) attractive hire-purchase terms ; (6) remarkable hill-climbing; (7) rapid acceleration and good speed ; (8) powerful brakes.
Royal Commission Meeting.
The Royal Commission on Transport will meet in public on Wednesday next at 2 p.m. in Committee Room "E," House of Lords, to hear evidence to be given on behalf of the National Farmers' Union and the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture.
Birkenhead to Abandon Trams?
Birkenhead Corporation has adopted a proposal, to seek powers to extend bus services outside the borough and to substitute trolley-bus services on tram routes within and outside the town.
Owing to an unfortunate error, we referred, in dealing in our last week's issue with the third annual luncheon of the Industrial Transport Association, to Mrs. C. R. Taylor, F,S.S., F.C.I., as Mr. Taylor, Undoubtedly many of those in the road-transport industry will have detected the mistake, especially as Mrs. Taylor is, we believe, the only woman in Great Britain undertaking transport advisory work.
The Western Avenue.
Middlesex County Council has now made arrangements to complete the remaining sections of the Western -Avenue in the county. It is expected by the Minister of Transport that shortly after Christmas tenders will be invited, and that work will be commenced early in the New Year.
He has agreed with the Buckinghamshire County Council as to the line of the section of the Western Avenue in that county, but is unable at this stage to forecast the date for commencement of the work.
Freeing the Yar Bridge.
At a recent highways-committee meeting of the Isle of Wight County Council it was reported that the Yarmouth Town Trust had been supplied with a copy of the letter from the Nat. Bridge Co. intimating that the directors are not prepared to sell their undertaking. In answer to an inquiry the committee informed the trust that it is not prepared to state that the county council will take no further action with reference to the freeing of Yar Bridge from tolls unless the parishes of Freshwater, Totland and Yarmouth are willing to make contributions. It submitted, however, that it is not unreasonable to expect that such contributions ought to be made if it shimild be found possible to purchase the undertaking and to free the bridge from tolls.
Leeds' Licence Refusals.
The watch committee of Leeds Corporation has refused the following applications for licences for motorbuses to ply for hire within the city:— Messrs. Hall Brothers (South Shields and Cardiff, via Leeds), Wood Brothers (Blackpool), Ltd. (Leeds and Blackpool), Mr. Norman Taylor (Leeds and Seunthorpe).
Road Reconstruction in the Isle of Wight.
Isle of Wight County Council has been notified by the Minister of Transport that provisional approval has been given to the council's scheme for the reconstruction of a new road over the Downs between Niton and Blackgang to replace that portion of the undercliff road which has been closed since the landslide took place in 1928.