MANCHESTER'S FIRST PARADE.
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Interesting Features of an Excellent Turnout.
ADULL, murky day, with intermittent showers, did not provide a good setting for the first parade of motor vehicles organized by the Manchester area of the Commercial Motor Users Association. Altogether, 189 vehicles were entered, 172 of which were actually on parade. Although the judges had a very strenuous day and the vehicles were about three hours late in moving off—the only hitch in the organization—the consensus of opinion was that Manchester motor owners and drivers have nothing to learn in the 'efficient maintenance of their mechanicallypropelled vehicles. The spotless condition of some of the vehicles was a feast for the eye, and more than one of the judges waxed enthusiastic at some of the machines, whose conditiorting seems to have been the object of consistent attention rather than of spasmodic effort. This especially applied to the splendid group of Co-operative Wholesale Society's Dennis petrol machines and to Messrs. A. Cork and Sons' fleet of steamers, the Garretts being awarded a challenge cup for the best fleet of three.
After several tours of the mile and a half length of vehicles as they were assembled near Moseley Road, Fallowfield, one was tempted to soliloquize on the capital value of the machines on parade, its potential transport capacity, and the revenue in taxation yielded. On a modest computation, the Vehicles on parade were worth about £250,000. To calculate the mileage, one would have to figure in millions. Messrs. J. '1'. Lawton, Ltd., exhibited one Foden steamer which, in its 18 years, had 175,000 miles to its credit. This, incidentally, was the oldest vehicle on parade. Their fleet of six Fodens represented a mileage of nearly 600,000. What the tonnage has been is best left to the imagination. A unique feature of the parade --and quite distinctive of all the C.3.4.U.A. parades which have been held so far—was the four steam traction engines of Mr. Norman E. Box, probably the most prominent heavy haulier in the country. Attention is drawn to the accompanying illustration of the Fowler tractors, whose rear wheels are mounted on Macintosh's sectional solid rubber tyres. Each section is about 2 ft. in length, and about eight • of them are needed to cover the circumference of the wheel. Beside some of the smaller petrol vehicles, the Fowler engines were veritable Goliaths. They are capable of drawing loads of up to 60 tons. The Bleachers' Association had a fleet of 16 Fodens on parade, and the Manchester Corporation 14 Sentinels. In the petrol vehicle section Mendslays, Thornycrofts, Halleys, Leylands, Karriers, Garners, A.E.C.s, Liberty, Albions, Peerless, Dennis, TillingStevens, Straker-Squires, Belsize, Darracq, Austins, Guy, Vulcan, Ford, Fiat, Willys, and Marathon were all represented. The C.W.S. fleet of Dennis's caught everybody's eye. Wilson's Brewery had a fleet of nine Thornycrofts, the Anglo-American Oil Co. a mixed fleet of 13, and C. E. Pickstone and Co. a very noticeable turnout of three Straker-Squires. Probably the most distinctive bodywork in the 25 to 50 cwt. class was that of the fleet of three —Albion (nine years old), Darracq (chassis 14 years old), and Austin Ichassis 14 years old). The two latter vehicles are each estimated to have travelled 150,000 miles. Messrs. Magee, Marshall and Co., Ltd. had a fleet of
12 Ka.rriers in the parade. The ShellAlex fleet was a picture, and to many onlookers seemed to '..ze winner.
The Manchester Corpolation exhibited the only electrics, which consisted of a five-ton General Vehicle tipping wagon (3i years old, mileage 21,000), 3i-ton Walker tipping wagon (3* years, 8,000 miles), a month-old Rr-nsome, Sims and Jeffreys two-ton lorry (550 miles), a oneton Edison lorry (five years, 48,200 miles), and a 10-cwt: Electromobile Van. (five months, 2,000 miles). The following are the prize winners :— Steam vehicles (any type).-1, A. Cork and Sons (Garrett) ; 2, J. T. Lawton, Ltd. (Foden); 3, Bleachers' Association (Foden).
Steam tractors, including traction engines.-1, Norman E. Box (Fowler) ; 2, Bleachers' Association, LkL (Garrett) ; 3, Norman E. Box (Garrett). Steam vehicles, groups of three.— Challenge cup, A. Cork and Sons (fleet of Garretts). Petrol vehicles, three tons and over.1, C.W.S. (Dennis), driver J. Hum phries; 2, Rutland Mill Co. (Maudslay) ; 3, Magee, Marshall and Co. (Karrier). Petrol vehicles, under three tons.-1, Manchester Corporation (Guy) ; 2, Simpson and Godlee, Ltd. (Austin) ; 3, Richard Johnson, Clapham and Morris, Ltd. (Albion).
Petrol vehicles, teams of three.—Challenge cup, Co-operative Wholesale Society (fleet of three Dennis's). Petrol vehicles (non-members of the C.M.U.A.).-1, Warwick Bros. (Vulcan) ; 2 and 3, Roe Acre Dyeing and Felting Co., Ltd. (Leyland). • Challenge cup, presented by Mr. Leo Swain, for best vehicle on parade (steam or petrol) in point of general efficiency. —Not awarded.
Divisional prizes, awarded to drivers of best vehicles on parade.—Petrol vehicles : C.W.S. (Dennis), driver J. Hunriphries. Steamers : A. Cork and Sons (Garrett), A word of praise is due to the officials, judges and marshals, • to whom must be awarded the credit for the success of the parade. The Parade Committee consisted of Messrs. R. W. Boyle (chairman), Ellis Green (secretary), R. Heap (assistant secretary), and F. C. Walling, R. C. Reynolds, T. R. Hicks, Norman Box, a. Hancock, E. H. Edwards (committee). The judges were Messrs. P. Smalley, — Stewart, R. Geary, B. H. Reynolds, J. E. Mallalieu, R. Houghton, — Bewley, — Dew, F. C. Walling, and A. Grey. Mr. A. W. Windsor was the chief marshal, and he was assisted by Mr. N. Box and. other gentlemen.
Continental Service Station.
The 14rge numbers of fusers of Continental engines will be glad, to learn that the Continental Motel's Corporation, of Detroit, Mich., U.S.A., are about to establish in London a spare parts service station, and it is probable that • a large shipment of spare parts will be made within the next two months. The company dealing with the spares will be known as Automotive Spares, Ltd.
In our last issue we'published, on page 761, an illustration of a special body made by G. Heath, Ltd.,. of Worcester, for carrying fruit. We should have added, however, that this body was fitted on a Guy chassis, which was selected for this work on account of its low loading platform and special springing.