A Report from India.
Page 27
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Albion Commercial Vehicles of the Calcutta Port Commissioners.
The utility motor vehicle has found a sphere in the Ear East ; the Russa Engineering Works, Ltd., one of the leading motorcar firms in Calcutta, whose managing agents are Messrs. Kilburn and Co., 4, Fairlie Place, Calcutta, has during the past two years imported a number of the well-known i6h.p. Albion commercial chassis and these have proved eminently suitable for Indian requirements in varying directions. We illustrate herewith one of two I-ton delivery vans supplied by the above company to the Calcutta Port Commissioners ; the bodies for these vans were made in Calcutta by the Russa Engineering Works, Ltd., and they are used for conveying tea samples in bags and boxes from the Port Commissioners' new tea warehouse in Garden Reach to the various brokers' offices in the commercial quarter of Calcutta, a distance of about three miles. Owing to the fact that the removal of the old tea warehouses from the commercial quarter of Calcutta to the neighbourhood of Kidderpere Docks is a comparatively recent one, a definite comparison of costs with horse traction is impracticable, but the vehicles referred to have created a very favourable impression in Calcutta in view of their reliability and economy in running. The two cars were operated by the owners throughout the whole of the tea season last year (which lasts from May to November) most successfully and, when a complete examination and overhaul was carried out at the end of the season, practically no wear was found to have taken place except as regards the chains and tires ; the latter were of the De Nevers solid pattern. One of these vehicles after running continuously throughout the tea season was ex_ hibited on the stand of the Russa Engineering Works, Ltde at the recent motor show in Calcutta in January last, and, in spite of the fact of its having seen a considerable amount of hard usage, it was awarded the only firstclass diploma granted for commercial vehicles. The Russa Engineering Works has also supplied several of the chassis with char-h-bancs bodies to carry seven passengers and luggage; these are used on the Gauhati-Shillong road, one of the most trying roads that can be found for motor vehicles. The distance is 63 miles and Iht; rise is, approximately, 4,800 feet, the road in places being narrow and winding with severe gradients for many miles on end, notably the last to miles into Shillong which has a steady rise without relief of any kind and an average gradient of in 14. These vehicles do the run comfortably in six hours with a full load of passengers and luggage ; this time ineludes half-an-hour's bait for breakfast en route. Further vehicles are on order for this service, and it is expected that this type of car will become exceedingly popular in India, where there are nun'hers of these hill services most inefficiently served at present by means of pony tongas. There is an undoubted future for commercial vehicles of all types in India, the main difficulty, at the present moment, being the practical impossibility found by importers of obtaining early deliveries... The industry being a new one it is impossible for im
porters in India to obtain definite orders many months ahead, and it is hardly fair to expect them to take the whole of the risk of placing orders for chassis a long way in advance, but, with increased facilities for manufacture in England, it is hoped that this difficulty will shortly be overcome. There is also an indication that the various railway companies in India are going into this question of motor vehicles, to be used as feeders to their lines, very thoroughly, but this will not benefit local importers to any great extent owing to the fact that all State railways and lines controlled by pilvate companies have buying agents in London ; it is therefore practically impossible for importers to secure any portion of the business offering in this direction, except indirectly.
[We are indebted to Messrs. Kilburn and Company for this interestin, news front India: we regret it did not some 'to hand in time for our "Second Great Van Number."—ED.1