WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
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'The wheels of wealth will be slowed by an difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
The Reo Dinner.
At the dinner given at the Piccadilly Hotel, London, on Tuesday last Mr. It. G. Hudson, the export manager of the Reo Meor Car Co., of Lansing, Michigan, occupied the chair, He was supported by Mr. C. C. Harris and Mr. W. A. G. Hasell, of the British concessionaire company, Harris and Hasell, Ltd., and by Mr. G. M. Gamble, the London director. Mr. W. G. Cairns and Mr. F. Sergardi, of the Reo staff, were also present to support their colleague. A representative body of the Reo dealers in Great Britain and Ireland, and others interested in Reo welfare in this country, made up the party and all were pleased to have this opportunity once again of meeting at a. board of hospitality and good cheer, Mr. Hudson is exceedingly popular • with Reo dealers the world over, almost all of whom he makes a point of meeting personally, for he is a great advocate of the value of personal relationship between houses connected in business even though they be separated by wide stretches of land and sea.
In the toast to the Rea Co., Mr. Harris paid a tribute to the energy and patience of Mr. Hudson in striving to meet British market requirements, and mentioned the visit of Mr. Griffiths, the Reo engineer, specially sent across to study this subject. He emphasized the value of this close liaison between the selling organization here and the chief engineer, Mr. Thomas, in Lansing. Mr. Hudson, responding, referred to the tendency among English car manufacturers to produce six-cylinder cars of American performance, and claimed that Reo commercial vehicles and cars are built on lines suited to the public needs. He assured his guests of the continuance of the Rea policy of supporting the dealer organization so far as possible in every way. The toast of the dealers was proposed by Mr. Gamble in a witty speech and replied to by Mr. T. Spense. Mr. G. H. Skinner toasted Harris and Rawl!, Ltd., and Mr. Resell replied for Ls company. The health of the 'visitors was proposed by Mr. M. Brechin iii
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Scottish style, and Mr. W. G. Cairns, the business representative in -;:his country of the Reo Co., responded, giving the assurance of his service to the needs of Reo dealers, now that he is to reside in England.
It was stated during the course of the speeches that a 30-cwt model to sell at £295 is under consideration.
A Baldock Bus Owner's Enterprise.
Letchworth 'Urban District Council has acceded to the application of the Baldock Motor Transport Co. for permission to Pick up and set down passengers in the town, in connection with a bus service to he run between Baldock and London, via Letchworth, Hitchin and Stevenage.
By Bus From Aberdeen to London.
Mr. John Graham, president of the Aberdeen Motor Char-a-bancs Proprie-.• tors' • Association, recently intimated that he had made arrangements to •run a daily through service to London. This will be rust in 'association with a Glasgow concern and the route will be via Perth, Stirling, Glasgow and Liverpool. The through journey will take about 16 hours.
The Exide Luncheon.
The Exide luncheon • held during Motor Show week Served to emphasize the progress which is being made by the Chloride Electrical Storage Co., Ltd. The chairman made it clear that the past year had been the best in the history of the company, and that its activities continue to expand in all :-arts of the world. The company makes batteries for all makes of motor vehicle and actually lists no fewer than 124 tyys.
In a Line or Two.
The North Western Road Car ,Co., Ltd., hasrecently placed a large order for motorbuses to replace 75 older types of vehicle which are now in service.
The tramways committee of the Birmingham Corporation hag decided to equip the whole of the municipal fleet of motorbuses with pneumatic tyres. Over 100 vehicles out of a total of 230 are at present running on solid equipment.
A traffic census recently taken at London Road, Chelmsford, shows that the nuniber of vehicles has increased from an average of 2,502 per day in 1925 to 8,055 per day.
Ossett Corporation has decided to reserve land adjoining the Town Hall as a free parking station for motor' vehicles.
Bradford Corporation is considering proposals for the erection of a central motor garage in Canal Road.
Hull Corporation reports that an early gentlemen's coach of 120 years ago has been presented to the commercial museum by the Exeter Museum. Efforts are being made to obtain a Black Maria for the collection.
United Counties Report.
The report of the United Counties Omnibus and Road Transport Co., Ltd., for the year ended September 19th last, shows a profit •of £22,036, to which has to be added the sum of £504 brought forward from the previous year. The sum of £13,491 has been placed to general reserve, and of the balance the payment of a dividend of S per cent. for the year on the cumulative preference shares will absorb £4,000, the payment of a half-year's dividend ina the 7 per cent. cumulatIve preference shares, a further £1,750, and the payment of a dividend of 10 per cent, for the year on the ordinary shares, a sum
of £5,009. These payments total £10,759, which, less income tax at 4s. in the £, is reduced to 18,600, so that a aura of 1498 ;remains to be carried forward.
..During. the past year the capital of the company has . been increased to £150,000 by the issue of 50,000 comulative preference shares. The Concern has ,purchased the businesses of the Northampton Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., Messrs. Summerly Bros., and Messrs. A. I. York. The fleet has been increased by the purchase of 37 Leyland Lion saloon buses, and some of the older vehicles in service will be replaced by machines of this type during the present year.
A Sales Representative Required.
• A London company, which is concessionaire for a well-known make of foreign commercial vehicle, requires a sales representative to take over sales responsibility for half the London and to follow up all inquiries, etc., in that district. The basis of payment will be salary and commission. Suitable applicants, who must have had satisfactory experience in the disposal of commercial vehicles, should write to " Sales Representative," care of the Editor of this journal.
Ransome and Marks' Report.
The report of Ransome and Marks Bearing Co., Ltd., for the year ended June 30th last shows a profit of £38,556, after providing for depreciation and income tax. After adding the balance brought forward from the previous year the sum of £69,40S is available. After deducting dividend at S per cent., less tax, on 400,000 fully paid shares (£25,600) and on 10s. per share paid up at ,Tune 30th on 100,000 new shares (£3,200) and after £15,000 has been carried to the general reserve, a balance of £25,608 remains to be carried forward. A Practical Demonstration of Fire Fighting.
A SEilesman-demonqrator of MorrisCommercial Cars, Ltd., had an exciting experience recently when making a tour with a demonstration fire-engine. Arriving at the Cotsivolt1 town of Stowon-the-Weld, he was told by Mr. Fara.worth, the local motor trader, that his visit was most opportune, as the local brigade was at that moment desperately engaged in fighting a serious conflagration at a farm at Turkdean, some eight miles distant. Without a moment's delay the Morris-Commercial fire-engine was driven at full speed to the spot. where the demonstrator found a number of farm buildings and ricks blazing fiercely and threatening to involve the cadre farm.
The local brigade, with its manual engine, was working valiantly, but was handicapped by lack of water. Quickly the Morris-Commercial was put into action and, by means of the first-aid equipment.. was able to utilize the meagre supply of water. Very effective work was done and it was uudoubt edly due to the good performance of the first-aid equipment that the fire was 'prevented from spreading to a large barn which was filled with the new harvest. For over 24 hours the machine was ea gaged in fighting the llama; , before the unaffected parts of the building were finally made safe.
The vehicle was a standard 260-gallon fire-engine manufactured by Morris-Commercial Cars, Ltd., and its first-aid equipment consisted of a 40-gallon tank and a 120-ft. hose reel.
Plans for a London-to-Falmouth Service.
It is likely that, in the near future, a regular service by saloon vehicles will be established between London and Falmonth, for it was recently intimated at a meeting of the Okehampton Town Council that Messrs. Elliott Bros., of Bournemouth, had made an application for licences for a number of buses for use on this route.
Bus Employees' Working Hours.
Blyth Corporation has asked Mr. J. Leigh Turner, the town clerk, to communicate with the Ministry of Transport as to the jurisdiction of a local authority totake into consideration, In the interests of the safety of the public, the hours worked by bus employees aud as to the powers of authorities to refuse to grant licences. in eases where the authority is of opinion that the public safety would be endangered owing to the excessive Lours worked by drivers.
A Good Word for Steam Wagons.
"Smoke nuisance from steam wagons is now reduced to a minimum," states Dr. A. A. Mussen, the Liverpool Medical Officer of Health, in his annual report. " Drivers are teking reasonable care and good supplies of fuel are
available. No proceedings were taken during the year with regard to exces sive smoke from steam wagons." • A Far-seeing Corporation.
A generous number of parking places has been arranged for buses in Sligo. Due owners state that these parkiug places have been conveniently arranged for travellers' and they consider that the corporation has dealt with the mutter in a very fair way.
Pontypridd Takes the Plunge.
The Pontypridd Urban District Council has decided, after sustaining losses on its tramways services over a Period of many years, immediately to promote a Parliamentary Bill to obtain powers to run motorbuses both inside and outside its area and to replace the tramways system by trolley-buses and motorbuses as may be considered necessary by the transport department. Street-cleansing Work in Liverpool.
In the annual report of the Liver. pool Medical Officer of Health (Dr. A. A. Mussen) information is given cf the operations carried out by the city engineer's cleansing staff during the past municipal year. The work of the department consists of cleansing and watering the 622 miles of streets within the city, together with their back alleyways, the periodical emptying of ashbins, street gullies, street and court bins and ashpits, and the disposal of the refuse collected.
Duri4' the past year, the quantity of domestic and trade refuse collected and received was approximately 238,300 tons. The quantity of refuse of this description dealt with per working day was 1,288 tens.
The whole of the 622 miles of streets and their alleyways, with the exception of a few on, the outskirts of the city, are swept weekly, the principal streets, and streets in congested areas, receiving daily attention. In addition certain streets and passages are washed by hose pipe. Three motor-sweeping machines are employed regularly by the municipal authorities at Liverpool, and they sweep approximately 50 miles of roadway nightly.
In connection with street watering, upwards of 7i million gEillons of water were distributed during the past season, this amount being in addition to the large quantity employed in connection with street washing.
Bus Doors : A Conference.
All those concerned with the design, construction and operation of motorbuses will be particularly interested in the conference which is to be held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Transport, on October 26th, to consider the question of how doors on motorbuses should open. It will be remembered that a departmental committee recently recommended that no doors should be alloted on the off side of buses, but to this the corporations of Manchester, Bradford and Leeds objected. The Ministry has asked each of these authorities to send a deputation to London to discuss the matter.
Services Without Sanction.
The parliamentary committee of the West Riding County Council reports that the celunty council authorized it to take proceedings against the Oldham and Rochdale Corporations unless their running of buses on the main roads between those towns and Halifax, contrary to the provisions 'of their local acts, was discontinued.
The Oldham Corporation has discontinued its service and the Rochdale Corporation has intimated that it has arranged with the London Midland and Scottish Railway Co. for that company to operate the through service between Rochdale and Halifax, and that under this arrangement the Rochdale Corporation will not continue the working of the through service to Halifax as heretofore. Tonbridge.
The Speedier Bus.
In view of the Serious falling-off in the number of passengers on the tram service between Middlesbrough and Stockton, a proposal has been made thata motorbui service should be run instead, in order to provide a more rapid and efficient service; which would reduce the four-miless journey by at least five minutes and probably turn a
loss . into a profitable municipal venture.
Recent Halley Orders.
Some of the most interesting orders recently received by Halley Motors,' Ltd., Yoker, Glasgow, are as follow: Fire-engines for the Greenock Corporation and others for use in New Zealand: a 40-seater, six-wheeled bus for the Leeds Corporation; type-W and type-W20 chassis for Singapore, South Africa and for several Scottish users; B22 type-P chassis for a number of co-operative societies, including the United Co-operative Baking Society, Ltd., and the Scottish Cu-operative Wholesale Society, Ltd., both of which already own vehicles in which this chassis is employed Sheffield and Long-distance Services.
Sheffield Watch Committee is being asked to grant licences in connection with the following long-distance services:— Fawdon Bus, Ltd., of Newcastle— Newcastle to . Coventry,. via Birmingham; Retforcl Motor Services, Ltd., RetfordSheffield to Retford and Sheffield to Nottingham ; Arthur Kitson, Ltd., Sheffield—Sheffield to Gainsborough, via Worksop and Retford ; Hasby, Tealey and Co., Ltd. ItetfordSheffield to London: Arthur Kitson, Ltd., Sheffield—Sheffield to London; 'Mr. F. Taylor, Middlesbrough—Newcastle to Birmingham ; Mr. F. Keeling, Sheffield — Sheffield to HurldersfiebI Haxby, Tealey and Co., Ltd., Retford-Sheffield to Nottingham.
A Wide Range of Commercial Lamps.
Joseph Lucas, Ltd., Great King Street, Birmingham, has just issued a catalogue which deals with the range of lamps and accessories to be marketed by the company during 1929. Lucas " King of the Road" lamps need no introduction and are in use on many commercial• vehicles. There are different electric and paraffin lamps available.
Dewsbury to London Daily.
The proprietors of the Progress motor coaches Dewsbury, have arranged to run a daily service to London, a vehicle leavinsb Dewsbury every morning at 9.20. The route will be via Nottingham and Leicester, and passengers will be able to book to these places. The fares will be as follow :—Nottingham 7s. single, 12s. return ; Leicester 9s. single.' 14s. return; London 16s. single and 26s. returm
Fire Appliances Demonstrated.
The autumn conference of the National Fire Brigades' Association was held at Tonbridge recently and closed with a display of fire-engines shown by various makers. Dennis Bros., Ltd., took the opportunity for demonstrating three of its self-propelled machines of this class, one being a 250-300-gallon model, another a 500700-gallon machine and the third a rescue tender.
The smaller fire-engine is the latest addition to the Dennis fire-fighting range and its basis is the maker's low loading-level G-type chassis. A notable feature 'of the Machine is its extensive equipment, considering the moderate price asked for it, i.e., 1988. It includes first-aid equipment, 120 ft. of hose, a 35-ft. ladder, soda-acid and foam-type extinguishers and a wide range of lamps.
The 500-700-gallon model shown was the seventh Dennis fire-fighting appliance ordered by the Brighton Fire Brigade. This appliance also has a 35-ft. telescopic ladder and, in addition, carries a 12-ft. first-floor extending ladder at the off side of: the body. Here, again, foam and soda-acid-type extinguishers form part of the equipment.
The rescue tender exhibited was also for the Brighton Fire Brigade. The basis of the van is the maker's 30cwt. chassis and, as is to be seen from an accompanying illustration, the box-van body is of capacious build. A power take-off from the top of the gearbox actuates a compound-wound 50-volt 15-amp. dynamo, which is neatly accommodated below the driver's seat. Above the back-rest squab is a polished slate switchboard with all the necessary meters and fuses and five plugsockets for the lighting circuits. Three searchlights, together with their requisite cables, which can be plugged into the switchboard when required, arc carried in the interior, wherein accommodation is also provided for the Dennis 80-100-gallon portable pumping unit.
Bus Station for Northampton.
The I.Tnited Counties Omnibus Co.. Ltd., is purchasing from the Northampton Corporation a site at the corner of Horseshoe Street and Gregory Street for a motorbus station and waitingroom.
A Travelling Knife-grinding Equipment.
Messrs. Sartori Bros., of 2, Islington Place, Liverpool, are knife-grinding specialists and they have in use about a dozen of the familiar hand-propelled treadle-operated grinding =chimes, each of which works a scheduled round in the neighbourhood of the firm's headquarters. To extend their business over a wider area they have, however, recently put into service a Morris 8-cwt.
• vehicle having an open-sided van body fitted with side' curtains, on the' platform of which is motinthdlinife and toolgrinding machinery, driven by a separate 4 h.p. petrol engine.
Butchers, fishmougers, grocers—in fact, all classes of shopkeepersare patrons of the knife-grinder, but the trouble Commonly experienced is that, whilst they can depend upon a weekly visit, it is not a matter of certainty on which day of the week the friendly knife-grinder will call. The employment of the motorvan has helped to establish a greater regularity in vjsiting times. As a .matter of fact, the van makes on the average about 80 calls per day. It is staffed by two men,'one performing the grinding operations, while the other is collecting and delivering work.
So far as possible the van works to set routes, and the number of stoppingplaces is restricted to a minimum. So soon as a .tand has been taken up, the collector sets to work and endeavours to keep his colleague continually employed until . the district has been effectively tapped.
The New Thornyeroft in Demand.
During recent weeks John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., has received a big influx of orders for the new type-JS 5-6-ton vehicle, particularly from users of the well-known type-J 4-tonner
Ai which, as we intimated in our recent description of the new model, the typeJJ has supplanted in the range of Thornyeroft freight-carrying vehicles. Buyers of the new type include John Walker and Sons, Ltd., the well-knownwhisky distiller ; Newsum and Sous and Co., Ltd., a timber-dealing concern : the Dundee, Perth and London Shipping Co., and Henley's Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd.
To the long list of over 50 co-operative societies which are running Thornyeroft vehicles can now be added the name of the Blackburn Society, the order of which is for a 60-cwt. chassis.
Buying Guy Six-wheelers.
Guy Motors, Ltd., has just received a repeat order—the sixth—from the India Office for 10 of its six-wheeled goods-carrying chassis. Another iepeat order received by the company for six-wheelers is from the Burma Oil Co., of London. This is for 3-5-tenners, which will be used to augment the company's fleet of similar vehicles Operating in the oilfields.
Types of Window Regulator.
Quiektho (1928), Ltd., Point Pleasant, London, S.W.18, has just published a new catalogue giving details of the various types of wiadow regulator which it manufactures. Several models are definitely built for commercial-vehicle use, and some of them have ben adopted as standard by important' bodybuilders. Brief details of each type and of its method of working are embodied in the catalogue, which contains illustrations of types of vehicle to 'which they can be suitably fitted.
A Bus and Tram Undertaking for Sale ?
The losses•which have been incurred on the Newport (Mon.) bus and tramway services have resulted in the town council discussing the advisability of disposing of these undertakings to private enterprise.
It has been reported that receipts per vehicle-mile, taking both bus and tram services into account, are now 17d., as against 21d. in 1925 and 24d. in 1921. The last drop of 4d. per vehicle-mile means a loss of £20,000 since 1925. Although the bus services were losing money, it should, however, be noted that an increase of £8,800 was returned for the operation of these vehicles during the 1925-1928 period, whereas the tram receipts were £6,600 less.
Wage Stipulations on Licences.
In connection with bus licences granted by the Merthyr Watch Committee to Messrs. W. J. Davies and Son, Mr. Canton, solicitor, Ilea notified the committee that, the conditions endorsed on the licences relating to trade. union wages and hours are illegal. Ho has advised his clients that they are not bound by the conditions and is reporting the matter to the Ministry of Transport.
A lieokmaker on Wheels,
The illustration appearing at the foot of this page is of a travelling totalisator, the .basis of the machine being an A.E.C. covered-top, doubledeck bus. It shows the win pool on one side and the place pool on the other. We are told that the' idea Was conceived by Mr. Fred Howard, the managing director of the Stadium Club, who has protected it. It has 16 issuing offices, which afford facilities for a large number of people to bet. It is suggested that only one or two machines would be required at small race meetings, but that at Epsom, Ascot, Doncaster, Newmarket and other important courses a fleet of 12 or more " Automatotes " could be assembled. The British Electric PanMutual, Ltd., owns the imposing machine which forms the subject of our illustration. Long-span Concrete Bridge.
Statistics recently collated show that there are now 36 concrete bridges in the world with single spans of over 250 ft. There is only one bridge in Gt. Britain represented in this total, and that was opened at Berwick-on-Tweed during this year ; it has a single span
of 361 ft. France, with 11, is credited with' the. largest number of bridges of this eenstruction, whilst America comes next with ten. it is 'not witheut, interest to note that. the first of these longspan concrete bridges was erected in 1905, whilstnine of the total have been built -during the present year.
Signs Which Help Road Users.
The loop-way signs which are erected by the Automobile Association certainly prove of much help to road users. Immediately obstructions occur as a result of road repairs, or other causes, the drivers of the A.A. fleet of vans engaged on erecting loop-way and road signs proceed to the localities affected and undertake an investigation of local conditions with the object of determining other routes which can be used. The necessary temporary loop-way signs are stencilled on the spot by the A.A. patrols and are • erected where they can quickly be seen. This emergency road-sign service has " now been in use for over font. years.
A New .Mirror.
Desmo, Ltd., Desmo House, Stafford Street, Birmingham; has just introduced a 'new observation mirror for commercial vehicles. The front of the mirror is 54 ins, in diameter and a wide range of adjustment is provided. The device is well finished and retails at 7s. 6d.
London Bus Records.
During September last the motorbuses of the Loudon General Omnibus Co. Ltd., and its allied fleet carried 143,741,406 passengers and covered
16,089,871 miles. These figures -are the highest ever recorded for the month of September.
Street Accidents In Birmingham.
Birmingham Watch Committee reports that there were 6,789 street accidents in the city during the nine months ended a-line 30th last as compared with 5,829 in the corresponding period of the previous year. Persons injured numbered 3,114 as against 2,739, the fatal cases being SO as compared with Si.
Institute of Metals Programme.
The council of the Institute of Metals has just issued the new session's programme of the Institute, and of its local sections in Birmingham, Glasgow, London, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Sheffield and Swansea. Attractive programmes have been prepared for the various seetions, and the north-east coast branch strikes out in a new direction by planning an exhibition of metallurgical preparations. Copies of the programme can be obtained from the secretary of the Institute, 36, Victoria Street, London, S.W.1.
To Adjust Windscreen-wiper Blades..
The Runbaken Magneto Co., Tipping Street, Ardwick, Manchester, has recently produced an ingenious little device for use with windscreen wipers. This consists of a form of clamp which is fitted over the rod carrying the wiper blade. Means for adjustment are provisled so that the rod can be bent and held in the position required to .make the wiper blade press evenly and firmly on the glass. When the rod is bent in the normal way, it will be found that it is liable to work or spring back to its original position, so that the new Runbaleen fitting should prove quite useful. It is strongly made, easy to fit and sells at the &ice of 1s. 6d.