Opinions from Others.
Page 18
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Low Petrol Consumption.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,4411 Sir,—We have read, with some surprise, Messrs. Sidney Straker and Squire's letter to you. which appeared, on page 125, in your issue of 12th October.
Messrs. Rolls-Royce's performance is, of course, a fine one, as it is much more difficult to get high petrol economy on a light vehicle than on a heavy commercial motor.
We think it should be more generally known, however, that the efficiency of heavy commercials has been very greatly increased during the present year. Messrs. Straker say that they have obtained 60.5 gross ton-miles on ordinary road conditions. We do not doubt it. We obtain this regularly on all our machines—even the lightest, while regularly, on the heavier machines (for four-ton and five-ton loads), we get up to 70 gross ton-miles per gallon, and we have no doubt that if a Leyland machine were specially tuned up, and run on a test specially for petrol economy, we could obtain 80, or, possibly, so gross ton-miles to the gallon. We do not put .forward these latter figures as a challenge. We simply think that users ought to know that from 60-70 ton-miles to the gallon can be relied upon under good average conditions with a Leyland motor.—Yours faithfully,
LEYLAND MOTORS, LTD.
C. NIXON, Secretary.
Leyland, Lancs.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,442] Sir,—Our attention has been called to two letters which have recently appeared in your paper, having reference to the remarkable performance of the 40-50 h.p. Rolls-Royce ear in running on top gear from London to Edinburgh and back on a fuel consumption of 24.32 miles per gallon and 57.07 ton-miles per gallon, and subsequently making a speed record of 78.26 miles per hour on Brooklands course, with a wind resistance area of 13.0 sq. ft.
Letter No. 1,435, from Mr. Ken. J. Thompson, asks how many operating levers were worked on the RollsRoyce car in connection with our carburation, and suggests that there were four levers besides the ordinary throttle control. If Mr. Thompson wanted information on this point, it would have been quite easy for him to have written to us, and we should have had great pleasure in giving him the information, and we regret that he did not do so, rather than make suggestions in your paper, which are apt to mislead the public. The " Silver Ghost" of 1907 was fitted with a carburetter control by which the petrol supply could be regulated from the dashboard. This arrangement has been fitted to every Rolls-Royce which we have made since that date, and has proved an inestimable boon to owners and drivers. The only alteration we have made is that, now, the lever by which this control is afforded is situated on the ton of the steering wheel, and it was this control of carburation, and this control only, which was fitted on the car which made the remarkable record above referred to.
Your other correspondent on this subject, Mr. It. J. Williams, letter No. 1,438, points out that portions of the road between Land's End and London and the road between Edinburgh and John o' Groats are more severe than the road between London and Edinburgh, but he did not point out what, to us, appears to be a very important fact, viz., that the car which made the Land's End to John o' Groats run was only loaded to a total of 4,542 lb., whereas the Rolls-Royce car which made the LondonEdinburge-London run was loaded to a total weight of 5,257 ih., or, roughly, two tons and a quarter. In other words, the Rolls-Royce was geared 13 per cent. higher, and was loaded to a total 15 per cent. greater than that of the car which made the Land's End to John o' Groats run, and at the end of the iourney achieved a speed of 78 miles an hour, which is 28.9 per cent, faster than the speed achieved by the Land's End to John o' Groats car.
The suggestion that some manufacturer should make a record of 70 ton-miles per gallon between London and Edinburgh does not recommend itself to us, unless it be shown that the car in every respect, such as top gear running and speed on the flat, fulfils the requirements of buyers.—Yours faithfully,
For ROLLS-ROYCE, LTD.,
C. JOHNSON,
General Managing Director. 14-15, Conduit Street, W.
The Use of the Governor with Commercial-Motor Vehicles.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1,443] Sir,—I have to acknowledge, with thanks, " Glaswegian's '' correction, contained in his letter (No. 1,433) in your issue of 12th inst., in reference to the setting of a governor throttle valve. On line 24 of my letter (No. 1,423) please read 75 per cent instead of 25 per cent. Commercial motors will gradually be simplified, and " Glaswegian " cannot argue that cure is better than prevention. I mean, if the throttle is first designed so as to make it impossible to run the engine at the other maximum speed mentioned by " Glaswegian," then there is no need for the governor to cure the error in design. Thousands of London motorbuses are out for hard work and easy handling, yet I do not think that one of these vehicles is fitted with a governor. Users do not want another fitment which requires frequent adjustment, and if satisfactory results can be obtained without this unnecessary attachment, then it is an improvement if we discard it. The governor attachment means a heavier consumption for the horse-power developed and a sluggishness in attacking hills.
" Glaswegian " states there will be " a drop in speed as the load is taken up" and it is this drop in speed which prevents the driver getting the best results from the engine he is driving. All governors are good ones when new ; the trouble begins when wear has taken place, and, if the setting of the governor is in the hands of the driver, he will, eventually, set the governor so as not to interfere with his obtaining the best results, i.e., he will depend eventually on his hand control.
There is, therefore, no need for a governor on any properly-designed engine. If there is a duffer at the wheel, rather than fit a governor it would be better for the owner to displace the duffer and obtain the services of a competent man. If the duffer is a duffer so far as concerns the controlling of his vehicle, he will also be a duffer in looking after other parts of the vehicle, and as a driver myself, I think "Glaswegian's " suggestion that the governor is to control duffers, is an insult to every Albion driver.
No, the governor in these days is an unnecessary fitment in the modern type of commercial motor vehicle.—Yours faithfully,
"NOT CONVINCED."