Contributions from Drivers and Mechanics.
Page 18
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Ten Shillings Weekly for the Best Communication Received, and One Penny a Ulu of ten words for anything else published.
_Drivers of commercial motors, and 'mechanics and foremen of garages or shops, who are engaged in any branch of the industry are invited to contribute short, personal experiences, opinions or suggestions, on subjects which are likely to prove of interest to ou; readers. We shall be glad to hear of anything interesting that has come under any driver's or mechanic's notice, either in the shot or on the road. Long and successful runs ; services with no "lost journeys" ; workshop tips and smart repairs ; all are suitabl subjects. Send a posi.card, or a letter, or a sketch to us—no matter how short, or how written, or how worded. We will "knock i into shape" before publication. When writing it is as well to mention your employer's name as a guarantee of bona fides (no /or publication), and to state whether you wish your own name, or initials only, to be published. Payment will be made iminediatelj after publication. Address your letters to The Editor, "THE Comm1=-RC/AL Mo roe," 7-15, Rosebery Avenue, London, E.C.
Postal Communications.
Our acknowledgments are due to " S.I." (Forest Hill), E.A.K." (Brixton), " A.D." (HolywelI), " W.J.R." (Camden Town), " S.W." (Edinburgh), " C.H.E." (Acton), " H.B." (117, Piccadilly), " UP.'' (Holsworthy), " T.W." (Peckham), and " F.P." (Bermondsey), whose communications intended for these columns are under consideration.
More About Fusible Plugs.
[461] " W.A.W." (Sunderland) writes as follows :— " Reading the description in a recent issue of your journal of an improved type of fusible plug, I was reminded of the case of a stranded wagon that came under my notice some little while back. I came across the machine when it was fifteen miles from its destination, and, upon enquiry, I found that a fire-box plug had 'gone,' and that the driver was without a suitable box key or refills. The fact that there is always a lot of freemasonry between drivers prompted me to try to help him out of his trouble. I procured a piece of hard oak and I cut it as near as possible to fit. I drove this hard peg into the metal plug and then suggested that the driver should 'light up' and should see what happened. He got up steam 'all right and started off for home. I did not see him again for at least a fortnight, but when I did he told me that the plug had acted splendidly, and that he would not have been afraid to have run for a week with the makeshift that we had arranged."
Always a Long Job.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the zos. prize this week.
[462] Doubt as to the efficacy of the arrangement which was described by "W.J.R." (Camden Town) in the "D. and M." columns of our issue of the sth of November has prompted " E.H." (Chepstow) to lodge a protest.—" I read, in your issue of the sth instant, a description of an improved fusible plug, and this has reminded me that I have often seen men, when they are unable to remove an obstinate plug, adopt the following practice. A piece of lead has been procured and this has been tapered off with a penknife. Someone has then been told off to hold up' against the bottom of the plug with a hammer from the inside of the firebox. The lead is then driven down hard so that it fills the brass nipple thoroughly. This method, of course, necessitates the removal of a boiler cover plate.
W.J.R.,' however, says that, from the time of the dropping of the plug to the moment when the boiler is being refilled, the period need not exceed thirty minutes. In this statement I consider that he is making a great mistake. I have had the. misfortune to 'drop a plug' on two occasions; once this was due to the failure of the pump, and the other time it was owing to the false level that was shown by a choked gauge-glass cock. On both occasions, I waited for some hours to allow the boiler to cool, before I attempted to refill. I should have thought that anyone would have known how disastrous the results would have been, had the boiler been filled up with cold tank water, while the plates were so hot. I have seen the boilers of steam wagons practically ruined in this way. Some time ago I was sent to unload a wagon which was stranded, and in this case the fusible plug had dropped, another had been fitted and the boiler had been filled at once. The result was that a number of the tubes started to leak so badly that it was impossible to keep the fire alight. "The wagon I am driving is seven years old. I hal, had charge of it myself for the last five years. The it surance inspector's last report is as good as when the fin inspection was made. My employer has these reports an he is prepared to produce them to substantiate my stab ments."
The Choice of a Steamer.
[463] We have received a number of letters from corr. spondents in various parts of the country, which deal wit various points that were raised in a letter from " E.S. (Victoria Park), which we published in our issue of tl tath instant. This previous communication dealt with ti suggested routine which should be observed by steam-wag( drivers. The writer also stated that he considered that would be of interest if drivers and mechanics gave tit( opinions with regard to the most serviceable steam wagr as viewed from their own standpoints. As occasion serve we shall publish a selection of these further letters ; ti following is an example from " F.C.W." (Newton Abbot)
" I noticed, in your issue of the t2th instant, paragraph by B.S.' (Victoria Park) which dealt wi steam-wagon drivers' routine. He says that he would hi to know the views of drivers upon the subject of what is t best make of steam wagon. There is no doubt that stk opinions would be very interesting to the readers of the columns of the C.M.' Now I have been a driver for ju upon 20 years. I was on the road with all classes of tracti, engine work before the steam wagon arrived. I also ha had a bit of marine engine driving but not so much as I ha had on the road.
"I consider that the best make of wagon on the road day is the 6-ton Sentinel. I have never handled anything top' it for comfort, ease of control and enormous pow, Devonshire is the place to test anything on the road ; if y can get about Devon with a steam wagon, you can go ar where. It is all very well for drivers to say how many rni they are doing per week, etc. Let them have a trial dos here. They would die of fright if they had to go up a down some of the hills which are often like the roofs houses. But to return to my subject, I have said that I Sentinel is the easiest-controlled wagon that is made. Thi are no change-speed gears to bother a man ; there is jumping and kicking to start, and the wagon is Int smoother to run than some pleasure cars. The low f consumption is another advantage; I average this at one I of coke per week of 170 miles and total load 115 tons. TIagain there is no noise or rattle, and lastly you are shaken to pieces on a Sentinel, for it rides easier than dr good many horses and traps. I have had my Sentinel n above three months. I drive her myself, and in that tim have carried nearly 2,000 tons and have travelled 3,000 mil I have not yet had to put a spanner to a nut. I have had any trouble so far, and the reason for this is that machine has an engine which is built to stand hard wo and that the revolutions are only 150 per minute when vehicle is travelling on the flat at sm.p.h. Most wag have engines which run at anything up to so° revoluti. for the same road speed.
"I would much like to hear from other drivers what ti views are on the subject. If I were ever having anot wagon I would buy a Sentinel. I, in no way, write this behalf of the people who make this wagon, but I speak I find things, and I consider this make to be the best all-ro. machine on the market to-day."