AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Berlin Motor Show : Second Notice.

8th November 1906
Page 12
Page 13
Page 12, 8th November 1906 — Berlin Motor Show : Second Notice.
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

From our Berlin Correspondent.

From the Marienfelde branch of the Daimler-Motoren Gesellschaft comes, amongst other things, the new 28h.p. omnibus or lorry chassis with the modified perch bars, The manager has supplied MC with full particulars of this chassis, but, as they are anticipated by those given in THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR of October t8th, any further reference would be superfluous. The company also shows an omnibus de luxe, a single-decker to carry 20 persons, very tastefully upholstered, and provided with sitting accommodation on the hind platform as well as in the interior. The roof is fitted with rails for the accommodation of passengers' luggage. A chassis of the 1907 model carries this coach. Two other vehicles, a 3-ton lorry with hinged sides, and an elegant delivery van, complete the Marienfelde exhibits in so far as utility vehicles are concerned. All lie in the semi-obscurity prevailing in the middle section of the huge tent.

Messrs. Bussing, of Brunswick, exhibit a chassis destined for a London double-decker. Innovation : the exterior band brake on the rear wheels gives way to an internally-expanding brake, operated in the usual way by hand-lever and compensation gear. The frame is well stiffened to support the imposed load of a 34-seated omnibus, and its full complement of passengers. An interesting exhibit from the same firm is found in the t8h.p. omnibus, built for the Berlin General Omnibus Company, which will thus have four or five makes on trial : this furnishes an additional proof of the open-mindedness of the managers, who are obviously resolved upon admitting any make which promises to be economical and reliable in working. But the Brunswick makers are not content with merely exhibiting ; they go one better and place a 15-seated omnibus outside the exhibition for trial trips. Excepting a rear platform, and a few minor details, it is identical with the vehicle sold to the Berlin company, though the one inside the Show seats another five persons, or 20 in all. Hitherto, the commercial motor exhibits at Berlin shows have included no steam lorry, the fire-engine described in my last year's report being the limit of application : now, we have two firms, besides the Freibahn Gesellschaft, whose steam train has been already illustrated in last week's issue, exhibiting vehicles of this type, to wit, the world-famed Hannoversche Maschinenbau Aktien-Gesellschaft, vormals Egestorff, and the Jauer firm of H. Lamprecht. The Hanover lorry will carry 3.5 tons ; its engine, which develops 25h.p., is fed by a Stoltz generator, constructed for a working pressure of so atmospheres. Lamprecht's lorry and tractor, which I saw manceuvred into the exceptionally difficult entrance, struck me as a highlyserviceable vehicle. It has iron wheels, transmission being by chain to the hind pair. The carrying capacity is officially catalogued at 5 tons, but the driver informed me that his lorry alone could bear 6 tons, and the trailer—not attached at the exhibition—another 4 tons of useful load.

Messrs. Achenbach and Company, of Hamburg, show a couple of camions from the Swi-s works of Arbenz, at

Zurich. They are light lorries, for 2 and 2.5 tons respectively, benzinedriven. Their wheels are of wood, shod with solid rubber tires of the single pattern. In the case of the heavier camion, the motor is arranged under the driver's seat.

The Berlin Motor Car Works, of Reinickendorf, are represented by a lorry and a delivery van. Mystery hangs over the two vehicles constructed by the Wagon and Machine Building Company, of Bautzen, for trials by the Berlin Fire Brigade. Written and verbal applications for constructional details have been either ignored or refused with a definiteness which left one in no doubt whatever as to the firm's intention to guard the secret. Photographers are warned off, firemen or employees of the firm performing sentry-go with a vigilance that would do credit to a Government arsenal. The manager facetiously offered to supply me with information if I would purchase a fire-engine ! Not being personally in want of such an article, I did not consider myself called upon to indulge in the luxury, which would have cost the trifle of "No," declared the representative to

me with great emphasis, "we will furnish nothing—neither photographs nor text. We have sunk a lot of money in experiments, and we don't intend to let any new firm—we are the oldest lire-engine firm in Germany—reap the benefit of our labours and expenditure." " Are, then, the departures from your old models so very material?" I queried. "They are," came the reply ; "the Crown Prince spent a quarter of an hour examining the vehicles ; you sue, we don't look upon His Royal Highness in the light of a competitor."

After that I gave the representative up as a bad job. Of the two vehicles, the fire-engine is steam-driven, whereas the ladder and first-aid car is electric. Both can travel at over 20 miles an hour, and their compactness and general build furnish ground for the assumption that the drivers will have no difficulty in steering them through complicated traffic. The fire-engine is rear-driven, the first-aid car having a front-wheel drive. All the mechanical parts in the former are stowed away with such regard for space, at first sight, the engine might be taken for an ordinary high-class motorcar were it not for the supports for a ladder. Touching the ladder arrangements, one of the Berlin firemen on sentry-go objected to these as not practical enough, observing that too much time would be lost in unshipping the ladders and getting them fixed. But both vehicles are only on trial, the Berlin Corporation paying ,4-,3,500 for the two, and remedies for such defects will, doubtless, be found before Berlin definitely adopts the Bautzen makes in lieu of horse-drawn vehicles.

Amongst new-comers I notice the Bavarian firm trading as the Fahrzeugfabrik Ansbach Gesellschaft, which exhibits a 3oh.p. 4-ton lorry.

The Argus Company has sent an omnibus chassis, in which a London company takes more than a platonic interest. It is unnecessary to describe this chassis again ; in July, " Tim COMMERCIAL MOTOR " did this business very thoroughly. By way of conclusion, I may mention that the German Emperor figures on the list of exhibitors, having lent his ponderous covered-in Daimler van from the royal stables. This vehicle is used for conveying furniture and the like between Berlin and Potsdam. I shall possibly return to the van on a future occasion.

Great interest is being evinced in the utility vehicles by visitors, and the larger measure of attention, as compared with tqc.5, is very marked. Late Paragraphs.

The Premier Motor Company, Limited, of Cornwall Street, Birmingham, advises us that it has removed to new works on the Aston Road, and that it is about to make a speciality of light commercial cars.

Half-a-crown will be the charge for admission, on the opening day, Thursday next, and on the following Thursday, the 22nd instant, at the forthcom • ing Olympia Show, except after 5 o'clock p.m., when the charge, as on other days will be only one shilling.

The Milan agents of J. E. Hopkinson and Company, Limited, india-rubber manufacturers, of West Drayton, Middlesex, have advised the works that the company's patent solid tires have been awarded the gran premio, in addition to the medaglia d'oro, at the hands of the Suprnne international Jury. The gran premio is the highest award.

Caminell, Laird and Company, Limited, intimates that, hi order to meet the increasing demands of the company's business in the Tyne, Wear and Tees districts, a branch office will be opened, in the company's name, at Nos. 28i, and 29, Collingwood Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, next Monday, and that its interests will be under the control of Mr. J. Johnson, who, for many years, has represented the company as district agent.

Dennis Brothers, Limited, of Guildford, has closed its books for a seven months' financial year, in view of stock-taking, and has decided to do this on September 3oth, in each year, hereafter. At the company's general meeting, held at Guildford last week, a dividend was declared at the rate of 12i per cent. Per annum, and the sum of ,67,00o was carried to reserve. In addition, a substantial amount was brought forward into the 1906-7. accounts. A resolution was also passed to inereisse the capital of the company to Znao,000, and the shareholders will take this up between them. It is interesting to note that Dennis Brothers, Limited, has now distributed three dividends at the rate of to per cent., and two at the rate of 2:1 per cent.


comments powered by Disqus