News and Comment.
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The authority, circulation and influence of this journal rest upon facts.
The claims of wood paving are discussed in the leading article of the present issue, and the maintenance costs for a well-known thoroughfare in West London are quoted as showing the advantages, from the borough engineer's point of view, of wood paving over macadamized surfaces.
Boy Scouts by Motor.
The troop of boy scouts for which Mr. J. Archibald Kyle, the Secretary and Chief Scoutmaster of the London headquarters, is responsible, are to be taken to Fleet (Hants) on Saturday next, in an Albion van. We hope to reproduce some photographs taken during the excursion.
G.P.O.
The Post-Office authorities are finding motorvana an extremely-convenient method of transport for telegraph installations, on the occasion of race meetings and other special events in colintry districts. Whilst there is sometimes no positive saving in the cost of transportation, as compared with railway charges, the saving of time is frequently very great indeed.
A Compliment to the C.M.U.A.
We read in the issue of the " Tramway and Railway World " for the 7th July " The appointment of Colonel Crompton as consulting engineer and Mr. Rees Jeffreys as secretary to the Road Board will give complete satisfaetion to all users of industrial motor vehicles, and incidentally is a distinct compliment to the rapidly growing society that so ably looks after their interests, namely the Commercial Motor 'Users Association." Albion Three-tonners.
The new Albion three-tanners are coming through the Scutstoun works in good style, and the demand for this larger model of Albion manufacture promises to be well sustained, a reception which the excellent record of the 16 h.p. types justifies.
I802-1910.
Greenall, Whitley and Co., Ltd., of the Brewery, St. Helen's. purchased its first Leyland wagon in the year 1902. That company, with the increased experience which each succeeding year provides, has found that the working of both its steam and petrol Leyland machines is a. matter of no trouble or difficulty, whilst the performances and running costs are
wholly satisfactory. The oldest machine has been sold to Canning-ton, Shaw and Co., Ltd., glees-bottle manufacturers, of St. Helen's, and is
still giving satisfactory results an the
road. The whole of the GreenallWhitley fleet shows a better current return than has ever been the ease in earlier years.
The Fame of the Fast Foden.
Another note may be added to those. concerning the doings of Foden steam wagons, by the performance which is credited to a fast steamer of this make owned by Messrs. R. Hyde and Co., the bird-food makers of Camberwell. This vehicle, as will be seen from the illustration, is finished as a large van; it takes its load of 31 tons—made up of sand, dog cakes and parrot food— over rounds which reach 70 miles or so a day. Some of its duties call the vehicle out at unseemly hours in the morning; on its ordinary trips, it gets through the S.F. as far as Erith, and into Surrey in the other direction as far as Guildford, etc, When making journeys across London, its rubber tires preclude the possibility of its shortening the lives of any centenarians who may still inhabit Kensington. These small Fodens attract universally-favourable comment, whereever they are seen.
At the Scottish Show.
There were many well-known exhibitors at the annual four days show of the Highland Agricultural Society, which was held last month at Dum
fries. Among the motor exhibits, Fodens, Ltd., of Sandbach, and Alley and MacLellan, Ltd., of Polmadie, Glasgow, were both represented by typical examples of their well-known
steam wagons. Among the exhibitors of tractors were: Charles Burrell and Sons, Ltd., of Thetford; Clayton and Shuttleworth, Ltd., of Lincoln ; Richard Garrett and Sons, Ltd., of Leiston : Ransomes. Sims and Jefferies. Ltd., of fteswich. and Rohey and Co., Ltd., of Lincoln, all of which makers were well represented by standard types of machines. Messrs. Barford and Perkins, of Peterborough, made a very attractive display in the small space reserved for them, and their water-ballast roller attracted a considerable amount. of attention. Mr. A. C. Penman, of the Queensbury Motor Works, Dumfries, was in evidence with the 25 cwt. Albion sheep wagon which was illustrated in our issue of the 14th July. Mr. Penman also staged a nine-seated Albion wagonette of very attractive appearance, and offered at a moderate mice. Many of the better-knowit traction-engine builders were also retiresented, and amongst these was William Foster and Co., Ltd., of Lincoln. A motor lawn-mower occupied a prominent position on the stand of Alexander Shanks and Sons, Ltd., of the Dens Iron Works, Arbroath.
Army Contracting.
Piekford's, Ltd., is "full up " with motor-transport orders for the Territorial Army, and the same may be said of practically every contractor whose plant is suitable for such work. We illustrate a typical use of a " CommerCar " lorry, one of a fleet owned by Commercial Car Hirers, Ltd., of Cambridge Circus, W.C., from a photograph recently taken at Salisbury Plain, during its effective discharge of a seven-week commission.
A Steam Wagon at Large.
An extraordinary mishap occurred, at Tiverton, last month. A steam lorry belonging to Messrs. Starkey, Knight and Ford was started by an unauthorized person, while the driver was engaged away from the machine, and certain damage resulted. The unauthorized man who opened the main steam valve was suitably punished, but the summons against the driver, who explained that he had taken all the ordinary precautions before leaving his seat, was dismissed. The Justices expressed the opinion that some locking contrivance should be applied to the hand lever or hand wheel of the main steam pipe on all steam wagons, a point which reader:: of this journal may care to note.
A Small Holder's Motor.
Mr. F. E. Green, of Newdigate. Surrey, who farms a small holding of 20 acres, and is known as a writer on agricultural subjects, is now running an old Panhard-Levassor, singlecylinder car, for the purpose of mar
keting his fruit. He has found it much-more advantageous commercially than a horse and cart, which he now proposes to sell. The running cost of the car is only Id. a mile, which works out at a cheaper rate than the hiring of a horse and cart; at the same time the car effects a great economy in the working hours on the farm. For many weeks past he has been running it almost daily from Newdigate to Dorking, and round to Reigate and Redhill and back. By taking away the hack to the seat, he was able to place in the body of the car a large case with re movable trays, in which were packed punnets of strawberries. Country wiseacres have now been convinced that their foretellings of failure in the marketing of fruit have proved to be entirely wrong. The green grocers declare that they have never had strawberries brought to them in such good condition. The car is now used for marketing currants, and it shows to what uses even an old-model car of the kind, some of which can he picked up for an odd 20 or so, may be put.
English and American Engineers in the Midlands.
In connection with the joint summer meeting of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a number of visits have been made to various factories, works, etc., throughout the country. During the past week visits have been paid, in Coventry, to Alfred Herbert, Ltd., and the Daimler Motor Co., Ltd., both of which companies entertained their visitors to luncheon, whilst, on the same day, another party were the guests of the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Co., Ltd., at its Adderley Park Works, Birmingham. Some extremely tasteful souvenirs have been specially prepared for the occasion, and one of these, that issued by the Wolseley Co., is particularly attractive.
V ieo Wheels.
Mr. Fred C. Bradbury has been elected a director of 'Vico, Ltd., and he will in future act in the capacity of assistant managing director of that company, with which he has for some time occupied the position of general manager.
Ryknield Motors.
The directors of the Ryknield Motor Co., Ltd., inform us that, owing to heavy losses in connection with a. contract for the supply of motor omnibuses to a syndicate in Brussels, the company is unable to pay the interest which became due on the 30th June in respect of its debentures, but that. in order to safeguard the interests of the creditors, the directors have themselves arranged to acquire all the debentures at par from the present holders, and to pay for same. They have also decided to cancel their personal claims against the company for borrowed money, which claims amount to nearly £10,000. We understand that a receiver is to be appointed to deal with the assets of the company.
New Registrations.
Lukin, Ltd., with an authorized capital of £8,000 in Ll shares, and with its office at Caxton House, Westminster, S.W.. to carry on the business of manufacturers of and dealers in carburetters for internal-vonibustion engines, also manufacturers of mechanically-propelled vehicles.
Lukin (Foreign) Ltd.. with an authorized capital of £12.000 in £1 shares, and with its office at Caxton House, Westminster, S.W., to carry on the business of manufacturers and dealers in carburetters for internalcombustion engines, also manufacturers of mechanically-propelled vehicles, etc.
Mersey Motor Co., Ltd., with an authorized capital of £4,000 in £1 shares, to take over the business of automobile and motor engineers, etc., carried on by J. W. Davies as Kelly, Boumphrey and Co. and the Mersey Motor Co. at 71 and 73, Market Street, and 30 and 32, Conway Street, Birkenhead.
Motor Stethoscopes.
This journal, in its issue of the 27th May, 1909, by means of a two-page illustrated article entitled " Diagnosis by the Stethoscope," directed attention to the value of such an instrument in the location of mechanical or other faults in engines or other parts of motor vehicles. Brown Bros., Ltd., of Great Eastern Street, E.C., is now prepared to supply excellent motor stethoscopes at the reasonable price of Sc. each.
Plantation Rubber.
As we forecasted some Lime ago, and as has been fully borne out in the course of :11r. A. E. Meaden's illustrated article upon the motor services in the Federated Malay States, the growing yield of plantation rubber cannot fail to bring about an increasing demand for motor transport. A case in point is provided by the Linggi Plantations Co., Ltd., a Dennis lorry for which company is illustrated herewith. This is a two-ton vehicle, with a 28 h.p., four-cylinder engine, and attention may be directed to the five boxes in the forefront of the illustration. Six such boxes complete the conveyance; they are built to fit on the floor of the lorry, are watertight,
strongly bound at the corners, and mounted on small wheels according to the latest principle adopted by Messrs. Slingsby, the well-known truck builders. They are used for the transport of crude rubber, and a double set of boxes is kept to facilitate loading ani to economize time.
Fire-Brigade Matters.
At the last meeting of the Ealing Town Council the Fire-Brigade Committee recommended that the Borough Engineer be instructed to obtain tenders for a first-aid motor machine, including accessories, at an estimated cost of £800. The matter was deferred for further consideration.
Grimsby Fire Brigade.
The Fire-Brigade Committee of the Grimsby Town Council has provisionally accepted the tender of Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., at £897 for a new motor fire pump. In addition to the sum named, Merryweather's are to take over an old fire-engine in part payment of the total tender.
Progress by Southgate U.D.C.
At the last meeting of the Southgate trban District Council it was mentioned that a Committee had visited West Ham, where they had inspected a motor fire-engine made at Wood Green. Mr. Willis stated that the engine they saw had favourably impressed his colleagues and himself, and he hoped their own engine would be converted to one of the same pattern.
Old and New at Bromley.
Eight manufacturers have sent in tenders for fire appliances in response to the invitation of the Bromley (Kent) Council, and, at a recent meeting of the Council, it was decided to accept the lowest tender received, viz., that of Merryweather and Sons. Ltd., which company quoted :C848 for a motor fire-engine and £722 for a firstaid car and escape. It is not expected that the station will be ready until after Christmas. The equipment a this station already includes a Merry. weather horsed engine and escape, and an antiquated manual fire pump, which was used in the parish over a century ago.