Roads Over the Railways
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Our Original Scheme to Utilize the Wasted Space Above the Railways Revived
AN article appearing in the . current issue of The Petroleum Times interests us greatly, for it deals with the possibilities of constructing steel or reinforced-concrete and excellently graded motor highways over the railway lines of this country. . It points out that the railways of Great Britain have failed to realize and to adapt to-day's conditions to the wonderful possibilities available on their own property, and that for years they have done their best to block the development of road transport, instead of steadily improving their own facilities and methods. They have not realized what a valuable • asset they have in their own hands. Their lines form a vast network of wide and direct thoroughfares throughout the country. Here, there are splendid facilities for wide, highspeed motor roads, free of cross traffic. The construction of overhead roads would help the steel and coal industries and reduce unemployment, whilst the materials alone would provide heavy traffic for carriage mainly by the railways.
It would be reasonable, in the case of such roads, to charge tolls, which would help to swell the revenues of the railways, because the latter would then obtain traffic receipts regardless of whether the goods or passengers went by rail or by their roads.
This suggestion was put forward in The Commercial Motor dated March 5, 1929, when it was accompanied by striking illustrations of the proposed scheme ; two of these we reproduce. We pointed out that the employment of more railway motors on the road would merely add to the existing congestion, whilst roads over the railways would tend to relieve the situation. , We mentioned. that Otncr citieshave elevated railways, and there was no reason why we should not have elevated roads, but the practicable place for such roads would be over the railway lines, where nearly all the difficulties as regards property and the use of the area covered had been fought out in years gone by.
In this article we suggested that the first phase in the construction of thoroughfares of this nature might be to join the railway termini to the main roads at points well away from the centres of congestion, but added the following remarks : —" The scheme need not necessarily be confined to the Metropolis. The arguments are almost equal in weight when considered in respect of others amongst our important cities, where the traffic is nearly as great as in London.
"So far we have alluded to such over-the-railway roads as being useful links with the trunk roads, but, later on, as conditions justify and as finance permits, these links might themselves be extended into trunk roads penetrating as far as the railways."
In order to give access to the overhead roads or from them to the surrounding country, suitable ramps could be provided at convenient points, preferably at wayside railway stations, so that vehicles could be run on the ordinary, roads to reach objectives away from the railway, or particularly for loading or unloading.
Bearings of High. Efficiency but Limited Scope AMARKED development of the past few years has been the increasing use in various commercial-vehicle chassis components of needle roller bearings. These devices possess certain advantages that render them extremely attractive to designers, and properties that 'equip them admirably for certain functions. Their application, however, is limited, and their adoption should not be undertaken without due consideration.
One of the earliest uses of needle rollers was in the gudgeon-pin bearing; it is, therefore, rather remarkable that they are not now generally thus employed. The existing practice is perhaps good evidence of the superiority of the plain brOnzebush bearing for really exacting conditions.
They are most widely used for universal joints, where full advantage can be taken of their suitability for oscillating motion and comparatively low speeds, and where compactness lends them an additional attraction. They have, furthermore, encountered success for certain purposes in gear boxes. For high loading at high continuous speeds, however, they are unsuitable. There is, neveaheless, wide scope for their further advantageous utilization, but they must not be employed indiscriminately, and we are confident that, in this matter, the manufacturers of needle-roller bearings will be the first to agree with us.
Railway Attack on the Ancillary User
THE railways have made their first public 1 attack on the ancillary user. They have disputed before the Appeal Tribunal the right of the manufacturer or trader to carry goods for hire or reward, particularly on return journeys. The problem is difficult, and is one that can be argued from either angle with equal conviction.
The subsidizing of a private transport department by operation for hire or reward is economically unsound ; if it be not self-supporting, the manufacturer or trader might as well place his haulage with a contractor,-thus relieving himself of the onerous responsibilities of vehicle ownership. To use return loads as a means for bolstering up the profits on the legitimate business of the operator is to compete unfairly with the professional haulier.
The instigators of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, obviously wished to reduce the amount of transport for hire or reward by private users, for they made it illegal to work in this mariner under a C licence. On the other hand, they recognized that the user who had established this practice was entitled to continue it, for they 'provided the B licence. The complications and uncertainty attending an application for a B licence are, however, sufficient to discourage most ancillary operators, who are content to carry only their own goods.
From the political aspect, the freedom of the private carrier is a vital factor in the defence of road transport against railway monopoly or nationalization. If the railways secure from the Appeal Tribunal a favourable ruling, the decision may be used as a precedent drastically to reduce the number of B-licensees, and may be the forerunner of a railway attack on the liberty of the manufacturer or trader to carry his own goods.