Chip Off the Old Block
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QINCE the early days of licensing, the name of Mr. H. Backhouse has consistently appeared in reports of hearings, particularly from the North Western Area. In recent months he has been missing, although when The Commercial Motor first started to print the name of Mr. J. Backhouse, there were some readers who imagined 'the changed initial to be an error. Illness has kept the vital figure of Henry Backhouse away from his usual haunts, and, as he remains seriously indisposed, there is no indication of his return. Mr. John Backhouse is now in regular attendance at the traffic courts and more than once I have heard the phrase " Ah, like father, like son."
Weight-lifter
WHEN John Moon joined The Commercial Motor, he did not expect to become a weight-lifter. But when he wanted to conduct a half-load fuel-consumption test of the Midland " Red " D.9 double-decker, which was carrying the equivalent of 78 passengers, he and three helpers had to remove 90 i-cwt. iron blocks. They drew the line at removing the rest for an unladen test
"It's the upper-deck ' passengers ' who take the shifting," says Moon. He views with a jaundiced eye the trend towards bigger double-deckers. Perhaps smaller passengers might help?
Seat 'Shine
you may think, as I did until last week, that one just sits on a driver's seat. Then my eyes were opened in Vauxhall Motors' new static rig testing department, where scat cushions are tested to destruction.
c6 To reproduce actual stresses, a moulded form, quaintly described as simulating the appropriate area of the seat occupant, is forced into contact with the cushion on a regular cycle. When in contact it is moved in a similar manner to the nether portions of the human driver.
The motions involved are described as " jouncing " and "squirming," and the amount of movement can he controlled by switches. The latter motion is even divided into left-hand and right-hand squirms. No wonder trouser seats get shiny.
Advisers in Kaos
BUDGET day in the State of Kaos might have passed off LP with no more than the traditional discharge of fireworks from both sides of the House, had not Gen. Tai-Ming-Gir, Minister of Transport, chosen to select the same occasion to announce his • Advisory Committee for the Tramways Industry.
Whereas the Chancellor elected to tax still further an essential commodity (Is. per pipe of prepared hemp), the Minister clearly foretold the doom of a great and honoured industry. His advisers are named as Mt. Bush-Hatt, editor of Safari, a journal devoted to blood sports in rural areas, Mr. Bru-Op, owner of the country's largest tea plantations, State-worker First-class 0 Pang, a disposals expert, and Miss Gloria Vandaleur, who is described as a dancer.
Tramway lovers throughout the country, not to mention the men engaged in this picturesque craft, see little hope for their future. None of the Minister's advisers has ever been known to have travelled on a tram.
Night Exercise
APRETTY girl thumbing a lift on MI, and the dutiful transport driver cruising straight past with nary a wink, was one of the scenes in a newly released film cameo on road haulage which raised a chuckle among those who attended a • preview by the Rank Organisation.
The 10-minute documentary, "All Through the Night," was produced by Rank in collaboration with Mr. J. T. Brown, director and London transport manager of the Atlas Express Co., Ltd. It is intended to enlighten the general public on the way in which road haulage works—with emphasis on the driver's part.
Atlas provided a shiny Bedford " artic." a load of smalls and a night return trip to Birmingham, to illustrate the fundamentals, which included a vehicle check, log-book procedure, a reference to permitted driving hours, a check by enforcement officials and, perhaps not so well advised, a demonstration of the light-flashing code.
Although Atlas virtually stole the show. British Road Services were not to be kept out. They made a " rehearsed-impromptu " appearance in the preamble.
Extending Upwards
I TALIAN interest in double-deckers is not Confined to Rome. The Turin authorities are keeping an eye on this possible solution of their passenger-transport problems. and at least one well-known bodybuilder is awaiting developments.