OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.
Page 20
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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 typewritten by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted.
Overseas Markets After the War.
The Editor, 'THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1619] Sir,—I feel that I cannot pass without comment the last paragraph of Mr. L. Brandes' letter, in your issue of the 18th July, concerning "Overseas Markets after the War," especially when he states " If the British industry wants to retain its grip on the export markets it will have to begin by sinking the petty jealousies of one firm against another, etc.' -Let there be further quoted those few lines which appeared in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR of the 10th May, 1917, under "One Hears" :—" From Sir Albert Stanley, as from 'The Inspector' a week or two ago, that 'There is far too much of what is termed the retention of lousiness secrets in this country : there should be a freer exchange of ideas.'' If we are to secure Overseas markets, we have got to forsake our old methods and especially the one of "take it or leave it " attitilde.—Yo-urs faithfully,
• Bristol. HAROLD SOLOMON.
Gas Cylinders for London Buses.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1620] Sir,—I regret to tiod that a statement has been Published in several of the motor journals to the effect that we are installing in some of our buses Lyon cylinders and equipment. This statement is incorrect. We have no intention at the moment of installing any of our vehicles with cylinders or gas equipment other than those of our
own design. Ernest Lyon, Ltd., of 91, New Bond•Street, has accepted an order from us for the manu
facture of a few sets of cylinders to be made to our specification and drawings, of a type that has been designed and provisionally protected by the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd. The necessary controlling equipment will be made by ourselves, and is also of a special design that has been provisionally pro
tected.—Yours faithfuny, GEO. J. SHAVE Manager for Maintenance, L.G.O. Co. [The statement did not appear in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR. The L.G.O. Co. system of gas installation is described in this issue on pages 492 and 493.—En.]
Allowances for Used Steel Tyre Bands.
The Editor, THR COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1621] Sir,—In your issue of the 18th July, there is a letter from Messrs. C. and G. Yeoman on the subject of the allowance offered by solid tyre manufacturers for old steel bands.
It is true that lately the allowance offered by tyre manufacturers has been reduced from 108. for sizes larger ,than 100 mm. and 7s. 6d. for 100 ram. and smaller; to 5s. and Ss. 9d. -respectively. These allowances were never intended to represent scrap value, as they are much more than scrap is worth. The reason the figures are fixed at something more than scrap value is that a certain percentage of the bands can be satisfactorily used again as new bands, but the majority of them are overstretched or bruised, and cannot be so used without at least a con'siderable amount of treatment.
At the latter end of last year, the British Engineering Standards Committee issued their Report 71-17,by which the internal circumferences of steel bands of solid tyres have been for the first time definitely standamdized.
The tolerance and " nip" permitted by this report being comparatively small, the experience of solid tyre maelufacturers is that the percentage of old steel bands which can now be utilized as new is much less E46 than previously, which is the cause of the reduced al-, lowance to which your correspondent refers. Nevertheless, the reduced allowance is still greater than scrap value, and indeed, it is not governed by the price of scrap at all.—Yours faithfully, WALTER BOND, '
-Tech. Hon. Sec.,
Solid Rubber Band Tyre Section, B.R.T.M.A.
Rubber or Steel Tires.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1622] "Sir,—We noticed your contributor's remarks in your issue for 11th July, in his article entitled "Rubber or Steel Tyres," and after carefully perusing same we have drawn the conclusion that it must have been written by someone who is interested in the exploitation of rubber tyres.
As users of both steel and rubber tyres on our threeton and five-ton steam wagons, we shall be glad if you will allow us to point out the following:—
The maximum speed allowable with a five-ton wagon and trailer fitted with steel wheels is five m.p.h., and for a, wagon fitted with rubber wheels the same speed is permitted. If the wagon is fitted with steel tyres and used without a trailer, it can travel at five m.p.h., whereas if it is fitted with rubber tyres and no trailer is used, eight m.p.h. (not 12, as stated), is allowed.
For seven years we ran a weekly service with steeltyred wagons and trailers to and from Birmingham, Bristol, etc., with the machines fully loaded each way and we secured 240 miles in the ordinary five working days including loading and unloading four times which-brought actual running time down to four days including the return journey. For town haulage, the records that we have kept show that steel-tyred wagons are able to perform the same number of journeys per day as, those fitted with rubber tyres. Regarding the contention that the depreciation on the five-ton rubber-tyreel machine, presumed to do 70 miles a day, being more than on the steel-tyred one doing 40 miles per day (which, in our case is not correct) we are prepared to show anyone interested two standard five-ton steam wagons— one mounted on steel tyres, the other mounted on rubber tyres—which will not uphold the above statement. The using of more fuel caused by road suction and otker incidentals, such as damage to macadam roads caused by rubber-tyred machines as against the smooth surface of steel-tyred ones (which,' to a large extent, act as a road roller) appears to have been overlooked. We could say much more on this interesting subject, but trust that we have said sufficient ttl show that justice has not been done to the steel-tyred steam wagon by your contributor.--Yoms faithfully,
For YORKE, STONEHAM AND JONES, LTD.,
W. STONEHAM.