Out and Home. —By "The Extractor."
Page 18
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A business on What appears to be similar lines to the " Motor House," except that it is purely for commercial motors, has been started by Martin's, at Bow Bridge, London, E. Splendid premises have been acquired, very suitable for the purpose, and it should prove quite a successful undertaking.
Petrol versus steam are being tried side by side, for almost identical work, by Truman, Hanbury and Buxtona 3-ton Ryknield petrol wagon, and a 3ton Foden steam wagon shod with
Shrewsbury and Challiner tires. It will be quite interesting to observe the result_ At Huddersfield, a few days ago, I had a talk with Mr. Hopkinson about the new, 3ob.h.p., petrol engine they are building for commercial vehicle work : it is going forward very satisfactorily, and will shortly be on the market. On another page (208) is given a photograph of the engine on a testing bed.
A friend of mine, a motor draughtsman, was accompanying an old colleague of his round the recent show, and for one solid hour they went over the various points of the new Austin cab. Two pairs of critical eyes, indeed, because my friend's former colleague is now the head of an important motor concern ; his verdict of the Austin was expressed succinctly enough : " That is the first motorcab," said he.
It struck me, the other day, as curious that there is not a Londoner on the regular stall of `` THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR." G. W. Watson is a Yorkshireman; E. McBride-Leg-h conies from beyond the Tweed ; Ernest Perman is a Wiltshireman ; the gallant Editor is a Lancastrian ; our newcomer, Arthur W. Windsor, burst on an astonished world at Portsmouth; and the timorous individual who pens these lines weekly, and helps to look after the business end of the journal, first saw the light at Leeds.
Those who know Mr. George W. Grimshaw, the head and forefront of the Critchley-Norris Motor Company, will readily recognise the subjoined gentle caricature. Like many of us, Grimshaw is inclining towards " adiposity," but not so much as is depicted—health and a nature essentially good-humoured take one in that direction. Grimshaw is a thorough Lancastrian, fond of home, sport, and companionship, hut with it all a shrewd and hard-working man of business, for he is the managing director of Peter Pilkington, Ltd., of Bamber Bridge, the world-known makers of pneumatic hammers, and he is also a director of the Whinney IIill Plastic Brick Co., Ltd., one of the most successful brickmaking concerns in the country. It was close on three years ago, however, that he entered the commercial motor industry. He was joined by J. Sidney Critchley, one of the founders of the Royal Automobile Club, and also by W. Norris, Whose motoring days go back to ;895, and they brought out the Critchley-Norris omnibus and char-Lbanes, and met with considerable success, both at home and abroad.
Mr. Grimshaw has, latterly, been convinced that steam is likely to displace the petrol vehicle, and at the Olympia Show he exhibited a steam car that aroused the intensest interest, and of which, in other columns, much has already been written. Everyone who knows Grimshaw wishes him well, and has confidence in his business judgments. I have said that he has the North Countryman's love of home and his friends, and nothing seems to give him more pleasure than to take out his 41)11 .p. Critchley-Norris, with family and friends aboard, and dash down into the heart of Wales, or make for Windermere and the best bits of the Lake District, for he lives at Lytham, which is equi-distant from both those beautiful spots. Time was, before motoring took such a hold, that he, like many in his county, went in very largely for pigeon-racing, and one of his birds won the Nantes (France) to Lytham race, which was arranged by the North-West Lancashire Federation, when over 3,000 birds took part. Thus it will be seen that, like most principals engaged in the motor business, he has a sporting side to his nature. Personally, Grimshaw possesses an infectious laugh, is a much-travelled, broad-minded, sound, and companionable man, and, considering whom he has associated with him in the motor side of his business undertakings, he should have no difficulty in keeping well to the front. Tris father was one of the founder directors of Howard and Bullough, Ltd., Engineers, of Accrington.