Men in the News
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MR. W. RAY TURNER has been appointed chief vehicle designer of the Ford Motor Co., Ltd. He was collaborator-designer of the Standard Vanguard.
MR. ANDREW HASTIE has been appointed transport officer to the British Electricity Authority. He was formerly transport manager with Edmundsons Electricity Corporation, Ltd.
MR. F. A. MASON, chief engineer of City of Oxford Motor Services, Ltd., has been appointed chief engineer to the Western Welsh Omnibus Co., Ltd. He takes up his new post on March 1.
MR.. EWART GUY, director of Guy Motors, Ltd.. left Southampton by air. last week. for South Africa. He is likely to be away some months, as it is his intention to explore other overseas markets.
MR. J. A. HUNT,. general manager of the Hymatic Engineering Co., Ltd., and MR. D: G. B. MOUNTFORD, of the export department, visited Holland, last week, to appoint agents for the company's products.
MR. HAROLD ELF?, general advertising manager of the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., retires next month after 36 years' service. Among other appointments, he is chairman of the advertising committee of the Tyre Manufacturers' Conference. MR. C. L. Small, advertising manager of Dunlop's tyre group, succeeds him.
MR. JAMES C. HARLOW, of the sales staff of Hepworth and Grandage, Ltd.. has been transferred to cover the Hepolite replacement trade in Central London. His successor as south-west area manager, with headquarters at Bristol, is MR. WILLIAM T. BAILEY, transferred from the Manchester office, where he covered the replacement vide.
• MR. C. C. OAKHAM, chief engineer of the British United Traction Co., Ltcf., has been appointed rolling stock engineer to Newcastle Corporation's transport undertaking. He joined the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., as traction engineer in 1945, and on the formation of B.U.T. was promoted chief engineer. He designed the B.U.T. trolleybus, MR. T. H. THORNTON has been appointed by the Road Transport Executive to the post of district manager, Southampton district, Southwestern Division (freight). Other appointments are MR. J. B. BAXTER to be divisional surveyor, Scottish division (freight), MR. D. F. C. HILL, divisional engineer, South-western Division (freight), and MR. H. A. WELLS. divisional surveyor, Eastern Division (freight).
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MR. S. W. BANE has been appointed Western Area secretary of the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association in succession to MR. AG. AKERS.
MISS MAWS FIRTH (Willow Haulage, Ltd.. Huddersfield) has succeeded MR. J. F. ARCHBOLD, of Leeds, as honorary secretary of the North Eastern Area of the National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses. MR. W. STOREY (Ackworth Transport, Ltd., Ackworth) has been nominated to succeed Mr. Archbold as representative of the area's haulage section on the Conference's National Council.
MR. A. L. S. COPE, Of Simms Motor Units, Ltd.. left London by B.O.A.C. Constellation for Montreal last week. He is on a world tour by air and will continue from Montreal to Toronto, and then to Chicago and San Francisco. The next stage of the journey will be across the Pacific to Australia and New Zealand, where he will travel extensively on the internal air lines. From there he will go to Africa, and lie' plans to return to London via Rome. He expects to be back in England in July.
Channel Tunnel Scheme Again
THE Channel tunnel scheme has come to life again. It is now being sponsored by the International Road Federation, with the encouragement of the Automobile Association, Central Overleg Dutch Road Federation, Svenska Vagforeningen (Sweden), Union Routiere de France, and the Alliance Internationale de Tourisme et F6d6ration Internationale de l'Automobile.
Speaking at a luncheon in London last Friday, M. G. Gallienne, chairman of the I.P.F.. declared that with the creation of a tunnel under the English Channel, the road from Edinburgh to Istanbul and Cairo would be open, the African markets would be at our door. He stressed the importance of the tunnel to the defence of Great Britain, and said that its construction was the concern of the whole of Western Europe.
M. C. Pineau, French Minister of Transport, referred to the necessity of co-operation in transport between Britain and France.
Mr. Alfred Barnes, Minister of Transport, pointed out that his presence at the function was not to be regarded as indicating the British Government's support for the Channel tunnel proposal. At the same time, he emphasized that it might be possible for British and European road engineers to arrive at a common formula for road construction. He said that during a visit to France, he was much impressed by the progress made by that country in rebuilding roads and bridges.
HO TROLLEYBUSES ORDERED SOME of the 50 trolleybuses which have been ordered by Western Australian Government Railways from the Sunbeam Trolleybus Co., Ltd., Wolverhampton, were recently inspected by the Hon. W. H. Kitson, AgentGeneral for Western Australia, and Mr. W. Hopkinson, secretary of the AgentGeneral's Department in London. It is said to be the largest single order for trolleybuses ever placed by Australia and is valued at about £.160,000.
Adelaide Municipal Tramways Trust and Brisbane City Council have each ordered 30 Sunbeam trolleybus chassis.
END OF 30 YEARS' WORK
AT the 30th anniversary dinner of r-ITeeside Motor Transfer Ltd., North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, the managing director, Mr. A. Ensoll, announced that the concern was being taken over by the British Transport Commission on May 12. In recognition of their long service with the company, 20 drivers were presented with watches.
TRIBUNAL IN INVERNESS
NEXT Thursday, February 24, the Appeal Tribunal, under the chairmanship of Mr. R. H. Sherwood Calver, K.C., will sit at Inverness to hear appeals by the Railway Executive and David MacBrayne, Ltd., against the Scottish Licensing Authority's grant to Mrs. Flora Nicholson.
Users' Committee Starts Work
THE Minister of Transport, Mr. J. Alfred Barnes, is about to appoint transport users' committees for Scotland and Wales. He announced this on Tuesday afternoon, when he opened the inaugural meeting of the Central Transport Consultative Committee at Euston Station, London.
Mr. Barnes said that he did not want the Central Committee to be bogged down with unnecessary detail. He appealed to the public not to address to the consultative committees complaints and suggestions which should properly be sent to the British Transport Commission or the appropriate Executive.
Only the user, said Mr. Barnes, could say whether the transport service he was getting satisfied him; and only the committee could say in what way it was possible to meet the user's needs.
Referring to his powers under Section 6 of the Transport Act, whereby he could give directions to the committee in relation to matters with which it was dealing, the Minister said that he did not think it would be necessary for him to use these powers often.
Mr. Barnes added that one of the reasons for inviting the Press to the meeting was that he had intended to make an important announcement [not connected with the Central Transport Consultative Committee], Unfortunately. however, it had been found at the last moment that it could not be made, and he gave no hint of its purport.
WHITE PETROL FOR BUSINESS MOTORCYCLES UTOTORCYCLE combinations al operated under C licences, for which X (red petrol) coupons are at present issued, will, as from April I, be run on white petrol.
Operators of such machines should complete form R(MS)2, which is obtainable from main post offices or local taxation offices, and send it and the registration book to the district transport officer, as soon as possible. One form has to be completed for each machine. The forms will be transferred to the regional petroleum officer, who will issue E coupons allowances.
I.M.I. WILL HOLD THIRD SUMMER SCHOOL ' THE third annual summer school of the Institute of the Motor Industry will be held at St. Catherine's College, Cambridge, from August 27-September 10. The main purpose is to give those attending an opportunity of intensive study, under experts, of the principles and problems of those aspects of industrial and commercial life which closely affect them in their business affairs.
It is intended primarily for people holding executive and other responsible positions. Both members and nonmembers of the Institute may attend.
The chief subjects to be dealt with will cover legal aspects of the motor
industry, principles of management, industrial relations, organization of industry with particular reference to the mertor side, and a technical course. The school will be divided into two periods, August 27-September 2, and September 3-10, the accommodation being limited to 80 students each week. Applications will be dealt with in order, and each must be accompanied by a registration fee of £1 Is.
Entries for the next half-yearly examinations of the Institute of the Motor Industry, to be held from May 25-28, must reach the headquarters of the Institute, 40, Queen's Gate, London, S.W.7, by March 1.
OIL ENGINES—FOR STUDENTS NGINEERING students will find " Questions and Answers on Diesel Engines," by E. Malloy, an instructive booklet on the history, design and maintenance of compression-ignition engines. As the title implies, it is made up in question and answer form in simple terms which may be readily followed by a novice. Published by George Ncwnes, Ltd., Southampton Street, London, W.C.2, it is priced at 5s.
'Tax Off Fuel for Testing ?
REPRESENTATIONS to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the repeal of the duty of 9d. a gallon on light offs used for industrial purposes were made by a deputation which was received in the House of Commons on February 9. The deputation was received by the financial secretary to the Treasury, Mr. Glenvil Hall, MY.
Mr. R. Gresham Cooke, representing the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, pointed out that the motor industry had taken a leading part in the export drive. It felt that this. tax on petrol used for engine testing was a needless and illogical financial drag on the experimental side of its work.
The amount involved, said Mr. Gresham Cooke, was not large, but it represented a direct and avoidable addition to industrial costs, which the Government was anxious should be kept at a minimum.
NINE U.K. MAKES AT GENEVA
A CCORDING to a list of exhibitors published by the organizers of the Geneva Show (March 17-27), the British commercial vehicle industry will be represented by Austin, Bedford, Commer, Dodge, Ford, Land-Rover,
Morris -Commercial, Seddon and Standard vehicles.
K.L.G. PLUG CHART WHAT it claimed to be the most VI' comprehensive plug information chart ever prepared has recently been published by K.L.G. Sparking Plugs, Ltd., Putney Vale, London, S.W.I5. Not only does it state the correct type of K.L.G. to use in all makes of vehicle engine, but useful information about gap setting and general care and maintenance is included.
Stenor, Ltd., Kewfoot Road, Richmond, Surrey, has become sole sales concessionnaire for Fram oil filters and spares. The arrangement is said to cover the British Isles,
Simplified Forms for Exporters ?
hilANUFACTURERS of commercial IVIvehicles are likely to benefit if recommendations contained in the second report of the Working Party on Export Forms be put into force. The President of the Board of Trade has accepted the report.
United Kingdom shipping lines are recommended to adopt a standard size of shipping note. The General Council of British Shipping has been asked to consider whether, in areas where the
deferred-rebate system is still obligatory, some suitable method Could be devised to enable exporters who were willing to accept it, to be freed from the detailed work involved in the present rebate system.
The General Council has also been requested to consider whether the practice of adding "protective ". clauses can be modified by substituting additional printed conditions in the body ofa bill of lading.
Bankers are asked to adopt and.publish a uniform practice with regard to documents presented nnder letters of credit, so that exporters may be assisted in preparing the documents.
HAULIERS OVERCOME PROBLEMS
THE way in which the road haulage industry had faced. its problems during the past two years was praised by Mr. J. W. Fletcher,. East Midland -Licensing •Authority, at. a dinner held by Nottingham Sub-area of the Road. Haulage Association. He said that, in recent times, questions had arisen that called for high qualities of administration, and he had found R.H.A. officers of great assistance:He also praised the work of the road and rail negotiating committees.
-VAN-WRITING TECHNIQUE OFTEN in the transport industry it is said that few concerns fully appreciate the valuable advertising space afforded by their vehicles. So • little has been Written on the subject, in fact, that the publication of a second edition of "Van Writing Up To Date" will be welcomed in many quarters.
The author, Mr. W H. Coates, has completely revised the 12-year-old first edition and the result is a work of considerable value. It covers every aspect of the subject and includes a photographic section giving excellent it32 examples of modern technique in vehicle painting.
"Van Writing , Up To Date" is published by Blandford Press, Ltd., 16, West Central Street, London, W.C.1., price 10s. 6d.
DRIVERLESS FORK TRUCK PRODUCED IN U.S.A.
A PARTICULARLY interesting exhibit at the Third National Handling Exposition in Philadelphia was a driverless fork truck, made by the Automative Transportation Co., of Chicago. It is ray-controlled and can pick up its load, carry it to any specified area and stack it as required.
Transmissions of the Future
I N the commercial-vehicle field, the layshaft type of gearbox will continue to hold its own for many years to come, but all forward gears. will be constant mesh.
This forecast was made by Mr. F. J. Everest, M.Sc., M.I.M.E., A.M.I.E.E., chief engineer of David Brown and Sons (Huddersfield), Ltd., at the conclusion of a paper dealing with gearboxeS and rear axles, which he read before menkers of the Scottish Centre of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers.
The hydraulic tOrque converter, he thought, would not be used to any great extent until means were found for improving its efficiency, particularly in respect of its torque multiplication range. Two-speed axles would probably gain in popularity, he said, but there was an alternative to it in the auxiliary two-speed gear incorporated in the normal gearbox.
DENMARK BUYS BRITISH IMPORT licences for British motor
components are now being issued by Denmark, which is, this year, to spend 13,000,000 kronen on these parts. Negotiations for the import of British lorries valued at 9,000,000 kronen will shortly be opened. Denmark also proposes. to take commercial vehicles valued at 7,000.000 kronen from France.
GUIDE TO THAMES WHARVES
DE,TAFLED particulars of wharves Lion Thameside conducted by London public wharfingers are included for the first time in the January, 1949, issue of the "Motor Transport Goods Guide." It is published at Is. 6d. by fife and Sons, Ltd., Dorset House, Stamford Street, London, S.E.I.
Huddersfield Seeks to Run Parcel Vans
ANOTHER Yorkshire municipality, Huddersfield, is promoting a Parliamentary Bill which includes a clause to obtain powers to run a parcels-carrying service. As in the case of a similar clause in Bradford Corporation's Bill, the British Transport Commission is opposing the move by petition to Parliament.
Huddersfield Corporation's clause, like Bradford's, provides for powers to run vans for the transport of parcels. Bradford already uses vans for this purpose, but at present Huddersfield simply carries small parcels (not exceeding 28 lb.) on passenger vehicles.
OVERTIME KEEPS FULL SERVICES WORKING
nNLY the working of overtime by Is-, road passenger transport employees is preventing cuts in services in some Yorkshire towns.
Huddersfield's municipal transport undertaking is short of 60-70 workers. Recruitment of employees only balances the monthly loss, approximating between 15 and 20. To operate the 44hour week, Halifax Corporation needs up to about 100 more workers, and the Leeds municipal undertaking's shortage is described as acute, although no service cuts are contemplated.
Bradford Passenger Transport Department, however, has a full complement. The manpower position of the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., is also reported to be satisfactory at the Harrogate, Bradford, Leeds and York depots, although a shortage has arisen at the Keighley depot. An official of the company said it was hoped to relieve the position at Keighley by reallocation of personnel.
RADIO DIRECTS SERVICE VANS TWO-WAY radio has been installed I in vans to be used by the Automobile Association in a day-and-night breakdown service. The vehicles are equipped to undertake roadside repairs, and by means of radio will be directed to the assistance of motorists whose cars break down anywhere within the London Postal Area.
10,090,000 TYRES EXPORTED
BRITAIN made well over 10,000,000 tyres for export last year, or 3,000,000 more than the record of 1947. Apart from equipment supplied to chassis manufacturers, British tyre makers shipped overseas nearly £.12,500,000-worth of tyres and tubes.
Big Tanker Fleet on Way to Persia
/TORE than 40 Leyland tanker lvi vehicles are on their way to Persia, where they will be run by the Anglo Iranian Oil Co., Ltd. Leyland Motors, Ltd., is building about 400 vehicles, including 280 tankers, for this company.
The tankers now being exported are being shipped to Abadan from Liverpool, Manchester, London and Newport. In Persia they will be used for the distribution of petrol, kerosene and fuel oil to depots and filling stations. In particular, they will operate in the Kermanshah district, 400-500 miles inland.
The fleet consists mainly of Super Hippo six-wheelers with 2,600-gallon tanks. A few Super Beaver fourwheelers with 2,200-gallon tanks are, however, being supplied.
All machines will have double-skin cabs that can be fully closed against dust storrns. As the vehicles will cover journeys of up to about 700 miles, the cabs are arranged to seat three men, as two drivers will work in shifts.
Some of the elliptical mild-steel tank bodies have been built by W. P. Butterfield, Ltd., Shipley, and others hy the Steel Barrel Co., Ltd., Uxbridge.
Advice to the Doomed
ADVICE to operators on compulsory acquisition of road haulage businesses by. the British Transport Commission was given by Mr. Henry Rossington, vice-president of the National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses, at a recent Huddersfield meeting of the North Eastern Area of the Conference.
He recommended that if a haulier's business were likely to be taken over, he should employ a good accountant in preparing the figures on which his claim to compensation for acquisition would be based. He should also devote as much time as possible to his business with a view to increasing the profit and raising the compensation figure.
Hauliers whose undertakings were liable to nationalization should not he afraid of purchasing new vehicles or improving existing ones. In the latter case, it was advisable to keep a schedule showing amounts expended on each machine, covering such items as unit replacements, major overhauls, new tyres, and special fittings. The operator should also take out an inventory of all stock and spare parts in Ins possession, and this should be kept up to date.
OBITUARY
WE regret to announce the death, at VT the age of 70, of MR. I. M. RUNIPBAKEN, who, until he retired in February, 1947, was with the Rootes Group. He started in Manchester in 1904 with Tom Garner, and continued with the Garner concern until it was absorbed into the Rootes Group in 1928.
We also regret to announce the death of MR. P. S. PELL1NG, chief engineer of Hants and Dorset Motor Services, Ltd. He had been ill for a short time. Mr. Pelting started his career in the road passenger transport industry with the East Surrey Traction Co., Ltd., and subsequently served with East Midland Motor Services, Ltd., Eastern Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., and United Automobile Services. Ltd., as well as Hants and Dorset.
NEW ZEALAND POTENTIAL
1VIANUFACTURERS who are inter IVI in the New Zealand market will find much of value in "Groundlight on New Zealand," a booklet recently published by the British Overseas Airways Corporation. Maps and diagrams are Included, and comprehensive statistical tables of industrial development. Copies may be obtained from Mrs. M. MacLurg, B.O.A.C., Airways Terminal, Buckingham Palace Road, London, &WA. price 2s. 6d., or by post 2s. 9d.
TRACING SOURCE OF VIBRATION L ECT R ON IC apparatus has been l—Adeveloped by the Parsons and Marine Engineering Turbine Research and Development Association for the diagnosis of vibration in machinery. Known as the Wave Correlator, the instrument determines the cause of B2 the vibration as soon as it is attached • to the running machinery.
The most modern method hitherto employed involved the taking of photographs, which had subsequently to be analysed away from the job. Although the Wave Correlator was evolved in connection with research on ships' turbines, it is of equal value in diagnosing vibration in road-vehicle engines.
ADVANTAGES OF SYNTHETIC RUBBER I N many of its applications, Neoprene, a member of the synthetic rubber family, has a number of important advantages over the natural product. Its degree of resistance to the effects of oil, heat and oxidation is far superior to that of natural rubber, which means that it has a far longer useful life under adverse conditions.
Neoprene, which is made from coal, limestone and salt, is handled in this country by Durham Raw Materials, Ltd., 1-4 Great Tower Street, London, E.C.3.
Nottingham-Eire Tour Refused A N application by W. and B. I-A-Coaches, Ltd., Chilweil, Nottingham, to run tours from Nottingham to Eire, was refused last week by the East Midland Licensing Authority.
Because of the present heavy duty to be paid on vehicles entering Eire and staying there over 48 hours, it was proposed to carry passengers from Nottingham to Fishguard. On their arrival in Eire, they would continue the tour in another vehicle, owned by an operator in that country.
Objectors to the application were the Trent Motor Traction Co., Ltd., Barton Transport, Ltd., and the Railway Executive. For the applicant it was stated that the Trent Co. and Barton Transport, Ltd., did not run tours to Southern Ireland, and that the railway facilities to Fishguard were tedious and much more expensive.
The application was refused on the ground that the Nottingham-Fishguard part of the journey was not a necessary adjunct to the tour.
REPORT ON CANADA
A REPORT by the Gilpin Engineer
ing Mission to Canada has just been published by the Stationery Office, price Is., under the title, "Exports to Canada: Report of the United Kingdom Engineering Mission, 1948." It contains a number of recommendations to manufacturers, dealing, among other matters, with publicity, individual visits to Canada, market studies and representation.
FREE FERRIES WANTED
AT a meeting in Glasgow, last week, of representatives of town councils of Clyde coast resorts, it was suggested that free ferries for road transport should be established by the Government.• The interested boroughs intend, if necessary, to press for these reforms through parliamentary channels. They also hope to meet officials of the Ministry of Transport.