The R.A.C. Trials.
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Across Lancashire Record Attendance formances -Official and Yorkshire—Vindication of the Commercial Motor at Manchester Exhibition—Splendid Hill-climbing PerTables to Close of Fifteenth Stage-Journey Southward Begins The Remaining Trips.
The journey across Lancashire and Yorkshire is now completed, and the competing vehicles and tractors are safely housed at Sheffield, with only seven more stages between them and London. The bulk of the drivers have made their first acquaintance with the bumpy, paved roads of this country's greatest industrial counties, and their respect for manufacturers of steam wagons, whose vehicles are in regular daily use, and shod. only with steel tires, upon these wheel-wrecking roads, has been largely increased. We doubt if more than one-third of the competitors themselves had conceived any proper estimate of the hills and dales of the West Riding, or of their peculiarly abrupt turnings, with their trying repetition of steady pulls for the engine, alternated by fluctuating gradients to test the ease of gearchanging, and succeeded by a corresponding drop into the towns and valleys whereby any braking control is subjected to the severest of practical trial. There is, already, reason for no small measure of satisfaction as to the manner in which upwards of fifty, 1907type vehicles and tractors have retained their positions in the Club's lists, with relatively minor debits against them in respect of road mishaps, mechanical troubles, or depot adjustments, the whole of which records compare more than favourably with any previous competition for motor vehicles. The rigour of the Club's supervision has never been excelled, and these trials stand out pre-eminently in comparison with the wild, helter-skelter tourneys of the Continent. We do not go so far as to say that the organisation is perfect, any more than we find any such claim to exist, but, with a close personal knowledge of the procedure and events of the principal heavy-vehicle trials of the world, beginning with those of the French Club, in the neighbourhood of Versailles, during the month of August, 1897, and not excepting the Liverpool trials of 1898, 1899, and igo r, we are of opinion that, having regard to the volume of work and the duration of the tests, Mr. Orde has greatly enhanced his reputation as an organiser.
There 'have, of course, been a larger number of queries in respect of deductions, and we still consider that the expression of work done in " man hours" will require to be more distinctly conveyed upon the scoring sheets, as soon as it is possible for the recording officials carefully to revise the data in their possession, for it is clearly the intention of the competition that the gross time for any repair, adjustment, or change should not disregard the numbee of men employed upon it. There exist, too, as is inevitable, the marked, personal variations between individual observers, some of whom, with disappointing indifference to repeated instructions, fail to record incidents on the road, which happenings should at least be noted for reference to those in authority. We are satisfied that these incidental consequences of the personal equation will not have a material. effect upon the destination of the awards, but it is none the less temporarily disconcerting for a driver to find a particular action of his treated several different ways, by as many different observers, on succeeding days of the great tour.
With only the last third of the journey to be completed,. we can justly record the fact that the trials have vindicated the commercial-motor vehicle, and that in no academic sense. We are fully alive to the insignificant mileage, in comparison with the requirements of the business user, and: we do not fail to appreciate the proper relation between a. few weeks of service and the greater number of years upon which an intending purchaser desires to base his calculations. of annual expenditure. Our satisfaction is derived from the writer's personal recollections of the corresponding i,000mile trial of 1900, and of the relatively appalling number of breakdowns and disasters which then occurred on the roadside. There were, on that memorable occasion, far less. stringent regulations about repairs and adjustments, and we should venture a ratio of at least 20 to i in an effort to estimate the comparative inferiority of the running behaviour of the private cars which went round England, much as the business vehicles and tractors are doing at the present time,. some seven years ago. It is undeniable, as many readers of this journal will be aware, that the i,000-mile trial of 1900 was the real starting-point in the period of application for touring and other pleasure cars, notwithstanding the unfavourable experiences which we have named. How much more satisfactorily, therefore, are utility vehicles and tractors justified and vindicated on the present occasion, and how much more widespread will be the developments when the full report of the judges is available? We have confidence in our opinion that the great demonstration run will fulfil the main expectations of its supporters, and that the expenditure of the Club, and all the participants, will be recouped. Local Exhibitions.
Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, and Sheffield have to be added to the list of provincial cities whose dust has now been driven • off the. tires of the competing machines. We write dust advisedly, because fine weather has so largely predominated to date, in which respect some of the competitors are grumbling, though others are well satisfied to see hard and dusty roads.
The attendances at these local exhibitions have, taken as a whole, been small, and we are bound to attribute this lack of interest to the absence of local committees, such as were brought into existence at the tgor trials. No official, or body of officials, can be omniscient, and it is impossible to find a substitute for local knowledge, or a genius who can apprehend the special needs of every district. If anything were needed to confirm the soundness of a policy which accepts local help, it is provided in the record of the Manchester Exhibition, where, owing to the activity of Mr. W. E. Rowcliffe, solicitor, of 37, Cross Street, in that city, whose name will be known to our readers in connection with the Atlas Engineering Works, of Levenshulme, there was the first satisfactory gathering of visitors, and it was deemed expedient to keep the exhibition open until to o'clock at night. Mr. Rowcliffe acted as honorary local secretary.
The opening ceremony at the works of Wm. Wood and Sons' Carriage Co., Ltd., was formally carried out by the Lord Mayor, Councillor John Harrop, and the Mayor of Salford, Alderman Frankenburg, was also present. The Lord Mayor, in his speech, gave it as his opinion that the mass of the people at large would gain from the use of commercial-motor transport, and stated that his own firm had found enormous benefit from the adoption of two motor wagons, between Rochdale and Manchester, in preference to the use of horses. Mr. E. R. Calthrop, M.Inst.C.E., in moving a vote of thanks to the Lord Mayor, referred to the three previous trials of the Liver
which had taken place since earlier competitions, whilst Mr. those
H. G.
Burford, in seconding the vote, mentioned the fact that over 70 per cent. of the vehicles were of English manufacture.
Reverting to the Liverpool and Leeds exhibitions, we desire to note that, in the absence of the Lord Mayor of the former city, his deputy, Mr. W. Craigie Williams, J.P., a director of Joseph Owen and Song, Limited, the wellknown timber merchants, paid a visit, in company with the Town Clerk, Mr. E. R. Pickmere, whilst the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Alderman Hepworth, was present for a short time during the afternoon of Monday last, although no speech was made, at Leeds.
Splendid Hill-climbing.
The services of timekeepers have not been requisitioned by the Club, so far, in connection with the performances of the vehicles upon steep ascents, but the judges have divided the duties of observation. We pointed out, in our last issue, that the vehicles and tractors would have many heavy tests imposed upon them after leaving Manchester, and our anticipations that some of the vehicles fitted with internal-combustion engines would prove to be short of due provision for cooling have been ful
Filled. It is not, however, for us to make specific mention of the cases which came under our notice, as others may have been overlooked, and we must leave this point of detail, with many others, for the apportionment of black marks by the judges hereafter.
Anybody who is acquainted with the steep climb up Standedge, between New Delph and Marsden, where the road rises a total height of 600 feet in a distance of three miles, and with that up Sude Hill, between Huddersfield arid Barnsley, where a total rise of 48o feet occurs in the shorter length of 21 miles, will be prepared to gatio the nature of the hill-climbing feats that were accomplished on Friday and Saturday last. Other routes included tasks of a similarly exacting nature. No vehicle or tractor failed to reach its destination, and none had either to withdraw or to have recourse, as was certainly anticipated by some of the
natives, to external assistance. We were interested to learn, in conversation with a local contractor, that the climb over either of these hills is regarded with exceptional disfavour by any owner of horses, and by the team.. sters themselves. Whereas 5-ton loads were merrily carried over the two, without indication or sign of flagging, by the motors, it is a day's work for three horses to take two tons out and home across either, which fact endorses the experience of owners of motor vehicles whose lot is cast in any districts where severe gradients abound. This capacity to surmount exceptional hills regularly is an important quality.
Wooden Treads.
One consideration in connection with the LISC of wooden tires, that of adhesion, was mentioned in the previous section of our report, and we have since
taken frequent opportunities to compare the behaviour of the three tractors in class H. We may point out, for the information of those of our readers who are interested in this matter of wooden treads, that neither wood nor steel can be universally superior to the other. For example, to quote two only of the many comparisons established during the present trials, the wooden treads enabled the Burrell tractor to climb up the stone-paved Westgate, in Wakefield, without the slightest difficulty, but the same machine, when its driving wheels got upon a particularly slimy stretch of granite paving in Leeds, was not proof against slipping.
The question for every buyer is. whether the extra cost of wooden treads is justified by his requirements, and be commercially admissible for them, and we by no means wish to convey the impression that, we recommend wooden treads for all classes of work. They would be superfluous and out of place in many cases, no matter how advantageous in others, yet we are acquainted with wooden treads, as fitted to both lorries and tractors, which have cost less than one penny per mile. This cost, however, may be largely exceeded, if continuous wet weather is encountered, or if other adverse conditions, such as regular travelling over loose macadam, are met.
It is, perhaps, too soon, notwithstanding the measure of success that has attended the adoption of wooden treads by the engineer to the Midland Railway Company, and other users, as well as the present outcome of Messrs. I3urrell's extensive experiments, to expect it to compete against the steel tire on the score of economy, and it will rest with every prospective user to satisfy himself as to whether the added expense of wooden, composite, or rubber treads is more than earned back. Cleanliness.
Some of the competitors are certainly ignoring the fact that one of the points which the judges will take into consideration, in connection with the awards, is the cleanly condition in which any vehicle is maintained during the trials. The majority of the entrants are open to no reproach on this score, because the only vehicle which was obviously neglected by its driver, the Turgan in Class E, had no companion vehicle in this respect. It is, however, a question of degree, and some of the machines will require a considerable smartening up, to say nothing of the tightening of nuts which have worked a little slack, if they are to impress the eye of the arbiters at the end of the trials, and to stand any chance of gaining the special prize of the Commercial Motor Users' Association under this head. ,
Nuisance.
We surmise that the judges, under the head of nuisance, will chiefly concern themselves with noise, visible vapour, smell, and other discharges, but they will MA -have Much cause for adverse marking. The so-called pleasure ear of eight years ago was indeed noisy, but the running of the pleasure car of to-day So nearly ,approaches to noiselessness that a considerable percentage Of street acadents are directly attributable to the absence of that audible warning which, apart from any deliberate hooting or other signal from the driver, was not inappropriately associated in the public mind with any motorcar of that date. There have been, we are glad to say, corresponding improvements in the ck...n,trur
tion of commercial motors, and the trials, which afford so many opportunities for observation of a large number of vehicles travelling in comparatively close order, at least in the vicinity of the storage depots, have demonstrated nothing more thoroughly than the fact that the rubber-tired, busi ness vehicle may scion become as quiet as its more completely standardised prototype, the touring motorcar. Even the steam vehicles and tractors, when the blast is in operation, appear to be shooting out less dust from their funnels than one has known in past years, and nobody can fail to be impressed by the absence of smoky exhaust from the petrol vehicles. Some of the makers may be endeavouring to economise lubricating oil, although we can hardly credit them with such a short-sighted policy, but it is certain that no just cause for complaint exists on the score of external nuisance.
The only approach to nuisance on the road, to which we would refer here, is the dust-raising capacity of some of the vehicles when travelling at speed on the level, but this charge cannot be laid to the door of any one constructional feature, although the judges will probably do well to enforce the wellknown views of the Royal Automobile Club as regards general freedom and clearance beneath the chassis.
A Disqualification.
The misfortune of disqualification has been visited upon Sidney Straker and Squire, Limited, in respect of its van No. B8. We reported, last week, that a portion of the steering-gear had fractured at Winsford, on the 21st ultimo, and this mishap has unexpectedly de
termined the vehicle's fate so far as the present trials go. It is particularly hard upon the manufacturers, that the incident occurred on a Saturday afternoon, and that it was impossible to get a new part to Winsford until early on the following Tuesday morning. The repair, after some few hours of fitting, was effected by about 9 o'clock on Tuesday morning, the 24th ultimo; the van at once completed the journey to Manchester, and thence, with only a brief halt, to Liverpool and back, in good style, and under official observation, shortly before 6 o'clock on the Wednesday, arriving at the Manchester depot practically in company with other vehicles which had performed that day's stage. It was under Club observation to this point, but, after the judges had considered the delay, it was intimated that they had decided upon disqualification.
There were, no doubt, good reasons for this decision, but it must have been a grievous disappointment to all who had worked so hard to pick up lost ground with the vehicle. The machine was admittedly further behind than any of the other vehicles which had previously suffered considerable delays on the road, without incurring the penalty of disqualification, but the former of these had better fortune, in that their troubles, although of at least an equally serious character, did not occur on a Saturday afternoon. The other Straker-Squire, one-ton van, which is carrying a load of paper for this journal, remains in the running.
Fuel.
We were careful to point out, in our last issue (pages 72 and 77), that the fuel figures then published were drawings, and not consumptions. We are sorry that the inaccurate and ill-advised statements of some papers, who used the word consumption in connection with these drawings of fuel, have caused the Club to decide that no further details will be given under this heading until after the completion of the trials. It is a pity, in any event, that the tanks were neither properly filled nor calibrated before the departure frotn Chiswick.
Repairs.
"We have no space to deal with trivial accidents or adjustments, beyond the figures which are contained in the Club's official table. The uniformly good running records stand out as the principal characteristic of the trials, and these have not been diminished to an appreciable extent by the severity of the strains which have been imposed, during the last week, in consequence of the greater speeds which are now maintained, by reason of the later starts each morning. Some of the vehicles with internal-combustion engines have not drawn any water since they left London.
E39 and E54 were both delayed, on Saturday, with the linings of big-end brasses melted out, and the former vehicle had to fit a new differential countershaft before its arrival at Leeds on Monday night. E35 came into the Leeds depot, on Saturday, with only one motor and driving wheel in action, one of the binding wires having broken away from the other armature, which allowed the winding to fly out and catch against the pole pieces, thus causing short circuits.
Leeds to Sheffield.
Eldon Street, Barnsley, again tested the adhesion of the
tractors severely, as the surface was very greasy. The judges conducted brake tests, on Station Hill, Chapeltown, near Sheffield, but the organisation seemed slightly at fault. The Dennis five-tonner, Thornycroft's three-tonner, and the Armstrong-Whitworth three-tormer appeared to give the best results, whilst all the tractors and steam wagons pulled up admirably, except Fst, which skidded over a distance of some 6o yards through the locking of a driving wheel. One of the observers nominated by the Ryknield Motor Co., Ltd., a Mr. Booth, who was on D25, in leaning over to secure the tarpaulin, unfortunately fell out, and a driving wheel passed over his right arm, which was badly burst and broken : he now lies in Barnsley Hospital, and is in great pain. The skidding incident was most exciting.
The thick mist of Monday night had rendered the streets very treacherous, and both the steel-tired tractors came in rather late on Tuesday. Rain was falling heavily, at ten o'clock on Tuesday night.
Southwards.
The cavalcade is now heading for London, and the trials will be over, so far as the road tests are concerned, almost before their termination is realised. The remaining stages lie along better roads and more level country, so that, according to present indications, there will be a big task for the judges when Dalston is reached, and one which will call for an enormous amount of close examination after the
vehicles are opened up for inspection. Nottingham promises to be the biggest centre of interest that remains to be visited,. as there is only a one-night rest at Leicester.