Opinions from Others.
Page 33
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The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be on one side of the paper only, and type•written by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted. In the case of experiences, names of towns or localities may be withheld.
No Time for Repairs.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1575] Sir,—Your short editorial on the above subject is a timely warning to many owners who are forcing the pace without regard to consequences. I have come across numbers of motorvans with all the screw-down lubricators hard home and empty, and with the engine and " unclerworks " in a filthy condition, and bearing other evidences of excessive use. It cannot be, in every case, that rnotorvans pay well enough to recoup the owner for his failure to arrange that his driver can spend time upon adjustments and repairs.Yours faithfully, R. J. WILLIAMS.
Tramlines and Tire Wear.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1576] Sir,—I was very much interested in reading Capt. W. Bagnall-Wild's letter on above subject. It appeals to me particularly, although it reminds one of the veteran who "fought his battles o'er again" while recounting his exploits to his grandchildren, for Colonel (then Lieutenant) Crompton and myself had almost precisely the same effects to contend with in the wear of the solid tires on the Thomson engines, or " Road Steamers" as they were then called, of the Indian Government Steam (Road) Trains in the "
seventies" of last century. The similarity of experience is somewhat remarkable and seems like a case of history repeating itself.
I enclose a sketch, drawn from memory, showing, approximately, the shape which all the driving tires assumed by the time they were nearly worn out. The wear, of course, was gradual, but regular, and always finished up with the same contour. [Reproduced.— ED.] I have the original dimensioned drawings somewhere in my possession, and could produce them, if necessary, but owing to the lapse of time which has occurred, cannot get at them at the moment.
My memory is, however, perfectly clear on the subject, and I think the sketch is sufficiently accurate for the purpose I have in writing, which is to say that—although I am no lover of tramlines—the peculiar shape produced by the wear could not have been due to their presence in our case, for the simple reason that there were none on the road on which these engines ran, viz., the Grand Trunk Road of India. The strange thing is that whereas Capt. Bagnall-Wild describes one hump, ours always had two, but they were much wider, of course, and taking the pair of narrower tires on each of his hind wheels together as a whole, the resemblance is very striking, being practically identical. As will be seen our tires were 143 in. wide by 02 in. thick, the diameter of the driving wheels being 78 in. overall, outside the rubber.
I have not had the pleasure of seeing Col. Crompton for some time, but am pleased to see that Captain Bagnall-Wild has sent a section of his tires to him and shall be glad to learn if his more recent. experiences have thrown any light on the real cause of the peculiar shape assumed, which then unsolved problem was the subject of many a discussion between us (Col. Crompton and myself) in those early days of the use of rubber tires. In connection with this I well remember the Colonel used frequently to remark that " one never knew what rubber would do, but there was one thing quite certain, and that was, that. if you made up your mind that it would do one particular thing, it was sure to do the opposite."
. This important matter might well receive the attention of the Road Board.—Yours faithfully,
Gravesend. RICHD. MUIRHEAD,
Is there Persecution?
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1577] Sir, In reply to " Annoyed's " letter [1571] in your issue of 2.0th June, the admission that lie is a user of heavy motor vehicles in addition to light motorcars is somewhat of a revelation in view of his expressions of opinion. Surely, if, as he contends, heavy motor wagons do such a very large amount of damage to the roads and are responsible for so rapid an increase in the rate for upkeep, it is obviously his duty, with regard to consistency, to discontinue their use.
That the harm is done by heavy motors, I am not prepared to admit. Roads are wearing out more quickly for the simple reason that they are more in use and are not built as well as formerly. The statement, that the increase in the rate for road-upkeep from 50 per cent. to 100 per cent, is due to heavy motor vehicles is indeed surprising from one who admits the study of their usage. Wages and materials have increased considerably during the past few years, and without motor traffic of any description the cost of road-upkeep would still be higher. A properly-built road will stand well enough the rolling action of motor wagons, but it will not stand, unless specially prepared, the suction of light motorcar tires. The holes which these latter cause in the surface allow the water to get in, and this, of course, soon plays havoc with the foundations. "Annoyed" assumes that all users overload and overdrive their machines. This may, of course, be his own experience, but it certainly is not that of the large majority. Some time ago interesting statistics were published in your valuable paper from users who gave their experiences as to cost. I would refer " Annoyed " to these and suggest that such figures could not have been achieved by machines being habitually overdriven and overloaded.
With regard to the weights, the small number of prosecutions on the score of overloading, compared with the number' of machines on the road, is the best evidence on tins point, and the majority of the prosecutions is due to bad and not overloading.
Has " Annoyed" followed the useful work performed recently in London during the strike which is not yet settled? The general public will not object to paying their proportion of an increased road rate, rightly or wrongly attributed to heavy motor wagons, when by their use the price of ordinary commodities is kept from bounding up.-Yours
Chequ erbent, "FAIR PLAY."