The Motor Drivers News.
Page 14
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" Experience " (London) writes to us on the 3rd instant :— "I have lately heard a good deal with reference to the smoke nuisance of both petrol and steam vehicles plying in the public streets, the owners of which motors have, in some cases, been put to expense by having summonses served upon them in Consequence. It would undoubtedly be a saving to many owners of commercial vehicles if they would, in the first instance, pay their employees a better wage, and so obtain more experienced men. I am of the opinion that most of the smoke nuisance at present in evidence is caused by ignorance on the part of the driver. Why should it not be feasible to have a set of questions prepared, and, when taking on a man, to make him answer them to the prospective employer's satisfaction? I give a tentative list of possible questions. For steam vehicles the following might apply :— (a) How to test the valves and pistons of steam vehieles for efficiency? (b) How to ascertain the piston stroke? (c) What to do if one of the eccentric or valve rods breaks? (d) How to prevent either smoke or steam being expelled from the top of the funnel? With respect to internal combustion engines, the following examination might be gone through by the applicant :—(a) Give the reason for smoke appearing at the end of the exhaust pipe. (b) What is the cause of the stems of both inlet and exhaust valves fracturing? (c) Vhat to do with a troublesome brake hanger? (d) How to Lime the sparking of the plugs correctly? (e) The most economical method of running a commercial vehicle, which, of course, includes the saving of petrol? If the candidate ran ansWer all these questions satisfactorily, he is worth a good wage to any owner of motor vehicles. T have always found that, if a man is paid at a rate commensurate with his responsibility, he will work well and take an interest in whatever vehicle he has control of. This will incidentally keep down the expense by saving a great part of the usual expenditure on repairs, etc. It is quite a common occurrence nowadays to see a driver-mechanic of about nineteen to twenty-two years of age in charge of a heavy vehicle running about the public streets. In the majority of cases, steering is the only thing which he can do at all properly, with the additional knowledge of being able to stop or start the machine when necessary. In the event of anything's happening, he is generally all at sea, and has to await the arrival of n good man to help him out of his difficulty. It is impossible for a man to learn all about stain or petrol vehicles in two or three years' time, although, if this were said to the majority of drivers, it would be repudiated at once. In support of the above statement, I may say that I have had over 25 years of locomotive practice, as well as nearly six years in petrol and steam lorry work. I drove the first Napier lorry made, which was owned by Mark Mayhew, Limited, and 'also one of the first Leyland lorries." W.H.N. (Glasgow) writes.on August 191.11:" One night a few weeks ago I was called up,_ and had to turn out of bed to go to a breakdown a good way off. I drove a fiveton wagon, on 'which we put a good supply of breakdown tackle—chains, jacks, packing, etc. It was a pitch-dark night, but we had a good run until we were about six miles from the stranded wagon. The wagon wasP tiavelling along beautifully, when all at once I became aware of a serious.knocking noise under the platform, which grew rapidly worse. I shut otf steam in order to have a look round to discover the cause, and found that one of two studs holding the cap of an inside bearing had broken off and become jammed between the bracket and the lly-wheel. This had made theloud scraping and knocking_ noise while the engine revolved. This happened about 3.30 a.m., and I was in a fix, as the nearest blacksmith's shop was quite four miles oil. Before giving in, I had a look round the wagon to see if I could find something which I might turn to account., and on looking over a .heap of chains I found a shackle with one end of the pin threaded, One end of this I placed on the shoulder of the bracket, and the other on the ,end of the bearing cap. . I also found a small nut, which l placed in the hole of the threaded end. I put in the pin, screwed the lot up tightly, then tried my engine out of gear, and, to.my delight, found that it ran perfecay ; so I started up the wagon and ran it as far as the blacksmith's shop. He drilled out the broken portion of the stud and refitted a new one in its -place. 1 thus managed to proceedwith only about an hour's delay."
W.A.W. (Sunderland) writes under date the 4th instant Please insert the following account of a run on a steam wagon in the Drivers News. About two years ago, I had a most successful run on a three-ron Thornycroft steam Wagon, all the way from Sunderland to Glasgow, a distance of considerably over 15o miles. My orders were to run the wagon by-road, and, if we made a good journey, it was to be attached to one of our bottling stores in Glasgow for the delivery of beer. I determined to go by the main road along the East coast, so I took enough coke to take the wagon as far as Alnwick, where I hoped to get a fresh supply. At Alnwick I had a disappointment, as I could only get enough coke to carry me as far as Berwick-on-Tweed. At the latter place I loaded up again, and, hoping for a good run, once more set out on my journey northwards. However I had a bad time of it, as, owing to the inferior quality of the fuel, I had to clean out my fire every three miles or so. This went on the whole of the way to Edinburgh. When I arrived at the Scottish capital I was requested by the police to run into a side street, because the King and the Royal party were taking. part in a procession down Prince's Street, but after waiting a short time I was allowed to proceed on my way. Before leaving Edinburgh I called at Messrs. McEwen's brewery, and was given suffi cient coke to take me to my journey's end, Messrs. McEwen own some steam wagons, and find it necessary to have all their coke specially sent to them from Newcastle.
" I had rather an exciting experience a short distance out of Edinburgh on the Glasgow side. I stopped to enquire as to the right road to take from a friendly traction engine driver, who told me I should have to crossover two canal bridges, and if illV wagon was over three tons tare I should have to give twenty-four hoers' notice before being allowed to cross over. I did net relish the idea of hanging about all that time, and the traction engine man thought I might, with luck, be able to rush them. I got over the first bridge without any incident, but, as I just got over the top of the second one, the bridge-keeper stopped me, and asked me for the tare weight. of the Nvagen. I told him what it was (2 tons, eacwt., 3qrs., 61b.),' but he did not appear satisfied for some reason, so I told him I would take the wagon back if he wished it. In the end he allowed me to go on, and I arrived • in Glasgow, without any hitch on the part of the engine or machinery, at seven o'clock in the evening. I started from home on the Thursday morning, and arrived at Glasgow on the Saturday, which was, -I think, a good test run for any wagon. I remained. in .Glasgow for about six weeks and did all the long journeys with the vehicle."