New B.T.H. gear Limits Trolleybus Acceleration

1st October 1948, Page 79

1st October 1948

Page 79

Page 79, 1st October 1948 — New B.T.H. gear Limits Trolleybus Acceleration

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Keywords : Technology, Transport, Sustainable Transport, Trolleybus, Valve, Railway Brake, Beardmore Halford Pullinger, Carburetor, Mechanical Engineering

DENNIS INTRODUCES NEW O.H.V. PETROL ENGINE AN overhead-valve version of the Dennis 3.77-litre side-valve petrol engine has been introduced. This unit develops 80 b.h.p. at 3.000 r.p.m.-10 b.h.p. more than the side-valve engine o'f similar dimensions. The bore is

100 mm, and the stroke 120 mm. The fuel-consumption figure given is 0.55 pint per b.h.p.-hour at 1.000 r.p.m.

There are two valves per cylinder, and all components in the cylinder block are interchangeable with those of. the side-valve D-type engine of similar bore and stroke. Exhaust and induction manifolds are reversible for rightor left-hand-drive vehicles, and for the tilting of either an updraught or downdraught carburetter.

Other features include an impellertype water-circulating pump. submerged oil pump, and mushroom tappets. A chassis cowered by one of these engines will be available at Earls Court for demonstration purposes,

1,340 MILES OF ROUTE MAPPED AFTER a year's preparation, London Transport has produced for the first time a folder map marking the 199 Country Bus routes, They cover 1,340

miles, and extend from Letchworth in the north to Horsham in the south. The 101 routes in the northern area are printed on one side of the sheet and the 98 in the southern area on the other side.

The Country Bus routes are shown in green, with Central Bus connections picked out in red. Distinctive symbols indicate points of interchange with services of other operators. Enlarged plans show stopping places in eight important towns where many routes convert.

APPEAL HEARINGS NEXT WEEK APPEALS set, down for hearing by the Appeal Tribunal at Halifax House, Strand, London, W.C.2, next week, are as follows:—October 5: L. E. Holyoake versus the Metropolitan Licensing Authority, and W. Stevens versus the West Midland Deputy Licensing Authority. October 6: A. G. Howard versus the Eastern Licensing Authority. October 7: Dolton Transport, Ltd., versus the West Midland Deputy Licensing Authority.

I.R.T.E. VISITS PERKINS

MEMBERS of-the Institute of Road Transport Engineers, last week visited the new factory of F. Perkins, Ltd., at Peterborough. The party met Mr. F. A. Perkins, chairman and managing director, and Mr. R. C. Allen, sales manager.

NOW BRUCE COACH WORKS

TO identify the name of the company more closely with its products, Air Dispatch (Coachbuilders), Ltd., has changed its title to Bruce Coach Works, Ltd. The company's address is South Park Road, Cardiff. AREPRESENTATIVE of "The Commercial Motors' witnessed a demonstration, last week, of a twoaxled trolleybus, belonging to Nottingham Corporation and provided with three new items of B.T.H. equipment.

First is the limited maximum acceleration control; the bus has been in service for two years and the results have caused a further six sets to be ordered. Second is the R.P strip-type resistor, whilst the third item is fluorescent lighting.

The limited maximum acceleration control makes the passengers' lot a smoother, pleasanter and safer one, whilst the driver is spared fatigue and cannot accelerate harshly whatever action he may take. That is not to say that the trolleybus loses any of its lively performance; the automatic control merely prevents the driver from using the motors exceptional power in a clumsy manner.

Instead of acceleration depending directly upon the character of depression of the controller pedal. the new all-electrical equipment ensures that correct notching is obtained in all circumstances The result, from the passengers' angle, is that travel is completely devoid of snatch, and there is no appreciable loss of liveliness in traffic or on gradients. From the definite improvements observable, it is manifest that there must be lessened wear and tear of the transmission, tyres and coachwork.

In this introduction of automatic control, the British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., Rugby, is making an important step forward in trolleybus equipment design. An incidental advantage is that run-back on a gradient can be prevented with safety In the normal way, if a vehicle starts to run back, the driver's automatic action is to press down the control pedal quickly to the full extent in order • to check the travel. Usually the breakers are blown and the backward run continues until the mechanical brakes are brought into action. With this new B.T.H. equipment, the driver's quick depression of the controller pedal immediately checks the reverse motion. stops the vehicle and starts it off forwards.

Another item on the vehicle in question is the R.P. resistor. This is of the strip type, of light weight, using aluminium chromium alloy-steel strip which has a high specific resistance, a negligible temperature coefficient and is inherently resistant to corrosion.

A large order for these for South African Railways has been completed. They show up to particular advantage in snow and slush conditions, and in districts in which salt atmosphere is apt to cause difficulties,

MORE NATIONALIZATION

nr HE Finance Minister of the West

Punjab revealed in Lahore the Government's determination to national:, ire road transport in the Province, in order to augment the .provincial exchequer. According to the Minister the process will, however, be gradual.

15,818 MORE NEW' VEHICLES TULY'S new registrations of 15,818 J vehicles, other than cars and motorcycles, brought the total for the first seven months of the year to 114,876, Details of registration.; by classes are as follow:—

New B.T.H. gear Limits Trolleybus Acceleration

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