WHEELS OF INDUS FRY.
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"The wheel of, wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatemr points arising, the roughness of the roads over which it runs."--john Beattie Crozier. as a carriage is by
Tractor Ploughing.
In the House of Commons on 21st January, Mr. Prothero, in reply to Mr. George Lambert, stated that "During the last four weeks the weather has been eicceptionally had fcir farm work, and the tractors have been at a standstill in most parts of the country. The area ploughed by Government tractors from the middle of August to 12th January was 231,600 acres." The following tabulation shows the work performed by Government tractors since the week ended 8th December
-Taxicab Dispute.
In the House of Commons on 21st January, Mr. Wilson asked the Home Secretary whether-the dispute between th owners of taxicabs and their drivers has now been satisfactorily settled ; if so, will he state the terms Of settlement arriVed at?
Sir G. Cave said.lhat the dispute was provisionally settled .upon, 'the' -understanding that I should be given an op. portunity before 15th January i of considering further representations n favour of an all-round tariff of is. per. mile. On 14th January figures ehowing an increase in the price, of certain commodities were submitted to me on behalf of the proprietors, but these figures are
of such a nature that they require expert examination, which at my request is being conducted by Sir William Pleader, who will advise me as soon as possible whether any further increase of fares is justified.
Emergency Petrol Ration.
A. deputation afrons the Commercial Motor Users Association has been in formed by the Petrol Controller, Sir Evan Jones, Bait., that he will conoede any necessary increase in the monthly ration of petrol for commercial motor .Vehicles and public service vehicles which are equipped to run on gas. The decision of the Petrol Controller will greatly facilitate the extended adoption of gas for traction purposes, wherever suyplies can be obtained without detriment to consumption for necessary domestic and -munition purposes. In the absence of this concession on the part of the Board of Trade, many intending users of gas 'for traction purposes would have been forced to rely upon petrol only, and thereby prevented from effecting essential economy in this imported fuel. Ap'plications for gas permits should be ad,riressed to the Petrol Control , Depart,ment, 19, Berkeley Street, London, W.
Personalia.
Mr. H. C. B. Underdown has been elected a member of the Council of the British Engineers' Association as a representative of the -Association of British Motor and Allied Manufacturers.
In addition to being appointed M.B.E. in recognition of valuable services, Mr. Prank Gr. Woollard has been recently made assistant managing director of E. G. Wrigley and Co., Ltd., Soho, Birmingham. •
Mr. Percy Butler, who for many years carried on the. business of Percy Butler and Co., northern manager for the Motor Union Insurance Co., Ltd., and motor insurance broker, has now been appointed agency manager for the Motor-Union-Insurance Co., Ltd.' head office, 10, St. James's 'Street, London, S.W., for the United Kingdom..
Simms Motor Units, Ltd., have declared a dividend of 25 par "cent. on the paid-up capital, transferred £4000 to reserve account, and have carried forward a balance of £33,757 15s. 6c1. to the next account.
Electrics in Demand.
The Oldham and Bootle Corporations have placed orders With Elektrornobile (Leeds) Ltd., Neville Street, Leeds, for electrics for municipal service. So far as Oldham is concerned, this represents a repeat order for the2-tOn chassis. Bootle. is accjuiring two 3 ton chassisfor use as tipping wagons. The firm has also received an order for two 5-tonners from Messrs Appleby and Sons, the large flour millers of Liverpool, Birmingham, etc.,. for the movement of flour between wharves, Stations, and mills, and also for distribution to the various stores.
U.S.A. Copies U.K.
Freightage difficulties, shortage of labour and dearth, of petrol are compelling American manufacturers to em brace a practice in delivery which has proved successful in this country, viz., the carriage of one vehicle upon the chas:. sis of another. Three Twin Six enclosed passenger cars, loaded on Packard threeton trucks, were despatched overland in this manner from the Packard factory to Baltimore. Another truck carried a passenger car body. A contractor of Washington (D.C.) took delivery of two threetom trucks at the Packard factory. These trucks were driven to the Cadillac Motor Car factory, where. two passenger vehicles were loaded on them.
Long Military Convoy Runs.,
In order to ease the railways, the American Government is emulating the practice, which has proved so eminently satisfactory in this country and Italy, of running military convoys between factory and destination. Owing to the remote situation of Motoropolis from the seaboard, many of these military trains are being called upon to cover long distances. In view of the arctic weather which has been prevailing in the eastern States, these lorries have been called upon to face conditions of the most searching and arduous character. Recently six of these Army lorry trains, each comprising 30 vehicles, set out from the Packard works
at Detroit, a few hours after the first experimental train rolled into Baltimore. As fast as the driver's, cooks, mechanics, and other men of the personnel arrive from army cantonments and training
camps the trains are made up. The first train made an average run of 48 miles a day for 11 days over snow-filled and ice-covered roads. At times they ploughed through drifts 6 ft.' deep. It has been found that army trucks can make bettor time to the' seaboard under their own 'power than they can by rail under present traffic conditions.
Giving Tommy a Lift.
The Earl of Chesterfield and Major C. R. Freemantle, Officer Commanding, urgently appeal to motorists to serve their country by joining the Motor Transport .17olunteers (City 'of London) as drivers, and thus help to enable leave troops to cross safely, swiftly and comfortably between the northern and southern railway stations of the Metropolis during the early, dark hours of the morning when no public -vehicles are available.' Many drivers, both of private cars and commercial vehicles, are needed at once. Motor lorries, petrol, and tuition are provided. Volunteer drivers are required to be on duty only one night each week, and the hours are' roughly, from 11.30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Men willing to "give Tommy a lift " should apply at Headquarters, M.T.V. (City of London), 31, Walbrook, E.C. 4.
"Safety First.'
: At the last meeting of the London " Safety First" Council, the Drivers Educational Committee advised the
Council to give wide publicity to the need for a " Safety " device to be attached to the front of motor vehicles, with the ob ject Of preventing traffic accidents. The Street " Safety " Committee reported that it had considered communications received from the Stepney Metropolitan Borough Council and the Kensington Ratepayers' Association, on the subject of the formation of queues at-busy stopping places for tramcar and omnibus passengers; and it was agreed that, as the present practice of forming queues at certain places has proved advantageous, it is desgable that a scheme for its extension should be formulated, and that the police, local authorities, tramway corporations, and omnibus companies operating in the Greater London areit be so informed.
After six months exhaustive tests with the. model of a device for hand signalling for motor vehicles, the "Safety First" Council has recommended that it should
be adopted. The apparatus is the invention of Mr. A. H. Kelday, and has proved eminently, efficient As a d!rection indicator in London truffle, It possesses the further recommendation of being inexpensive, the estimated cost thereof being 40s.
Lewisham guardians are having their motor ambulances converted to gas. •
An Alternative to Tipping.
A young officer in charge of transport somewhere behind the line on the Western Front, being called upon to shift some loads of material for which a tip wagon would be suitable, thought that the process of tipping could be avoided by means of a travelling plot
form carried on battens in the bottom of the wagon: He got hold of an old roller-blind shop shutter and made the first platform of the• type, with a roller gear at the rear end and a winding winch at the front end. For shifting certain kinds of' material the ideal -proved very practicable, and the military authorities took it up and placed ,an aorder with MeRsrs. Clayton and ShuttleW.orth, Ltd., of Lincoln, for a number of their Clayton five-ton steamers fitted with this unloading 'gear, the patent for which has been. taken out by the inventor, Lieut. Wilkins, the main application being in connection with road constructionand' maintenance.
We are able to give two illustrations of a Clayton steamer fitted with this device. It will be seen that at the forward end of the platforrn there.is fixed a vertical end plate, the complete width of-the vehicle, and rising sufficiently high without fouling the handles of tlie rear flap of the body. The roller platform runs on a number of longitudinal bearers equipped with rollers, so that the, load is amply supported. The platform, rolls up on kgear-driven roller beldw the rear end of thebody, winch handles being provided ateach end Of the roller. A similar winding gear is-placed at the front of the body for drawing the platform forward. Sloping plates cover the edges of the platform so as to prevent any portion of the load working underneath the platform. For nnloading loads of road metal and similar material, the device is excellent,saving a considerable amount of time and corraerving transport. It could also be employed when unloading bags, eases or other loads, the platform being moved rearwards as each ' tier of goods4was removed. In loading the process could be reversed. But, obviously, tho merits of the device for loading and nnlOading goods other than eases, road ballast, etc., would have to be tested before it could be said that -it' was an -economical fitting for handling any givee load.
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Tractors in West Riding.
Fifty-one motor tractors have been allocated to the West Riding, and further tractors will be available almost immediately. Local ploughing officers are being appointed, whose duty will be to obtain contracts for work to be done by tho tradtors, superintend the work of the machine, and generally take charge of the machines working in their district. The Board of Agriculture bas allocated two threshing machines for work in the Riding. At a conference of owners of threshing sets, when 70 people were present, arrangements were made to organize a scheme of work for next Reason's crops.
More German Ploughs.
The growing need for motor ploughs in Germany, brought about by the lack of labour, is proved by the formation' of
a new company, the Ergon Motor and Gas Generator Co., Ltd„ in Magdeburg, having been transformed into the Middle German Motor Plough 0o., Ltd. They are to manufacture and operate on big lines motor ploughs, agricultural machinery, steam,,plooghs, etc.
Carnegie War Bond Award.
The driver of a motor orrini,bus, Mt. Thomas Manton, of Luton-, Essex, was recently given the Carnegie Hero Trust's framed certificate and a £10 war bond for stopping a pair of runaway horses, attached to a van, in Loughton, last summer. He saw the animals coming towards him, and, stopping his bus and jumping down, climbed on the van, and after grappling with various difficulties, managed to pull the horses up. There were many testimonies to the opinion that Manton's action saved several lives.
Loads Wanted.
One of our readers having a lorry running regularly would like to know of any loads that could be taken from Woolwich to Cannon Street, E.C. In the summer a bigger vehicle is used than in the winter. At present a Ford is answering the purpose, and if the owner conld get a return load he would increase the efficiency of the operations.
Letters addressed to the Editor of THE COMKERCIAr, MOTOR Will be forwarded.
The Motor Industry Tabloided.
In the series of "Common Commodities and Industries," publiShed at 2s. by Messrs. Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons., Ltd. the latest volume is Mr. Horace WyAt's treatise on the motor industry. Within the limits imposed by the handy size of the volume has been compressed a very useful and succinct survey entirely up-lo-date of what is, of course, a very vast subject.
Liberty Truck Record ?
We believe the rapid production in the States of the first Liberty truck was not by any means a record in speed. The regular lorry workers tried their hands at new designs and we should not be surprised to bear that they excelled, in designing and producing, the speed record claimed by, the Liberty truck producers.
According to a German paper there are now only 270 taxicabs running in Berlin, and it is anticipated that even these will shortly be withdrawn through lack liT petrol. The taxis, it may be mentioned, are not shad with pneumatic tyres.
Recent Registration's.
Sirron Cars,. Ltd., with a capital of £1000 in is. shares, to take over the business of Simon Cars, Ltd. (in liquidation), and to carry on the business of generat engineers, 'aircraft manufacturers, etc.
Maxfield (Birmingham), Ltd., with a capital of £3000 in £1 shares, to take over the buses of Maxfield and Co., manufacturers and machinists for the munitions, automobile engineering, and allied trades. Registered office is at 175, Clifton Road, Aston, Birmingham.
Alphaero Engines (Foreign Patents), Ltd., with a capital of £10,000 in £1 shares, to adopt an agreement with C. H. T. Alston and P. J. Houston, and to acquire and turn to account certain patents, and inventions, etc. Registered office is at 57, Gracechnrch Street, London, E.Q.
A. E. Roberts and Co., Ltd., with a capital of £5000 in £1 shares, to acquire the, coach and motor body building, repairers and wheelwright departments of the business carried on at Preston by the liquidators of Wm. Harding and Co., Ltd. Power is also taken to carry on the business as motor manufacturers, etc.
Chase Cycle Co., Ltd., with a capital of £50,000 in £1 shares, to take over' the business of cycle manufacturers, factor of. cycle and motox accessories, etc. . carried on by A. W. Le Conteut as tlie " Chase Cycle Co.," at,59, Snow Hill and 25 George Street Parade,. Yrmingham. Registered office is at 59, Snow Hill, Birmingham. '
J. W.. Proctor and Co., Ltd., with a capital of £2000 in 1990 ordinary shares of £1 and 200 deferred shares of is., to adopt. an agreement with J. W,, Proctor, E. Robinson and C. J. Satindera, and. to carry on the business of manufacturers of, and dealers in, agricultural machinery, motor vehicles, etc. Registered office is at Cestro Works, Chester Street, Chesterfield, 'Derby.
Tilton Engines, Ltd., with a capital of £5000 in £1 shares, to acquire from E. Tilston his rights in certain inventions relating to engines, machines and mechanical appliances (including patents' already granted in the U.K., U.S.A., and Italy), and to carry on the business of manufacturers of, and dealers in, engines motor vehicles, mechanical accessories etc. Registered office is at Albior House, 59-61, Oxford Street, London, W.C.
50,000! And Still Running.
Striking mileage. for solid band tyres upon a 3-ton lorry has been brought to our notice. In lorry last Messrs. A Burnett and Sons, of Wapping Wharf, Town Quay, Portsmouth, bought a set of four Henley solid band tyres as a trial for the driving wheels of their Caledon 3-tanner. Despite the neglected condition of our roads these tyres stood up to their work so well that by 15th December last they had covered 50,000 miles. Even then they were not worn out; in fact, the owners concluded that they were good for another one or two thousand miles. So satisfactory have the tyres proved that the experiment appears to have developed into an accepted appliCation, inasmuch as Messrs. Burnett have now fitted Henley solids to all their motor vehicles.
Challiner Tyre's Leeds Office.
For the convenience of their Yorkshire clients, the Shrewsbury S.T. and Challiner Tyre Co., Ltd., have opened their Leeds office at Crown Chambers, Albion Street, .Leeds; telephone number, 5284 Central ; telegraphic address, "
Leeds." Suitable stocks of solid tyres have been arranged for, and the special
arrangements with the firm of Mr. R. Hutchinson; :Wellington Bridge, ensure the-prompt fitting of renewal tyres, with ample accommodation for vehicles. All tcommunications sent to the above address will have immediate attention.
Local Proceedings.
The City Engineer of York is to make inquiries as to obtaining a, steam wagon for the Streets Department.
Carless, Cape! and Leonard have had a tender for motor spirit accepted by the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
Glasgow Corporation is to purchase motor tractor and plough at an estimated cost 'of' £460 for the Farms Department.
Poplar Borough Council discussing the extension of facilities for ,suppaying gas to motor vehicles remarks that provision should be mule in all boroughs where it is required or not at all. A common understanding appears to be imperative to eliminate the risk of vehicles ,becoming stranded through inability to take on fresh charges of fuel.
At the meeting a the Metropolitan Asylums Board tenders were received as follow, for a light tractor engine and three six-ton trailers, for the carrying
of coals and other goods to the Caterham Asylum :—Aveling and Porter, Ltd., £1140 15s. ; Richard Garrett and Sons, Ltd., £1231 10s. : Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Co., Ltd., informal. Subject to a satisfactory priority certificate being obtained from the Ministry of Munitions, the tender of Aveling and Porter, Ltd., was aceepted,
We recently had the opportunity of trying the concentrated metal palish -which is Marketed by the Glasse Manufacturing Co., of 209, City Road, E.C. 1. The polish; which is applied with a little paraffin or petrol acts quickly,