News of the Week
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TRANSPORT ENGINEERS' INSTITUTE GAINS STRENGTH THE proposed " Institute of Road I. Transport Engineers" is making rapid headway. The total number of people who have now applied to join, subject to their qualifications being satisfactOry, is 215. Further letters are being received daily, and an important announcement concerning the date of the inaugural conference will be made as early as possible.
HALIFAX ASSOCIATION FORMS ANOTHER LINK IN THE CHAIN
WE learn that Halifax Traesport Owners' Association has become affiliated to the Federation of Yorkshire Road Transport Employers, which, under the Perry Scheme, becomes part of the Yorkshire West Riding (Leeds) Area of the National Road Transport Federation. • Other organizations affiliated to the Yorkshire Federation, which has agreed to the principles of the Perry plan, are the Leeds Municipal Vehicle Operators (an organization of operators doing haulage work for Leeds Corporation) and the Leeds Carriers' Association, whilst there is an -alliance between the Federation and the Lincolnshire Transport Association.
LIVERPOOL MUNICIPAL BUSES HAVE A GOOD YEAR
UTUNICIPAL buses and trams at LVILiverpool provided a big joint surplus on the past year's working, the figure of £308,000 comparing with an estimate of £219,150. Last year's joint , surplus amounted to £213,255.
After allowing for expenditure on renewals, etc., during the year, the passenger-transport committee decided to vote £230;000 to the reserve, renewal, and depreciation bind. The committee hopes to increase this fund to £400,000 by the end of the next municipal year, because it is felt that .a large reserve will be needed to develop the city's transport system on the most modern lines.
For the past year the income from buses is set down at £609,400, the sur. phi. being given as £36,100, against an estimate ot £19,400.
TO USERS OF DAVID BROWN • TRACTORS (IPERATORS of David Brown '4.J tractors should find much of value and interest in " The ` David Brown' Tractor Book." Any owner of a tractor of this make who will communicate with the Service Department, David Brown Tractors, Ltd., Meltham, near Hudderifield, stating the serial number and approximate date of purchase of his machine, can obtain a copy of this book free, including postage.
Strongly bound and containing 55 pages, the book' forms an operator's manual full of valuable hints and tips, the practical following of which should enable the best to be obtained from the machine, whilst increasing its useful life and 'reducing maintenance troubles to the minimum. It commences with the attention which a new tractor should receive immediately, delivery is taken, and carries right thtough the handling, maintenance routine, greasing, storing, etc. There la a chapter on minor service and adjustments, another on tracing engine trouble, and, finally, an abridged specification of the machine. The many illustrations are clearly lettered so that every part can be identified.
PERSONAL PARS MR. T. STUART MALCOLM, of the Perth Garage, Ltd., has been elected chairman of the East of Scotland Division of the M.A.A. for the eighth time. His election must mark almost a record for Scottish chairmanships in motor-trade organizations.
MR. PERCY C. KlDNER has: been awarded the Medal of the Institution of Automobile Engineers for the application of his abilities to the work of the Institution during his five yearseaf office as President, which included the first four years of the war.
MR. H. GROCOCK,. of J. Grocock, Ltd., Sheffield, has been appointed Divisional Road Haulage Crfficer,'North Eastern • Division (Leeds), in the M.O.W.T. Road Haulage Organization, and takes up his duties on February 24, This position has been vacated by Ma. R. HANSON owing to -the urgent: calls of his own business.
MR. GEORGE SCOTT, who has been traffic superintendent at Dundee for nine years out of 18 years he has been with W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., has taken over theduties of traffic superintendent "at the Stirling depot of the company. MR. W. B. CHRISTISON, of Arbroath, becomes traffic superintendent at Dundee.
OBJECTIONS TO PRODUCER-GAS BUSES
I N our issue dated January 21 we referred to the probability of a reduction in the number of producer-gas buses which operators will be required to run. Actually, Lord Leathers recently received a joint deputation on this matter from the Public Transport Association and the Municipal Pas
senger Transport Association. We understand that he took a favourable view of the possibilities in this' direction.
• , Incidentally, this u-as followed by a complaint from the Transport and General Workers' Union urging the withdrawalof, such vehicles, on the allegation that they were not popular with drivers, conductors or passengers, and sometimes even caused physical discomfort.
, On the other hand,. the Tillings Association, Ltd., expresses surprise at such allegations, and states that experience of producer-gas operation since 1939 over 8,000,000 miles showi that they are incorrect, and that propulsion by this means is no more dangerous than the use of any other type of gas appliance in the home or factork.
WAGES-SCALES FOLDER NOW READY
THE new wages scales for road-transport Workers, which, became effective from December 6, 1943, have been published in folder form by " The Corninercthl Motor," and can now be obtained from the offices of this journal, Bowling Green Lane, London, E.C.1, price Is. 7d., postage included.
BENEVOLENT FUND A.G.M. I—IN Tuesday next, February 22, the
Motor Ind Cycle Trades Benevolent Fund is holding its annual general meeting at the Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street, London, W.C.2, at a:m. THOMAS TILLING REPORT , REVEALS SOUND POSITION THE report of Thomas Tilling, Ltd., for the year 1943 shows a profit, after providing for debenture stock and other interest, of £550-,614. Dividends paid during the year accounted for £214,250, and .a final dividend of 5 per cent., less tax, on the ordinary stock (making 10 per cent, for
the year) will take £208,000. The general reserve fund receives an allocation of £100,000, and, after deducVng the dividend on the preference shares, there remains £196,311 to be carried forward, against £174,1097 brought in.
At the annual general meeting of the company, Sir Frederick Heaton said that during the year the group companies had extended their use of producer gas and were now operating 320 vehicles on this fuel. During that period the mileage run on this fuel amounted to approximately 5,856,000. The company is carrying out research work in connectionswith the use of,pro • ducer gas and improvements are being graduallyeffected.
WHOLESALERS' TRANSPORT ECONOMY SCHEMES
OWING to certain misunderstandings the Ministry of Food wishes to make it clear that schemes of transport and man-power economy prepared by wholesalers' war-time associations are being organized on the direction of the Ministry. No such scheme is put into operation without its approval. When this is obtained, it is essential, in the national interest and in fairness to their fellow members, that all wholesalers should observe the provisions of the scheme.
I.A.E. REVIVES ACTIVITIES IN BIRMINGHAM
REVIVAL of the activities of the Birmingham Centre of the of Automobile Engineers will be welcomed by technicians in that area. The presidential address by Mr. George H. Lanchester, which is due to take place at 5 p.m. on February 22 at the James Watt Institute, is to be followed on March 27 by a joint meeting with the Institute of the Plastics Industry to hear Mr. H. R. Barber's paper on "Plastics and the Automobile Body."
The honorary 'secretary of the Birmingham Centre of the I.A.E. is Mr. F. C. Tickell, 27, Danford Lane, Solihull.
LANCS. JOINT ORGANIZATION HOLDS ITS A.G.M.
-rHE annual general meeting of the 1 East Lancashire Road Transport Association and the Commercial Motor'. Users' Asscciation (Joint Organization) was recently held at Blackburn, when the chairman, Mr. J. Ainsworth, presided over a good attendance.
The secretary gave a' r6sume of the 4 annual report, dealing particularly with the labour position and deferments, the progress of the controlled units and.the revision of, the terms of payment for hired vehicles, the various plans put
forward for the post-war control of the transport industry, and the progress of the merger negotiations, so far as they were known. '
The following were elected to the executive committee lic ence holders Mr. H. Entwistle and Mr. H. Worsley. P.S.V. operators: Mr. A. Bolton. A and B licence holders: Mr. W. H. Bowker, Mr. J. A. Baird, and Mr. W. B. tivesey.
MORE UTILITY BUSES IN SERVICE IN LONDON IN all, 40 utility buses are now in service in London. Most of them are on Routes 18 (Edgware to Wembley) and 83 (Golders Green to Southall). The buses are the standard Guy G-type four-wheelers, but, by fitting wooden-slatted seats, rubber and moquette is saved.
SIGNPOSTS IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
w /HEN asked in the House of VY Commons, last week, by Major Morrison if, in order to assist drivers, both civilian and military, he would reinstate signposts in inland areas in England, Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker replied that he was doing everything in his power to ensure that the signposts shall be restored so soon as possible in all parts of the country.
P.S.V. OPERATOR OPENING TRAVEL BUREAU
WE are advised that, in the near future, Messrs. G. J. Miller and Sons, The Garage, Purley Road, Cirencester, who are coach and bus operators, are . opening, on lock-up premises in the centre of the town, a general travel bureau. The firm, we understand, hope to handle agencies for all the public service vehicle operators running services f rom Cirencester.
NUMBER OF VEHICLES ON ALTERNATIVE FUELS
GWING a return of the numbers of road vehicles using alternative fuels, Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, Parliamentary Secretary, M.O.W.T., stated in the House of Commons last week, in reply to Mr. A. Edwards, that "very satisfactory progress has been made, and is still being made," in the design and manufacture of producer-gas units under the Government scheme, and that experience of " lasting value is being gained." This number of vehicles licensed to operate On alternative fuels on December 31, 1943, was as follows:—
EASTERN. NATIONAL'S SUCCESS WITH NEW PRODUCER
cLA1MS made, for a new trailer gas
producer designed by Mr. W. J. Morison, chief engineer, Eastern National Omnibus Co., Ltd., are that, with it, the mileage per charge can be extended by 50 per cent., also that it can use, efficiently, classes of fuel other than anthracite. It is impossible to use coke on the existing trailer plants, but on the new model pre-heating of the water for steam injection allows con siderable variation in the fuel. The extra mileage is permitted by using a larger hopper, but, despite this, the total weight has been reduced.
The general manager of the company, Mr. C. H. S. Pickett,. states that three of these trailers are now on the road and one of them has already covered 10,000 miles. The total mileage run on producer gas by the company's buses up to a recent date was 1,400,000, and the -company was the first in the country to put all the vehicles in a depot on to this fuel:
The company is inclined to view the move not just as a war-time expedient, but as a method of employing alternative fuels when peace comes.
MUNICIPALITY TO TRAIN MOTOR:VEHICLE APPRENTICES QALFORD municipal-transport N.Jdepartment is shortly to launch a five-year course of training in all trades common to the motor industry for youths entering into the service of the city's transport undertaking. The scheme, which has been prepared by Mr. J. W. Blakemore, general manager of the undertaking, has already been approved by the city council. In addition to attending an approved technical school on one day each week, the apprentices will be afforded practical training in the repair and maintenance shops at the corporation's Frederick Road depot. School fees will be paid by the undertaking.
21 YEARS IN THE TRADE AND STILL GOING STRONG
(IN Monday last, February 14, the Autocar Electrical Equipment Co.. Ltd., 32-34, Albert Embankment, -London, S.E.11, celebrated its coming of age. During these 21 years 'the concern has earned, an enviable reputation for its specialized servicing of electrical equipment, and it makes the proud claim that it still holds many of its original customers.
The service provided covers all types of low and medium voltage armature winding, and the ma n u facture of electrical test and repair equipment. The company holds the main agencies for the Electric Autolite Co., of Toledo, the Carter Carburetter C o rporation, of St. Louis, and t he Eisernann Corporation, of 'New York.
Motorcycles and Invalid Chairs, etc. TOTALS 4 2,477 29 1,438 13 7,626 101 1,146
109
—
12 — 1,796 11 16
158 14,620
VINTAGE VEHICLES IN OPERATION AT GRIMSBY
A N. interesting note concerning the employment of old commercial vehicles comes to us from Captain N. N. Hidner. ' He says that the war appears to have given them a new lease of life. In Grimsby, for example, there are still running three 1926 Ford tonners, a Guy 1914 3-ton boxvan, and an Albion 3-ton platform wagon of 1926 vintage, both the latter being on solid tyres, Street cleansing • is performed by a fleet of 20-year-old battery-electric vehicles, also on solid tyres, Whilst amongst the buses is a large number of 15-year-old Albion single-deckers.
If says much for the quality of British products that these machines can still run satisfactorily:.
REDCAR HOPES TO.. RUN MUNICIPAL bUSES
ONE of the post-war measures intended to be carried out by Redcar Corporation is the running of a municipal bus service within the borough and surrounding area.
-MORE WOMEN THAN MEN CONDUCTING ON COUNTRY BUSES
OF the pre-war. conductors on London Transport Country buses, only seven per cent. now remain; 29 per cent, have been trained and promoted to drivers and 41 per cent. are with the Forces, or ard on other war work. , In all, 1,600 women haVe been engaged as conductresses, but more are still required in the country areas, served by the Board.
A GUIDE TO PRODUCTION • AUTHORITIES
THE Ministry of Production has published "The Production Authorities' Guide." It. is "obtainable from ,H.M. Stationery Office at 3d. The Guide refers to only manufactured products. Those, who wish to obtain information concerning raw materials should obtain"The Raw Materials Guide," issued . by the Ministry of Supply and published by H.M. Stationery Office at Is.
The expression "Production Authority " colfers either a Controlvested with authority derived from an Order made tq, a Minister, or a Department which undertakes to settle production ' difficulties in respect of a product on behalf of other DepaHments.
THE BATTLE OF PAPER
IN the days of our youth we had friendly confetti battles. Now paper plays a vital part in much more important hostilities, and should be treated as if it were a rare commodity.
BAN ON ROADSIDE ADVERTISEMENTS?
LAST week, in the "House," Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, Parliamentary Secretary, M.O.W.T., assured Captain Gammans that he would take an early opportunity of considering his proposals, in consultation with the Minister of Town and .Couritry Planning, that there should be po'Wers to prohibit road
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