Correspondence.
Page 20
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Manchester's Motorbuses and Repair Facilities.
The Editor. "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—With reference to the Manchester motorbus licenses.
• Mr. Boyle is, undoubtedly, a good, and a strong man, but I 'think he made an initial mistake in the type of motorbus selected, knowing, as he must have done, that the local class " people would have a tilt at the company. Then the unfortunate diversion (by the Corporation's orders, I understand, -owing to the narrowness of part of Withington high road) of the company's motorbuses down Parsonage Road, past Judge Parry's house, precipitated the onslaught. Whether it would, or would not, have been advisable, at this time, for Mr. Boyle to endeavour to arrange an alternative route, to propitiate Judge Parry, is an open question.
The motorbuses were, certainly, not used to the fullest -extent, but, on the other band, I am inclined to think that if they had been allowed to tide over this year and reap the lull benefit of next summer, they would have created a sufli.ciently remunerative traffic for a growing concern, particularly if they had acquired extended powers to run picnic parties, etc., into Cheshire and Derbyshire. I understand That the Corporation's licenses also expired on the t6th inst.
While I am writing you my thoughts turn to the field of The steam lorry for goods traffic. Whilst steadily increasing, they seem to me to be capable of quicker expansion. The trade do not, to my mind, " work " enough in their own interests. As an example of what I mean, I may say that :no single maker has a proper repair depot in Manchester As manager of what is well known here as the steam lorry which probably moves more goods than any in the district, I have realised the value of quick repairs, and you will, doubtless, know this much better than I do.—Yours
faithfully, PHILIP KERSHAW, 'Oscillating Front Axles.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—In the discussion in your journal regarding the ,oscillating front axle, there are theories which from a practical point of view are mere futilities, but as a traction .expert I can quite agree with all Mr. Herbert Guthrie's remarks, which are clear and simple. It is certainly time, as he says, that, if a vehicle is decently sprung, it matters not whether we have an oscillating front axle or no From The day that motorcar makers came in closer connection with coach builders, and profited by the experience of the latter regarding the suspension of bodies, a marked improvement resulted. If heavy motor-wagon builders would do the same in regard to the wagon builders it would be to their interest.
• Mr. Guthrie and Mr. Hy. A. Neal both agree tat *flexibility in suspension will enable a heavy motor to accom.modate itself, without undue strain, to the inequalities of Indifferent road surfaces. But Mr. Neal pretends that it is impossible to gel the necessary flexibility from the springs .alone, and this is quite right so far as ordinary springs are concerned. Nit, if Mr. Neat would examine a new suspension device of mine for heavy motor vehicles he should be convinced that it is possible in a very simple way.
Mr. Guthrie introduces the instance of railway dining cars to show that the multiplication of springs keeps the deck steadier. My system is a multiplication of springing effect by a reduction combination.
Another practical point nientioned by Mr. Guthrie is that -extra strain has to be absoNed by a secondary provision made, such as bumping or check springs. The same principle is laid down in my system, bui„with the difference that it does not act as a brake on the springs but as a helper, adding to a first set of highly flexible springs another set of resilient springs producing a cumulative springing effect suitable for loads of varying weigh&. The device is also a solution of" The Important Ouestion of Tires," discussed by Mr. Georges de Prelle de la Nieppe. It has such a high resilience that rubber tires would no longer be needed, tires that would be merely noiseless would be sufficient. To demonstrate the principle a motorbus will shortly be provided with special tires, and a new system of simple and strong spring wheels.—Yours faithfully,
J. J. Vax LIEN BERGH. Exmoor House, ao, Saville Street, Marylebone, W.
1The front.oxle controversy is now closed.—En.] British a. Foreign Motorbuses.
The Editor, "THE CONEvIERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—As a reader of your excellent paper from the first, and as one who has taken a great interest in the motor for commercial purposes from its inception, I would like to endorse the letter of " Humble Patriot," which appeared in your last issue. At the first Olympia Show I asked the manager of the Beaufort stand where the Beaufort cars were made. Up to that date I was led to believe that they were British, so I was surprised when I was told; rather unwillingly I thought, that they were matte' abroad. For two years I have taken a very keen interest in the motorbuses running in London, and I have noticed that, in the last year or more, the breakdowns, er cent, of the buses running, have been very much less in the case of British-made buses, than in the ease of foreign-made ones.-
Yours faithfully, " C.B,D." Cambridge, October 20th,e906.
Sir :—As several persons seem-to hold the opinions put forward by your correspondent " Humble Patriot " in your last issue, relative to the large motor omnibus orders which we recently placed in Germany, it will perhaps make matters clearer if I explain that the orders were not merely for motor omnibuses-but for motor omnibuses of .a specified „ design. This design is the work of our works manager, Mr. Lorenzen, who superintends the building of the vehicles in the different factories where our orders arc carried out. If, now, " Humble Patriot " will find for us British firms able and willing to comply with these conditions—which, necessarily, mean to a great extent the surrendering of their independence, none will be better pleased to do business with thorn than ourselves.
If "Humble Patriot" has a grievance, it should not be with us but with the motor -omnibus officials who, in studying the interests of their shareholders, consider that the reliability, economy of upkeep, and efficiency of our vehicles outweigh any sentimental objection that may be urged against them, that they are manufactured abroad.—Yours faithfully, • THE BEACFORT MOTOR CO., LTD. J. EDGAR LOUND, Managing Director. 14, Baker, Street, W., October loth, 1906.
Sir :—I have read with considerable interest the letters of Mr. Squire and the Beaufort Motor Company. Having travelled a great many miles in German-built motorbuses, must certainly confess that, for general comfort and easy running, the German buses are not half so pleasurable to ride in as our English ones. I have, also, waited patiently to know the answer to" THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR" query as to what English firms were asked to tender for the Beaufort Motor Company's contract ! Considering that there are only about two very large chassis builders in the United Kingdom who are able to take an order for, say soo buses, to wit, the Wolseley and Straker-Squire Companies, will the manager of the Beaufort Motor Company inform your readers if either' of those firms were asked to tender?
If I remember rightly, the excuse given as to why no English firms got the contract was because their tenders were too high. Now, without wishing to introduce politics in the least into business matters, I wonder, if any English firms were asked to tender for the 5oo buses, which I much doubt, and had they done so, would they have secured the contract. Whether the German Or British workman is the best chassis constructor is a matter of opinion, but, from what I have seen at the works of the makers named, as well as those at Leyland and the Thornycroft, the British working man is well able to hold his own with any of the foreign workmen I have seen! I should like to see an import duty on foreign-built chassis, for it is hard that the British worker should see these vehicles running through the streets, the upkeep of which he has to pay for, and the making of which machines might have kept him and his wife and children from semi-starvation.—Yours faithfully,
Bristol. CI-IRIS PENCISIET.
[This controversy would be set at rest if the Beaufort Company were to diclose the names of any British makers who were asked to tender.—ED.1