OPINIONS and QUERIES
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TIPPING LORRIES COULD MAKE COAL FLOW
AT last the Ministry of Food has allowed food to be taken by road, over long distances; but what about coal ?
The railways are choked; there are hundreds of thousands of tons of mined and quarried coal lying in huge dumps at the pithead and on site at surface-coal work-. legs, whilst our local reserves and coal cellars are nearly empty, yet, since the war ended, there have been some 3,000 motor tipping lorries idle, which, if given a year's contract, would transport all this available coal by road to the local distribution centres before the snoW falls and keep down the dumps to a minimum of the weekly production'. Thus our grates could be filled with coal for our winter fires.
I invite the Press to visit the mines and surface-coal fields, take photographs and report to the public.
The Press should then insist upon Mr. Shinwell at once and every month, the figures of coal above ground at the pithead and surface workings, together with details as to what efforts his Ministry is making to use road transport to, clear the dumps.
There is no need to be cold at home if the job be
tackled properly. . W. H. B. QUILLIAM. Kingston-on-Thames.
ROAD TRANSPORT: RESTRICTION OR EXPANSION?
HAVING sailed in with unfounded criticism of my article of July 27, and having been courteously and fully answered.Mr. Ward, in another letter (September 28) now gasps "Enough." Only, instead of saying it candidly, he says he "declines to start a controversy• with me. I leave such tactics, and the personal references that mar his letters, to the judgment of readers.
So, _Mr. L. V. Ward's letter of September 28 is important only because he may have some bemused followers and because he mentions, with apparent apProval, an organization which may well prefer not to have been mentioned in such a context.
Having repeated his wrong attribution to me of a • " disruptive policy ": indeed, going farther to assert "we find people like Mr. Dunnage 'trying to split our industry into two sections," Mr. Ward says that I have read into his remarks more than they were intended to convey. I understood them exactly as written. If they meant something different, the fault is not mine. How you can try to split into two something that was never united as one, is not clear to me, and Mr. Ward declines to tell.
Having, in August, chided you and me for alluding to facts—even if they are facts inconvenient to some interests—Mr. Ward now dislikes his own words being underlined. He did, of course, object to our stating that the industry was not united. The latest evidence that we were right comes from the north-east coast, in the formation of the Northern , Road Transport Owners' Association. Nearly everybody now knows that statement of ours was true.
As your readers know, my article of July 27 did not advocate nationalization of goods road transport. (It called attention to a very different and much more hopeful policy.) Indeed, I know such is not part of Government policy for at least two years—although it may well be ultimately in the mind of some Government supporters. If Mr. Ward's amazing idea of arresting all road transport—made, I suppose, after he has for some years enjoyed a fair financial return without business-getting worries, by placing vehicles at the Government's disposal—cities in fact represent R.H.A. policy, everyone concerned with road transport should know that. If not, it should be at once denied, and such publicity given to the denial that this type of threat to the community's life will not recur. Otherwise we cannot be surprised if the Government keeps a tight hold on road transport, to offset such a risk, and any request for the removal of restrictions is lost before it is made. No Government worthy of the name will be intimidated by such a threat, which is likely to hasten the process against which Mr. Ward fulminates.
Lord Perry's personal reactions to this threat by an unruly follower would be interesting, in view of the amount of worthy public service the Ford organization
has done during the war. J. A. DUNNAGE. Sidcup.
• GOOD WORK BY CLEARING HOUSES
IF rumour proves correct and the M.O.W.T. closes down the whole of the R.H.O. it will indeed be a V. (Victory in England) day for road hauliers,
To the road hauliers must also be added the clearing houses, which have managed to keep their flag flying in spite of the opposition which was intended to crush them out of existence. It is a fact that whilst clearing houses were never recognized by the Government during the war, they, nevertheless, managed to provide that efficient service which, before control, earned for them a reputation which was the envy of some established carriers.
Lift control and clearing houses would immediately be welcomed by both the haulier and the trader—the latter in particular.It is well known that the lot of the transport manager is made considerably easier by working through a good clearing house, particularly having. regard to smalls of, say, 5 cwt. and under a ton, where delivery is urgently required.
It is recognized there was a need for such an organization as the R.H.O. during the war, and everyone agrees that it served its purpose. Now is the time for a humane Government to shoot the dying horse and acknowledge its indebtedness to the industry by giving it back its freedom to operate, which is its birthright.
Transport executives in industrial concerns a,re looking forward once again to being able to function as their profession intended them to do. Indeed, they demand this right without fear or favour.
Langley. J. R. Rock, M.I.T.A.
OPERATING PROBLEMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST THE most recent copy of your journal that I have
I received contained an article by a writer in Cairo. He refers to the overheating problem which has worried some users of British vehicles. I may add that a great number of our earlier models, which came straight from Britain and America, did ruc too hot, and we had to do something -about it.
One.thing with which we had to contend was the fine desert " dust." To counter this, apart from huge filters, trays had been fitted under the engines and protective covers for fans, radiators and sumps. It came io the point of choosing between having these and overheat
ing or removing them. Finally, all trays, covers, etc., were scrapped, thermostats removed from water systems, fan blades given a further twist to increase the air flow. and the whole water systems flushed out with soda.
Following these changes, we were able to keep the engines cool in temperatures ranging from 110 to 120 degrees F. Dust which collected around the engines was removed by blowing with compressed air from one of our mobile units.
I am one of those who did not appreciate seeing generals driving about in foreign cars, thus advertising the products of other nations. I think that British cars in civilian colours should now be employed, for it is about time we got going if we want to develop our overseas trade.
Products most needed over here are portable pumping units for land irrigation, and road Vehicles which will easily climb hills often rising to a height of 10,000 ft.
As regards accumulators, the high temperatures reached often make these burst, even before they are put into service; the pitch or whatever other material be used as a sealing compound melts; consequently, we have found many useless when unpacked. The sun also sometimes bursts the cases, Even Perspex will warp, and to touch spanners left in the sun will burn your
fingers. Lubricating oil becomes almost as thin as
water, but still we carry on. J. E. CROMPTON. C.M.F.
OVERCROWDING THE HAULAGE INDUSTRY I N fairness to Mr. Steve Eastmead (issue October 12) I must put him right on what I think has biased his comment on my letter of September 28.
My pencil copy of this letter states that I am not an ex-Serviceman (at least not of this war), and, unless I made a mistake, this was stated in the letter sent.
There is no supposition about my right to express my views " right or wrong." Furthermore, I do not write " twaddle " knowingly any more than does Mr. Eastmead. It would not serve any useful purpose.
I assure Mr. Eastmead that I have a fair knowledge of the subject—including the 1933 Act—having been for 13 years in road transport, including an executive position in the war period.
If he will refer to the penultimate paragraph of my letter he will see that I do not advocate overcrowding.
So far as profits are concerned I can conclusively prove ihat I say, by auditors' figures.
Both he and myself could be making a mistake inasmuch as we are judging by our own experience, which is, perhaps, unjustifiable.
There is no need for me to be reminded of the pioneers in road haulage, as I was one of "we ex-Servicemen of the 1914-18 war," running old Peerless and Pierce-Arrow lorries.
Provided the entry of this war's ex-Servicemen to road haulage is giving "much concern" in trying to place them, when suitable, as independent hauliers and not keeping them out, well and good.
Anyhow, when "Applications and Decisions" again come into being, accompanied by "Objections," we shall learn what this concern really means. Up to the present it has meant losing my job, which is significant of the conception of concern held by one company.
Bognor Regis. L. M. COLLYER, A.I.R.T.E.
I WOULD like to endorse the remarks of Mr. Steve Eastmead in his reply to the letter sent by Mr. L. M. Collyer which appeared in your issue dated September 28. It appears pretty obvious that Mr. Collyer can have little or no knowledge of his subject, b.ut has been
imbued with the spirit of championing the cause of the ex-sold ier.
If Mr. Collyer really thinks that the established haulier is going to sit back and give his "extra tonnage" to any Tom, Dick, or Harry who fancies his chances as a haulier just because he has learned to drive an army lorry, he is sadly mistaken. As suggested by Mr. Eastmead, Mr. Collyer should make a study of the Road and Rail Traffic Act of 1933 before attempting to be acclaimed as a national hero.
I was a little surprised that Mr. Eastmead did not make any reference in his letter to what I considered to be a direct insult to all hauliers by Mr. Collyer. I refer to his remarks alleging that the established haulier's contribution to the war effort was very " thin."
I would like to remind Mr. Collyer that with all due respect to our fighting menL-they have done a grand job—they would have been of little use without weapons and tools, and I would also like to remind him of Mr. Churchill's words—" Give us the tools and we will finish the job." So let Mr. Collyer spare a thought for the men and women who made them and those who delivered the goods.
Both road and rail transport can be justly proud of their war-time achievements—carried out under difficulties and strenuous conditions, not only by drivers alone, but by all responsible for keeping the wheels turning. I suggest, therefore, that Mr. Collyer should pa-use to think that, after all, perhaps he may owe his own life to the untiring efforts of some unknown longdistance transport driver in the employ of some established haulier.
Mr. Eastmead's remarks concerning Mr. Collyer's conception of hauliers retiring with comfortable life incomes needs no further comment, but if Mr. Collyer still thinks that this is a fairy story, then I invite him to try his hand for 20 years or more at road haulage and then pay a visit to his accountant.
I agree with Mr. Collyer on one point, that "any privileges going should be the exclusive rights .of the men who have fought for them under terrible conditions "—but these men are the men who have fought on the Home Front—the established hauliers whom Mr. Collyer would condemn to death for committing the very serious crime of being enterprising and increasing their fleets to help bring the war to a speedier conclusion. NORTHERN HAULIER. Manchester.
THE PROBLEM OF A PATENTED NUT CONCERNING Patent No. 569,359, "A Quick-release Nut," published in your résumé of patent specifications, in your issue dated August 10, the writer would point out that the type of nut described has been used in the industry by many concerns for a number of yeat:, and has, of crur:e. numerous applications, notably oa jig and tool des:gr.. where quick action is required, .and when the usual means are not applicable.
The need for a nut of this description has advanced ailother idea on these lines which is often used and is quite effective.
It would be of interest to have the viewpoint cf your journal as to the continued use of the type of release nut now that the design has been covered by the above patent. • G. OwEal. Wolverhampton.
[We are of the opinion that a patent could not be upheld if it covered something previously in common u2e, although it might well be so if it concerned ..,nne improvement, but then only in respect of articles embodying such improvement. —ED.]