OPINIONS and QUERIES The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects
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connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be written only on one side of the paper. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted.
This Feature Worth a Pound Per Week!
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2956] Sir,—I am a regular reader of your paper, and contemplate starting on my own as a one-man haulage firm, I have read about your Tables of Operating Costs and should be glad if you would send a copy. I should also like your advice on a small matter that is troubling me, namely, as to whether it would be advisable to continue health and unemployment contributions to the State. I propose starting with an ex-W.D. E-type Packard and have purchased one from a firm who advertise in your paper, and should be glad of your advice.
I may say that I think your "Opinions and Queries" page is worth a pound a week to me, as I have never missed a week without gleaning a good deal from it. Wishing your paper every success,—Yours faithfully, London, N.1. F. F. WILLIS.
[A copy of The Conartercial Motor Tables of Operating Costs has been forwarded to you. You will find that the Tables give you not only the operating cost of your vehicle but the charge you should make for its hire. You will note that these charges vary with the weekly mileage, and in making your preliminary estimates you will have to try to ascertain what the mileage will be.
If, however,. a job offers which involves 100 miles per week, but does not take up all the time of your vehicle, then you will have to calculate accordingly. One hundred miles in two days would leave you with the capacity ttr a further 200 miles or 300 miles per week, and jou should base your charges accordingly.
I do not believe that you will be allowed to continue your health and unemployment contributions when you cease to be an employee, hut I think concerning that, you had better inquire at the offices a the Labour Exchange.— S.T.R.] Diesel-engine Progress and the Precombustion-chamber Design.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR. •
[2957] Sir,—In reply to the opinion expressed by Mr. Nixon in his interesting paper before the I.A.E. at Luton, that "the ante-chamber system will probably fail to survive, as it is but little removed from the type of injection usual in low-speed engines," may I be allowed to state actual facts and results, also my humble idea of why it will not only 'survive, but prove to be the winner in the forthcoming competition for the best and most reliable Diesel for transport work?
First, I cannot see that because "it is little removed, etc." this is any reason why it should not survive.
The pre-ccmbustion-chamber design was first patented by the old Benz Co. in 1909, and although not applied to the transport type of engine until about six or seven years ago, it has survived up to now 20 years of hard work in hundreds of stationary engines, tractors, etc.. with the greatest success, and is to-day continuing its victorious way.
When this design is applied to the modern transport type, i.e., the Mercedes-Benz six-cylindered Si-litre Diesel engine, the advantages are as follow :—Quick and reliable starting, even in the coldest weather ; very complete combustion, proof of which is that at 1,200 r.p.m. there is not a trace of CO gas in the exhaust and no sign of smoke; violent turbulence and atomization due to the extra pressure exerted at initial ignition, and the passing of the gas through the small apertures in the vaporizer ; the facility of being able to employ with B36 equally good results a greater and wider range of fuel oils than in other types of engine; the fact that, owing to the great turbulence, there is no need for using such high pressures of injection as with direct-injection engines, some of which require 700 atmospheres, or about 10,000 lb. per sq. in.
Furthermore, this design has the advantage over other types, that the different factors concentrated in this little 1-ianaber allow of manipulation, and therefore control of the performance of the engine, and herein lies the reason why the latest Mercedes-Benz engine (sixcylindered, seven-litre capacity, 1,700 r.p.m.) is so perfect that it is nearly impossible to distinguish it from a petrol engine. By this I do not mean control during running, but in the test and research department before turning out the engine.
• So much for the theoretical side.
In actual practice, both in this country (it was the first actual production engine of Diesel type ever to run here) and on the Continent, it has proved to be the most reliable and economical machine on the road. The consumption has been consistently good, the starting most reliable, with very, high average speed, splendid acceleration and flexibility, and in fact an entire success. With a gross load of over 10 tons, it has kept up an average speed of 25 m.p.h. for nearly 200 miles, giving 14 m.p.g. On another occasion it kept up an average of over 23 m.p.h. for several thousand miles.
Its average consumption of lubricating oil is one gallon per 1,069 miles, a further proof of complete combustion and healthy cylinder conditions.
The torque curve from 600 r.p.m. to 1,400 r.p.m. is almost a horizontal line.
One of these engines has now run over 60,000 miles on hard haulage work without the slightest trouble. Finally, I welcome the opportunity for proving all th2 above to Mr. Nixon, in actual practice, wit'. the conviction that he would then change his opinion to that which I hold, i.e., that the pre-combustion chamber will survive.—Yours faithfully, W. H. GODDARD. Leeds..
The Results of Working at Low Rates.
The Editor, 'THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2958] thank you very much for your reply. of
November 9th regarding the price to charge for haulage with Ford ton lorry. I would have written you before, but I was -waiting for a reply from the firm for whom I did the haulage. I have heard nothing from them, so I presume they will pay me at the end of the month. I will let you know when they do. .I gave them a copy of your letter and informed them that in the circumstances I would not be able to make any reduction, but as I had already sent an account at 6d. per mile I would have to let it stand at that figure this time. I will, of course, charge more another time. I have had the lorry two years, but have not undertaken haulage for other people until lately. • Even before receiving your letter I had realized that it would not be profitable even at 6d., but I had this Job thrust at me without warning and no mention was made regarding payment ; they said the haulier they usually employed was unreliable for urgent delivery, as his tyres and lorry were unsatisfactory. I can quite understand this, as, looking back in their delivery book, I could see that he had taken as much as 1 ton 19 cwt. on a ton Ford, and regularly took 30 cwt. 1 refused to take above one ton, or at most 22 cwt.
Another haulage contractor whom they used to employ, and who used to overload and cut prices very badly, had his lorry (a Chevrolet, six months newer than mine) completely burned out, and it is said that, being unable to satisfy the insurance company, he received nothing.
Thanks to the hints Contained in The Commercial Motor, I realized in time that there are costs which otherwise I might have missed.
I believe in "Safety First" in every way and am rewarded with the fact that my lorry, which I have used for over two years, has cost under 3s. for repairs. Again thanking you,—lours faithfully, Leicester. 3.0.
[The state of affairs revealed in your letter is one which I have so often predicted as being the inevitable outcome of price cutting, and I am very glad to note that you have decided not to follow in the footsteps of your predecessor.
The most potent argument of the haulier who takes a firm stand and insists on a proper price is that the rate-cutting fraternity invariably fall down on the matter of reliability. Their service is good for a time, but soon degenerates, amuse they cannot keep their vehicles in good enough condition to maintain any service with regularity.
The other point you mention, the tendency to over
load, is the outcome of the same trouble. Finding themSelves short of money for essential repairs and renewals they attempt in desperation to make up the deficiency by carrying more than the vehicle will stand, thus aggravating the very trouble they are attempting to avoid.
Your own experience with the economy of repairs to your vehicles is, I should think, sufficient to confirm you in the sensible course which you are at present pursuing.--S.T.E.]
Training Schoolchildren in "Safety First."
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2959] Sir,—In your issue of November 26th you refer to the "Safety First" competitions• organized by the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce America in the elementary schools. May I point out that, for the past 12 years, our London Safety First Council has organized a "Safety First" Essay Competition amongst the schoolchildren in the Greater London area and, with the establishment a local branches of this association throughout the country, similar competitions have been organized in other Centres. Now no fewer han 250,000 children enter annually for the competition. The suggestion is, therefore, no newtone to us.
Moreover, with the idea of encouraging such competitions, this Association has instituted a special national award, which takes the form of an illuminated diploma bearing the photograph of our patron, H.R.H. the Duke of York, with his personal signature and that of our president, the Rt. Hon. the Viscount Brentford. This is awarded to the best essayist in each area of a local branch organizing the competition.—Yours faith fully, J. A. A. PICKARD,
The National Safety First Association (Inc.). London, SAVA.
Carrying Motorcars from the Docks.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[29601 Sir,—I have for some time past been a reader of your paper sand have found it very useful in the course of my business, especially the problems of haulage contractors. I have now a chance to open a branch office about 20 miles from London, with a view to carrying motorears from the docks to towns between 20 and 260 miles away. The job entails opening an office under a manager and putting a Chevrolet six-wheeler on the road, and this would be used on three to four days per week. It follows, of course, that the manager *Would• canvass other business, with a view to increasing the number of lorries to about five, from 30-cwt. to the 5ton class.
Can you, please, tell me how to quote (at the present moment) for the haulage of the motorcars? They are complete, except ror tyres, and include all well-known Continental makes. At the same time, I should be glad if you would let me have a set of your Tables of Operating Costs covering lorries from 10 cwt. upwards.
I am especially inerested in the Chevrolet and Morris makes.—Yours faithfully, L. C. WILES. Westeliff-on-Sea.
[The only way to arrive at the cost of transport per car is to find out the mileage you are going to cover each week with your Chevrolet. Estimate the cost of that, add to it the wages of the manager of your office, the rent of the office and its expenses. Divide the total by the number of cars you are able to transport per week and that Will give you a flat-rate figure for each. Having got that, you should then apportion the charge to each customer according to the length of journey, taking the flat rate as a basis and increasing or decreasing the charge accordingly. Assume, for example, that you cover 400 miles per week. The total cost of that will be approximately 115. Add for wages of manager, f..3 10s.; for rent of offico, lighting and heating, £1; sundry office and other establishment and travelling expenses, £1 10s.; total, £21 per week. Assume you wish to make a profit of 14 and that you carry 10 cars per week, then you have to divide £25 by 10, which gives you a flat rate of £2 10s. per car. The average mileage per car is 40. If these figures for mileage are• not in accordance with your experience, then you should vary them and make your own calculations in the same way. —S.T.R.]