NEWS of the WEEK
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"The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport, at whatever paints arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the reads over which it runs.'—fohn Beattie Crozier.
EDWARD BOX WINS M.R.S. " TRANSFER " CASE.
Edward Box and Co., Ltd., Lightbody Street, Liverpool, has succeeded in its application for the transfer of A licences for 36 vehicles and 35 trailers, held by the receiver and manager of M.R.S. (Liverpool), Ltd.
The transfer was opposed by the main-line railways, Coastwise Shipping Transport Committee, Norman E. Box and Co., Ltd., and other road operators. It is stated that the company will complete .negotiations with the receiver at once and commence trading operations immediately negotiations are concluded.
40 Objections to G.W.R. Renewals.
Application by the G.W. Railway Co. for a renewal of its A licence with modification was made to Mr. A. F. Nicholson, Western Licensing Authority, last Friday. Mr. E. Gilbert Woodward appeared. for the applicant, and Mr. T. D. Corpe for 40 road objectors from Wilts., Somerset, Glos., Devon and Cornwall.
The application was for about 600 vehicles and 125 trailers. The railway company had 30 officials present.
In cross-examination it was found that the railway company was hauling hot tarmac by road, and Mr. Corpe pointed out that he would be calling evidence to prove that this was road operators' traffic. If the G.W.R. left this class of work alone it would not require additional vehicles at that par ticular base. After the hearing had occupied all day, it was adjourned.
The Unilever Maintenance Schedule.
So many requests have been received for copies of the standardized schedule for the maintenance of commercial vehicles which has been devised by Unilever, Ltd., Farringdon House, 77-79, Farringdon Road, London, E.C.1, thot the first edition has been
exhausted. The second edition will soon be available at 3s. 6d. per copy. Applications should be sent to Mr. John Walton, Chief Engineer, Mechanical Transport.
The schedule has now been in operac2
tion throughout the Unilever organization for some 12 months, and there has been no need to modify it in any way.
Move to Stop Short Measure.
The County Councils Association has asked the Board of Trade to consider making, whenever an appropriate legislative opportunity occurs, provision for dealing with the problem of short measure in petrol.
Association Dinner in Midlands.
The annual dinner of the West Midland area of the Commercial Motor Users Association will take place on March 20, at the Grand Hotel, Birmingham. The Lord Mayor and other well-known citizens will attend.
Death of M. H. Saurer.
We regret to announce the death, in Austria, of M. Hippolyte Saurer, managing director of the great Swiss Saurer concern, with its various subsidiaries in other countries. M. Saurer, who has died at the early age of 58, was the son of M. Adolphe Saurer, who founded the Saurer company at Arbon.
M. H. Saurer had directed the organization for more than 20 years and was the author of many useful inventions. For some time past be had been active in furthering Saurer oilengine interests in the United States.
Shelvoke and Drewry, Ltd., has asked us to point out that Mr. J. S. Drewry, M.I.A.E., was not the founder of the company. This was incorporated in 1922 to acquire the business of the private company of which Mr. J. S. Drewry was a partner.
FURNITURE WAREHOUSEMEN'S CONFERENCE PROGRAMME.
The programme of the 1936 Autumnal Conference of the National Association of Furniture Warehousemen and Removers, to be held at Hotel Victoria, London, W.C.2, will be as follows:— November 12: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., general meeting; paper by Mr. C. H. Batty, "The Best Means of Securing General Adherence to Minimum .Prices Adopted by Centres "; paper by Mr. C. A. Ball, "The Marshalling and Presentation of Evidence in Making Application for Renewal of Licences and Meeting Objections Thereto."
November 13: 10.30 a.m. to 1 p.m., report of terms of draft memorandum prepared by the trade's joint industrial council, with a view to submission to the Government Committee on the Regulation of Wages and Conditions of Service in the Road Motor Transport Industry (Goods); paper by Mr. J. L. Gerson, "Wages and Conditions of Employment of Workers Other Than Drivers and Statutory Attendants."
The reception by the President will he held at 6.30 p.m. on November 12, followed by the dinner at 7 p.m.
A Protest on Waiting Restrictions.
The British Road Federation has sent a strong letter of protest to the Minister of Transport on the proposed London Traffic Regulations restricting the time for waiting, loading and unloading, and because of the hardships which will result to trading interests, urges that the Minister should hold a public inquiry in order that the matter may be further investigated before the proposed Regulations become law. LIi7ERPOOL OPERATORS RESIST REGULATIONS.
Consideration has been given by the road transport section of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, of which Mr. H. B. Stockdale is chairman, to the draft of . the consolidated Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regu lations, 1936.
The section is of opinion that the suggestion to amend Regulation 22 to provide that, in the case of locomotives, other than land locomotives, the overall width shall not exceed 7 ft. 6 ins., is a retrograde step.
The Minister of Transport suggested the amendment of Regulation 66 on the subject of vehicle maintenance and load distribution. The road transpcirt section holds that the existing regulations are adequate.
Another suggestion is that all vehicles subject to a speed limit of 20 m.p.h. should carry at the rear a black disc bearing the number " 20" in white. The committee considers that, rather than issue fresh Regulations, the Ministry should synchronize the speeds of similar classes of vehicle.
The proposal that a distinguishing mark in the form of a " T." fitted with reflectors, should be carried on the front of a vehicle drawing a trailer or trailers, and on the back of the rearmost vehicle being drawn, is regarded as " entirely unnecessary."
A New Lightweight Seat.
Designated the Clameprufe, a new lightweight tubular seat for passenger vehicles has recently been introduced by Nesta, Ltd., Brunswick Square, Tottenham, London: N.17, for which the Equipment and Engineering Co., Ltd., 2 and 3, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C.2, has been appointed sales representative.
Whilst following, generally, the orthodox lines of former Nesta tubular seats, the new Clameprufe pattern has been designed to eliminate the continual annoyance ofclaims for damage or injury that operators frequently have to face. No wood screws are introduced to bold the seat hack in position, this being carried in a channel-section cross-member.
The seat is offered upholstered in the usual manner, or in " tea cosy " fashion, the latter method further eliminating the possibility of claims.
The Breakdown Service Association,
We have already referred to the formation of the Breakdown Service Association, Service House, Waller Street, Luton, Beds., for the purpose of facilitating repairs on journeys. The provisional arrangements are that the Association, through a special fund, is prepared to guarantee its members against bad debts up to £10 per breakdown on the following conditions (1) The owner of the vehicle must be a user-member; (2) the vehicle must he on its journey and at least 10 miles from its base; (3) the trader-member must render an account and statement in the usual manner immediately the account becomes due; (4) the trader member must send to the Association within three months a detailed account and a copy of all correspondence; (5) in the case of dispute, the trader-member must agree to arbitration; (6) the term breakdown " includes petrol, oil, tyres and components necessary to proceed on a journey, and any accidental damage not covered by insurance ; (7) the trader-member must pay a further annual subscription of 10s. 6d, in advance for this protection.
Two meetings of the West Midland Area of the C.IVLU.A. are to be held next week. The first will be at the Angel Hotel, Hanley, on November 9, at 7 p.m., and the second at the Ward Arms Hotel, Dudley, on November 12, at 8 p.m.
Our New Telephone Number.
The telephone number for all departments of The Commercial Motor and its associated journals is now Terminus 3636.
HOURS AND WAGES TO BE REGULATED IN CANADA?
The introduction in Canada of legislation to regulate wages and working hours in the road-transport industry, and to provide for the examination of vehicles, was predicted by Capt. F. J. Gemmell Smith, publicity representative to the Canadian National Railways, during a discussion on a paper which he read to the Leeds branch of the Industrial Transport Association, last Friday.
Mr. W. H. Potter (chairman of the branch) asked whether the Canadian railway undertakings had been as long asleep on the question of road-transport competition as had the British railways.
Capt. Smith admitted that the Canadian railways had been as slow as the British railways in taking steps to meet road competition. In recent years, however, vigorous steps had been taken to counter this competition.
Mr. M. C. Vickers, goods organizer, Yorkshire Area, Associated Road Operators, remarked that the only solution of the road-rail problem was co-ordination. The time would come when both road and rail transport would be fighting a new competitor— air transport.
B.R.F. Monthly Bulletin.
A most useful addition to the sources of information concerning road transport has been instituted in the form of a Monthly Bulletin issued free by the British Road Federation, 120, Pall Mall, London, S,W.1, of which the first number, dated November 2, has just been published.
G.W.R. Representatives Won't Play!
Because the National Development Council of Wales has supported the Severn Bridge scheme, representatives of the Great Western Railway Co. have, it is stated, resigned. At last week's conference of the council a speaker said that the whole of the opposition to the rejected project seemed to have been organized by the rail interests. Some of the former opponents have now intimated their support for the scheme, Duple's Busy on Bodies.
Duple Bodies and Motors, Ltd., Edgware Road, London, N.W.9, has recently received some important orders for bodies from leading passenger-vehicle operators. The Trent Motor Traction Co., Ltd., has ordered 10 bodies for A.E.C. coaches; Red and White Services, Ltd., an additional seven bus bodies for mounting on Albion chassis, making a total of 33 now on order; City Coach Co., 12 bus bodies for Leyland chassis; Barton Transport, Ltd., 14 bodies for Leyland coaches; Southern and Western National Omnibus companies, 16 25seater bodies; and Yeates, Ltd., 36 coach bodies for Bedford chassis. In addition. Coaches and Components. Ltd., has contracted for 70 coach bodies for mounting on Bedford and Dennis Lancet and Ace chassis.
ROAD TRANSPORT OF COAL AUTHORIZED.
Increased activity in the mining industry was mentioned at a sitting of the Southern Scotland Licensing Authority, when an Airdrie firm of contractors successfully applied for the renewal of their carriers' licences. The railways objected.
A witness for the applicants stated that two concerns opening up new mines in the district had asked them to contract for the removal of anthracite coal. There were no railway sidings at the pits, consequently their work did not interfere with the railway companies.
Asked by a railway representative whether it was not possible to transport the coal to a railway siding, witness said that the cost would be too high and damage would be caused to the coal, which was of a soft variety.
Transport Manager Lectures to Workers.
Mr. H. M. Dick, transport manager of Greenock Central Co-operative Society, has arranged a series of lectures for employees in the transport department. These include : "The Gardner Oil Engine," "The Perkins Oil Engine," " Care and Maintenance of Tyres," "Oil from the Shale to the Pump," and "The Law as Applied to Road Transport."
This idea might profitably be followed by other transport managers who wish to develop their employees' interest in road transport.
Buyers' Guide to the Industry.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has recently published the 1936-37 Buyers' Guide to the Motor Industry of Great Britain. It is prepared as a classified directory of the industry, with a view to affording the means for identifying the various motor goods manufactured in this country by members of the British Manufacturers' Section of the Society. A copy may be obtained free from the Society, 83, Pall Mall, London, S.W.1; 3d. for postage must be sent.
A Ford Display in Glasgow.
Although the Ford Motor Co., Ltd., will not be exhibiting at the forthcoming Scottish Show, to be held in Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, it has arranged for a comprehensive range of Ford and Fordson commercial vehicles to be displayed by its Glasgow dealers, Gale and Barclay, Ltd., Messrs. George and jObling, and Wylies. Ltd„ during the period of the Exhibition, Big Joint Fire Brigade for Wales?
It is likely that a joint fire brigade will be established to cover a big West Glamorgan and Fast Carmarthen industrial area. A conference on the subject is to be held at Ammanford, at which Ammanford, Cwmamman and Llandilo Urban District Councils and Pontardawe, LIandilo, Carmarthen and Llanelly Rural District Councils will be represen ted
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