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WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.

"The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."--John Beattie Crozier.

The World Motor Congress for London.

In the past, three important gatherings, under the title of the World Motor Transport Congress, have been held. All three have taken place in the United States. The Congress which has been fixed for 1927 has been arranged to be held in London in November next under the auspices of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. In future, we understand, the venue is to be changed year by year.

A programme is now being carefully drawn up to define the scope and character of the event, which will no doubt cover a number of days, the period immediately prior to the Commercial Motor Exhibition, which will be held in Olympia in November, having been chosen. A great deal will depend upon the organizer of the Congress, and in appointing Mr. Horace Wyatt to act in that position the S.M.M. and T. has made a wise choice.

As the Congress has never before been held in Europe, and as so much interest is now being taken in the development of mechanical road transport, there is no doubt that delegates from the whole of the countries of Europe, the Dominions and the Americas will attend.

Another Long-distance Bus Service.

One of the most ambitious schemes yet contemplated in the North of England motor omnibus circles is the proposal to commence a long-distance service over a route of about 100 miles, joining up, by means of express buses, the two important centres of Leer's and

Newcastle. The departure will represent the first experiment in this area with long-distance services, for, hitherto, the longest through runs have been of about 30 or 40 miles.

A new company, the Leeds-Newcastle Omnibus Co., Ltd„ is to be formed for the purpose of putting the project into operation, and it is stated that, if the experiment be -successful, there is a probability that the route may be extended right through to London, a total distance of about 280 miles.

C.M.U.A. Annual Luncheon.

The annual luncheon of the Commercial Motor Users Association will, this year, be held at the Savoy Hotel, London, on Wednesday, April iith. As usual, one or two notable guests will be present. Reconstruction of the British De Dion Company.

Owing to the reconstitution of the French company manufacturing De Dion Banton chassis, it has been found advisable, at the same time, to recon struct the British De Dion Bouton Co.,Ltd., so that full advantage can b taken of the improved conditions and the business developed on a sound commercial and financial basis.

Until the reconstruction is complete the business will be carried on by a receiver appointed by the debenture holders, and there will be no interruption of service.

The chief lines of the reconstituted company will be the well-known lowlevel bus chassis and the new 9-ton lorry, which was described by us a fortnight ago. The British company hopes to make arrangements for assembling the various models at its extensive factory at North Pluchley, with a view ultimately completely to .manufacture one or two of the commercial models. This will enable trade with the Colonies to be conducted from London, utilizing British labour and material. in this connection, Colonial requiremdnts have been studied by a' representative of the company, who has just returned to Europe after visiting Australia and certain Colonies.

Booming American Equipment.

The catalogue department of the Automotive Equipment Association, with headquarters in Chicago, is now engaged in the preparation of what is claimed to be the largest and most comprehensive listing of motor-vehicle equipment ever undertaken. This reference book will have approximately 700 pages of explanatory text and illustrations, and there will be three extensive editions of it—in English, French and Spanish. The new catalogue, the fourth to be authorized by the A.E.A., will be known as Universal Catalogue "D." The A.E.A.'s first catalogue was issued in 1922.

The new .catalogue, as has been the case with its three predecessors, will be on file in the offices of the attaches of all foreign branches of the United States Department of Commerce, and will be used to promote the sale of American products abroad.

Motor Trade Examination.

The next examination for the diploma of the Institute of the Motor Trade has been, fixed for Friday, April 22nd, and will be held simultaneously in London and at various centres in the provinces. Members of the trade wishing to sit for the examination should apply for full particulars to the hon. secretary of the T.M.T., at 157, Great Portland Street, London, W.1.

Reduced Prices for Spenborough Gears.

The Spenboroug,h Engineering Co. advises us that it has considerably reduced the price of its tipping gears, particulars of which en be obtained from the company's headquarters at Valley Works, Heckmondwike, Yorks.

British Lorry Deliveries.

One of the illustrations which appear on this page shows a 2i-ton Dennis chassis, which is standard in every way, to which a flat platform body provided with a chock rail all round has been fitted. To facilitate loading and unloading the rear section of the rail is hinged. The cab is provided with a windscreen built in three sections, each of which is adjustable independently.

The other picture is of a 6-ton brewers' lorry, which has been supplied by Karrier Motors, Ltd., to J. Tetley and Son, Ltd., of Leeds. This company has had a fleet of eight Karrier machines in use for some time, the first vehicle being put into service in May, 1920, and, as a result of the efficient working of these

machines, it has recently placed an order for five Karrier 6-ton brewers' lirries, each of which is to be mounted on the makers' K5 chassis with a 14-ft. wheelbase. The lorry body of the vehicle illustrated is 13 ft. 6 ins, long and 7 ft. 6 ins. wide, and it has deep rim sides.

No British Vehicles at Swiss Show.

The list of exhibitors in the commercial vehicle section of the Swiss Motor Show at Geneva, which opened on March 4th and continues until March 13th, contains the names of six French, four Italian, four American, three Swiss and one German maker. Apparently no British vehicles are on view.

A.D.C. Vehicles in Demand.

In the period from January 19th to February 23rd, we are told that the Associated Daimler Co., Ltd., received orders for 236 vehicles of various types ranging from goods vehicles of 2i-ton capacity to large-capacity covered-top, double-deck busm The orders included a number of luxurious saloon buses for service in Northern ,Ireland, over 30 goods chassis for Australia, 38 4-5tonners for Russia, as well as a further four huses for Buenos Aires.

Important users in this country which placed orders for A.D.C. products in this period include the Birmingham Corporation, which is buying 15 Model 705 buses; Romilly Motor Co., Ltd., which has ordered 16 Model 416A vehicles and seven 417A buses; the AngloAmerican Oil Co., Ltd., and the Vacuum Oil Co., Ltd., which are buying eight Model 204 and four Model 501 lorries respectively.

Laifly Chassis Prices.

LatIly (England) Co., Ltd.' 20-26, Lonsdale Road, London, N.W.6, has just issued a list of reused prices for its 2i-ton chassis, with various tyre equipment and fittings. When fitted with 34-in. by 3i-in.solid tyres, 34-in. by 4-in, cushion tyres, or 855 mm. by 155 mm. pneumatic tyres (twins on the rear wheels in each case), the chassis ' sells at 095, and there are various prices between this figure and £575, which is the price charged for the chassis fitted with 32-in. by 6-in. s.s. pneumatic tyres, with twins on the rear wheels, and certain equipment, including a spare wheel and tyre. The Laffiy six-wheeled chassis, with 34-in by 7-in. single pneumatic tyres on all wheels, is listed at £725.

The Philadelphia Show.

A report on the 26th annual motor show, held at Philadelphia from January 15th to 23rd, has been prepared by the Department of Overseas Trade from information furnished by the Acting British Vice-Consul at Philadelphia (Mr. C. G. Ken-Mall). A copy of the report ean'te obtained by cum_ masticating with the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street, London, SIVA..

Municipal Pioducer-gas Vehicles.

It is announced that , the municipal authorities of Havre, France, have decided to fit their dust-collecting and street-sweeping and watering vehicles with .producer-gas plants, the type of apparatus selected being that known as the Malay,

Personal Pars.

Mr. E. H. Blake, deputy managing director of Morris Motors, Ltd., had only occupied the position of chairman of the British Manufacturers' Section of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders for a fortnight when, by virtue of that post, he was called upon to preside at the dinner given to the overseas delegation which left London for its tour of the Dominions on Wednesday last. Mr. Blake fulfilled his duties with grace and tact, his speech in proposing the toast of the guests being happily phrased.

Mr. Horace Wyatt has just accepted the. post of organizer, on behalf of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, of the World Motor Transport Congress of 1927, which comes to London next November. Mr. Wyatt has been associated with the motor industry for the past 22 years and possesses the publicity sense to a high degree. He is probably the most skilful propagandik the motor industry and the mechanical road transport industry possess—for Ids first love is prob

ably among the heavy vehicle. In 1911, when many representatives of the Dominion Parliaments were in the

country for His Majesty's Coronation, he was largely responsible for the organization of the British tour arranged for them by the British branch of the Empire Parliamentary Association. Ile was honorary organizing secretary of Imperial Motor Transport Conferences held in London-in 1913 and 1920, and was first general secretary of the Association of British Motor Manufacturers, Ltd.

We met Mr..D. A. Eairley at a function in London last week. He tells us that the new Kelvin Hall at Glasgow will make a beautiful setting for the next Scottish Automobile Show to be held there in the autumn, 'and that the prospeets for a strong and important section devoted to the commercial motor vehicle are quite rosy. The hail will be finished in time for the Royal visit in July. The Scottish Motor Trade Association, under the guidance of so able an officer as Mr. Fairley, may be relied upon to it-Ake the utmost of the 225,000 Sq. ft. of floor space which the new Kelvin Hall will give them.

We regret to learn of the death, after a short illness, of Mr. Arthur Terry, a director of the Peter Union Rubber Co., Ltd. Official Orders for January.

Amongst the contracts for motor vehicles given out by Government departments during January last were the following :—By the Post Office, one for lorries divided between the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd.' and Shelvoke and Drewry, Ltd. By the Admiralty, one for 30-cwt. W.D. subvention Chassis placed with Guy Motors, Ltd. By the Air Minstry, one for Ford vehicles placed with A. E. Gouhl, Ltd., and another for lorry chassis with the Four-Wheel Drive Lorry Co., Ltd., Slough. By the War Office, one to Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., for motor fire-engines.

British Lorries in Belgium.

One of our correspondents Who has lately returned from a visit to Belgium sends us the accompanying snapshot of a 3-ton Thornycroft lorry which is in 'regular service in Brussels, its owners being a firm of brewers—the Societe de Ia. Brasserie Lannoy, of Ixelles. He tells us that a: Belgian concern interested in developing a producer-gas plant for motor lorries is also using an old Thornycroft vehicle for demonstration purposes.

L.C.C. Not to Organize Tours.

Some time ago the general purposes committee of the London County Council was instructed to inquire into a number of proposals, amongst which was one suggesting that the council should establish an inquiry and information bureau for the convenience of visitors, and another that it should also organize tours to places of interest in London, including the provision or arrangement of transport at suitable charges. The committee has now presented its report in which it expresses no opinion on the first point, whilst in the case of the second it considers that the needs of visitors in regard to tours are fully met by private enterprise.

A Journal of Metallurgy.

Volume 36 of the Journal of the Institute of Metals bag -just been published by the Institute from 36, Victoria Street, London, S.W.1. It contains 794 pages with numerous plates and other illustrations and is edited by Mr. G. Shaw Scott, AI.Sc. This edition is specially noteworthy in that it contains a corn-, plete record of the recent Liege meeting, the first gathering of the Institute

of Metals to be held abroad since the Ghent Meeting of 1913. The 18 papers which were then presented are reproduced in full.

A number of papers by foreign metallurgists appears in this volume, whilst the work of British authorities is also included. A group of important papers

dealing with silicon-aluminium alloys is reprodueed and these should be eagerly perused by all those interested in the use and development of light alloys. A section is given over to many thousands of extracts from metallurgical papers published in all parts of the world. The volume sells at 31s. fid. net.

An A.G.E. Appointment.

Agricultural and General Engineers, Ltd., announces that Sir Charles E. Low, K.O.I.E., formerly secretary to the Commerce and Industry Department of the Government of India, has been appointed to take charge of the Indian interests of the 14 engineering, concerns which it controls. America's Foreign Trade.

Whilst the export trade in American pleasure cars showed a decline last year, there was a marked increase in the shipmeats of commercial vehicles and buses from the -United States, the returns'just to hand for 1926 showing a total of

66,775 vehicles, valued at £9,415,885, as contrasted with 58,625 and £7,540,680 respectively in 1925. By far the principal market is Australia, which took 15,150 vehicles, or over 40 per cent of the total. Brazil came second with 5,886 vehicles, Great Britain third with 4,895, followed by Denmark, Canada and the Argentine.

Accidents Decreasing in Cardiff.

Some important proposals for traffic regulation in Cardiff arc contained in the annual report of the chief constable (Mr. J. A. Wilson)' to the watch com mittee. Reviewing accidents in the year 1926, the report states that vehicles were "involved in 18 fatal accidents, as against 15 in the preceding year and 20 in 1924. There were 643 non-fatal accidents, a decrease of 22 on the previous year. The number of people injured in these accidents was 691. It was the first year since 1920 that a decline in the number of accidents was shown, and, small as it was, it was highly satisfactory when the great increase in the number of motor vehicles which were regularly using the streets

mofta.he city was borne in in Blackpool's Successful Buses.

According to figures which have recently been issued, the motorbuses run by the Blackpool Corporation carried 4,919,037 passengers in the period from April let last year to February 10th last. The total for the corresponding period of the previous year was 2,614,317, so that it will be seen that the corporation's buses are growing in popularity. On the local routes, 347,291 passengers were carried during the menth ended February 10th, this figure being almost double that recorded a year earlier. Moreover, the receipts were up by £1,063. For the whole period from April last the average fare per busmile was slightly under 91d., this showing a drop of about N.

Small Electric Furnaces.

Automatic and Electric Furnaces, Ltd., 173-175, Farringdon Road, London, E.C.1, has issued a catalogue which deals with Wild-Barfield small electric furnaces for laboratories and works. In the production If these furnaces particular attention has been paid to the requirements of chemists and others engaged in laboratory or works processes, which necessitate the accurate and uni form maintenance of high temperatures, and the list includes a range of furnaces specially designed for work of this class.

Thornycrofts in Demand Overseas.

Sohn I. Thornyeroft and Co., Ltd., Thornycroft House, Smith Square, London, S.W.1, tells us that orders which it received for commercial vehicles during the week ended February 19th included a large proportion for overseas users. Its subsidiary company, Thornyeroft (Australia), Ltd., indented for nine 30-ewt., four 5-ton and two rigid six-wheeled chassis. Orders from users which already have Thornyeroft vehicles in use included one from Parker, Winder and Aychurch, Ltd., for two 30-cwt. subsidy chassis, and another from the Amersham Rural

District Council for two type-J threeway tipping lorries and one 30-cwt. hand-operated, end-tipping lorry, whilst a 2-ton van is also being supplied to Bucks Mechanical Transport, Ltd.

An Important Bus-licensing Point.

Have bus licences a monopoly value? This point has been raised by the Stokeon-Trent Council, which has decided to ask the Minister of Transport for a definite ruling. The council declined to endorse the watch committee's decision to transfer licences for omnibuses which had changed ownership. It was urged that the council was faced with a serious and alarming position, for, once the right was established to purchase licences and a monopoly value thereby created, there was nothing to prevent any company or syndicate from purchasing the whole of the omnibus licences in the city, and thus securing a monopoly in transport.

The Longframe in England.

We have been asked by the British Longframe Six-Wheeler Construction Co., 23, Tavistock Square, London, W.C.1, to point out that that company has acquired the manufacturing and distributing rights for the Longframe extension for Great Britain and the Colonies. The head offices and works of this company are at Gateshead-on-Tyne.

Police Signals That Confuse.

The Swansea Watch Committee has considered complaints to the effect that the varying signals used by the police confuse road users. The variations refer more particularly to differences in practices adopted in several areas. It was said that at Swansea the police did not give signals to traffic to "come on" when the road ahead of pointsman was clear. The chief constable said that the Home Office Regulations provided for only one signal to traffic, viz., to stop, The "come on" was not strictly a necessary signal to drivers, unless they had previously been held up.

It was decided to seek information from other boroughs concerning the methods employed for directing traffic with a view to obtaining such uniformity as was possible.

A Walsall Inquiry.

The Ministry of Transport recently held an inquiry at Walsall into an application by the Walsall Corporation for permission to mini a motorbus service to Hillbrook Pool, Sutton Coldfield and to Cheslyn Hay. Considerable opposition was forthcoming from local owners, who are objecting to the corporation competing for private motor parties. The question will now be considered by the Ministry.

The Eadon Six Chassis.

The South Lincolnshire Engineering Co., Ltd., Westlode Street, Spalding, Lincolnshire, has just issued a catalogue dealing with the Eadon Six 40-50-cwt. commercial chassis. This model was briefly described in our issue dated February 1st. Its main features comprise a six-cylinder engine with a bore of 31 ins. and a stroke of 41 ins., which develops 26.25 h.p. at 1,000 r.p.tn:, a dry-plate clutch, a four-speed-and-reverse gearbox and a semi-floating overhead-wormdriven rear axle.

The catalogue gives a full description of the outstanding features of the chassis and it embodies a number of clear illustrations of its components.

Manchester Bus Extensions.

The Manchester Tramways Committee • has agreed to acquire a further 30 buses to be used mainly on suburban services. There are at present about 60 buses on the road. Although no official statement has been made as to the specific purpose for which the new buses have been obtained, it is not unlikely that some of them will be used for the Wythenshawe service, but probably a proportion of the new vehicles will be used for a proposed service from St. Peter's Square, Manchester, to the suburbs of the city on the Cheshire side. On this route there will be stage stops only, and, as a result, the saving of time will be considerable.

Taxation on Disinfecting Vans.

The works committee of the Marylehone Borough Council reports that by reason of the provisions of the Finance Act, 1926, the excise duty payable on the motor disinfecting vans has been increased from £12 to £26. Having regard to the action taken by the council when the Finance Bill was under consideration in the House of Commons, and to the protests made by the council at its last meeting, it does not appear that any further action can usefully be taken at the present time, although the committee takes strong exception to the imposition of the additional duties.

New Contacts for Magnetos, etc.

The Walter Denis Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Severn Street, Deansgate, Manchester, has produced a new amalgam contact for magnetos, coils, cut-outs and electric horns. This contact, which has been developed after many months of experiment, is not a platinum alloy, and it is claimed that by research work the amalgam employed gives excellent results much superior to tungsten.

The ideal alloy for the work is, of course, iridium-platinum with a fairly high percentage of iridium. There are, however, other metals which, although having different tensile and resistive properties, when mixed give many of the valuable qualities of iridium-platinum, and it is in the proportion of these and the laboratory process that excellent results can be obtained from metals other than the fine metals.

A contact must have high cenductivity and provide little resistance to the passage of primary current. It must be tenacious, not subject to disintegration (as, naturally, there is a constant ham mering of the contact at high speed), must, of course, be of ample crosssection and must not oxidize on the surface; other qualities required are ductility and malleability.

In the new contact, which is known as the PvIarstun, it is claimed that the surface and depth are such that for purely industrial vehicles this contact will give a year's satisfactory work, and the process gives a metal with the grain running parallel to the passage of the current A Large Bus Station for Durham.

With the object of perfecting its facilities in Durham City by the erection of a modern motorbus station, upon a more ambitious scale than anything previously seen in the north country, CA Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., of Chester-le-Street, has just completed negotiations for the purchase of an ex tensive central site in Durhem. The

purchase price runs into several thousands of pounds, and the property includes an hotel and several shop premises. The company already has a small bus station on a portion of the site, and the intention.is to build a new station equipped on the most up-to-date lines.

Useful Overhead Runways.

Herbert Morris, Ltd., Loughborough, has just issued a booklet dealing with a special type of overhead runway, which is capable of erection by any experienced mechanic. The booklet describes the runway and illustrations of its application are clearly shown, one of these indicating its use in connection with the removal of component parts of motor vehicle chassis.

Anglo-American Oil Co_ Promotions.

At the annual dinner of the Cardiff branch of the Anglo-American Oil Co., Ltd., a presentation was made to Mr. F. W. Burgess, late Cardiff manager, who is leaving to manage the company's Manchester branch. Mr. R. J. Justham, of the Cardiff staff, who is leaving to manage the company's Ipswich branch, was also congratulated On his promotion. Mr. W. J. Carty, the new manager of the Cardiff branch, presided.

Coach Owners Getting Ready.

Preparations are already being made at Blackpool for the forthcoming motor coaching season, and the Blackpool Motor Station Ltd., has again acquired for a further 12 months the tenancy of the corporation motor coach station in .Central Drive. This company also controls the extensive parking ground• and station in Marshall Street. A third motor coach park is that controlled by Horsfall, Salthouse and Co., Ltd..

The Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., of Durham, has plans under consideration for running a daily motor coach service between Blackpool and .Newcastle-on-Tyne. The watch committee has given authority for the company's vehicles to ply for hire from a local garage.

Quite a number of daily motor coach services has Blackpool as their destination, and during the season there are now excellent facilities for travelling from Manchester, Liverpool, Preston, Lancaster and the neighbouring towns. On the other hand, Blackpool motor coach owners specialize in daily coach services to far-distant places, some of them being in Yorkshire. The municipal fleet operated by the Blackpool Corporation is likely to be increased, for the tramways committee hae under consideration the question of the purchase of further saloon-type 40seater buses.

Appointing a Bus Inspector

Myth Licensing Committee recommends the appointment of an inspector for the purpose of controlling traffic at the motorbus stands and for securing due observance of the bus by-laws and regulations. Arrangements are to be made for the expenses in connection therewith to be paid by the licence holders.

Eastbourne's Ambulance Service.

Eastbourne Watch Committee reports that the ambulance service has been very sueceSsful throughout the past year. The total mileage covered was 5,603, and 484 patients were conveyed. The ambulances were used for conveyance of police cases (street accidents, etc.) on 105 occasions.

Stockton's Bus Powers.

The decision of the Ministry of Transport has now been promulgated in respect of the recent inquiry at Stockton, which was reported in The Commercial Motor dated January 25th, in which the Stockton Corporation sought consent for a renewal of running powers for its various services for a further period of seven years. The Ministry has granted the application in connection with all routes except that from the Transporter at Port Clarence to Seaton Carew. In the case of this service the Minister states that he is not satisfied that a sufficient case has been made out to justify consent being granted.

The decision, which gives dissatisfaction locally, will have the effect of granting a monopoly for the section named to the West Hartlepool Corporation for, whereas the Stockton, West Hartlepool and Middlesbrough corporations formerly operated bus services, Middlesbrough has allowed its powers to lapse, in view of its latest decision to concentrate upon the organization of purely in-town services.

The unusual feature of the case is

that Stockton Corporation is being turned off a road for which it has some liability as part of the administrative county of Durham, whereas West Hartlepool, being a county borough, has no direct financial concern.

Trolley-buses in France.

A scheme to replace the electric tramway between Cannes and Grasse by a service of trolley-buses is reported to be under consideration. The tram track and rolling stock are in a state of disrepair and it is considered that it will be cheaper to adopt trackless vehicles than to endeavour to repair the existing installation.

Commercial Vehicles in Tunis.

Considerable progress has been made in recent years in the adoption of commercial motor vehicles in Tunis, and it is estimated that there are now over 1,000 vans and lorries in use in the country. Being a French Colony, the majority of the vehicles in use in Tunis were originally of French construction, but during the past few years American and Italian vehicles have made their appearance on the market.

Dennis Products Described,

Dennis Bros., Ltd., Guildford, has just issued a new catalogue which deals with its 2i-ton, 31-ton, 4-ton and 6-ton goods-carrying chassis. The booklet is prepared on comprehensive lines and includes a general description of Dennis chassis, together with views of the chief components and specifications of each model. In addition to the company's standard bodywork, of which brief specifications are also given, the catalogue contains illustrations of special types of body built for use in particular trades.

The company has also issued a new instruction book dealing with the maintenance and control of the range of

chassis referred to above. This Contains full instructions relating to the maintenance of these chassis, with a list of useful hints and tips intended to help the user to secure the most economical and efficient service. The book contains a number of illustrations which indicate those parts requiring periodic attention. The company's 30-cwt. model • forms the subject of a separate catalogue.