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THE CONVEYANCE OF BULKY LOADS.

10th June 1919, Page 17
10th June 1919
Page 17
Page 17, 10th June 1919 — THE CONVEYANCE OF BULKY LOADS.
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Seaplane Hulls Seventy Feet in Length Safely Conveyed Without Obstructing , the Roadways.

Yr HE EXIGENCIES of war brought into being many Unfamiliar emergency forms of motor transport which, under more peaceful times, vere more or

lees non-existent. Moreover, we question' whether they conformed in many instances to the laws and .regulations concerning the use of heavy motor vehicles. HoWerei, the necessity of war knows no law, and as a resultt, unusual loads were frequently to be seen on the roads entrusted to the cat of motor vehicles.

The efficiency with which big and bulky loads were tratisportede veryoften over long distances, inferior roads and hilly districts, has been the subject of much commendable comment on the part of the authorities and other exponents of the commercial motor vehicle. Some of these loads, and we particularly have in mind at the Moment seaplane hulls and aeroplane fuselages, were far too bulky to be carried by rail and had perforce to be transported by road vehicles. The transport of such loads as those in the illustrations on this page called for the use of two and four trailers, many of which were specially designed and constructed to carry these long and awkward cargoes. We have recently received from an ex-officer who was until recently in charge of an inland transport flying boat section, an interesting communication in which he speaks in

glowine terms of the value of motor vehicles For the transpcirt of R.A.F. loads.His particular unit was formed expressly for the purpose of conveying loads such as we have mentioned"by road. His letter runs on to say that "one make 'of ear proved itself infinitely superior for this class of work. We experimented with numerous types . of chassis and trailers, but soon found the most successful vehicles for negotiating awkward corners and manoeuvring with loads of 70 ft. in length to be the Lacre chassis, with turntable fitted, and trailer on two wheels. We have conveyed seaplane hulls, measuring approximately 70 ft. in length and le ft. in width, through London traffic and round right angle corners on the above-mentioned chassis with the greitteet of ease, and I maintain that there is no other vehicle which will negotiate corners so celinfortably as the Lacre tractor and trailer, for the simple reason that the trailer wheels steer independently; this enables .the chassis and trailer to make a complete circle in its own length.

" The engine, even if rot the most pleasing to the critics' eye, has a most wonderful reserve of power, and can be relied upon to pull its enormous load anywhere. I ern of opinion that the Lacre engine was built for strenuous use. . . ." Apart, from. enunciating the outstand. .ing, merits of the Lacre lorry and trailer, which this communication does, it also expresses in its tone the inherent reliability and efficiency of modern motor vehicle construction.

Many other loads of greater weight and bulk have been successfully transported by motor' vehicles during the period of the war, such as marine boilers and -the like, and hi the case of loads of this description steam wagons have been employed And have worthily emulated the example of their petrol consorts. • There is still a big field open to exploitation as regards the transport of goods which are even now, in the main, carried by the railways. The war has given us a severe lessen on the limitations of railway transport and has proved that, where. the time factor is of vital importance, the lorry wins all along the, line.

A very short time ago if the idea of transporting by lorry such loads as those we illustrate had been brcught forward it would probably have been treated as quite impracticable ; even now there is plenty of scope for improvement in the design and construction of the epilers themselves. The chief difficulty has always been that of reversing, which may be essential where awkward turnings have to be negotiated. Certain types 'of trailers have been constructed in which the steering is inter-connected with that of the hauling lorry, but most of these types are unduly complicated and expel', sive to manufacture.

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