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WHEELS of INDUSTRY The London Coach-ban Legalized.

Last Wednesday Mr. Justice Avory, Mr. Justice Horridge and Mr. Justice Humphreys, in • the Kings Bench Division of the High Court, discharged the rule nisi for prohibition -granted on January 28th at the instance of the Sk-Ylark Motor Coach Ch., Ltd:, Gunnersbury Lane, London, W.3, calling Upon the Minister of Transport to show cause why he should nOt be prohibited from proceeding with the making of regulations under section 10 of the London Traffic Act, 1924, to control and limit the Use by motor coaches of an inner and an outer area of Central London.

Of the six grounds brought forward for the rule, one was abandoned and the remaining five were ruled out in the judgment, one of the most important findings being that although coaches might be restricted under section 7 of the London Traffic Act, 1924, as "omnibuses," they were also subject to regulations under section 10 for relieving congestion in and near London. The court was satisfied that the Minister had duly taken advice and report from the Advisory Committee.

Paris Show Decision.

It had been considered likely that the French industrial vehicle show would be skipped once again this year, but after numerous meetings and much discussion the organizing committee has at length announced its decision of holding the event. The Salon de Poids Lourd will be open from November 28th to December 6th, constituting, as in former years, a "second series" to the Salon de TAutomobile, which takes place from October 1st to 11th.

India Tyre Report.

The India Tyre and Rubber Co. (Great Britain), Ltd., which was formed in 1927, reports a good increase in profits for its third working period. The profit for the past year amounted to 1259,791, before charging depreciation and income tax, compared with £130,427 for 1929. A sum of £24,224 is provided for the balance of income-tax liability to April 5th next, £16,500 is added to the income-tax reserve, and £50,000 is provided for depreciation. It is also proposed to allocate f65;000 to a general reserve fund which is to be inaugurated.

The dividend on the participating preference shares is raised from 81 per cent. in 1929 to 10 per cent, in the past year, and on the is. deferred shares from 271 per cent. to 574 per cent. The amount to be carried forward is £43,738, as against £39,201 a year earlier.

G.W.R. Road-Rail 'Co-ordination.

At the annual general meeting of the Great Western Railway Co. Lord Churchill, who was in the chair, commented on the progress of the company's endeavours to promote further cooperation between passenger services on the rail and the road. He said that the

320

company had acquired an interest in practically all the principal road-motor companies operating in Great Western territory and, up to the present, the amount invested in these undertakings was approximately £2,250,000, from which a return of about 61 per cent. was being obtained.

He indicated that the policy of coordination, as opposed to competition, had enabled better facilities to be given to the travelling public, particularly in the direction of inter-availability of return tickets.

Early Agricultural Shows.

The early agricultural shows are generally considered to be the more satisfaetory from the point of view of the exhibitor of mechanical appliances. The first batch of these shows will be held in May and intending exhibitors are reminded that the closing date for entries is in March. The Royal Show, which will be held at Warwick this year, will be in July, but the closing

Leyland's Excellent Report for 1930.

The report of Leyland Motors, Ltd., for the year ended September 30th last makes most healthy reading and reveals that the company had a splendid year's trading, in spite of the fact that the net profit was lower than for the previous 12 months. The actual trading profit for the past year was £690,172, interest and other items increasing the amount to £699,008, as compared with £761,030 a year earlier, the net figures being £366,245 and £559,374. The reduction in the net profit is mainly due to a larger amount in respect of income tax (£165,943, as against £100,935) and to

• the provision of £74,592 for full-time directors' additional remuneration, £52,985 of the total being in respect of arrears.

According to the report, interim dividends uponthe 6 per cent. and 71 per cent, cumulative preference shares have absorbed £113,634, leaving a balance of £411,958, after adding the sum of £159,347 brought in from the previous year's accounts to the net profit for the year. The final halfyear's dividends on the 6 per cent, and 74 per cent. cumulative preference shares to December 31st last account for a further 126,447. Out of the balance of £385,511, the general reserve receives an allotment of 1180,000, bringing that fund up to 1300,000, whilst a dividend of 20 per cent., less tax, is to be paid upon the ordinary shares; this will involVe a distribution of £139,500 and leave £66,011 to be carried forward.

In the balance-sheet stock in trade and work in progress is represented by £949,477.

A New London Light-van Dealer.

We are informed by Jack Martin Motors, 144, Camberwell New Road, London. S.E.5, that this firm are entering the distributing market for light commercial vans. Considerable success has been attained in selling light vehicles for pleasure purposes, especially the B.S.A. three-wheeler, with front-wheel drive. This model is now available as a delivery van, being described as such elsewhere in this issue, and it will no doubt provide a useful seller for Jack Martin Motors. Spare parts and service will be available at short notice.

Glasgow Not To Build Bus Bodies.

The proposal advanced by Councillor P. J. Dollen to form a municipal company for making bus bodies at the Glasgow tramway works was recently rejected at a meeting of the transport committee. The general manager, Mr. Mackinnon, expressed the opinion that bus bodies could be built by the department better and cheaper than by private companies. It was Maher stated that unless the department was given the right to build bus bodies, a number of vehicle builders employed in the building of tramcar bodies would be thrown out of employment. • Commer Service in the Midlands.

Fine premises in Great Hampton Street, Birmingham, have recently been opened for the sale and service of Commer commercial vehicles. The workshop, which is 150 ft. in length, has been provided with up-to-date machinery to enable repair work to be undertaken speedily, as well as with comprehensive electrical equipment and power-washing plant. An inspection pit, 20 ft. in length, simplifies the ex. amination and repair of vehicles with long wheelbases. Snare parts for both present and past Commer models are kept in stock. The premises are in the occupation of Commer Sales (Midland), Ltd., which reports good progress with regard to sales in the counties of Warwick, .Worcester, Salop and Stafford.

Tenders Wanted for Carrying Mails. Tenders are invited for the collection and delivery of Post Office mails in the _City of Birmingham. Conditions of contract and details of the working of the services can be obtained from the Postmaster-surveyor, Post Office, Birmingham, and tenders have tNe be delivered by March 24th.

Exclusive Bus Rights.

The watch committee of Tynemouth Corporation has agreed that the Tynemouth and District Electric Traction Co., Ltd., shall in future have the exclusive right M operate buses along the tram route between New Quay, Nortk Shields and Whitley Bay. It is, of course, understood by the company that any undertaking given by the authority would not bind the Area Commissioners.

The New One-class Paris Buses.

Quite recently a new type of bus made its debut on the streets of Paris. Having as its basis the special lowlevel Renault chassis, adopted for Paris bus work, the new type of vehicle has a 26-seater front-entrance body and no conductor is carried, tiakets and fares being looked after by the driver. Two sliding doors for entrance and exit are arranged on the right of the driver's seat, and these are operated by the driver himself, as in the existing single-control Paris trams.

The platform system dear to the hearts of all "continentals," has, after all, been retained, as there is a large space immediately behind the driver.where 12 passengers can be carried

standing. Smoking is allowed in the

eight rear seats, and the usual first-class compartment has been eliminated. The bus is for only one class' and is provided with wooden seats. For the moment an experimental service is being run between Montparnasse Station and the Porte du V eaves. Automatic machines, containing books of tickets. have been arranged at the two terminal points.

Personal Pars.

Mr. F. W. Hinde, joint managing director of the Avon India Rubber Co., Ltd., is now also undertaking the duties of secretary to the company. His dual appointment is consequent upon the recent death of Mr. F. E. Newton, who, for many years, acted as secretary.

Mr. N. V. Clarke and Mr. D. G. 0. Wakebam have been appointed special representatives of the commercial-tyre department of the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co. (Great Britain), Ltd. Position of the Hire-Purchase

The second reading of Miss Ellen Wilkinson's Hire-purchase Bill, which was due on February 20th, did not take plaee on that day, and it may be of interest to readers to know what, in effect, this means. Miss Wilkinson has not the right to re-introduce the Bill in the present session, for it is a private mem ber's Bill. It is possible for her to get the Government to take it up, but, the programme being already congested, and there being indications of opposition amongst members to the spirit of the Bill, this is not thought to be probable this session. In our issue dated February 17th we published details of the terms of the Bill.

LAX. Papers.

At a general meeting of the Institution of Automobile Engineers, to be held at the Royal Society of Arts, John Street, London, W.C.2, on March 3rd, Mr. L. A. Legros, a past-president of the Institution, will read a paper entitled "Standardisation."

Another interesting paper to be read before two of the provincial centres of the Institution is entitled "Pressings for Automobiles." It will be read by Mr. J. E. Arrowsmith, of the Pressed Steel Co., of Great Britain, Ltd., the meetings are in Birmingham on March 9th and in Manchester on March 2:5th.

The Progress of Wallasey's Buses.

Wallasey's municipal-bus section continues to make excellent headway, the estimated net profit for the current year being placed at £14,160, as compared with 112,778 last year and 111,800 in 1928-29. Conversely, this year the trams will, it is stated, show a loss of 13,664, contrasted with profits of £9,114 and £955 respectively in the two previous years.

In four years tho bus receipts have

increased from £27,225 to the current year's figure of £116,655. During the same period the tramway receipts have dropped from £121,391 to £62,599.

Chevrolet Chassis for. 14-seaters.

In our special Passenger Vehicle Issue, dated February 10th, we published a list of chassis for coach or bus work. In the section dealing with types suitable for 9 to 14-seaters there should be added the Chevrolet 30-ewt type ; this is., of course, one of the most popular machines in this category for coach and bus work. It has a sixcylindered engine developing 44 b.h.p., a four-speed gearbox and the wheelbase is 10 ft. 11 ins. ; the chassis price is £175.

Singer's Commercial Range.

The present manufacturing range, so far as commercial vehicles are concerned, of Singer and Co., Ltd., of Coventry, comprises a 5-cwt. van, selling from £130; a 10-cwt. van from £190; a 15-cwt. van from £200 and a 25-cwt. van from 1250, as well as a 2-tonner listed at prices from £395, according to the type of bodywork chosen. Each of the vehicles is a good example of its class.

More Trams to Go?

The town clerk of Warrington is to consult the Minister of Transport and the Traffic Commissioners for the Northwestern Area with regard to abandoning the Wilderspool and Stockton Heath tramways and replacing them by bus services. Steps are to be taken to secute an abandonment order and powers to run buses.

A Front and Rear Signalling Device.

The Aroway Indicator Co., Ltd., of Old Police Buildings, Sefton Grove, Lark Lane, Liverpool, is marketing a set of indicators to signal the driver's intention to continue straight on, turn left, turn right, slow down or to stop. The device consists of a front indicator for signalling to traffic controllers and others, and a rear indicator embodying a stop light. The front indicator is made of moulded black Bakelite and contains a 6-volt or 12-volt festoon lamp. For private Vehicles the reflector is of ambercoloured Celastoid, whilst for ambulances and fire-engines it may be either green or red.

A chromium-plated universal type of -bracket is supplied for fixing the front indicator to the dashboard.

The rear fitment is of black Bakelite and has three 6-volt or 12-volt lamps, one illuminating the left-hand arrow, one the right-hand arrow, and the other lighting up the stop signal. A small steel bracket is incorporated for fixing the device to the vehicle. When the front indicator is turned over to the right or to the left, the rear device simultaneously performs a like movement, whilst the slightest brake-pedal pressure actuates the stop light.

Joint Municipal Bus Working.

Arrangements are now being completed for the joint working of buses by Manchester and Salford Corporations on an extended route, which will complete a circle of eight miles around the two cities. As a preliminary to the development, Manchester Watch Committee has granted licences for a number of double-saloon buses to he used by Salford Corporation.

Welding Competition Result.

Mr. E. Storey, of Dillingham, has been awarded the gold medal, the prize and a certificate as the winner of the Operatives' Prize Competition, 1930, organized by the Institution of Welding Engineers. Silver medals have been awarded to those whose papers were highly commended. At a recent meeting of the Institution Mr. Storey read his paper, which was entitled "Welding Practices and Methods Based on My Own Experience." •

De Dion Chassis on the British Market.

As stated in our issue dated January 13th, Batten and Stewart, Ltd., The Motor House, High Road, East Finchley, London, N.2, has taken over the sole concession for De Dion-Bouton vehicles for this country. The chassis available include type LDA for 2-ton pay-loads, or for use as the basis of passenger vehicles. It has a four-cylindered engine, a four-speed gearbox and sells for £395. Type KL is a 5-ton ner with a four-cylindered engine and two-wheel braking ; it is listed at £765. Servo braking in the case, of these two chassis is an extra.

Model LO, with a four-cylindered engine, is specially designed to carry 3236-seater bodies. Servo braking on all four wheels is standardized and there is a transmission brake. This chassis is priced at £765. Another interesting passenger model is designated LN and will carry 22-26-seater bodies. It has a four-cylindered engine, servo braking on all four wheels, a transmission brake, and is priced at £695.

Details of De Dion chassis were given in our issue for June 10th, 1930.

A Well-designed Trailer Horsebox.

Interest attaches to a type of twowheeled trailer horsebox, produced by J. H. Jennings and Son, Ltd., of Crewe Road, Sandbach, Cheshire, which is light, handy and inexpensive. The trailer, which is illustrated on this page, accommodates two horses and has a ramp at each end. The drawbar is made to fall when the forward ramp is lowered. The axle is cranked, semielliptic springs and 32-in. by 6-in. tyres being fitted, and four adjustable corner legs are provided to steady the trailer while horses are being loaded or unloaded from the body. Healthy Exports of American Tractors.

• During 1929 tractors made up tho largest individual item of the imports of agricultural implements into Cuba from the United States, 241 machines, valued at £72,470, being imported. The track-laying types are by far the most popular. ,As in Cuba, tractors make up the bulk of the implements purchased in Porto Rico, where the track-laying types are also in demand, although wheeled tractors of 14 h.p. and under are vireil received. It is stated that American manufacturers have little to fear from foreign competition, although recent efforts have been made to introduce a German-made oil-engined tractor.

International Aluminium Competition.

Some time ago we announced the promotion of an International Aluminium Competition, with prizes to the value of £800 and having as its object the stimulating of research into new uses for and applications of aluminium. We are reminded that the final date for the sending in of particulars of inventions, etc., is April 1st, 1931. Entries should be tent to the Bureau Internationale de l'Alumipium, 23 his Rue de Balzae, Paris VIII.

Ransomes Enterprie,e.

In connection with the forthcoming British Empire Trade Exhibition, which is being held at Buenos Aires from March 14th to April 27th, Ransomes, Sims and jefferies, Ltd., which, as mentioned in our special detailed forecast of the exhibition, published in our issue dated February 17th, is displaying examples of certain of its products, has published a, folder in Spanish, giving information relating to its single-deck and double -deck trolley-buses, of both four-wheeled and six-wheeled patterns.

Improved Hannum Steering Gears.

Automotive Products Co., of Brock House, Laugh= Street, London' W.1, announces several improvements in connection with its new series of Hannum steering gears. This wellknown gear is of the worm type and incorporates a nut segment, the end of which slides in a trunnion slot in a short lever, the advantage being that an increasingly lower gear ratio and, therefore, extrapower for a given effort are

available as the nut recedes from the central position.

The new series is available in five sizes, the largest of which has a spindle of 2 ins, diameter and is suitable for heavy commercial vehicles. There are two main improvements. These are the employment of Timken tapered roller bearings above and below the worm, in; stead of ball-thrust bearings, and the enclosing of the trunnion fork ends, as shown in an accompanying illustration. The latter modification helps to keep the guide sides absolutely parallel even after repeated subjection to severe stresses.

Another improvement is that a screwloaded ball adjustment is provided to press the nut segment into the required degree of mesh with the worm itself. A greater degree of nut travel is now afforded, the frictional area has been reduced and the whole unit has been strengthened.

Vehicle Registrations in Northern Ireland.

In January 147 goods vehicles were registered for the first time in Northern Ireland. Fifty-eight of these -were in the 1-14-ton category and 51 were in the 11-2-ton classification. In the same month 12 motor hackneys were registered for the first time, all but three of these being buses. Four were 48-56seater vehicles. Facilitating the Mattceuvring of Vehicles.

— A considerable amount of time and trouble may often be saved in manceuvring motor vehicles into a garage or works, if the floor be marked out into sections, indicating the positions to be taken up and the routes to be followed in reaching them. An appliance which will perform this operation is the Guideo-graph, marketed by National Services, Ltd., of Wellowgate, Grimsby.

It is a small, wheeled machine which may easily be pushed along, giving a neat line of equal strength throughout

its length. The amount of material applied is regulated by the operator varying his pace, for it follows that the slower he walks the more marking compound will be used for a line of given length.

The paint passes by gravity from a container carried on the appliance into a spreader ; this consists of two side plates, between which washer-like rollers and a set of sloping metal fingers are transversely extended. The compound flows through a small gap between the rollers and the lower ends of the fingers. The spreader may quickly be dismantled for purposes of cleaning.

The Guide-o-graph may, of tourse, be employed for marking white lines on public roads, for which use it should find a ready. sale with municipal authorities and others.

National Safety Services, Ltd., also supplies the special compound which is 'claimed to dry quickly with a lightreflecting glaze and has certain ingredients which give the material a great tenacity.

• A Distributor's Dinner.

The sixth annual dinner of the works' staff of Oswald Tillotson (1929), Ltd., of Burnley, which acts as a wholesale distributor for A.E.O. products in a number of northern counties, was held a few days ago, when about 150 employees participated. Mr. H. Windsor proposed the health of Mr. Tillotson, Mr. Rhodes, the general manager, replying on behalf of Mr. Tillotson, who was unable to be present. Mr. Rhodes then paid tribute to the wholehearted co-operation of all members of the staff and commented on the success which the company had achieved in the distribution of A.E.C. products.

The Dennis Arrow Normalcontrol Chassis.

We are requested by Dennis Brothers, Ltd., Guildford, to announce that the Arrow normal-control long-wheelbase chassis, which was fully described in our issue dated January 20th, and to which a reference was made in our Buenos Aires Exhibition forecast published on February 17th, is definitely to be mar keted as a 32-passenger chassis. In previous descriptions it has been referred to as a 28-30-seater, and the announcement is an interesting one because there are not many normalcontrol chassis which will accommodate 32-seater bodies.

Haulage Quotations for Municipal Work.

The highways committee of Croydon Corporation recommends acceptance of the following tenders for the hire of tipping vehicles :—The Croydon Motor Transport Co., for 5-ton petrol motors at 45s. per day ; G. Vedast and Co., Ltd., petrol-engined 5-tonners at 47s. 6d. per day ; J. Bennett, Ltd., for steam and petrol 5-tonners at 52s. 6d. per day ; the Croydon Motor Transport Co. for 30-cwt. motors at 37s. per day.

London's Hard-working Ambulances. Statistics prepared by the London County Council in connection with its ambulance service show that last year; at the 14 accident stations where there are 23 ambulances, 43,930 calls were dealt with and the mileage covered was 205,907. At the six general stations where there are 160 ambulances, 200,481 cases were dealt with, the mileage having been 1,412,043.

Holland's Imports Unsteady.

Last year Holland imported 731 complete lorries and vans valued at £110,000, as contrasted with 595 and £117,416 respectively in 1929. Whilst the bulk of the imports consisted of chassis, these declined from 7,265 (f971,916) to 6,479 (£785,416). Belgium is credited with 459 of the complete vehicles, Germany with 139, France 30, the United States 79, Gt. Britain 17 and Italy 5.

The main source of the chassis was Belgium, with 4,909 units, although it is understood that these consisted chiefly of American machines assembled in that country. The United States provided 1,313 chassis, France 111, Germany , 95, Gt. Britain 33, Switzerland S and Italy 4.

Demonstrating the Sixwheeler's Capabilities.

The efficiency of the Morris-Conunercial six-wheeled 2-ton lorry in timber haulage over exceedingly rough Herefordshire country was recently demonstrated by Jas. Fryer, Ltd., a wellknown west-country concern of motor engineers, at Pontrilas, Hereford. In the course of its duties this vehicle

hauled loads of timber weighing nearly 4 tons over sodden fields and ploughed land, up extremely severe gradients and through a river, with an ease which was astonishing. In spite of its heavy load, and the addition of five men, the lorry climbed up the steep bank from the river, where the mud was about a foot deep, without a falter. It was then taken back to the river bed and, with the aid of a winch, pulled out a 4-ton tree trunk. A. few moments before nine trained horses had failed to move this trunk an inch.

The vehicle belongs to Mr. G. Potter, a timber haulier and contractor of Pontrilas, Hereford, whose firm has had 150 years' experience of timber hauling. An accompanying illustration shows the heavily laden vehicle about to negotiate the river.

Free State Imports Increase.

Official returns lately to hand show that during December last 99 commercial motors, valued at £19,285, were imported into the Irish Free State, bringing up the total for the whole of the past year to 1,285 vehicles (1210,632), as contrasted with 1,088 and £186,102 respectively in 1929.

Super Suspension Sales.

We learn that Mr. W. D. Cavendish a director of Super Suspension, Ltd., 20-26, Lonsdale Road, London, N.W.6, who recently took over the sales for commercial vehicles in the United Kingdom, is forming a new sales company to handle the entire sales of the concern from new offices located at 25, Victoria Street, London, S.W.1.