ELECTRIC VEHICLE PRODUCTION IN EAST ANGLIA.
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THE INCREASING popularity of the electric vehicle for certain classes, of work is very noticeable. Not only in this country is it becoming recognized as an ideal form of transport for short Mileage work on city roads, -but, abroad, and in the Colonies particularly, it is quickly coming into vogue. Recently, during a Short visit to the electric vehicle department of Messrs. Ransomes, Sims and jefferies, where the well-known Orwell electric lorry is made, we learned that a representative of this concern, who had justretnrried from a visit to various Colonies and to the East, found that, in Australia and New Zealand particularly, Central station engineers are fully aliveeto the importance of catering for rthe needs of the cleetric vehicle -user, and that they appreciate the advantages the steady load afforded by charging at night, which flattens out the depressions of the load curve, _and raises the loading factor .of their stations.
Is tire Colonies, electrics are coming into great favour in urban districts, and a large potential market undoubtedly exists in practically all countries
The.' production of the, Orwell lorry has, of course, been affected by all those factors which have set, back lorry production in general, particularly the moulders' strike, and we were informed that the effects of that unfortunate. dislocation were felt. for.some time. Nevertheless, production is new getting into its stride. The electric vehicle department Of Messrs. Ransomes, Sims and,Jefferies is housed in a works which, during the war, was used, for aeroplane manufacture, and the buildings are admirably laid out for the present purpose. There is about 4 ac:es of floor space, and an excellent block of administratiye offices, including a .arge drausineoffice: Neat .by, is a well equippecraberatory, in which both physical and-chemical tests are carriedout, together with , photo-micrographic examinations of material, in the selectiorisel which great care is apparently exercised. 'All raw material is carefully inspected when it arrives, and test pieces are, taken where necessary. At the time of our visit a quantity of axle steel had just come in, and each bar had been subjected to the' l3rinell test for hardness. Considerable care has been exercised in laying out the departments so that there is no unneceesary handling or transportation of material from place to place.
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The passage of material through the works is controlled from the progress department, which insures an even rate of production of the various .parts. During the process of manufacture all parts are inspected carefully between all the importantooperations, so that machining errors, or material flaws, can be detected as soon as they are made or brought to light. The general simplicity of the electrical vehicle has its advantages in production no less than in operation, and the Orwell lorry appeals :particularly as a manufacturing proposition.
All parts and dimensions have been standardized, and jigs are in use throughout the works. The frames are drilled on a massive jig which runs on a Decauville track.
Electrics for Municipal Duties..
Electrics seem to have come into great favour with municipal authorities, and we saw several refuse collectors and tipping wagons in the finishing stages of construction. It, is rather interesting to note that, some little time ago, the local. authorities at Ipswic]i had three vehicles on order. Brewers, wholesale grocers, and a great variety of traders are,, finding in the electric vehicle the ideal form of transport for certain phases of their work.
Particularly is it adapted to houseto-house distribution in urban areas. It has the eccellent advantage of consuming no fuel when at a standstill, .and, though in comparison with the petrol vehicle, maximum speeds may be fairly low, a good average can be maintained. Then, there is also the advantage in the Orwell lorry of regenerative braking. Apart from the increased efficacy of mechanical brakes, supplemented by the braking effect of the vehicle-motor"when driven as a dynamo, the energy expended in stopping the vehicle is partly stored up instead of being dissipated in the form of heat and noise at the brake 'shoes.
Very thorough tests are given to the Orwell electric, and we were able to make a short run, on a vehicle and to appreciate the ease of control, the silence and absence of fuss and "
pother" of this type of machine. Our run was taken on one of the 24 ton Oastrells, on which a separate motor drives each front wheel and, having previously criticised this arrangement as being likely to make the steering heavy, we were able to test the point ouirelves and to disprove it, as the steering ,was as light as could be wished. The other type of Orwell vehicle is a 34 tonner, us which the drive is taken on' the rear wheels,. Other types will, -doubtless, appear in due course. In addition to these vehicles, a. considerable number of the small industrial trucks for transport about the works and on railway platforms were seen. in the course of construction. These little vehicles seem to provide the missing link in the chain of transportation of almost every product from the raw material to the user.
At the extensive works of Richard -Garrett and Sons, Ltd., which are now a branch of that huge amalgamation of concerns known as the Agricultural and General Engineers, a hitch occurred some time ago in the production of electric lorries owing to the great difficulty experienced in obtaining deliveries of motors and other electrical gear, but we understand that arrangements. have now been made, whereby control has been acquired of .11., works manufacturing these components, so that a hitch is unlikely to recur. . Many chassis were under construction in the shops, and a considerable number of completed vehicles were awaiting motors. One of the facts which instantly impresses one, in connection with the production of vehicles by Concerns like Richard Garrett and "Sons, and Ransomcs. Sims and Jefferies, who have an extensive and old-established trade in agricultural machinery, is the knowledge and experience of the requirements of the export field which they must aceumulate,in the conduct of their business. As is well known, agricultural machinery goes from these East Anglian works to practically every corner of the world; so that the organization which caters for those markets should be in an enviable position to obtain accurate partisedars of overseas requirements in transportation and to cater for them. 'The electric vehicle makers readily acknowledge the limited radius of action of this type of vehicle and that it occupies a peculiar sphere in the general scheme of read transport. Really, the electric vehicle is the rival of the horsa rather than of the petrol or steam lorry, and, in the final struggle fathe elimination of that animal as a factor in transportation, the electric vehicle will probably deal the death blow, and, in this way, every mechanically propelled vehicle on the road will benefit.