Wagons and Tractors at the Cattle Show.
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A Representative Display of Steam Plant at the Agricultural Hall, Islington.
From a brief examination of that section of Smithfield Show which is of interest to our readers, very little in the way of novelty accrues, the exhibitors, all of whom are firms of quite long standing, contenting. themselves with a display of standard models of proved merit. A new-comer, however, is to be found on the Robey stand, where a five-ton steam -wagon of novel manufacture is shown, and to which we refer again below.
We found that the main part of the ground floor of the Agricultural Hidl, Islington, practically contained all those items with which we had any concern. 'We will therefore take the stands in order, commencing at No. 2. Here Aveling and Porter, Ltd., stages three of its standard machines, a powerful steam • ploughing engine, a standard traction engine, and a smaller tractor to the order of Pickfords, Ltd.
On Stand 4 we found the representative of Saunderson and Mills Ltd. in a very enviable frame of mind. The company's Universal tractor, of which the 20 h.p. model was on view, is, we learn, selling itself, through the medium of satisfied customers. An interesting point to note about this machine, and one to which our attentionhas not hitherto been directed, is that the pressure per square inch on the ground is calculated out to be the same as that of the usual farmer's cart Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, Limited, has, on Stand No. 5, a number of its various agricultural specialities, including a large high-powered traction engine available for ploughing and similar farming operations ; a very handy type of portable oil engine. is also shown.
Wm. Foster. and Co., Ltd., stages a couple of its. specially-sprung steam tractors and a portable steam engine on Stand 9, one of the tractors being for Dagnalls, Ltd, of Cricklewood.
Robey and Co., Ltd., occupies Stand 13, with quite an imposing show; this consists of a single-cylinder traction engine, a vertical semi-Diesel. oil engine, a stone crusher, and, lastly, the first of its new five-ton steam wagons, to which we have already referred and of which we include an illustration; from this many of our readers will gather that the new machine is very similar in external appearance to the Ft:den. A horizontal boiler is incorporated, a special feature being the Belpaire boiler, economy being claimed owing to improved circulation ; superheated steam is used in the compound engine employed. This engine can be, instantly converted to high pressure, by means of a single lever operated from the foot plate. The drive is by two-speed gear to substantial chain sprocket and chain enclosed in sheet-metal chain case, the lower half of which can be easily and quickly removed. A powerful band brake is fitted to the main axle, andis also a foot brake acting on the flywheel rm ; both brakes are fitted with renewable Ferodo linings. The water capacity is 160 gallons, sufficient for about a 20-mile run on good roads, and bunker room is provided for fuel enough for 40 miles, Mann's patent road wheels are fitted, the feature of these being that provision is made against slackness of the tire due to stretch. It is possible, with the type of wheel employed, to tighten the tire on to the fel loea merely by screwing up some eight bolts per wheel. The hand wheels are interchangeable, and provision is made for locking the differential gear in case of need.
Foden's, Ltd., shows a standard wagon to the order of a furniture remover and contractor; the stand is No. 15.
A comprehensive exhibit is staged on No. 17 by Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Co., Ltd., the c14 items being a three-ton rubber-tired lorry, a standard tractor, and a light steam agricultural tractor. Wallis and Steevens, Ltd., (Stand 19), has on view a tractor and a traction engine of its standard designs. A rubber-tired superheated steam lorry, and a standard tractor are to be found on Stand 20 (Richard Garrett and Sons, Ltd.). Two very interesting exhibits, both of which have been fully described in our columns, are the Ivel agricultural tractor, and the Ivel-Bauche hoe ; they are invaluable to the man whose holding is not large enough to justify the expenditure of large sums on the heavier type of tractor. On stand 25 is shown a handsome rubber-tired steam wagon by the Yorkshire Commercial Motor Co., Ltd., and intended for the Colne Carrying Co.
John Fowler and Co., Ltd., has a very interesting show comprising a large compound ploughing engine, a standard traction engine, a 10-tine cultivator and a six-furrow plough, the two latter being adapted for use with the ploughing engine already mentioned. Least in size, but not in importance, from our point of view, the Fowler-Wyles motor plough is also to be found on this stand.
W. Tasker and Sons, Ltd. (stand 27), shows a three-ton lorry, and one each of its gear-driven and chain-driven types of tractors • the latter, it will be remembered, was first exhibited at the Royal Show this year at Shrewsbury. Chas. Burrell and Sons, Ltd., shows one of each of its principal tractor and tractor-engine types, on stand 29. Wm. Allchin, Ltd., exhibits on the next stand one of its three-ton rubber-tired steamers. A tour of the Show would be incomplete without a visit to Barford and Perkins' stand in the gallery, where, in addition to several other specialities they are showing one of their A-type water-ballast motor rollers.
Auto-Carriers, Ltd., is taking advantage of this opportunity to exhibit a couple of its standard threewheel parcelcars.