Opinions and Queries
Page 56
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In Praise of T.M.C. Panels I FEEL it an obligation to reply again to the vigorous I comments of C. A. Leigh, in your issue dated January 28, taking up my previous defence of T.M.C. Panels and the manufacturers' difficulties with tyre complaints.
I am gratified to know that he has secured satisfaction in his "rapid-wear case "—a desire for settlement is natural in most representatives. The items in the body of his letter have been studied, but it will suffice to say briefly that complaints of rapid wear, especially, are most difficult to handle, the causes often being most obscure.
Referring any article to a manufacturer is no guarantee of a pleasing verdict. My experience is that the average panel inspector is not only a man of judgment but utterly unbiased. The patient, "Sherlock Holmes" type of searching in some cases would satisfy and impress any one who could be present.
My respects to Mr. Leigh, and may he give some understanding to the job of judging a component which takes all ultimate driving and braking stresses, is exposed to everything on and partly off the road, and is the one component which is covered by some form of claim acceptance throughout its life.
TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE. Northwood, Middlesex.
Untrue Wheels Cause Wobble
REGARDING the trouble with wheel-wobble on a bus at speeds of 30-35 m.p.h., referred to under "Passing Comments" in your issue dated January 28, I can give you a little information.
Recently, I was foreman with a p.s.v. concern and experienced similar trouble at the same speeds. After checking almost everything without success, I examined the wheels themselves and found that those at the near-side front were out of truth.' The cause of this I put down to drivers hitting the kerb at stops. After refitting the same tyres to true wheels, I found that the steering was correct.at all speeds.
Dudley, Worcs. S. JoNE,s.
Merseyside Transport : Critic Answered
WITH reference to the remarks of P. B. P. Preist " (February.4) concerning my article in your journal dated January 7, may I say at the outset that, owing to the very complex nature of the services radiating from Liverpool, it was not intended to give a detailed list of all routes worked. 'This would have occupied all the, space which was available and left no room for the remainder of the subject.
Paragraphs (1) and (2) are thus disposed of and with regard to (3), I would say that current time-tables of both " Ribble " and " Crosville " show the Spekc-St. Helens service as jointly operated by these two companies and St. Helens Corporation. The reference to
c16 this in the article immediately follows mention of Crosville operations and, possibly, if the last line on paragraph seven of page 724 had read (as was intended) ". . . with Ribble and St. Helens Corporation," the matter would have been quite clear.
As regards (4) you corrected the wording of the caption to the photograph on page 725 in the following week's issue and, incidentally, saved me the trouble of writing to you before, because someone else who spotted this was most indignant about it.
Crewe. D. RANDALL.
London's Bus Fleet Analysed.
A HAVE always read with interest your yearly Analysis
of Municipal Bus Fleets and the latest review, contained in your issue of December 3, 1954, is most informative. The leading quartette of makes by numbers comprises Leyland, Daimler, A.E.C. and Guy, in that sequence. What would the position be, I cannot help wondering, if the central fleet of London Transport were included? Perhaps, with your most excellent organization and records, you could enlighten myself and others interested.
I raise this point as I know The Commerctril Motor eujoys a wide overseas readership among men who, like me, would appreciate the revised position. WILLI,Am F. BOLTON, .
Khartoum, Sudan. M.I.R.T.E., M.S.A.E.
[The position, when London Transport's entire (current) motorbus fleet is included, is: A.E.C., 8,730; Leyland, 6,892; Daimler, the same at 4,159; and Guy, 1,968. A break-down of the L.T.E. fleet is given below:— The inclusion of these figures does not, however, prove anything. A true picture could be obtained only by also including the many thousands of buses operated by companies.—ED.]
Testing Bulk-load Vehicles
yam test report of a Trojan-Tasker outfit in your I issue dated January 7 was most interesting, although I am not greatly impressed with the results.
I think, however, that you are &loving in the right direction as far as trying out vehicles with bulk loads is concerned. You cover nearly every type of vehicle in your road tests but I am afraid that, so far, you have left us " removers " in the dark as regards the popular types of chassis when carrying Luton bodies.
Bishop Auckland. T. RUTHERFORD.