WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
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"The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as it carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
Conduct of Bus Drivers.
Lord Ashfield writes us :—" In a newspaper report of May 23rd, dealing with a case of a driver of the London General Omnibus Co., who was summoned for dangerous driving, in that he was alleged to have cut in upon a rival omnibus, I notice that the presiding magistrate said that, ' It was impossible to believe that a great company like the London General Omnibus Co. would instruct their drivers to obstruct .their rivals.' I thank isini for his good and sound opinion and that it was necessary to express it! suggests a doubt as to whether such opinion is generally held. X should, therefore, like to assure all kvhom it may concern that it is entirely nccurate.
The drivers of the ' General " omnibuses are discharging their duties admirably, under considerable provocation, and in difficult circumstances; they are restrained by a discipline and experience of traffic extending over many years, and if by chance or accident they affori the least ground for suspicion, far more is sometimes attributed to their conduct than is deserved.
"The company and their employees are meeting, and intend meeting, competition in a fair and legitimate manner. They are not interested in obstructing their rivals. They intend operating the bus services in an orderly and systematic Way, as part of a well-considered and complete scheme of transport for Greater London.
"It is because I am desirous that this fact should be made perfectly clear that I am prompted to ask you to give publicity to this letter."
Leeds' Experience with Trolley-buses. . The tramways department of the Leeds Corporation first introduced railless vehicles into the city in 1911, and the total expenditure involved in connection with the system was £28.674. There are 12 vehicles in regular passenger service.
During the period underreview thetraffic expenses in connection with the
operation of the rail-less vehicles amounted to £5,239, of which sum £4,080 was absorbed by wages of drivers and conductors. Rates, taxes, insurances, and other items, which figure in general expenses, account for a further £1,271, and general repairs (including tyre re
placements) amount to £5,607, whilst power expenses are recorded at £12,961.
The income from the services was £13,847, an average of 12.718d. per carmile. The gross profit on the services which has been carried down was £925.
A Drummond Concrete Mixer.
An extremely interesting development on the part of Drummond Bros., Ltd., the well-known engineers, is the design and construction of a concrete mixer known as the Willing Worker. It is supplied as a complete unit with a 3 b.h.p. paraffin engine providing the
power, and as a separate chine suit able f te or driving from other sources of
power. The mixer takes one-seventh of a cubic yard per charge, and the driving gears (a bevel pinion and crown wheel). are encased in proper covers, which also surround the bearings, these two vital points, therefore. being fully protected.
The price of the mixer with paraffin engine, trolley, and driving arrangements is £100.
National Benzole Tested.
The Royal Automobile Club has re cently carried out a fuel test of
National Benzole mixture under its open competition rules. The object of the
trial was to demonstrate the performance of the fuel in a road test of 25,003 miles,-and for the purpose a 19.6 h-p. Crossley (1922) open touring car, having a four-cylinder engine of 4 ins, bore and 5,3ins, stroke, was used. Although the fuel was under test for 25,035 Miles, the consumption figures were taken, for the convenience of the test, for 24,980.25 miles. The total consumption of fuel forthis distance was 960.887 gallons, equivalent to 25.997 miles per gallon, or 46.43 ton-miles per gallon.
During the trial no alterations or adjustments were made to the carburetter. The trial certainly endorses the claims which the National Benzole Co., Ltd., make for their National Benzole mixture.
. A Complete Municipal Directory.
One of tlie; most comprehensive books dealing with municipal activity in all its phases is the " Empire-Municipal Directory and Year Book," which is published by "Municipal Engineering and the Sanitary Record" (Sanitary Publishing Co., 'Ltd.), 8, Bream's Buildings, London, E.C.
The 1923-1924 edition of this valuable publication has recently been issued, and it contains complete and authoritative lists of all the corporations, county, urban, and rural district councils in Great Britain, the Colonies, and Overseas Dominions, with their populations, municipal undertakings, names of their district officials, etc.
The compendium of information relative to municipal engineering and public health work and progress is most complete. The boas is the recognized work for official reference, and is M its 41st year of publication. Its price is 10s. 6d. net.
Yellow Cabs for England.
The Yellow Cab Manufacturing Co., of England, Ltds, have now been registered, and in the autumn will place upon the London streets a service of cabs which, it is expected, will rival some of the services established by the parent compa;ny in America and operating in various towns in the Lnited States.
• Mr. E. H. Lancaster has been appointed consulting engineer to the English company, and th0 registered offices ofthat company are at the same address as his, viz., Devon House, 173'175, Great Portland Street, London, W. 1.
. Their New Positions.
We are asked to announce that Mr. .• W. H. Allen, late London sales manager. a Commercial Cars, Ltd. (aposi
• tion which he held for five years), has recently taken over the London sales of Scammell Lorries, Ltd.
Mr. Leslie W. Whitmore, 'formerly publicity manager to Commercial Cars, Ltd., has accepted a similar position with the Vulcan Motor and Engineering Co. (1906), Ltd., Crossens, .Southport.
June 5, 1923.
• Long-lived Thornycrofts.
It will be retnembered that some weeks ago we reproduced a number of illustrations of vehicles with long mileage records and a considerable number Of years of service te their credit.. John I. Thorn'ycroft and Co., Ltd., remind us, that the palm for the longest service appeared to belong to the steam wagon of their manufacture originally supplied to the Westminster City Council, but the company now inform us that a few days ago they received news of three steam wagons Which were supplied to the Midland Railway Northern Counties Committee of Belfast in heft, which are still running, and that, moreover, the County Borough of Bonniemouth has only recently "pensioned off" its Thernycroft steam wagon No. 115, which was also produced in the company's works so far back as 'mil.
This vehicle was originally supplied tolthe War Office, which had it in service for several years before disposing of it to the Bournemouth Council, and, in view of its interesting history, the company have now purchased it for preservation in the museum of Thornycroft productions at the Basingstoke works.
The Highley Bridge Controversy.
Controversy rages high over the question of the construction of a bridge across the Severn at Highley, in order to provide better facilities between the counties of Worcestershire and Shropshire. If such a bridge could be built it would prove a boon to all kinds of
motor traffic. There is an important stretch of well-populated country that could be linked up to Kidderminster by bus if only there were a convenient bridge across the "Severn. At present several Villages are quite isolated.
At a recent meeting of the Kidderminster Town Council the question was further discussed with a view to open ing up the district, and it was decided again to approach the Worcestershine County Council further to consider the project.' The Ministry of Transport. had offered to find, £10,000 of the £20,000 required to defray the cost of the bridge.
Water for Steam Wagons.
Bridlington Water Committee has decided to charge £5 a year in respect of each corporation steam wagon for the use of water, and to arrange for water to be obtained from the standpipes ,provided for street-watering purposes.
Locomotive. Sparks.
Recently the .. Hampshire County Council expressed the opinion that a bylaw should be passed compelling. owners of locomotives used on the highway to provide a chimney with a grid or other appliance to prevent the emission of sparks. A committee is now inquiring into the matter.
A Guy Fire-engine.
Guy Motors, Ltd., inform us that a fire-engine of their manufacture fitted with a Morris pump for the Nuneaton Corporation was recently on exhibition at Messrs. Torn Uarners's premises, Deansgate, the Manchester agents of the company. The pump has a 200-gallon capacity, and is fitted on a 25-cwt. chassis.
Furniture Removers' Interests.
Mr. Robert J. Armstrong, manager of the furniture, warehouse, and removal department of J. Walsh, Ltd., was a few days ago elected the senior vicepresident of the Furniture, Warehousemen, and Removers' Association, Ltd., a national organization which looks after the interests of employers in the furniture removal business. Mr. Armstrong is a member of the council of the Commercial Motor Users Association.
Home-produced Fuel:
Fleet owners who contemplate running on Disco!, the home-produced motor fuel with an alcohol base, which sells at. a price lower than that of No. 3 grade petrol, will be interested td know that the Distillers' Co., Ltd., of Hammersmith, the producers of Disco], -undertake to carry out any necessary alterations to the carburetter for the cost price of• the fittings. • They are prepared in every way to assist owners to' obtain best results from this fuel, which, it is claimed, gives lower running costs than are obtainable on petrol.
Another Leyland for Macclesfield.
So satisfactory have been the two 2-ton Leyland lorries which. the cleansing committee of -the Macclesfield Corporation installed just over a year ago on the work of household refuse collec.' tion in-place of the horses previously employed that another lorry of the same make has been purchased. Five local tenders were obtained, and that of Messrs. Corbishley and Sons, Jordangate, Macclesfield, was accepted for the sum of £824. The lorry is fitted with Bromilow and Edwards's three-way Upping gear and a steel-lined body.
Cycle Rear Lights.
Recently the Hampshire County Council passed a resolution urging that persons using bicycles or tricycles after dark should be required to carry a red reflector or lamp showing a red light to the rear.
Now the council's general purposes committee reports that it has received letters from the Cyclists' Touring Club setting forth reasons why cyclists do not consider rear lamps necessary. The committee has considered these reasons, but it. is of opinion that they are not substantial, and it. sees no cause for varying the resolution.
Edinburgh's Motor Parade.
At the conclusion of the Royal Infirmary .Pageant in Edinburgh a. week or so ago, the following awards were made by the Scottish Commercial Motor Users Association in connection with the special parade of motor vehicles, which was held concurrently i- Class I (vehicles under 30 cwt.;.1, Messrs. Robert 1VI'Dowell and Sons, Albion, 41. years old, driver, J. Byers, 25; 2, Thos. Howden, Ltd., Talbot, 4 years old, driver, Alex: Feigns, 23; 3, Maovitties Guest and Co., Ltd., All.days and Onions, 9i years old, driver, Johnson Watson, 21.
Class H (heavy lorries).--1, J. and J. .Tod cud Sons, Ltd., Thornycroft, 4 years old, driver, Jas. Rankine, 25; 2; Redpath, Brown and Co., Ltd., Foden, 7 years old, driver, Adam Bruce, 23; 3, Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society, Leyland, 1 year old, driver, John Ritchie.
''Advertising Section.-1, J. i'vPICinnell, tobacco manufacturer ; 2, Buttercup Dairy Co. ; .3, Jas. Waldie and Sons, Ltd.
An illustration taken on the occasion of the parade is reproduced on this page.
Thornycroft's New Gully Emptier.
. John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., have just produced a one-man-operated Thornycroft J-type gully emptier, equipped with a 750-gallon main tank and two fresh-water tanks, each with a capaoity of 200 gallons, the latter being available for sealing the gullies after they have been emptied into the main tank. The connecting of the flexible hose and stand-pipe is greatly facilitated by the employment of . a counterpoise.
We hope to deal more fully with this machine in a later issue.
Comprehensive Motor Coach Insurance.
The Lancashire and Cheshire Insurance Corporation Ltd., 57, Old Broad Street, London, E.C. 2, have formed a most attractive scheme of insurance for motor coaches. So far as this policy is concerned, for the purpose of rates, every county in the British Isles is classified under a, b,
c22 or c headings, and a map which is printed on the proposal form shows the rate quite clearly.
The policy covers accidental ..datnage (including tyres, lamps, and accessories), third-party (up to 210,000 for any one accident) injury to passengerss(up to 25,000), fire, theft; and, wetof police court and inquest proceedings. F,'xtra benefits under this policy for workmen's compensation in respect of paid drivers and conductors can be covered for 20s. each. The passenger risk can also be increased to 210,000 for any one accident at an additional premium of is. per seat, or to an unlimited amount for an additional premium of 5s. per seat.
The company's rates for all classes of motor risks offer complete cover, and are both moderate and attractive.
Official Traffic Signals.
There has just been issued, for use by the police and the drivers of vehicles, a set of traffic signals which has the approval of the Home Office and the Scot
tish Office. There is a set of five signals to be made by the police in directing the movement of traffic, and a set of five signals to be made by drivers of motor vehicles to indicate their intentions.
We will deal more fully with this matter in our next, issue, but we may say that the motoring organizations strongly object to the use of signal number three for motorists indicating that they are going to turn to the left, because of the possibility of confusion with the signal indicating intention to turn to the right.
The Rotherham Parade.
We regret that, through confusion with another parade, we announced in our last issue that the first annual parade of the North Eastern Division (Sheffield and Rotherham area) of the C.M.U.A. had already taken place. As a matter of fact, this parade is being held next Saturday, June 9th, at the Fair Ground, Monk Street, Sheffield. A considerable number of entries has been obtained for the event.
Scammell Lorries, Ltd., have recently opened new offices at 415-416, Ulster Chambers, 168, Regent Street, W. ..
Local Proceedings.
• Bridlington Corporation has purchased a Clayton steam wagon at a cost of 2800.
.Wolverhainpton Corporation has decided topurchase three Ford vehicles.
The Hull Cotparation is 'purchasing a five-ton three-way Super Sentinel tipping wagon.
St. Albans City Council has authorized the . purchase of an electric vehicle for refuse collection.
Mahlethorpe Urban District Council has been urged to provide modern fire. brigade equipment.
Hampstead Borough Council prop.s the purchase of a 4-ton lorry, a 2-ton lorry, and a 1-km lorry.
Willesden Urban Council's Works Committee is considering the question of the purchase of a motor lorry.
Greenock Corporation is considering the advisability of establishing a new fire-station with modern appliances.
The Council of Takapuna, New Zealand, is considering the question of introducing modern fire-fighting appliances.
Willesden Urban District Council has asked the medical officer of health to report as to the need for a new motor ambulance.
East Barnet Valley Urban District Council has appointed a sub-committee to consider the desirability of pnrchasing a motor lorry.
The District Council of Sturrninster has just placed an order with the Tower Carriers, Ltd., of 13, Earl Street, London S.W. 1, for a 4-ton J-type Thornycroft ohassis for fire-brigade purposes.
The Lytham St. Anne's Borough Tramways authorities have just placed an order for a fleet of 25-seater Guy buses. These will be fitted with a luxurious type of bodywork, giving the maximum of comfort to passengers.
More Motor Ships.
The motor ship industry continues steadily to grow. Larger vessels, driven by internal-combustion engines of remarkable power, are being built, and numbers of vessels hitherto propelled by steam power are being converted to oilengined (-Taft. The reason is not far to seek. It lies in the supreme reliability of the motor ship, as an article based upon a. record of nine years' service, appearing in the June number of The Motor Ship, makes plain.
In addition to this highly informative contribution, this issue of The Motor Ship, contains interesting and fully illustrated particulars of the 11,C00-ton motor ship "Dalgoma," and also the following articles :—" American Conser SiG11 from Geared Turbines to Oil E-n ines," "A New 500 h.p. Semi-Dose] Engine," "The Exhaust Temperatures of Diesel Engines," "The Maintenance of Motor Ship Machinery," and "Single. screw Plant for Motor Vessels."
This Issue and the Next.
Owing to great pressure on our space and a desire that this special issue shall not be too bulky, we are holding over a number of our regular features, including "Aids to Solving Ford Problems," "Hints for Hauliers," "Opinions from Others," Hints on Maintenance," and the page devoted to drivers' contributions. These will appear in our next issue, together with further articles of interest to municipal officials.