ROAD-RAIL CENTRAL CONFERENCE.
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Trailways would like the result of the deliberations of the road-rail conference to be that they would take over all trunk services, and road transport be confined to collection and delivery services. That is the view of Mr, A. E. Sewell, joint chairman of the Road and Rail Central Conference representing the railways, at its meeting on Wednesday. He did not, however, anticipate that success would be achieved in that objective. He said that in his view it would he in the national interest, in war and in peace, that there should be fewer heavy lorries on the road.
It was expected that the main outcome of the work of the Conference would be that rates would be agreed on the basis of value of service, and that the actual rates, for road as compared with rail, would differ according to the conditions of transit.
Tihe small haulier would have to be controlled by the use of the licensing procedure; the rates would be statutory, and rate-cutting punished by revocation of licences, There was, said Mr. Roger Sewill, no intention to attempt any interference with C licensees. It was expected that traders would find the transport services available to them so improved that they would find it unnecessary to buy their own vehicles. He strongly deprecated the attitude which was being taken up by certain influential traders, that in their view this cooperation between road and rail would result in a monopoly, which they proposed to counter by purchasing their own vehicles.
The railways have already implemented their promise to diminish objections to road-hauliers' licences, notwithstanding that the promise is not due for fulfilment until the passing of the "square deal " Act. It was estimated that 50 per cent, of objections would be withdrawn. These would mainly be in connection with applications for renewal of A licences without modiflea ao tion, and 13 licences for operation within a 25-mile radius.
It was stated that the 12 regional committees, each consisting of members of both road and rail interests, would meet next month. The first action would be to classify goods and attempt to reduce the present 66 classes in railway classification to eight and to simplify the rates schedules accordingly.
It is hoped that the Act, upon which the succesi of the Conference naturally depends, will be passed during next session.
Late Wages News from Yorkshire.
WITH reference to the report on page VV 666, dealing with the proposals of the Road Haulage Central Wages Board, 'We learn as we go to press that, in the event of the draft proposals being introduced, the Ministry of Labour is to be informed that many of the larger operators will be compelled to withdraw numbers of vehicles from service. Another resolution carried advocated that C licensees should be brought within the provisions of the Road Haulage Wages Act.
"C and D" By Taxicab!
A YORK printing concern has even rlhad to resort to taxicabs for the delivery of parcels, said a witness at Scarborough, last week, in support of an application by E. Tanton (Bridling. ton), Ltd., Foss Island Road, York, for a licence to run four light vans for the delivery of parcels from shops in York and suburbs. Mr. W. R. Hargrave, for the applicant, said there was no comparable service at present.
The difficulty of shopkeepers in getting goods delivered when customers wanted them had become very acute because of a serious shortage of errand boys. Opposing the application, the London and North-Eastern Railway Co. submitted that its internal delivery service in York already met the need.
The Yorkshire Licensing Authority, Major F. S. Eastwood, granted a licence for two 1-ton vehicles to operate within a radius of five miles from York G.P.O. EMERGENCY ORGANIZATION FOR GOODS VEHICLES.
APOST CARD franked and partially .printed, for the purpose of summoning operators to attend meetings for the organization of Groups in connection with the emergency scheme for goods vehicles, is being provided by the Minister of Transport. Applications for the required number should be made to the Traffic Area Office appropriate to the place of meeting or direct to the Ministry.
National Physical Laboratory at Home.
AS was usual, the annual inspection of the National Physical Laboratory on Tuesday proved of intense interest
to the many visitors. We can refer only to a few exhibits which fall within our sphere. One of these was an apparatus for measuring the temperature of liquid steel, as the quality of steel is believed to depend greatly on the exact temperature at which it is poured. Hitherto reliance has been placed on the acquired skill of individuals in judging temperature. The new method is to immerse a thermocouple in the steel while molten.
Creep or continuous flow of a metal when hot and subjected to Deng loading, is important in engines. Thirty-four testing machines are used to measure it over periods up to months. Creep in a given time is much influenced by the presence of alloying elements in steel and by differences in heat treatment.
The qualities of oils affecting seizure have been investigated with an apparatus giving high contact pressures between On. steel balls. CHANGE IN IDENTITY DISCS.
ME are informed that, as from July 1 VY next, goods-vehicle identity certificates et a new design will be issued. The number of types of certificate has been reduced, and will be of four designs, i.e., A, A contract, B, and C. Certificates of these designs, but overprinted " duplicate," will be issued when the original has been lost or destroyed.
The new ones will bear the same information as hitherto, but the letters A, ii and C. which at present appear in outline and in different-coloured inks, will be printed in black ink in heavy block type. The letters "Con.," on the A-contract certificates, will be replaced by the word " Contract" printed in black ink.
No further certificates of special design for trailers or hire vehicles will be issued ; the new standard-pattern certificates, suitably endorsed, will be used. Certificates issued before July 1, 1930, which do not expire until after that date, will not be replaced by the new-style certificates during their currency, but will be allowed to expire in the normal way.
Scammell's Big Overseas Orders.
DURING May, the mechanical-horse L./sales department of Scammell Lorries, Ltd., Watford West, Hefts, received orders from abroad amounting to £10,000. They included an order from the Anglo-Iranian Oil Co. for 16 of the new Bedford-Scammell tractors, which have the patented automatic coupling device, 10 hydraulic tippers and two timber tractors, which are to augment the large fleet of mechanical horses in use in Iran,
Rangoon Corporation has placed another order with the company, this time for 15 three-wheeled refuse collectors, two mechanical horses and three trailers, all of which are being fitted with Perkins oil engines.
The concern's Australian agent. Mechanical Horse (Australasia), Ltd., recently cabled an order for four Bedford-Scammell tractors, six trailers, a 6-ton mechanical-horse and two trailers.
Ex-Service-Man-Haulier's Tricky Position.
LAST week, at Manchester, Sir William Chamberlain, North-Western Licensing Authority, confessed that lie had been put in a very difficult position when Mr. L. Fidler, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, an ex-Service man, sought the renewal of his licence. He had taken to haulage because his war wounds were such that he could not do engineering any more, but he lost his vehicle.
In order to befriend him (such was the evidence) a firm from whom Sir William had taken a vehicle, sold him this vehicle and used it themselves, paying him an agreed amount as representing the net profit, but employing the driver in their own name.
Mr. J. A. Dunkerley contended that the only irregularity in the whole procedure was that the driver engaged to run this vehicle had not been informed that he was in Mr. Fidler's employ. Under this arrangement Mr. Fidler was in a tar better position than if the financial venture was entirely his own.
Decision Was deferred.
Our Regular Features.
Breason of the space which is given in this enlarged issue to agriculturaltransport topics and to the exhibits at the forthcoming Royal Show, it has been necessary to hold over certain regular features, but they will be resumed in our issue for next week.
Welding Specialist's New Premises.
AS from July 1, Messrs. C. L. Jones, the well-known firm of welding and automobile engineers and makers of cylinder liners, will be trading as C. L. Jones, Ltd., and will be in occupation of larger premises at Heather Park Drive, North Circular Road. Wembley, Middlesex. The works at Gaskin Street, Islington, London, Ni, will he retained as a branch factory.
Shipping Guide for Hauliers.
TIIE following is the number of ships arriving at the London docks, wharves and jetties named, from July 1 to 7, inclusive:—DocKs: Ring George V. ; Royal Albert, 10; Royal Victoria, 2 ; Surrey Commercial, 6; East India. 1; West India, 5; SouthWest India, 1; Tilbury, 5; Tilbury Stage, ; Millwall, 4; London, 1. WHARVES: Hay's, 4; Mark Brown's, 1; Tilbury jetty, 1; Regent's Canal, 1,
PERSONAL PARS.
MAJOR F. J. CHAPPLE, of the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd., was elected chairman at the annual meeting of the Bristol section of the Institute
of Transport.
Ma. H. HUTSON has been appointed to take charge of the commercialvehicle section of Hooley's Garage, Ltd., Upper College Street, Nottingham. Distributor for Chevrolet lorries, for which it reports a lively demand, Hooley's, Ltd., has been appointed distributor for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire of the Lloyd commercial vehicle.
MR, H. W. KIRKBY, after 21 years of service with the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., is shortly retiring from his present position. His numerous friends will be interested to know that he is not breaking away altogether from the industry, but will be taking up a position with the Abingdon Rubber Co., Ltd., 100, Charing Cross Road, Lon
don, W.C.2.
MR. ALEXANDER IRVINE has been appointed by the Scottish Horse and Motormen's Association as organizer for the Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, and Dumfriesshire areas. He is at present employed with the Hamilton Co-operative Baking Society, and is secretary of the Hamilton Trades and Labour Council., He is also a director of the Hamilton Central Co-operative Society. DELAYS in getting livestock to neighbouring grading centres and markets, owing to insufficient transport facilities being available, were reterred to when Mr. N. FL Ashton, of Ashwater, applied to the Western Licensing Authority, at Exeter, last week for an additional vehicle under a general haulier's licence. Applicant stated that he had been a haulier since 1927, and, although he operated two vehicles prior to the passing of the Act, he claimed tonnage for only one vehicle. He spoke of the delay in getting cattle to Holsworthy, Launceston, Halwill and Okehampton, which were the nearest grading centres to Ashw-ater for the purposes of the beef subsidy, and called witnesses, who supported his contention that an insufficiency of transport facilities was the cause.
The applicant was advised to apply for a B licence to operate within a radius of 20 miles, it being stated that no objection would then be forthcoming from the railway companies.
Ambiguity of "Furniture and Household Effects.”
-rim phrase " furniture and house
hold effects " has caused some coilfusion, as applied to carriers under the Road and Rail.Traffic Act. It has been used on the licences of those authorized to do household removals and it was challenged at Manchester, last week, by Mr. J. A. Dunkerley, in -the case of a carrier who was carrying as much as 50 per cent, of new furniture from the manufacturers to shops.
He submitted that the renewal should be refused on the ground of change of Operation. He suggested the condition on the -licence should read " household furniture and effects." Mr. Joseph Farndale, North-Western Deputy Licensing Authority, held that the term included all kinds of furniture and regranted a licence on the same terms as before.
Legal Markings for Land Tractors.
OBSCURE regulations, affecting the use of certain vehicles, were severely criticized in Dumfries Sheriff Court, last week, by Mr. J. A. Will, when he appeared on behalf of the County Garage Co., Ltd., Botchergate, Carlisle, charged with permitting a tractor and trailer to be used without the unladen weight and maximum speed being painted on them. William Alderson, motor mechanic, Carlisle, was also charged with using, and the County Garage Co., Ltd., with per:flitting, the use of a trailer and failing to have the brakes in order.
Tendering pleas of guilty, Mr. Will said it would be news to th.e Sheriff and to most people to find that a land tractor needed to have the unladen weight and maximum speed painted on it.
As regarded the trailer, it was a twowheeled buggy trundling behind the farm tractor at 6 m.p.h. and the condition of the brakes, he said, obviously :nattered little, It never carried anything like the weight that an ordinary trailer took.
Sheriff-Substitute V. R. BalfourBrowne said that to some people the regulations might appear to be unnecessary, but the County Garage Co., Ltd., should have known them. He fined the company £,1 and dismissed Alderson with an admonition. THREE YEARS' MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES.
STATISTICS furnished by the Home Secretary relating to offences of manslaughter in connection with motor vehicles during the past three years show that the charges dealt with by committal for trial were in 1936, 1937 and 1938-105, 94 and 102, respectively. The charges withdrawn or dismissed were 20, 34 and 28, respectively.
Of the former the results of the courts of trial were: Convicted of manslaughter-28, 23 and 14; acquitted of manslaughter, but convicted of dangerous driving-34, 39 and 59; and acquitted-43, 32 and 29, respectively. NAZIS TO CONTROL TRACTOR PRODUCTION.
FOR some time past, the German vehicle industries have been under State control, which has reduced the number of different types of chassis. The scheme, according to the German journal Kraftfahrzeug, has now been extended to the agricultural and goodshaulage tractor industry. The number of different models is to be reduced to 35 (17 for agricultural use and 18 for goods haulage) the number being about a third of that hitherto manufactured. Tractors for farm work will range in power from 11 h.p. to 60 h.p. and thoSe for goods-trailer haulage from 15 h.p. to 150 h.p.
Cheap-to-run Universal Cultivators.
AN example of a " maid of all work " in the agricultural field is found in the Cultaho rotary tiller and universal cultivator, for which CuRah°, Ltd., Codmore Hill, Pulborough, Sussex, is responsilile.
Theie are three distinct models, known as the K6, L3, and H2. The K11, which is the largest in the range, is powered by a 6 Inn. single-cylindered two-stroke unit, with a rated fuel consumption of from two to three quarts per hour, under full load. A 4 h.p. two-stroke engine is employed on model L3 and a 21 h.p. unit on the H2.
These ingenious pieces of equipment are equally suited to work on farms, hopfields, nurseries, and for forestry.
When Hauliers are Forced to Hire.
TllE Appeal Tribunalruling in the case, on the question of hiring, was quoted before ,Mr. Joseph Farndale, North-Western Deputy Liceeising Authority, whose decision it was that the Tribunal upheld, at Manchesier, last week. The application before him was by Mr. W. Tweedale, of Rochdale, for three extra vehicles, one of 6 tons and two of 24. tons. With one vehicle on an A. licence and another on a Contract-A licence, he claimed to have worked up a business with which he could not cope even by hiring.
Mr. I.eslie Walsh submitted that the case differed from the Barr's case in that Mr. Tweedale had never desired to hire other people's vehicles at all, but had been forced to do so simply because he had been unable to secure authority to get the necessary vehicles of his own. Mr. Farndale held that Mr. Tweedale had failed to make out a case far the grant.
Dock Road Not Regular Highway.
ADECISION of importance to hauliers using dock roads was given last week by Sheriff Haldane, of 1;lasgow, when he found for the .1efendant in a claim for £78, for repairs and loss of use of a vehicle, raised hy George C. McIndoe, Ltd., haulier. 13roomloan Road, Govan, against James Spencer and Co., stevedore, Finnieston Street, Glasgow. The claimant's vehicle was returning, at night, along the road at King George V Dock, Glasgow, when it struck a beam or girder suspended from a
travelling crane, which was unlighted.
Sheriff Haldane, in his judgment, stated that they were not dealing with a regular highway. The roadway was par: of the dock, which existed primarily for the loading and unloading of cargo. Roadways were necessary for the carrying out of these functions and those who used them expected to encounter railways, cranes, and loads in ccitirst‘ c)i transit.
Young Accumulator's Increased Trading.
I N the year ended March 31, 1939, the Young Accumulator Co., Ltd., recorded a trading profit of £14,808, contrasted with £11,275 in the previous year. After charging interest and directors' fees, and providing for depreciation, the net profit comes out at £7,718, which compares with £6,923 a year earlier. A dividend of 5 per cent. (less tax) is recommended for payment and absorbs £7,014, leaving a balance of £5,222 to ne carried forward, contrasted with £4,518 brought in, Mersey Tunnel Tolls Unaltered.
I T is understood that the Mersey Tun nel Joint Committee has had before it applications for the reduction of tolls for commercial vehicles and for rebates on certain heavy charges. Among the applications was one from the Mersey Docks ;.rat Harbour Board, which pointed 'lit the increased cost of sending gesids to Birkenhead docks from East lei ncashire and Yorkshire, through the tunnel, The committee, however. alter considering the questines, did not agree to any of the requests..
The A.R.P. Department of the Home Office has published, at 2d. net, a MeinorandUln on Aids to the Movement of Traffic to he Installed in Roads and Streets in the Absence of Street Lighting. MANSION HIDES EFFICIENT SERVICE STATION.
La I ARGE workshops are hidden behind the residential-looking frontage of Raddon Court, Knutsford Road, Warrington, whilst lately Foden, Commer, and Austin commercial vehicles have been seen running up and down the drive. The reason is that the premises have been taken over by Jack Priestley (1937), Ltd., the well-known commercial-vehicle agent, The building is situated on the main road to the south and provides 2,300 sq. yds. of working garage space.
So that there should be ample headroom, various sections have been altered and body repair shop, paint shop, machine shop, stores and smithy have been set up. Although close to
the centre of the town, the layout of the establishment allows for the parking of vehicles on the company's ground. Service facilities are available from 8 a.m, until midnight. Over 100 Foden machines have been sold since the company commenced to handle this make two years ago.
New Toughened Glass.
SPECIAI, features are claimed for a S safety glass recently produced by British Indestructo Glass, Ltd., Park Royal Road, Willesden, London, NAVA°. The main object has been to obtain even tension, and this is tested by means of polarized light, which shows that it has been
achieved. The new glass is crystal clear, and when broken disintegrates into small harmless crystals.
Romac's New Depot.
Ware advised that Romac Motor ccessories, Ltd., has recently opened a branch wholesale depot at 111, New Bridge Street, Newcastleupon-Tyne. It is being managed by Mr. H. G. Atkinson, and will carry a comprehensive range of products.