Things We Observed at the Show.
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No Fewer than 17 Models New to the Public out of a Total of 74 Staged. 17 Worms against 28 Chain-drives. Few Two.-cylinder and No Six-cylinder Engines.
Many have been the favourable expressions of opinion which have reached us in regard to our method of treatment of the Manchester Show exhibits, both concerning our preliminary guide and our subsequent carefully-detailed report, the latter being included in our last issue.
The series of visits paid to the City Hall by various members of our staff now enables us usefully to epitomize our impressions. We are of opinion, now that we have passed the necessary rush time pertaining to special issues, that we may usefully place on record our considered conclusions and deductions concerning this second annual North of England Motor Show, which has now, of course, completed its successful term.
These impressions may be classified under two heads : those which have to do with the organization of the Show itself, and those which are primarily concerned with the mechanical details of which examples were staged.
An Attractive Separate Display.
That a separate show for the business vehicles was a wise and necessary move has been self-evident to those who have visited the City Hall. The previous congested collection at Rushohne, which tended towards the confusion of visitors, and, in addition, we feel sure, hampered much real business by the attraction of irresponsible sightseers, has been contrasted by many of us with the state of affairs which existed last week at the separate industrial exhibition. The venue at City Hall is not a pleasant one, but it has this advantage, that it is nearer to the centre of the town than is Rusholme. It should serve its purpose quite well until such time as the building of a new exhibition hall of sufficient dimensions is decided upon for Manchester, as suggested in an Editorial in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR of last week.
With a few exceptions, there was no unnecessary and unsightly crowding of the exhibits at the City Hall. The coup d'ai1 which was afforded from the capacious gallery running round the hall was a pleasant one, and, moreover, was an informative one from the point of view of the wide range of models which was there collected.
A Fine Collection of Chars,-a.hancs and Five-tonners.
Now, with regard to the mechanical details of the exhibits, we ourselves are left with certain very definite impressions after a round of inspection which, from the nature of things, has to be more thorough and more comprehensive than that which can be undertaken by the ordinary visitor, who has particular interests in certain well-defined models. In the present state of the industry, such an exhibition as that which many of us have just seen is most useful as a milestone of design, and it will therefore be correct for us to write briefly on a few of the broader tendencies at this present time for the sake of future reference, if for no other reason. Of the whole collection of machines, it was perhaps most noticeable that so many makers exhibited chars'a-bancs. A Daimler and a Tilling-Stevens motorbus were running outside the premises. There were no fewer than 10 chars-h.-banes shown, and this is quite a large proportion, we consider, in a total of 74 vehicles. Then, again, great attention appears to have been given by manufacturers to the evolution of the largest of the petiol-driven models—the five-tonner, the type which directly challenges the heavier steam-driven machines, at any rate, for employment where fuel and water difficulties are matters of moment. There were 7 five-ton petrol machines shown--quite a remarkable collection.
Another feature of the general range of models was the comparative absence of steamers, a regrettable circumstance, we consider, in view of the exceptional publicity which at present is being secured for the claims of steam, at a time when prices of all kinds of liquid fuel are rising so rapidly. The few steamers which were there were representative of what are perhaps the two most distinctive types, but we should have liked to have seen individual makers staging more in this class. It will pay to do so.
Right at the other end of the scale we find the parcelcar almost distinguished by its absence. The little Phanomobile--that unique design reminiscent of a very early model which used to be driven by the writer, and which was called the "Victoria combination "—did battle for its class. There was a fourwheeled Renault light van, but this hardly appeared to us properly to qualify as a true parcelcar. This was a class which appeared to have been neglected from the point of view of publicity at Manchester. The Committee did wrong to shut it out.
Importance of Chassis Demonstration.
Of medium-weight models there was a fine range, and visitors had an excellent opportunity of familiarizing themselves with the best features of load-carrying machines of capacities varying from 10 cwt. to three or ai tons. A feature of this representative collection of industrial models was the wise decision on the part of so many makers to exhibit chassis. There were in all 18 chassis on show. This would appear to be a practice which is not so popular nowadays as it once was in connection with pleasurecar shows, but we think it will continue to be found good policy to include the bare chassis of standard machines in future exhibitions of industrial models. It is generally realized that all the purchasers or would-be purchasers of business models are practical men of one sort or another, very many of them keenly interested in businesses of their own. They are not likely, therefore, to be attracted by the wiles of a salesman, however fluent, however persuasive, if he cannot show them the "goods they are asked to buy."
In the foregoing expressions of opinion, we, of course, in no way wish to suggest that the display of examples of the many special forms of coachwork, which the industrial side of the automobile movement requires, should be limited. The paintwork is, perhaps, not so important to the purchaser of an industrial vehicle as it is to him or her who buys a modern pleasure •car. Nevertheless, so diverse are the requirements of users of business vehicles, as regards the natures of the loads which they have to carry, their stowage, and the sometimes peculiar methods of unloading and loading, that the proper construction of commercial coachwork of all kinds presents problems calling for the closest knowledge of conditions, and display of the coachbuilder's best skill.
The Varied Nature of Industrial Coachwork.
It is now pretty generally accepted that the advertisement value of a motorvan is a great asset to its owner. The extraordinary publicity which such a machine was bound to achieve in the early days of this branch of the industry has, of course, not
continued to like extent now that horses are being so rapidly displaced for delivery work of all kinds. Nevertheless, a well-painted van body, bearing, maybe, on its extensive panels some design specially calculated to catch the eye of the " man in the street," compares very favourably, from the financial standpoint, with poster display on wayside hoardings. Coachbuilders writers and artists have rightly found greatly-increased scope for their talents in the finishing of modern commercial-motor vehicles, and to a. greater extent, of course, than in connection with the touring-car side of the business. There were some line examples of coachwork at Manchester—and several very poor ones.
Some Interesting Figures Regarding the Exhibits.
With regard to the broad lines of chassis development which were indicated at the recent Show, it is evident that the tendency to evolve suitable models from practice which has been found suitable for pleasure-car chassis has few remaining exponents. Practical business experience is now more readily available, arid evidence of the dissemination of the proper knowledge, by virtue, to a large extent, of the interchange of members of staffs from one works to another, is to be seen in the resemblance between many important details on machines which are produced in separate factories.
The live axle, as evidenced at Manchester, where, be it noted, there were no fewer than 17 models staged which had not previously been shown to the public, is being employed to an increasing extent for the heavier classes of machines, the worm drive especially being a form of redaction to which many manufacturers have recently given their adherence, even for heavy loads. There were 17 worm-driven chassis at the City Hall, whilst 28 had chain final drives. The W.O. subsidy requirements, by virtue of which this last form of axle is at present not ad-, missible, has had the effect of turning certain further designers' attention to the practicability of double-reduction bevel-geared axles.
Gearboxes,. Clutches, Engines and Radiators. In regard to gearboxes, the only real innovation is
i the employment of chain drives n them for loadcarrying machines, but we do not consider that this is a policy which will be followed by many makers. Industrial-vehicle builders are more inclined to concentrate on the constant-mesh type of gearing with engagement by means of suitable dog clutches.
The large-diameter, leather-lined cone clutch still has much to be said for it in regard to its simplicity and its ease of adjustment, and at Manchester this type was certainly in the majority. Engines are definitely becoming of cleaner design and devoid of unnecessary complication. The four-cylinder is almost universal. There were only seven two-cylinder models at Manchester and not a single six-cylinder. "Valve motions are cased in, and simpler arrangements of magneto and pump drives are evident. In almost all cases builders have given considerable attention of late to the perfecting of lubricating systems. All the best makers now have little to learn in this respect.
The eellular type of radiator is rapidly disappearing, and the use of a battery of nlain or gilled vertical tubes, with cast top and bottom headers, promises to become universal.
Certain makers are pinning their faith to wooden frames with flitch plates, after the De Dion fashion, whilst more flexible springing is evident. The Daimler and Napier methods ot bulging the spring plates, for the purpose of registration in the axle beds, is an interesting method. The use of the quarter elliptic front scroll spring—another feature adapted from the De Dion chassis, and first embodied in the L.G.O.C. B-type machine, whilst subsequently copied by other makers, has now, as we noted at Manchester, been dropped on the London motorbus type of chassis. This last-mentioned machine, displayed for the first time publicly, has attracted, as we expected, a great deal of attention at the hands of constructors and designers, and, as it is, in fact, the epitome of practice, which has been evolved as the result of the running of a great number of earlier differing types, there is much to be learnt irons it.
The General Adoption of Steel Wheels.
Steel wheels are undoubtedly destined to oust the wooden artillery variety for all but the lighter models. We were able, in our last. issue, to illustrate a great collection of these new designs, which have either bifurcated or tubular spokes, the tendency in all these east varieties being to avoid sharp re-entrant angles. The tubular cast-steel wheel, with the taper increasing from the huh to the felloe, and with fine large radii all over, appears to us to be the design which will give greatest satisfaction in varied uses.
A Word for an Unconventional Model.
We cannot leave this brief review of the more prominent conclusions which may be drawn from the excellent and diverse display of models which were at the City Hall without drawing special attention to the appearance of the Renard-Latil front-driven model. Users must beware of any tendency on their part to belittle this unusual-looking design ; they are naturally inclined to be conservative in respect of the arrangement of the principal components, such as engine, gearbox and live back axle. It must be remembered that the front driver has achieved remarkable success in the strenuous War Office tests of the French Army. We have made very careful examination of the details of the standard Renard chassis which has already been imported into this country, and we have no hesitation in saying that its good workmanship and undoubtedly clever if unconventional design at least warrant a careful consideration of the unique claims which are confidently made on behalf of this proved, if radical, departure from customary practice.