Opinions from Others.
Page 15
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The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be on one side of the paper only and type-written by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility
for the views expressed is accepted. In the case of experiences, names of towns or localities may be withheld.
Between Kingston Market and Richmond.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
71, 131] Sir,—I would like to point out what I think would be a very-good opening for a char-it-bancs route. It is to run an hourly service between Kingston Market and Richmond Station, as the present service is too slow. I think one car would be sufficient, as it could do the distance (about W.,miles) in 25 niinutes, and thus place all this important neighbourhood in communication with the North and West of London from Richmond Station, which nontakes too long.—Yours faithfully,
Surbiton. R. MILLS.
Taxicabs and Telephones.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,152] Sir.—Every increase in suburban telephones means so mueli to both men and companies in the saving of empty running, and so much more to the residents in the vicinity in convenience, that I should esteem it a favour if you would permit me to use your columns for a gratuitous advertisement of the telephone which hoe been put in the Clapham-common shelter : the number is 367 Battersea. It is hoped that telephones at Putney, Dulwich and Streatham will be possible in the near future.—Yours faithfully, The Motor Cab Owner-Drivers Association.
J. E. DAVIES, Secretary. 3, Willow Walk, N.W.
Commercial-vehicle Design.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,153] Sir,—We have read with interest the article by your U.S.A. Correspondent on the tendency of American motor-vehicle design, and, feeling that the question is of considerable importance, not only to manufacturers, but to owners as well, we trust you will allow us space to offer one or two criticisms on the article in question, particularly as we have had considerable experience with the type of chassis to which your contributor has taken exceptionthe short wheelbase with driver's seat over bonnet. It may, however, be as well to point out in passing that we make both long-wheelbase and short-wheelbase machines, and that our opinion therefore is not prejudiced one way or the other.
Your Correspondent commences by stating that the short-wheelbase machine is not demanded by many prospective buyers, and that he has known only three cases where a very-short wheelbase on a four-ton lorry was a necessity. If this be his experience, it cannot have been gained in the Wiest Riding of Yorkshire or in Lancashire, for, in these districts, we have, in many cases, sold wagons with short wheelbases, where to have bought a long-wheelbase machine would have necessitated very-expensive alterations to leading-sheds, mill-yards, weighbridges, garages, etc., and it is only a few weeks ago that the Westminster City Council advertised for seven five-ton wagons with special short wheelbase. As commercialmotor vehicles become more common, these difficulties will be gradually eliminated, but we have to deal with conditions as they exist at present. Again, although it may not be a vital necessity to turn in as small a radius as possible, there can be no doubt as to its convenience in rungusted traffic. traffic.
" Placing the driver.over his engine greatly complicates the design of clutch gear, and gearbox control, while rcndering examination of the engine a thing of the utmost difficulty." says the writer. How far this is true of the American wagon, we are not in a position to say, but we can point to several makes in this country besides our own in proof of our contention that it is possible to overcome these difficulties, if they are kept sufficiently in view when the chassis is being designed. The second part of the article hardly deals with the question of commercial-motor-vehicle design from a practical standpoint. The contentions of the writer would be worth more consideration if the only limitation of engine power were the maximum of adhesion which can he obtained on the road wheels, but we all know that in practice such is not the limiting factor. Economy of working has to be considered, and the aim of the designer is to produce a vehicle with sufficient, power to ('limb any gradient that may be met under usual working conditions, and at the same time to have the engine running fairly well up to its full load when on top gear on the level. It appears to us that, in general practice, the only time that frictional resistance is the governing factor is when running on snow or ice. For ordinary running, the horsepower of a motor wagon is not determined by the amount which can be transmitted to the road wheels before slipping occurs, but by the more-practical one of the amount required to propel the vehicle along at a given speed. At the same time we are in agreement with the writer, when he advocates the keeping of the load as much as possible over the rear axle, if only to obtain the maximum of brake power on the rear wheels. He appears to be under the impression that this cannot be obtained on the short-wheelbase vehicle, but the following figures, relating to our standard two-ton wagon, having a wheelbase of 9 ft. and a length of body of 11 ft. 6 in., dispose of that idea :— F.A.W. 1 ton 3 cwt. 2 qrs. 27 per cent. of total weight. R.A.W. 3 ton 3 cwt. =73 per cent, of total weight.
It will be seen that these are exactly the percentages. quoted by your Correspondent as being the axle-weights of English-made vehicles with long wheelbase and driver's seat behind the engine, and, although they may at first sight appear remarkable, a little thought will show the reason. The fact is that, in the short-wheelbase vehicle, instead of the front axle's being moved backwards as the writer suggests, we simply move the rear axle and body forward by approximately the length of the bonnet, so that the load is in exactly the same position relatively to the rear axle in either the long-wheelbase or the shortwheelbase type. We do not alter the position of the front axle at all.
Another objection raised to the short-wheelbase com mercial vehicle is that it increases vibration, and the example of the old short-wheelbase touring cars is cited. The point to be decided here is when can a wheelbase be classed as long from the point of view of vibration, and cur experience has been that a vehicle with a 9 ft. wheelhose rides quite comfortably over rough roads.
There are many other points raised by your Corre spondent's interesting article, but we have already trespassed too much on your space. We can only add that, for such businesses as dyeing, finishing, cloth manufacturing, etc., two points are essential, in most cases, for a motor vehicle to prove successful: first, it must be adaptable to existing buildings and mill-yards; second, it must have a large carrying area, as the loads carried are often very bulky. The only way to combine. these two essentials is by placing the driver over the engine, and we trust that we have. proved that such an arrangement, without being subject to the disadvantages which your Correspondent names, is possible. In conclusion, we should like to hear from what discomforts the driver suffers by his being placed over the engine.—Yours faithfully, CLAYTON AND CO., EUCDI)ERSFIELD, LTD., Union Works, R. F. CLAYTON, Director. Huddersfield.