Firestone Advance With Synthetic
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ASYNTHETIC rubber that is claimed to be equivalent to natural rubber has been produced by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. Over 500,000 miles have been run by tyres made of the new product and its heat resistance is stated to be outstanding.
Research workers have tried to arrange the molecules of synthetic rubber to obtain physical properties at normal and high temperatures equivalent to those of natural rubber. After two years, Firestone say that they have achieved this aim.
The new rubber is made from isoprene and the method of preparation differs from that of standard synthetic rubbers made in emulsion systems.
DRIVING CONTESTS SEED OUT NATIONAL CONTESTANTS TWENTY drivers of Silver Road' ways, Ltd.. competed in a rally held at the company's Silvertown depot last Sunday to decide which three should participate in the "Lorry Driver of the Year" eliminating contest at Portsmouth on September 10. The winner was Mr. N. Plumpton (A.E.C.); and Mr. G. Mortimer (A.E.C.) and Mr. Alfred Elsrlon (Scammell) tied for second place.
Prizes were presented by Mr. L. W. Tate, director of the company. Mr. Elsdon also received an award for five years' safe driving. The rally included a road section, questions on the Highway Code, and manceuvring and braking tests.
Mr. R. J. Elmes, general manager, told The Commercial Motor repren4
sentative that the event had aroused great keenness among the drivers, whose families were spectators at the event.
Drivers of the Oxford Group of British Road Services held a similar rally on the same day as a preliminary to next Sunday's contest at Coventry. Mr. R. M. Carter (Morris-Commercial) won the group C competition for vehicles of 19-22 ft. long: Mr. E. C. Trafford (Leyland) group D for fourand six-wheeled vehicles over 22 ft.; Mr. J. Dorrington (Leyland) group E for eight-wheelers; and Mr. R. Sykes (Austin) group F for articulated vehicles over 25 ft.
Mr. Sykes won the premier and several other awards. The competition was organized by the City of Oxford Road Safety Organization.
OLDHAM WANT 2d. MINIMUM
APPLICATION for permission to raise their minimum fare from 14d. to 2d. has been made to the NorthWestern Licensing Authority by Oldham Transport Department and -joint operators.
Increases in the fares on certain football "specials" are also proposed.
The undertaking are also seeking authorization to raise from 14 to 15 years the age limit for children's and scholars' rates.
Ipswich Corporation are seeking -the Eastern Licensing Authority's authorization for new fare scales.
They propose to charge 2d. for an average distance of .52 mile, 3d. for a mile, 3'I-d. for 1.49 miles, and so on up to 7d. for 4.96 miles.
Alterations to workers' weekly tickets and children's rates are also proposed. The corporation also wish to charge special low rates to passengers using two different services in peak periods.