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WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.

25th September 1923
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The wheels of wealth v;ill be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by

the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—dohn Beatlie Crozier.

Austin Report.

The report of the directors of the Austin Motor Co., Ltd., for the year ended December 31st, 1922, shows that a gross trading profit of £198;835 was made. By adding reserves in hand at December 31st, 1921, which were not required, amounting to £60,000, and discounts and interest received, the total sum is brought up to £282,362; from which depreciation, maintenance and other charges amounting to £203,798 have to be deducted, leaving a balance of £78,564.

111 is pointed out in the report that, in considering the results of the past year's working, allowance should be made for the fact that the directors did not resume active control of the company's affairs until April, which was too late to make adeqnate•provision for the busy season and resulted in the output for the period being limited.

There is a note of confidence in the directors' report, a satisfactory demand being experienced for the company's models, and efforts, to get back some of the pre-war export trade having been successful. .

Liverpool Parade to be Held.

The Liverpool parade of cominerciat motor vehicles is to take place after all on Saturday, September 29th. During the last few days there has been a concentration of interest in the event, and the entry list, although not quite completed, compares very favourably with that of last year. This will be the fourth annual motor parade to have been held in Liverpool, and the eighth in Lanca• shire. At one time it appeared likely that the event would not be held owing to lack of support.

A Rubber Road Experiment.

Part of Shandwick Place, Edinburgh, has recently been paved with composi tion blocks which are made of concrete about the size of the ordinary stone setts and have 1 ins, of vulcanized rubber grafted on the top of the surface. The new roadway was first laid with a

foundation of concrete, which was covered with sand into which rubber blocks were set. To weld the blocks together, a bituminous solution was used.

Albion Dividend. •

At a meeting of the directors of the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., held a few days ago, it was resolved to pay on October Lst a half-yearly dividend on the E per cent.. cumulative preference shares at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum, less income-tax, for the halfyear ended June 30th.

The L.C.C. Ambulance Service.

The London Ambulance Service is described in the 1922 report of the L.C.C., which states that the service is operated from seven stations—at Fulham, Bloomsbury, Shoreditele, Lee, Brixton, Elephant and Castle and Poplar. The motor ambulance of the Hampstead and North-West London GeneralHospital, when not in use for hospital purposes, is also available, the Council paying £300 a year in respect thereof. At each station one ambulance is always in commission, „while, to meet demands during the busy hours of the day, a supplementary day service is maintained from the Efephant and Castle and the Bloomsbury stations. Eight hours a day are' worked by this supplementary seryice, commencing at 11 a.m:' at one station "and at 3 p.m. at the. other, so that a supplementary service is ;workieg continuously from 11 a.m.. to 11 p.m., both ambulances being in commission from 3 .p.m. to 7 p.m. There are in all 12 ambulances. During -theyearfour new ClementTalbot chassis Were obtained in place of four Armstrong-Whitworth Chassis which had been in commission since 1915. The total mileage of the ambulances for the year was 121,030.

Daring the year the oxygen apparatus with which each ambulance was equipped in 1921 Was used on 154 occasions.

Practically. all calls are received by telephone. An essential feature of the scheme is the use by the police in uniform of private telephones for the purpose of summoning ambulances. Premises at which, by the courtesy of„ the occupants, telephones' are thus available are marked with a special tablet, "A." Calls received have been as follows :— 1915, 2,405; 1916, 9,244; 1917, 12,632; 1918, 15,911; 1919, 18,182 1920, 19,414; 1921, 20,879, and 1922, 23,966. In 1922 police calls formed 73 per cent, of the total. The namber in a day varied from 20 to 122. The summer months are always the busiest for the service. The highest number (2,268) for any month since the establishment of the service was received during July, 1922; during the fourth week in May, 1922, the record number of 639 calls wa-s received.

Statistics for the past four years of the number of calls received during each hour show surprising uniformity. During 1922, the report says, the average time between receipt of call and arrival of an ambulance at the ease was 8.7 minutes, and within an average of 19.1 minutes from receipt of call the casualty had been received at. hosnital.

Of the total calls received, 23,702 were dealt with by the Council's ambulances. (5,850 by the Elephant and Castle station and 5,694 by the Bloomsbury Station), and 264 by the ambulance at the Hampstead General Hospital.

American Output.

The output of motor vehicles in the United States during the month of August totalled 348,733, as against 327,102 for the previous month. These figures form estimates which are based on, the shipment returns made to tho National Automobile Chamber of COMinerce. September ,25, 1923. Worcestershire Bridges.

There is very great need for a bridge over the river at ilighley, on the borders of Worcestershire and Shropshire, between Shrewsbury and Kidderminster. Unfortunately, any scheme put forward for the construction of the bridge has been held up because the Shropshire County Council will at present have nothing to do with the project. Public opinion, however, is pressing the council.

At a recent meeting at Highley the matter was again considered, and it, was decided to ask the Salop County Council to receive a deputation on the matter. Moreover; Col. Windsor Clive, M.P. for the Shropshire Division, and Mr. Wardlaw Milne, M.P. for Kidderminster, have been asked to raise the question in the House of Commons of a proposed bridge at Highley. The tender of T. Vale and Sons, Ltd., Stourport, amounting to £9,255, for the building of a new. ferro-concrete bridge

over the River Teme' at Brarrsford, near Worcester, on The Hereford-Worcester road, has been accepted by the Worcestershire County Cortncit.

Better Roads ror Denbighshire.

Extensive highway :improvement schemes have been decided upon by the St. Asaph (Flint) and the St. Asaph (Denbigh) Rural District Councils. A number of roads in the Denbighshire area are to be strengthened at a cost of £20,000, 75 per cent. of the cost of which (amounting to £14,499) will be granted by the Ministry of Transport towards the resurfacing of the road, and 25 per cent,. towards the tarring operations. The greater part of the £20,000 will be expended in the Abergele area.

The Motor Lorry in the Hopyards.

Hop-picking commenced recently in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Several loads of pickers arrived by train, but the motor lorry and the motor coach appear to be most favoured by the majority of growers as the best means of transport in connection with the work. Consequently, large numbers of vehicles have been engaged for the purpose of bringing pickers from Staffordshire, Bir mingham, Wolverhampton, Halesowen, Dudley and the Black Country generally. The motor lorry proves itself most.valuable in a wide sphere of hopyard activities, and the agrimotor is much praised for its usefulness in connection with hop cultivation.

Testing Waterloo Bridge.

Waterloo Bridge, Bettws-y-Coed, is well known to North Wales coach passengers, and, having been Originally built in 1815, has for long been a picturesque landmark. The growth of traffic of late years caused experts to doubt its ability to stand the increasing strain, and the widening and strengthening of the bridge were undertaken. Care was taken that the original inscription under the bridge should not he concealed, and, although the lettering is more or less recessed, it can be read quite plainly from both sides of the bridge.

The tests of the new bridge were conducted by using a traction engine_ and two loaded motor lorries of a combined Weight of 40 tons. The bridge is paved with wooden blocks, arid the vehicles passed over it at. both slow and high rates of speed, there being practically no undesirable vibration.

Rochdale Fares.

At a meeting of the Rochdale Watch Committee it was reported that a subcommittee had considered the present fares and charges for the use of hackney carriages.

The committee decided that the hack ney carriage fares operative within the borough be fixed as follows, and that the by-laws be altered accordingly : One or two persons, 1s. per mile.

Three or more persons, 2-s. per mile. Far each additional third of a mile for one or two persons, 64.; for three or more persons, 8d.; the charge for waiting—after the first 15 mi•ns. to be 9c1. for every 15 mina. ' • and the charge for vehicles hired by the hour to be by arrangement.

Return journeys to be charged for at, half-rate,

Bus Licence Conditions.

Blyth Town Council has attached the following conditions to all bus licences: 1. All omnibuses playing for hire between Blyth, Whitley Bay, etc., shall enter the town via*the Links Road, Ridley Avenue, or Bath Terrace, Northumberland Street; Blagden Street., Bridge Street and Post Office Street. and leave by Union Street, Beaconsfield Street and Links Road.

2. All omnibuses plying for hire between Blyth and Newsham, etc., shall enter the town via Plessey Road, Union Street and Pest Office Street, and leave by Union Street to Plessey Road. 3. All omnibuses plying for hire between Blyth and Bebside, etc., shall enter the town via Hodgson's Lane, Regent Street, Turner Street, Bridge .Street and Post Office Street, and leave by the same route.

4. All omnibuses plying for hire between Blyth and Newshain, via Isabella Pit, shall enter the town via Princess Louise Road, Hadley Street, Waterloo Road, Bridge Street. and Post Office Street, and leave by the same route. • 5. No omnibuses shall be allowed to take up or let down Pasengers in the Main thoroughfare of the town, viz., between the . junction of : Beaconsfield Street and Carlton Street and the north side of the railway bridge in Regent Street.

6. No omnibus shall stand more than fifteen minutes in any one place whether an authorized stand or not,. • 7. Each omnibus shall carry suitable and efficient fire-extinguishing apparatus.

The council has asked the. Superintendent of Police to place a man. on point duty near the Ridley Park main entrance with the object of securing due observance of the routes..

Tram Track to Go.

Doncaster Town Council has decided to remove the tramway track on the Do,neaater and'Selby.road, in the perish of Bentley, when the county council raises the level of the road. The town council-proposes to run trackless trolley vehicles over the route.

Seeking a Speed Limit.

The recommendation of the Llanelly magistrates that the council should endeavour to secure a maximum speed limit. for the borough has been discussed by the borough council. The town clerk said that the question of fixing a speed limit of five miles per

hour for certain of the borough roads and of ten miles per hour for the other roads had been discussed BO far back as 1916. Representations were then made to the Local Government Board. • An Act of Parliament, it was stated, had since been passed granting county councils authority to make application for the fixing of speed limits.

It was decided to make representations, under this Act and to apply to the county council for a speed limit in the borough.

Denmark has 12,000 Trade Motorcycles.

Denmark has a road system aggregating 42,800 kilometres, of which 10,000 are either macadamised or hard surfaced. This system is so well laid out that practically every corner of the country, including the islands, can be reached by motor vehicles. Climatic conditions permit the use of motorcycles throughout the year, and they are being increasingly used for delivery purposes by Danish shopkeepers. It is estimated that there are about. 16,000 motorcycles in Denmark, and 75 per cent. of this total are used for business purposes. Eight American and 20 British maChines share about 80 per cent. of the total sales between them. There are 10 different German makes on the market, while a few French and Belgian machines are to he seen.

A considerable number of machines manufactured by A. S. Fisker and Nielsen at Copenhagen find buyers, but this is the only firm in the country that produces motorcycles to any extent,. About 25 per cent, of the heavy motorcycles operating in Denmark are fitted with business sidecars.

Dangers of High Loads.

One of the illustrations on this page shows an A.E.C. platform lorry carrying two large condensers, and it is of interest, not merely on account of the somewhat unusual nature of the load, but as indicating the extreme care which mint be taken in driving when an ex. ceptionally high load is being carried. In such cases it is often necessary to survey in advance the route which is to be taken, for often, low bridges will be encountered which obstruct the progress of the vehicle.

B22 With such a load as that which is being carried, even a substantially low. hanging branch of a tree may constitute a danger, and in the event of an accident serious damage may be done not only to the load, but also to the vehicle itself, A careful driver may, of course, be, relied upon to look out for obstruc tions of this nature, but unless the route has been surveyed in advance it may well happen that it will be found impossible to complete the journey without making long detours over had roads, and even then without the certainty of the load arriving to a definite time.

Greenbat Electric Trucks.

The miniature electric ,truck, has now established itself as an indispensable unit in connection with many commercial operations, and a vehicle of this type which has made considerable headway during the past few years is the Greenbat, the product of W. Goodyear and Sons' Ltd., of Dudley. Full details of this vehicle are contained in a catalogue which the company have recently issued, and which shows various applications of the truck and the tractor to diverse uses. Full constructional specifications are contained in the catalogue, as well as a description of the Ironclad Exide. and 1.111-FE batteries, which are suitable for fitting to the vehicle. "How to Drive the Goodyear Electric Truck" is the title of a chapter which should interest the novice who may not have had previous experience with this type of vehicle.

Accrington Traffic Census.

A census of the traffic passing along streets which link main roads has just been carried out at Accrington by the borough surveyor at points chosen by the county council, those selected being in King Street and in Queen's Road (which unites Whalley Road and Burnley Road).

The census was taken over seven consecutive days, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. In King Street motor vehicles that passed numbered 1,734, horse vehicles 801, and cycles, handcarts, etc., 880; and in Queen's Road there were 919 motor vehicles, 553 horse vehicles, and 394 cycles, etc. A census taken twelve months ago in Manchester Road showed that in a similar period there passed 4,796, motor vehicles, 851 horse-drawn vehicles, 1,174 tramcars, and 850 other vehicles.

Testing a New Fire-engine.

Some interesting tests of a new fireengine which has been added to the equipment of the Nelson Corporation have just been made. The new engine, built by Messrs. John Morris and Sons, Ltd., Salford Fire Engine Works, Manchester, has a petrol motor of 75 h.p., the capacity of the turbine pump being 500 gallons per minute. The engine is fitted with a 40-gallon water tank and an auxiliary first-aid pump.

The normal speed of the engine is 1,100 revolutions per minute, at which speed the pump will discharge 500 gallons per minute at a pressure of 135 lb. per square inch, or 500 to 600 gallons per minute at a pressure of 150 lb. per square inch. It will lift water from a, depth of 28 ft.

The engine carries a 60-ft. fire-escape and several small ladders, besides 20 lengths of hose, hydrant, tools, etc. The demonstration consisted of taking the fire escape off the turbine machine and the ladders from the steam motor, extending them against the wall of a mill and playing first-aid jets from the top. Pumping tests were made with both engines at the same time, through two nozzles of 1-in, bore and two nozzles of lkin, bore, followed by tests in which one and three jets of water were thrown. In the latter case the jets cleared a high chimney, proving how a fire in an unusually lofty building may be effectively reached. The cost of the new engine, which has replaced the old steam engine which has 'been in use for 21 years. and is now for sale, was £1,600.

Local Proceedings.

Rawmarsh Urban District Council has recently ordered a 25-cwt. Guy tipping lorry.

Dublin Corporation is inviting tenders for the supply of a tractor and trailers for refuse collection.

Ashbourne Urban District Council has decided to purchase a motor fire-engine at a cost of £790.

Blackpool Corporation is seeking authority to borrow £1,351 for the purchase of a motor tower wagon.

West Bridgford Urban District Council has decided to purchase a StrakerSquire omnibus at a cost of £1,325.

Newca.stle-Gateshead Police Force has just taken delivery of a new motor prison van for conveying prisoners from the various sub-stations to the Central Police Station.

Hove Watch Committee, deeming the speed of buses to be excessive, has reminded the local bus companies of the necessity for keeping within the twelvemile-an-hour limit imposed by Act of Parliament.

Yarmouth Corporation has asked the chief constable to report as to a limitation of the number of licences to be granted next season for motorbuses and chars-6.-banes and the regulation of this traffic generally.

Swansea Corporation is to consider the establishment of a central depot for the repair of corporation motor vehicles and by means of which all such vehicles can be made available for the use of the various departments as required.

Ryton Council has decided to request the Newcastle Corporation Transport and Electricity Undertaking, which operates a number of useful motorbus routes on Tyneside, to institute a service between Greenside and Ryton.

The Works Committee of the Bermondsey Borough Council recommends the purchase of a Daftly motor sweeping machine, at a cost of £875, and a Straker-Squire motor watering machine, at a cost of £1,285, Colwyn Bay Council, which has been running Guy vehicles for the past two or three years, has just ordered a 3-ton vehicle fitted with interchangeable bodies which will enable the vehicle to be used as a street watering-cart or as a tipper. Tiverton Town Council has provided parking accommodation for motors in St. Andrew Street.

Spalding Urban District Council is considering the desirability of purchasing a motor fire-engine.

The Llandilo Urban District Council has invited the rural district council to share in the purchase of a new motor fireengine. The surveyor has been instructed to obtain prices of the various types of vehicle.

No Jus!ification for Reduced Fares.

The Chester Rural Council recently wrote to the Crosville Motor Bus Co., of Chester, auggestim3 that, in view of the reduction in the price of petrol, bus fares should be reduced. The company replied, stating that. it is impossible to reduce fares, and that the recent reduction in the cost of petrol was only 3 per cent, on the total charges which had to be met, including repairs. The cost of solid tyres and oil, it was also pointed out, had recently gone up.

A Price Correction.

In our article dealing with the Ruston and Hornsby ambulance, which appeared in our issue for September 11th, we gave the price of the Bradford-type ambulance as £525. This refers to the chassis only. The price of the complete vehicle is £867.

COMMERCIAL MOTOR What Motors Will Save.

The Stalybridge Corporation Sanitary Department estimates a saving of £408 a year by the employment of motor vehicles in place of horse traction. The decision to purchase two Ford wagons,

however, was not reached without criticism from "believers in horses," one of whom said that sanitary work was rather a slow job, and having experience of the delivery of goods in Stalybridge, he thought it was rather a mistake to havel motor wagons for such work. He thought the council ought to know how many wagons it was proposed eventually to employ, what the difference in cost would be between these wagons and horses, and whether the-committee proposed to turn over completely from horses to motors.

The Mayor repliedthat the collection of refuse was not like delivering goods

to shops. After refuse had been collected from some parts of the borough it bad to he taken along way to tip it, and the men had to wait, doing scarcely nothing until the cart returned for the next load. They were trying motors so that they could get back in the shortest possible time.

Further Midland Fare Reduction.

As previously reported in our columns, the Birmingham and Midland Omnibus Co. have inaugurated a scheme whereby tickets are available on any of their services for the whole.period.on the day of issue. These are called " Anywhere tickets," and were at first issued at the fixed price of bs., being available on Tuesdays and Fridays only.

Recently, however, two important alterations in the issue of the tickets have been made. In the first place, they are available on any day except Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, and in the second a substantial reduction in the prices have been made, the highest charge now being 5s. bd:

It will be understood that facilities fortravel are greater in some centres than in others, and apparently with the idea of meeting the convenience of people in this direction the prices for " Anywhere tickets have been-graded. • The passenger has much greater facilities for going "anywhere" from Birmingham than ha has from, say, Hereford. For this reason —the price of the ticket from the former centre is 5s. ed., but from the latter it is only 2s. Ed. On the whole the graduated charges represent a considerable reduction in the fares.

Speedy Spares Service.

In order to cope with increasing business, Messrs. H. Northwood and Sons have opened ,extensive new premises it 119-121, Newington Causeway, Elephant and Castle, S.E. Mesars. , Northwood specialize in spare parts for mast of the leading makes of lorries and cars. They realize the need for prompt dispatch and have a special department for dealing with urgent requirements.

Studying American Methods.

We understand that, Mr. R. Woodhead. J.P., governing director of R. Woodhead and Co, Ltd., Southport, and priecipal of the Hydraulic Hoist Co., South port, sailed. for the United States and Canada by the " Carmania, " on September 22nd. His object is to study Amen-can methods of motorcar manufacture and distribution and also the manufacture of hydraulic hoists.

One Mon Chance.

In view of the fact, that, the various motor omnibus companies eperating in the 'Stanley neighbourhood are not complying with the urban district council's suggestions for the control of motor traffic, the authority is giving the owners one more chance, failing which it announces its intention Of adopting the Hackney Carriages and Motor Omnibus Act.

A New. Ford Factory.

The new factory of the Ford Motor Co., which has been erected at Toronto, will be opened towards the end of this month. It will form one of the largest works in Toronto, the main building covering an area of 54 acres, whilst the entire establishment covers an area of 154 acres. The plant, which has cost in the neighbourhood of 1,500,000 dollars will be used chiefly for assembling.

C. A. Vandervell and Co.. Ltd., advise us that they have removed their registered offices from Pinners Austin Fliers, E.C., to Warple Way, Ac ton, London, W.3.


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