WHEELS of INDUSTRY
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" The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport, at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs.”—John Beattie Crozier.
PRESENTS FROM ROAD FUND.
Perhaps if the extent to which operators of road transport and private motorists help to reduce unemployment and benefit other industries were to be fully realized, some of the people who are so vindictive against them might modify their views.
The Road Fund appears to be looked upon as an almost inexhaustible source for. relief, and the latest proposal for its use is to carry on the construction of the Dartford-Purfieet Thames Tunnel, on which unemployed men from the distressed areas may be given work. Out of the estimated costof £3,000,000, the Road Fund is to provide £2,350,000. The Minister also recently reaffirmed his readiness to make grants for the reconstruction of weak bridges at the rate of 75 per cent, from the Road Fund, and has decided to approve immediately an additional £500,000 for this purpose. The bridges in question are all over railways or canals. Road transport is thus handing to the railways a substantial New Year gift.
. Appeal Tribunal Sets Aside Commissioners' Decision.
Mr. Raymond Hughes, of Pickworth, Folkingham, Lines, successfully appealed, on December 19, against a decision of the East Midland Traffic Commissioners in refusing him an A licence. The Appeal Tribunal heard the case in Nottingham, and, upon the evidence submitted, the chairman said that the appeal would be allowed without the slightest hesitation.
Mr. H. Browne said that the appellant was a smallholder who ordered a 3-ton agricultural and estate lorry in July, the vehicle being delivered early in September; on the 26th of that month the Licensing Authority heard the application. In the intervening period he had used the vehicle for general haulage, and its services had been in great demand.
It was pointed out that the area from which the appellant operated was purely agricultural, and that transport facilities , were inadequate. The nearest railway station was Billingborough, six miles. away. Counsel made a point of the fact that no opposition was forthcoming when the original application was made to the Authority.
Amongst the points upon which the appeal was maee were that the Licensing Authority was wrong in holding that the applicant had no right to purchase and use the vehicle prior to the hearing of the application, and the effect of the refusal was that no means existed for conveying large livestock within an area of over SO sq. miles. In support of the application, several farmers gave evidence on the need for the vehicle.
131.6 G.W.R. Holding Up By-pass Scheme.
According to statements made at the December meeting of Neath Rural District Council the construction of a bypass road at Jersey Marine, to avoid the level crossing on the Neath-Swansea road, is being delayed by the failure of the Great Western Railway Co. to build a road bridge under the terms of the company's Act of four years ago.
It was stated that'll. the company undertook to complete the bridge within four years and, although this period had nearly expired, nothing had been done. It was decided to acquaint Glamorgan County Council with the importance of the need for action. MUST HAULAGE BE LIMITED?
An application for a B licence, by Mr. James Loudon, an unemployed man in the Angus village of Tannadice, was considered on December 19 by Mr, Henry Riches, the Northern Scotland Licensing Authority. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co. objected to the application, and Mr. Riches commented adversely on the fact that no figures were given of tonnage dealt with at Tannadice Station.
" Is it to be said that no facilities, other than those at present existing, are to be given in country districts? I cannot conceive that Parliament, in passing the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933; ever intended that such should be the case." This remark was made by Mr. Riches, when granting the application for a vehicle of 2 tons, to be acquired within three months. • It was revealed, in answer to a question by the Authority, that the railway company sent a lorry from Forfar to Montrose to deliver farmers' traffic from Tannadice Station, that the minimum weight for charging purposes was I ton and that a parcel of 56 lb. would be charged by the company as ton. HEADLAMP CONVERSIONS TO OVERCOME DAZZLE.
The conversion of headlamps to provide an anti-dazzle beam is being undertaken, at a cost in the region of 25s., by the Eclipse Patent Headlamp Co., 184, Ashley Road, Hale, Cheshire.
A tube, in which the bulb carrier moves to and fro, is fixed at the rear of the reflector, the movement being produced by Bowden -wire worked by a lever on the steering column or dashboard. The bulb is returned to the forward position by means of the
spring. Patents Nos. 401,973 and 413,994 cover this, electrical and other methods of operation.
In the normal position, the ordinary forward beam is provided, but to cut out this, with its possibilities of
dazzle, the light is controlled in relation to the reflector. It was demonstrated to a representative of The COMmercial Motor that the retarding, without any dipping or deflecting, afforded reasonable forward illumination and sufficient light at the near side.
When bulb replacement is necessary, the operation is considerably simplified by the ease with which the mechanism can be removed from the rear of the lamp. By plugging in a loose flex, the bulb, after removal from the rear of the lamp. can be utilized as an inspection light.
Application for 23 Extra Vehicles.
When the Hallamshire Transport Co., Thorp Audlin, near Pontefract, applied to the Yorkshire Licensing Authority for A licences for 23 vehicles to be acquired, Mr. E. A. Winder, a partner in the company, stated that he was anticipating his needs for the next two years. The Licensing Authority refused permission to acquire any of the "23 vehicles, but he granted an A licence in respect of a lorry in possession, and B licences for two vehicles bought in the spring, and for a third vehicle purchased, but which had not yet been put on the road.
The applicant 'was discribed as a concern of haulage contractors, coal merchants and motor engineers, it was submitted that the company immediately required six new vehicles under A licences to deal with increased work.
Mr. Winder produced figures showing that during October he carried 556 tons of material, compared with 134 tons in October, 1933. In November, the figure had risen to 1,900 tons. He suggested that as one of his lorries could haul 55 tons a week, he needed 11 lorries to conduct his business pro
perly. The vehicles carried chiefly coal and coke in winter and building materials in summer.
Gilford's Trading Results.
The report of the Gifford Motor Co., Ltd., for the year ended September 30, 1934, shows a loss of £13,971, after charging loss on sale and depreciation of properties and interest. The debit balance is thus increased from £70,835 to £84,606.
Duple Works Expansion.
Owing to the increasing demand for Duple coach and bus bodies, gi acres of land adjoining the present premises of the company at Edgware Road, The Hyde, London, N.W.9, have recently been acquired for extensions. The total land now owned by Duple Bodies and Motors, Ltd., is seven acres, more than half of which is covered by up-to-date works and showrooms.
Death of Mr. G. H. Sankey.
We regret to announce the death of Mr. G. H. Sankey, the, managing director of Joseph Sankey and Sons, Ltd., the products of which include the Sankey wheel. Mr. Sankey was the High Sheriff of Staffordshire and a county magistrate. He will be remembered as the originator of the scheme for the building of a new road from Wolverhampton to Birmingham, an important highway that was opened in 1927 by the Prince of Wales. WAGES AGREEMENT MUST BE OBSERVED.
"The condition in which the roadhaulage industry has found itself has, in my opinion, been caused entirely by the cutting of rates." This statement was made by Mr. X, G. Foster, chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Joint Conciliation Board, in addressing a meeting held under the auspices of the Road Haulage Association, at Penzance, last week.
Mr. Fdster said the Board had now fixed, as from January 1 next, a minimum scale of wages, which would be compulsory upon all A and licence holders. He appealed to hauliers in Devon and Cornwall, who had reason to suspect that competitors were paying wages below that scale, to Communicate with the Board.
The greater part of the haulage work in Cornwall is under contract with the county and local councils, and Mr. Foster warned those bodies that they must expect some increase in rates.
A schedule of rates, to operate in Panzance and district, was submitted. ANOTHER DRIVERS'-HOURS VARIATION APPLICATION.
The Minister of Transport has received an application from the Birmingham and District Dairymen's Association, Ltd., for a variation of drivers' hours, so that the period of II hours laid down in Section 19 (1) (ii) of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, may be increased to 12 hours on Saturdays. The matter has been referred to the Industrial Court, which will meet on Thursday, January 10, at 10.30 a.m., at 5, Old Palace Yard, Westminster, London, S.W.I.
Road-accident Returns.
The Ministry of Transport returns of persons killed or injured in road accidents during the week ended December 15, 1934, show that in England 101 persons were killed and 3,690 injured, whilst 31 died as a result of previous accidents. The figures for Scotland were 19 killed and 333 injured, and for Wales seven killed and 160 injured.
New 5-kw. Generating Plant.
An inexpensive lighting and power plant designed for the requirements of garages, repair shops, etc., has been introduced by Messrs. T. M. Tillotson, North Valley Garage, Windsor, Street, Colne, Lancs. It consists of a reconditioned Morris four-cylindered engine of 11.9 h.p. or 13.9 hp. adapted to run on vaporizing oil, and a Higgs 230-volt 5-kw. or 110-volt 5.54w. dynamo.
The price of the set is £75, it is guaranteed for six months, and is said to operate at id. per unit.
Three Prosecutions for Using Unlicensed Vehicles.
The first prosecutions in Bath for the use of unlicensed goods vehicles were brought last week, The three defendants should have held "C " licences, and one of them was the operator of a commercial motorcycle combination. In each of two cases a fine of £1, with 10s, special costs, was imposed, whilst the third case was dismissed under the Probation of Offenders Act, on payment of 3s. 5d. special costs. The chairman of the magistrates made it clear that future cases would be dealt with quite differently.
New Year Papers Before the I.A.E.
At a meeting of the Institution of Automobile Engineers, to be held on Tuesday, January 8, 1935, at the Royal Society of Arts, Adelphi, London, W.C.2, Mr. Maurice Platt, M.Eng., technical editor of our associated journal, The Moth'', will read a paper entitled "A Study of Road Performance." The author has had exceptional opportunities for carrying out road tests, and his paper should provoke an interesting discussion. The paper will also be read in Coventry on January 15, and in Bristol on February 14.
Another interesting paper is that by Mr. H. Wright Baker, of Manchester University, on "Piston Temperatures on a High-speed, Air-cooled Petrol Engine," which will be read, before the western centre of the Institution, BIS at the Merchant Venturers' Technical College, Unity Street, Bristol, on January 3. The paper will also be read before the north-western centre at a meeting at the Engineers' Club, Albert Square, Manchester, on February 27.
"Colloidal Graphite as an Adjunct Lubricant for Automobile Engines" is the title of an informative paper which Mr. H. Higinbotham, the chief of the technical department of E. G. Acheson, Ltd., will read before two provincial centres of the Institution, one meeting being held in Glasgow on January 21, and the other in. Manchester on Janaary 23.
Specialloid Distributor Appointment.
Specialloid., Ltd„ the well-known piston-manufacturing concern, announces the appointment of the Modern Tool and Equipment Co., Ltd., 12, East Bridge Street, Cromac Square, Belfast, as its main distributor for Northern Ireland.
Tractor Output Higher in Russia.
According to a recent return issued by the Soviet Government, 77,303 tractors were produced in Russia during the 10 months ended October last, .as compared with 62,080 in the corresponding period of 1933. 34,000 APPLICANTS FOR 200 EXAMINERS' POSTS.
It is announced by the Ministry of Transport that more than 34,000 applications have been received for approximately 200 posts as examiners of applicants for licences to drive motor vehicles. It is intended to set up selection boards in London and other centres in the provinces to examine the qualifications of those candidates who are asked to appear before the boards. The candidates recommended for appointment will be required to undergo practical driving tests.
New Simms Branch in 'Leeds.
The Leeds branch of Simms Motor Units, Ltd., has been removed to more commodious premises at 2 and 4, South Brook Street. We are informed that this branch is equipped with the latest repair and testing plant, and is under the supervision of Mr. W. D. Andrews, who is well known to Yorkshire operators.
Maintaining Passenger Coachwork.
A helpful little booklet, dealing with the care and maintenance of passengervehicle coachwork, is being circulated by Duple Bodies and Motors, Ltd., Edgware Road, Hendon, London, N.W.9. The information which it contains is applicable to practically any type of coach or bus body and, by following the sound advice given, lasting service should be obtained from the body and its general equipment.
Middlesex Bridge-improvement Application Granted.
The Minister of Transport has informed Middlesex County Council of his intention to grant an application which it made for an Order under Section 3 of the Bridges Act, 1929, to enable the council, in agreement with the Great Western Railway Co., to widen the bridge over the railway at Station Road, Hayes, and to provideadequate approaches. The bridge will be -widened `from 18 ft to 60 ft. ,Vehicles carrying an aggregate tonnage of about 10,000 pass over the bridge every day.
A Speed Warning for Drivers.
A simple device designed to warn a driver that the vehicle has reached a pre-determined speed has been patented by Major P. A. S. Holmes, A.M.I.Mech.E., A.M.I.A.E. It consists of an electfic. pick-up attached to the existing speedometer This causes coloured lights to glow before the driver's eyes (without dazzle) and a buzzer to sound within the vehicle when the desired speed is exceeded.
. The device requires very little current, approximately approximately .5 amp., and that only for a few seconds. The inventor claims that during his experiments he has found that the warnings given have an immediate effect on the mind and are not easily disregarded. He is a motorist of 23 years' experience, has driven over 600,000 miles, and is transport manager and engineer for a fleet of commercial vehicles • running 1,600,000 miles per year.
NEW FEATURES IN AN INTERESTING FIRE TENDER. , We reproduce on this page a picture of an interesting fire tender, having a Morris-Commercial C-type 2-ton sixcylinder long-wheelbase chassis as its basis, which has recently been supplied by Stewart and Ardern, Ltd., the Morris-Commercial distributor for the Metropolis, to the Ruislip and Northwood Fire Brigade. The machine was designed primarily to facilitate easy loading and unloading of the escape, which was built by Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., of Greenwich, London, S.E.10. The escape can be used as a water tower up to 35 ft. and as an escape up to 50 ft., and can be operated by three men.
Several other notable features are embodied in the design. For example, when the centre box is opened, two sets of SaIvus gear slide forward in readinets to be strapped on . to the firemen's backs. A small four-cylindered air pump, driven from the engine, is provided for the supply of air to a
cooler, from which it is passed to the men who wear specially designed face masks for compressed air.
Transverse seating is provided for six men, and each man has a plug point for his electrically heated tunic and gloves. A first-aid pump, supplied by a 45-gallon tank, is driven from the gearbox, the water being delivered through the hose mounted on top of the body. Another interesting feature is the short-wave wireless set for transmission and reception; this is for enabling communication to be maintained with the chief station.
The adaptation of the chassis for its particular purpose was carried out by the Merryweather concern.
Scammell " Four-in-hand" Municipal Service.
" Civic Pride in Civic Service " is the title of a new publication recently issued by Scammell Lorries, Ltd., High Holborn House, London, W.C.1. In the main, it describes the many advantages offered to local authorities by the Scammell mechanical horse for public cleansing. Basing an analogy on the old "four-in-hand " of coaching days, it points out that the one Scamrnell mechanical horse will operate four vehicles in turn, these being a refuse collector, a street washer, a gully emptier and a refuse-bin collector. Reference is also made to other advantages possessed by this useful multi-purpose outfit.
A copy of the publication may be obtained from the publicity department of the company at the address we have given.
Rates for Charging Ulectries.
The electricity committee of Watford Corporation has fixed a tariff for electric-vehicle battery charging of 1d. per unit between 7.30 a.m. and 10 p.m. and id. per unit between 10 p.m. and 7.30 a.m., a suitable rental to be charged for the additional meters and timing switch required.
Obviating Windscreen Obscuration by Sleet and Frost Drivers of vehicles which operate in parts of the country particularly prone to severe weather conditions, where it is often extremely difficul,t to gee through a windscreen, owing to the presence of snow or frost, will appreciate a new fitting which has been produced. It is known as the Trico Pilot glass and is manufactured by TricoFolberth, Ltd, Great West Road, Brentford, London. It consists of a sheet of glass with a rubber surround held to the inside of the windscreen by small suction cups and provided with an electrically heated unit, which is connected at the dash.
Municipal Purchases and Proposals.
Huddersfield Corporation is braying six A.E.C. Regal oil-engined buses.
Crest Yarmouth Corporation has ordered five A.E.C. oilers, three being Regents and the others Regal 4 buses.
Torquay Corporation's electricity committee has autherized the purchase of a MorrisCommercial 2-ton lorry.
The parks committee of Acton Corporation is to consider the purchase of a combined tractor and gang mower for use in the parks.
The transport committee of Coventry Corporation intends to apply to the council for sanction to buy 20 new buses, including 16 double. deckers.
The housing committee of Norwich corporation recommends the provision of a van, at a cost of .X400, in connection with a scheme for removing furniture, etc., from slums.
Tho gas department of Stoke-on-Trent Corporation requires a 30-owt." petrol lorry with a syphon pumpinF fitment. Further particulars may he obtained from the chief gas en. gineer and tenders have to be delivered by first post on January 7:
300-PER-CENT. INCREASE IN TONNAGE SOUGHT.
A Yorkshire haulage concern which, founded in 1921 with one lorry, is now one of the largest in the county, figured in an application to the Yorkshire Licensing Authority, when it was stated that, during the past year, the company's turnover had increased by nearly. 50 per cent.
J. and H. Richards, Ltd., Doncaster, sought licences in respect of 25 vehicles and four trailers (totalling 74 tons 17 cwt.) in possession ; 11 vehicles (40 tons) to be acquired; and 11 vehicles (50 tons) to be hired.
Mr. Harry Richards, managing director, said that in 1929 the concern had six vehicles and carried 14,400 tons of goods. in 1933, it carried 41,000 tons in its 24 vehicles, and in the year ended October last, 52,000 tons in its 29 vehicles. During the past year, the undertaking's turnover had increased by nearly 50 per cent., and the hiring margin of 11 vehicles permitted under the administrative licence was completely absorbed. Therefore, the company felt justified in asking that the hiring margin should be converted to permanent tonnage of its own.
The railways submitted that it was "an absurd and frivolous claim." for a 300-per-cent. increase in tonnage on that of the basic year. The Authority reserved his decision.
World's Largest Electric Elevating Truck.
What is claimed to be the largest electric elevating truck in the world is being acquired for service in the works of Briggs Bodies, Ltd., Dagenham, Essex, where the bodies of Ford vehicles are made. It is an ElwellParker machine, the sole licensee for which, in this country, is Gillespie Partners, Ltd., Cecil House, Holborn Viaduct, London, E.C.1. This company has now arranged for the construction of the 2-ton and 3-ton trucks in Great Britain.
The machine for the Briggs works has been designed to transport and lift loads up to 25 tons, the work involving the removal of heavy dies from racks or other storage places and their transport to the huge presses used for the manufacture of car bodies.