WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
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"The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all digeultits of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs,"—John Beattie Crozier.
"Bean Cars" Ownership.
By the acquisition of the remainder of the shares hitherto held by Mr. J. H. Bean, Sir Robert Hadfield, Bt., who is chairman of the great Sheffield firm of Hadfields, Ltd., has now obtained entire control of Bean Cars, Ltd. Mr, Bean having retired from the board of directors, the vacancy has been filled by the nomination of Mr. S. J. Egerton Banks, formerly so closely associated with Berliet Motors. Mr. Banks, in addition to his directorship, becomes general manager of the company. Mr. H. Kerr Thomas, who, it will be remembered, is fulfilling his second term as president of the Institution of Automobile Engineers, remains responsible for the technical direction of the Bean Co.,, with the title of managing director.
Major A. B. H. Clerke, who is managing director of HadfieIds, Ltd., and chairman of Bean Cars, Ltd., is just leaving for the United States in order to make an intensive study of the industrial centres, with particular respect to the trend of motor-vehicle practice.
New Birmingham Service Depot.
A service depot on a fairly large Reale was opened last Tuesday by the Cohnore Depot in the old works of the Calthorpe Motor Car, Co., in Cherrywood Road, Bordesley Green, Birmingham. Primarily intended to service Morris cars and commercial vehicles, it will be capable of dealing with all makes and all jobs. There are wellequipped workshops with modern jacking appliances to obviate the use of pits, an engine-testing shop where engines can be bench-tested, plant for enamelling mudguards and a Mist washing installation. Part of the works is used as the distributing depot for Morris vehicles.
The service depot was formally opened by Mr. W. R. Morris, just returned from the Argentine, to whom a, golden key was presented. At a luncheon which preceded this ceremony, which was presided over by Mr. E. C. Paskell, the proprietor of the Colmore depot, Mr. Morris said that the slogan in the Argentine was "Buy From Those Who Buy From Us." He presented a cheque for £25,000 to the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Alderman A. H. James, on behalf of the hospitals of the city. ,
The Leamington Valve Co., Clinton Street, Leamington Spa, has just issued a price list of engine valves, in the Manufacture of which it has specialized for many years.
The Used Motor Show.
The Vied Motor Show, now approved by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, opened on Monday, April 11th, at the Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington. Excluding Good Friday, the exhibition is open daily between the hours of 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. until April 30th.
We did not expect to find many commercial vehicles there, but we were considerably surprised to find only one. Mr. Glass, the organizing manager, stated, however, that he expected a few more before long.
The vehicle is a 1926 Chevrolet, owned by the Sperling Motor Bodies, Ltd., of 'Willesden. The body, which was made by the users, is a deep-sided extra large one, and has been used for carrying furniture ; it is mounted on a standard 25-cwt. chassis. The tilt has recently been redressed and is now in good condition. The van was bought from the Spurling Motor Bodies, Ltd., in March, 1926, and has recently been bought back by it in part exchange for a larger vehicle. The van has covered 12,000 miles, and the tyres have the treads half worn away. The paintwork of the body is in quite good condition. The tax is £26 per annum and is not yet paid for this year. The Price asked is £169.
The .Municipal Year Book for 1927.
We are in receipt of the new edition for 1927 of the Municipal Year Book, published by "The Municipal -jouenal," Sardinia House, Sardinia Street, London, W.0.2, at the price of 15s. net
To us this publication has always proved invaluable, for it is a complete guide to municipal government throughout the country, and in its 22 sections, which fill 900 pages, there is contained an enormous mass of useful information to which the municipal official and anybody interested in municipal matters will find that he has to make constant reference.
New Regulations in Switzerland.
A conference of the police authorities of the different Swiss cantons is shortly to be held in Berne, when a number of proposals affecting the use of commercial vehicles throughout Switzerland is to be considered. Thus, it is proposed that the Government should issue a regulation forbidding the use of solid tyres after a lapse of one year and that, in the meantime, vehicles so fitted should be taxed 30 per eent, higher than the existing scale, and those with cushion tyres 10 per cent. higher. It is further proposed that the same requirements as to tyres shall apply to trailers and tractors, and that no motor lorry shall be permitted to draw more than one trailer and a tractor not more than two trailers.
R.I.A. Meeting.
The fortieth annual general meeting of the Roads Improvement Association will be held at the Surveyors'Institution, Westminster, London, S.W., on April 27th, at 4.30 P.m.
A Bus Company's Praiseworthy Scheme. .
United Automobile Service, Ltd., has just introduced a scheme whereby, in future, drivers will be recruited entirely from the company's own staff. The object of the scheme is not only to attract the right class of youth as an employee but to provide an avenue of employment for young men in which they are likely to gain rapid promotion. Under the system of training adopted the company will train employees to handle vehicles in the best possible way, and it is believed that the scheme will ensure intelligent and careful driving, which will not only benefit the company and other users of the road, but will give comfort and security to passengers.
Those who are to take the training will be selected from youths employed at depots and conductors who have 6 to 12 months' satisfactory service. A four weeks' intensive course will be provided under the guidance of qualified drivers and members of the eng,tneering staff appointed by the company. In this way potential drivers will be able to Require knowledge concerning adjustments which it is sometimes necessary to make on the road.
New Karrier Service Depots.
Karrier Motors, Ltd., Karrier Works, Huddersfield, advises us that its new sales and service depots at Birmingham and Reading are now open. The Midlands depot is in Soho Road, Handsworth, and is in the charge of Mr. A. D. Wilson, whilst the southern depot, located in Caversham Road, Reading, is in the charge of Mr. R. H. Stables.
Each depot is completely equipped for dealing expeditiously with all classes of overhaul, and a complete stock of Karrier spare parts is carried.
A Big Fleet of Pneumatic-tyred Buses.
Birmingham Watch Committee has recently agreed to grant the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., licences for 100 new single-deck buses shod with pneumatic tyres and 25 motor coaches similarly equipped. Each vehicle will have to besubmitted to and approved by an inspector acting on behalf of the committee. The chair
man of the committee paid a tribute to the action of the company in putting a large fleet of passenger vehicles on pneumatics into service, and said it would reduce the extent of road wear, apart from having an influence on the mechanical condition of the buses.
A " Jixi " Company.
The term " jixi" has been so much in the limelight of late that it is not altogether with surprise we note the formation of a company in the title of which it is used. Jixi (London and Provincial) Motors, Ltd., has recently been registered as a private company with a nominal capital of £100 in I1 shares with the object of running taxicabs. buses and other types of motor vehicle.
Saving Time in Loading and Unloading.
Considerable prominence is given to battery electric trucks for a number of different uses in a little publication which Herbert Morris, Ltd., Loughborough, has just issued, The Morris truck is a very useful little appliance, particularly for employment in works, and it will carry a load up to 2 tons. The second section of the book deals with elevating trucks forming part of a system whereby loads are piled on to inexpensive platforms which, in turn, can be loaded on to an elevating truck in a few moments, thus avoiding the need for rehandling. The use of stacking machines is also referred to in the booklet, which is well illustrated. The appliances which are dealt with undoubtedly result in loading and unloading operations being effected speedily.
Lower Tax on Producer-gas Vehicles.
The Belgian Ministry of Finance has recently made it known that, with the object of encouraging the use of motor vehicles fitted with producer-gas plants, the tax thereon will be reduced to from one-third to one-half of that on vehicles fitted with petrol engines.
Wants to Abandon Tramways.
The Ministry of Transport has held an inquiry into the application of the Gravesend, Rosherville and Isrorthfleet Tramways Co. for permission to abandon its tramways.
Meeting the Demand for Lighter Passenger Models.
An ordinary general meeting of Tilling-Stevens Motors, Ltd., was held at the company's works at Maidstone a few days ago, when Mr. Harold E. Carter, the chairman of tho company, presided. After moving the adoption of the report and accounts for the year ended December 31st, 1926, the chairman, in referring to the reduced profits for the year, said that prior to 1926 the company had a considerable number of orders for petrol-electric vehicles, these being of the heavy, large-capacity type for which the market is limited.
During the latter part of 1925 the company realized that the requirements of the trade in the matter of passengercarrying vehicles were tending towards the lighter chassis to carry fewer passengers, except in the largest and most populous centres. It gave attention to this development and undertook the production of lighter vehicles, this being exemplified in its " Express" model.
The change-over necessitated by the production of an entirely different type of vehicle involved heavy experimental work, one of the reasons for this being the impossibility, at the outset, of building to jigs. The chairman mentioned that the company was turning out large quantities of this type of'vekicle, the production of the factory being higher than at any time previously..
So far as the production of petrolelectric vehicles is concerned the company is still in the same position, and the chairman expressed the opinion that a renewal of the demand for this satisfactory heavy-duty type of chassis would benefit the company.
. Bradford to London Daily.
The fire brigade and licensing committee of the Bradford Corporation has recently granted the application of Mr. F. J. Wood to run a bus service between Bradford and London. It is not yet possible to give full details of the scheme, although the provisional plans provide for three buses leaving Bradford at hourly intervals in the morning and afternoon. As we have already indicated in our columns, the name of Mr. Wood is associated with several other longdistance bus projects.
Coach Touring in Devon.
A handy little illustrated guide of the Motor coach tours which they run from their headquarters at Torquay has recently been issued by the Ruby Cars, A brief descriptive aacount of each tour is given and, apart from drawing attention to the scenic charm of the parts of Devonshire which are touched, it contains historic and other interesting facts which serve to bring added interest to a road run. In all 38 tours are listed in the guide, nine being day tours (10.20 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.), seven extended day tours (9 am. to 9 p.m.), ten afternoon trips, eleven morning, evening and after-dinner runs, the remaining tour being a special one arranged for Sunday afternoon.
From the preface to the guide it is -obvious that the Ruby Cars know what the public expects in the matter of vehicles and tours, and it is pleasing to note they stress the fact that each vehicle is carefully examined before and after each journey is completed. The firm trade under the slogan-, "Your Content is Our Intent," and they apparently spare no effort to live up to this. "Dartmoor" is the title of an opening chapter to the guide, written by -Beatrice Chase, the well-known writer, who lives at Widecombe-in-the-Moor.
A Ban on One-man-type Buses.
The watch committee of the Folkestone Town Cot:Pell has decided to inform omnibus proprietors that there must be a conductor as well as a driver on omnibuses plying for hire between Folkestone and Hythe, Folkestone and Chariton and Folkestone and Dover. This amounts to a ban on one-mancontrolled-type buses.
The Latest in Cattle Carriers.
We reproduce on this page an illustration of a lorry fitted with a cattlecarrying body, which has been supplied by W. Harold Perry, Ltd.. Invicta Works, London, N.12, to a company of butchers at Muswell Hill. The user decided that the days are past when sheep can be driven considerable distances along the road, and in future it will use this vehicle for collecting live sheep. Not only does the company expect in this way to effect a saving of time, but the animals will arrive in better condition, for experience has shown that they deteriorate seriously when harassed by road traffic.
The body is built so that it can carry sheep on two floors, and about 30 fully growi . animals or 40 lambs comprise a full load. Access to the two floors of the body is by means of collapsable gangways, which, as our illustration shows, are slung on the
sides of the body in front ,of the rear wheels. One of these gangways gives access to the lower floor and .two gangways clamped together give access to the upper floor, so that, in each ease, the slooe of the ramp is about 1 in 3,1. The chassis serving as a basis of this vehicle is a Baico 2i-tonner Supertonna.
Ministry Refuses Road-closing Order.
Salcombe Urban District Council has recently been informed by the Ministry of Transport that the application to close the road through Fore Street to heavy traffic has been refused. A protest is being sent to the Ministry pointing out that parts of the road are not safe for heavy traffic, and stressing the fact that the cost of putting it into safe condition is prohibitive for a district of the size of Salem-the. India's Imports Increase.
"Statistics relating to, Indian imports for the year 1926 show that the rapid increase in the imports of motorcars and lorries has continued. There is every reason to believe that with the reduction of the import duty from 30 per cent. to 20 per cent. imports will receive a great stimulus. The number of motor omnibuses imported increased from 3,987 in 1925 to 6,264 in 1926, of which 8,331 came from Canada, 2,427 from the United States and 367 from the United Kingdom. The total value of the trade increased from 71/ lakhs to 1161 lakhs.
Vehicles Licensed in Bull.
Statistics prepared by the Hull Corporation show that the folltwing vehicles were licensed last year, the figures in parentheses referring to the vehicles licensed in the previous year :— Private cars. 4,829 (3,918) ; motorcycles, 9,129 (7,105) ; commercial vehicles. 2,391. (2,037); hackney . motors, 751 (760) ; tramcars, 179 (179) ; general and limited trade, 58 (59) ; horse-drawn carriages (private), 106 (125) horsedrawn carriages (hackney), 182 (193). Driving licences totalled 28,942, compared with 24,484 in the previous year.
Bus Development in Belgium.
A report on the economic situation in Belgium in 1926, just issued by the Department of Overseas Trade, states that services by motor omnibuses continue to develop rapidly in Belgium. and vehicles of this type are now to be seen not only in the towns, but also in rural districts throughout the country. As a result of this development Belgian manufacturers are devoting increasing attention to the construction of suitable chassis and bodies for public-service use. Competition from French makers is experienced.
For the Garage.
A end of recomMendations concerning the conduct of garages and service stations is now being issued to members of the Institute of the Motor Trade. One of the aims of the Institute, which has headquarters at 157, Great Portland Street, London, W.1, is to raise the general standard of the garage business throughout the country, and these recommendations are set out in printed form for exhibition, being issued in pursuance of that policy. Stress is laid on the importance of cleanliness and businesslike methods. 'Films to Promote Sales.
A film demonstrating uses to which buses and lorries are put by leading railroad authorities in connection with eoordinated rail and motor services is being produced by the Foreign Trade Department of the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce for use abroad. It is intended to illustrate the development now taking place in the -United States. The first public exhibition of this film will be given throughout South America by Mr. George F. Bauer, secretary of the Foreign Trade Committee, who left New York on April 9th for a
four months' tour on that continent. Ile will also have with him other films, including one previously produced by the Chamber, showing methods of control for motor traffic.
Bus Stands at Dover.
A scheme to prevent traffic congestion in the Market Square is likely to be put' into operation at Dover. If it matures • it will mean that omnibuses will have _ to park near the monument and only one bus for each route will be allowed at a time in the Square. An exception will be made in the case of the Folkestone route, two buses being allowed..
Commercial Vehicles in Russia.
According to fignres recently issued by the Soviet Government 1,060 motor vans and lorries, valued at approiimately £614,190, were imported into Russia during the financial year to October last, as compared with 654 (£203,340) in the preceding 12 months. During the same period the imports of motorbuses—in which category vehicles with more than eight seats are included —advancer' from 158 (£181,224) to 262 (1189,324). During the year an motor fire-engines (£56,268) and 15 sanitary motor vehicles were also imported into Russia.
Kent's £320,000 Road Scheme.
On Tuesday last, Lady Cornwallis opened the Lanham by-pass concrete road, which is Li miles long and situated half-way between Maidstone and Ashford. It constitutes part of the improvements carried out on the London-Folkestone road, The entire scheme, which has cost £320,000, of which the
Ministry of Health has contributed 75 per cent., was embarked upon to relieve unemployment in London, and about 1,000 men have been provided with work during the past two years. ,The total length of the road which has been undergoing reconstruction is approximately 12 miles_
Another Albion for Kilmarnock.
Kilmarnock Corporation, which already has in use a number of Albion buses, has recently placed a further order with the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., Scotstoun, Glasgow, for an overtype model built to carry 32 passengers. There is little question that this repeat order follows'the successful use of the machines supplied earlier.
Opening a New Bridge.
The parliamentary committee of the Newport (Mon.) Borough Council has decided to open the new tst Bridge at Newport on June 1st.
The Cologne Exhibition.
As we have already indicated in our columns the first international automobile exhibition to be held in Germany since the war will take place in Cologne from May 20th to 31st inclusive. It is an exhibition officially recognized by the Bureau Permanent International des Constructeurs d'Automobiles in Paris, and organized collectively by the " Reiehsverband der Autdmobilindostrie " and the "Deutscher Automobil-Mndler-Yerband." The exhibition is limited to lorries, '• motorbuses and special vehicles of every kind, and in this way it is likely to provide a useful guide to the products of the commercial motor industry of several countries.
The autumn exhibition will be held in Berlin in November or December, and touring ears and conimercial vehicles will each be displayed separately.
Blackpool Traffic Regulations.
Blackpool Corporation has made regulations for the control of motor coach and motorbus traffic during the months of June, July, August and September and in Easter and Whitsun weeks. It is required that all drivers of chars-U-bancs or omnibuses entering the borough shall, after unloading their vehicles, drive immediately to a garage. No motor coach or omnibus will be permitted to remain in any street longer than is necessary for the expeditious unloading of passengers, or cause an obstruction in such street. Furthermore, a motor coach or bus must be loaded at a garage and not in al street.
Fuel Tankers in Australia.
We reproduce on page '302 a group of three photographs which we have received from a reader in Victoria, Australia. They serve to show that the methods employed for the bulk distribution of motor spirit and lubricating oil in Australia are quite up to date. The machines are owned by the British Imperial Oil Co., Ltd., of Melbourne.
One of the vehicles is a 5-ton Maudslay carrying a tan.k of 1,200 gallon capacity. It works from the Newport installation alid is used for distribution in and around Melbourne. On the Daimler vehicle which is illustrated, a tray-type body is used in conjunction with a tank of 640-gallon capacity. The tank can be detached in a few minutes to enable the lorry to be used for the transport of cases and drums. This vehicle is stationed at Geelong. Another picture shows a Karrier lorry fitted with a similar type of body, the only difference being that the tank has a capacity which is 20 gallons less. This vehicle is stationed at Hamilton, and probably has some of the worst roads and conditions in Victoria under which to work.
The pictures serve to show that smartness and cleanliness are considered essential factors for these vehicles, which, by carrying the name of the motor spirit an lubricating oil transported, always serve as a useful advertisement.
Express Services in the North.
At a meeting of the watch committee of the South Shields Corporation. C. H. Mason and Co., Ltd., of Gateshead, northern agents for the Gifford Motor Co., Ltd., of London, stated that it had been asked to undertake the secretarial duties for several Gilford omnibus owners, who are prepared to form themselves into the North-East Coast Exuress Omnibus Co.. should the oominittee favourably consider the request for facilities to trade in South Shields. It is proposed to furnish an hourly "limited atop" service between South Shields, Sunderland, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough without the need for changing vehicles, and it is considered that this will offer an improved service on that provided by the railway and at cheaper fares.
Connections will be made at Hartlepool with the Stockton, Darlington and Richmond services already established. Application was made for 12 licences to cover the vehicles required on the service, and for emergency buses to be used when some of the vehicles are absent for maintenance or cleaning purposes. This committee was therefore asked to grant these lleences to the company for allocation, so that it may have full disciplinary powers over its constitu-• cots. In view of the present number of omnibus services within and south of the borough, however, the committee could not entertain the application.
Accumulator Concessionnaires.
A.F.A. Accumulators, Ltd., 120, Tottenham Court Road, London, W.1, advises us that it has been appoint6t1 sole concessionnaires in British territory for the D.E.A.°, nickel-steel-alkaline accumulators made by the Deutsche Edison Accumulator Co., of Hagen, Germany.
Darlington's Successful Trolleybuses.
The traffic returns of the transport department of the Darlington Corporation for the year ended March 31st last, the first 12 months of trolley-bus operation, show that total receipts amounted to 139,064, an increase of £7,131 over the previous year, when the system was largely worked by means of tramcars. During the year operating costs for trolley-buses year averaged 9.7d. per mile, which will, it is thought, be the lowest of any authority in the country.
An Unusual Transport Task.
The majority of our readers will be fully aware that Walter Gammons, Ltd., the headquarters of which are at 65-66, Basinghall Street, London, E.C.2, undertakes road haulage of all kinds. It is not often, however, that the company is faced with the problem of transporting a monster racing car, but this was the case when Major H. 0. D. Segrave's Sunbeam car, on which he created s
new world's record at Daytona Beach, Florida, was transported.
Mr. E. W. Higgs, the manager of the Birmingham branch of Walter Gammons, Ltd., was in charge of the transport arrangements and accompanied the Scammell tractor-lorry which carried the car from Wolverhampton to Southampton. A Sentinel steam wagon was also employed to convey approximately five tons of spare parts. The ease containing the car transported by the Scammell vehicle weighed six tong and measured 25 ft. by 8 ft. by 6 ft.
Argentine Road Construction.
As the-municipality of Buenos Aires have set aside 20,000,400 dollars (paper) for the construction of new highways of macadam ar concrete, it is thought that a good market for concrete will shortly he created: There is only one local factory capable of supplying the material in bulk, its manufacture having hitherto proved too costly for its general adop
tion for road surfaces. Engineers despatched by the municipality to Europe and the United States to study the construction of concrete roads Suitable for a large city have reported favourably on their adoption for _Buenos Aires.
Market-garden Produce: Its Transport and Sale.
An accompanying illustration is from a photograph of a 2-ton Garner lorry, which is a repeat order from Mr. Arthur Burton, of Lichfield, and is similar to the vehicle supplied to him a short time ago for carrying marketgarden produce. The body is crater aided, the sides as well as the tailboard being hinged and detachable. A special crate is also fitted which can be lowered for the purpose of showing the produets and selling from the vehicle in the market-place. It is a very roomy and extremely adaptable vehicle, whilst the wheelbase does not exceed the standard of. 11 ft. set for the Garner lorry. The bodywork and finishing were done in the Garner works, and give the vehicle a very smart and attractive appearance
Warwick's Fire-engine Tenders.
The fire brigade committee of the Warwick Corporation has received the following tenders for the supply of a motor fire-engine :— The Pyrene Co., Ltd., London, 1973; Martin's Cultivator Co., Ltd., Stamford, 000; Dennis Bros., Ltd., Guildford, f-845; Morris fire-engine (agents Colmore Depot, )3irmingham), £810; Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., London, 11,125; Leyland fire-engine (agents, The Birmingham Garages, Ltd.), £1,130; Simonis, Ltd., London, £1,240, The chief officer is to arrange for a demonstration of the first four engines.
Guy. Buses for Municipalities.
Guy Motors, Ltd., Fallings Park, Wolverhampton, has just received from the Oldham Corporation a third repeat order for six-wheeled vehicles, the latest being for five 56-seater double-deckers, in the chassis of which six-cylindered engines are employed. The Oldham authorities already have seven Guy single-deckers in service and one doubledecker of the same make. Other muni
cipalities buying Guy vehicles include the Blackpool Corporation, which is purchasing two six-wheelers ; Morecambe Corporation, 'which is buying promenade runabouts, and South Shields Corporation, which has ordered some 30-seater buses.
Electrics in Christchurch.
The following details concerning the use of electric vehicles are given in the 1026 report of the city engineer of Christchurch, New Zealand :
Mate and Milvs run Cost per
capacity. Used on in year, ton mile.* 2-ton Detroit Rubbish. 5,726 17.76.
1/4-ton Walker Waterworks 5,132 9.336, 2-ton Walker Sanitary ' 15,594 12.75d. 2-ton Walker Sanitary . 17,958 11.216. 2-ton Walker Sanitary 12.013 11,36d_ 2-ton Walker Sanitary 12,133 8.466.
The coat doe$ not include wages of driver and is based upon a full load one way.
Inst. P.E. Meeting.
A general meeting of the Institution of Production Engineers will be held in the council room of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, on April 20th, at 7.20 p.m., when Dr. L. Aitchison will read a paper on the subject of "Light Alloys."
Six-wheelers for Liverpool.
The tramways department of the Liverpool Corporation has just put two Sarrier six-wheeled 40-seater saloon motorbuses into service, and in its bodybuilding shop work is proceeding on the equipment of four Guy sixwheeled double-deckers, all of which are intended to take the road in the near future.
When it is brought up to full strength, the corporation's fleet will be one of the most diversified in Lancashire, comprising electric buses and saloon and double-deckers of both the four and the six-wheeled types.
A Bus Fleet for Cairo, From Cairo comes the news that work is shortly to be commenced on the electrification of the railway between that city and Heluan, and that in order not to inconvenience the travelling public while the work is in progress a service of motorbuses is to be rim between the two places. A fleet of 10 vehicles has been acquired for the purpose. It is expected that the buses will prove very popular.