WHEELS of INDUSTRY
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The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, us a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
Diesel Engine Users Dine.
We were present last week at the second informal dinner of the Diesel Engine Users Association, which was a very happy and interesting gathering. The chief purpose was to afford an opportunity for the presentation of the first "Percy Still" medal and a cheque for £25 to Mr. C. 0. Milton, who is responsible for the electricity supply of Maidenhead.
These were handed to Mr. Milton by the president of the Association, Mr. C. M. Mayson, who referred to the reason for which they bad been given. This was for work carried out by Mr. Milton over a large number of years in the preparation of the summary of Diesel engine working costs, which involves a great deal of labour and extreme accuracy.
The toast of "Onr Guests" was proposed by Mr. Milton, and that of "The Honorary Officers of the Association" by Mr. W. A. Tookey, who, incidentally, made a speech which was almost a classic in respect of its humour.
Ford Developments.
The latest Ford cars embody engines which, whilst similar in all main respects to the two models "hitherto employed, have considerably increased power output, larger main bearings, improved lubrication system, . automatic ignition control and other interesting innovations. incidentally, the chassis and bodywork have been improved in several respects • a full description of the new Ford 24 h.p. and 14.9 h.p. cars appeared in the issue dated April 5th of our associated journal, The Alotor.
The engine modifications, in particular, are of interest, although the Ford Motor Co., Ltd., states that for the present, at any rate, there will be no change in the specifications of the present Ford commercial vehicles. The bore and stroke measurements remain unaltered, but the 24 h.p. engine now fitted into Ford cars develops 48 b.h.p. at 2,400 r.p.m. whereas the familiar unit develops 44 b.b.p. at 2,200 r.p.m. Pressure-feed lubrication is employed for the main and camshaft bearings.
" A London Transport Concern's " Extensions.
Carey, Davis and Thomas, Ltd., the well-known road-transport concern of 145-149, Kingsland Road, London, E.2, informs us that it has purchased from Sir Basil Mahew, acting as receiver for Southern Roadways, Ltd., the good• will of the Liverpool and Manchester branches of that company. The Manchester office is at 10, Water Street, the manager being Mr. P. Brady, and the Liverpool address is at 17, Baltic Buildings, Redcross Street, Mr. G. Wexler being the manager.
With the acquisition of these offices, Carey, Davis and Thomas, Ltd., now possesses an organization that is able to deal efficiently with traffic to all parts of England. The company oper ates daily between Lancashire and the south a large fleet of modern vehicles of 5 tons to 20 tons capacity. . B20
Buses to Replace Trams at Llanelly.
At the recent annual general meeting of the Llanelly and District Electric Supply Co., Ltd., Mr. A. H. Beatty, 0.B.E., the chairman of the company, referred to the fact that the Llanelly and District Traction Act authorizes the company to abandon its light rail way and to run trolley-buses and motor buses instead. For some time plans have been prepared for this conversion, but it has been thought wise to defer it.
The Act allows the company until :fune, 1935, to effect the conversion, but the directors are of the opinion that the work should be put in hand this year.
More 'Buses for Manchester.
Further to the paragraph appearing in our issue for last week, fuller particulars are now available of the requirements of the transport committee of Manchester Corporation in connection with new buses. The committee is prepared to receive tenders for the supply of 30 chassis, equipped with either petrol engines or compressionignition power units, which are suitable for carrying 50-52-seater double-saloon bodies, as well as for 20 bodies of this
type. Further particulars can be obtained from the General Manager, Corporation Transport Department, 55, Piccadilly, Manchester, and tenders have to be sent to the chairman of the transport committee by 10 a.m. on April 26th.
A Transport Association's Progress, Mr. Ellis G. Buckley, one of the founders of the Amalgamated Horse and Motor Owners Association, of Manchester, has been elected president of the association for the ensuing year. The year just concluded has been a period of progress for the association, for in that time 61 new members were enrolled, the net membership being now 456.
The alleged overloading of vehicles is dealt with in the report of the secretary, Mr. J. S. Howarth, who states that it was reported that an official of a railway company had approached the councillor of a certain town with the suggestion that the watch committee should take action against the owners of vehicles found to be overloaded. He offered the free use of a railway-owned weighing machine for the purpose.
A Meeting of the Short Distance Hauliers Alliance.
A meeting of hauliers was held last week under the auspices of the Short Distance Hauliers Affiance as a result of the activities of the Regional Committee for the West London District. Considerable enthusiasm was shown and the local committee urged the need for co-operation amongst hauliers.
The chairman of the Association, Mr. F. F. Fowler, referred to a probable rise in the'price of petrol, and in connection with the committee appointed by Mr. Pybus, he said that whilst the failure of the road-transport industry to secure more representative members on that committee might be considered disappointing, there was the advantage that they had been left free to put their ease before the public.
It will be remembered that this Alliance is now being absorbed into the Road Haulage Association, as was mentioned in our issue for last week.
Raleigh Van Gains Premier Award.
The Raleigh delivery-van chassis ridden in the London-Lead's End trial at Easter by a representative of Motor Cycling has been allotted a premier award. There were 345 motorcycles and cars in the event and 95 premier awards were won.
The French " Other-fuels " Demonstration.
The annual trial, organized by the Automobile Club de France, for vehicles employing fuels other than petrol is to be held from May 18th to June 5th.
This event, known as the Rallie des Carburants Nationapx, is more in the nature of a publicity demonstration than a serious test, although it is run under the auspices of the A.C.F. Technical Committee. It is intended to popularize the use of fuels having ingredients wholly, or in part, of French origin.
After a preliminary examination at the A.C.F. premises in Paris, vehicles will inake their way to Granville (Manche), which will be their headquarters until May 25th. Daily demontrations and out-and-home runs to other towns are to be made, and the convoy will leave Granville for Nantes on May 26th, passing by way of Tougeres and Rennes. At Nantes a further series of demonstrations is to be held, and the return journey will be made via Le ans to Versailles, where the trial is scheduled to end.
Replacement Studs for Wheels.
Users of commercial vehicles who are experiencing troubles due to fractured wheel studs will be interested in a list of replacements being marketed by B. H. Pottier and Co., 25, 27 and 29, Brearley Street, Birmingham. A useful sheet is available, showing the different types which are stocked, so that orders can be accurately prepared and promptly met.
Special-type studs can be machined in two to three days. The material employed is 3 per cent. nickel steel, duly heat-treated. Sheradized, chromiumplated or coppered nuts are supplied by the company.
A Progressive Clearing House.
in spite of difficult trade conditions of the past year, the working of the transport department of the Nottingham Chamber of Commerce, of which Mr. W. Donaldson Wright, Assoc. Inst. T., is manager, shows considerable expansion and development. As compared with the previous year, there was an increase of 24 per cent, in the amount of traffic handled, and this clearly indicates that the policy of the department in opening and controlling its own depot has been fully justified. The depot was opened in April last and it has led to an extension of the reliable facilities that are offered. There has also been an increase in the volume of heavier traffic, but this does not touch the depot. The finances of the department are, we learn, in a healthy condition.
Ford's Reduced Trading.
The trading profits of the Ford Motor Co., Ltd., for the year 1931 amounted to £412,142, as compared with £1,054,286 in the previous year. After providing £115,712 for depreciation and obsolescence, £217,416 for income tax, and making allowance for two exceptional charges totalling 1200,235, the net result is a debit balance of £134,489, as contrasted with a net profit of £790,353 in 1930. The exceptional charges referred to are £170,329, which constitutes a reserve for loss on exchange on dollar debts, based upon the rate as at December 31st, 1931, and £29,005 representing a loss arising on trading operations outside the British Isles for the period from December, 1928, to December, 1931.
No dividend is to be paid for the past year (10 per cent, was paid in 1930 on a capital of £7,000,000), and the amount to be carried forward is reduced from 1506,360 to £371,871. In the balance-sheet creditors stand at £1,255,385 and debtors at £513,263. The capital reserve is now shown at £2,897,720, as against £809,621 a year earlier.
In the report mention is made of the fact that satisfactory progress has been made in resuming and developing the manufacture of the company's products at the works at Dagenham.
More Members for C.141.U.A.
At the ninth annual general meeting of the South-east Lancashire Area Committee of the Commercial Motor Users Association it was reported that 34 new members had been enrolled. The present membership is stated to stand at a total of 275.
Charges for Hiring Tipping Lorries.
The highways committee of Dewsbury Corporation is hiring lorries from Messrs. Brooke Bros. at the following rates :-3 ton tipping wagon and extra man, 5s. 3d. per hour; 3-ton tipping lorry, 4s. per hour; ton tipping vehicle, Ss. 2d. per hour, and another ton tipper Se. per hour.
Concrete Road Progress.
A report on concrete road construction in the British Isles has been issued by the British Portland Cement Association, Ltd., 20, Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London, 5.W.1, and it affords highway engineers a good indication of the progress which is being made by the concrete road, the statistics which are incorporated clearly emphasizing this fact.
The longest concrete road in the British Isles is the Ballymena-Antrim road, which is 17 miles in length, but when the Liverpool-East Lancashire road is completed it will be 25 miles long. During 1931, coloured concrete roads were laid in 12 towns in the British Isles.
Mercedes-Benz Products.
British Mercedes-Benz, Ltd., 111, Grosvenor Road, London, S.W.1, asks us to point out that it is the English branch of Messrs. Daimler-Benz A.G., of Germany, and that it exclusively handles the whole of the Mercedes-Benz oil-engined commercial-vehicle products. Furthermore, it asks us to draw attention to the fact that the new oil-engined chassis, which was described in our issue dated March 22nd, will be listed as the type L02 Miracle 2-3-toaster.
Ministry Officials at Marshall's Works.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies connected with the recent freeing of the toll bridge at Gainsborough, which connects Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, the Minister of Transport, Mr. P. J. Pybus, accompanied by Colonel C. H. Bressey, C.B., C.B.E., general engineer to the roads department of the Ministry of Transport, and Lt.-Col. A. P. Heneage, D.S.O., Parliamentary Private secretary to the Ministry of Transport, paid a visit to the Britannia -Works, of Marshall, Sons and Co., Ltd., of Gainsborough.
The company's latest road-rnaking equipment, including oil-engined road rollers, special and standard types of steam road roller, Manumit petroldriven rollers, oil-engined tractors and B22 other products, were examined during a tour of the works, the visit being concluded by the party witnessing demonstrations of certain machines.
The War Office Convoy.
Information has been received by the War Office that the War Office convoy, which is operating in Egypt and the Sudan, arrived at Port Sudan on April 2nd, thus completing successfully the third stage of its return journey from Juba to Cairo.
Vauxhall Motors Trading.
The net profit of Vauxhall Motors, Ltd., for the year ended December 31st, 1931, was £56,040, after providing for depreciation (£66,923), the amount written off jigs, special tools, etc. (£89,311), maintenance (f74,675), debenture interest (f22,760), etc. The carry-forward from the previous year was an adverse balance of £448,385, so that, after deducting the past year's
profit, there is a debit balance of £392,345 to carry forward. The past year's profit compares with a loss of £88,536 in the previous year.
Good Work by Manchester's Ambulances.
In the annual report of Manchester's medical officer of health it is mentioned that during the past year the six ambulances covered a total mileage of 65,039, and the two bedding vans travelled 12,614 miles. The light ambulances in the service of the public assistance department carried 15,970 patients and travelled 98,416 miles. The 10 ambulances attached to the police force responded to 14,768 calls, the average mileage per call being six.
More Refuse Vehicles for Merthyr?
A report on the costs of horsed vehicles as against motors for refuse collection is to be presented to the works committee of Merthyr Tydfil Corporation. It is suggested that the mechanical system may be extended.
Personal Pars.
Mr. Robert Seddon has retired from the position of works manager at the Pagefield Ironworks of Walker Bros. (Wigan), Ltd., after 48 years' association with the concern, which he joined whim he was a boy.
Mr. E. Sayers has been appointed sales manager of the Coventry works of the British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd. He succeeds the late Mr. E. Garton, with whom he was associated for many years. Mr. Sayers commenced his career with Edmundson's Electricity Corporation. He entered the service of the B.T.H. concern in 1905, and just prior to the war joined the Coventry organization in connection with the company's magneto business.
We are advised that Mr. C. H. roan has recently joined the staff of E. D. Abbott, Ltd., the coachbuilding and engineering concern of Farnham, Surrey. He will concentrate on the sales and servicing of goods and passenger-carrying vehicles. Mr. Foan is well known in London and the southern counties, having made many friends while in charge of the service department of Dennis Brothers, Ltd., of Guildford. For the past two years he has been associated with the sales and service department of Solex, Ltd.
The English and Scottish C.M.U.A.s.
Mr. F. G. Bristow, the secretary of the Commercial Motor Users Association, has asked us to point out that there is no connection between the English Association and the C.M.U.A. of Scotland, which has a different constitution and membership. The position is that the English C.M.U.A. originally had some 400 members in Scotland, but these were lost when it was decided to form a separate Association.
New Light Trailers.
We are advised by Messrs. P. and W., 57, Partridge Street, Bolton, that they are now producing light trailers of two types. One is a model intended to carry a 6-cwt. pay-load ; its cost is £16, and it can be towed by a small ear or light van, it has a steel chassis and body, '26-in. by 3.25-in. tyres on wire wheels, a 142.-in. tubular axle and a rear light, complete with flex.
A larger type, priced at £22, in grey, is intended to carry 12-14 cwt. The welded-steel chassis is supported upon semi-elliptic underslung springs. The drawbar incorporates an eye of the plunger type, which operates the internal-expanding brakes when overrun occurs. Artillery-type wheels carry 27in, by 4.40-in. tyres.
New Buses for Burnley.
Burnley Corporation's new bus fleet, which is covering the Rorie Syke-Rosegrove route, consists of 14 A.E.C. Regent and two Crossley oil-engined vehicles. Eight of the bodies were built by Chas. H. Roe (1923), Ltd., Leeds, and eight by the Brush Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd., Loughborough.
Operatives will not be displaced following the replacement of trams by buses on the section in question, for the tram men will undergo a special courA of training in bus working.
Bigger and Softer Tyres.
News comes from Fort Dunlop that a new tyre containing three times as much air as the ordinary type, and with a road contact increased in almost the same proportion, is being tried out by the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd.
The results so far achieved indicate, however, that it will be chiefly of service for special purposes rather than to road users in general. It is said to give much improved comfort and freedom from shock when travelling over rough ground, as very large obstacles can be absorbed without lifting the wheels. Corrugated roads can be taken at speeds impossible with normal tyres.
The objections are that it will certainly absorb more power and the greater bulk a material used will mean that the tyre itself must be more costly, steering is rather more difficult on fat tyres and speed must be sacrificed, to a certain extent, to luxurious ease.
The present development is considered as being more or less an experiment on the part of the Dunlop concern, regarding which it awaits the sanction of the vehicle makers and users.
A List of Agricultural Shows.
The 1932 edition of the useful handbook issued annually by the Great Western Railway Co., giving a list of the principal agricultural, cattle and other shows to be held throughout the year, has just come to hand. Apart from details of these events, it contains information regarding many of the company's transport facilities, including the cartage of sugar beet, country cartage services, container arrangements, etc.
The Ballast, Sand and Allied Trades Association.
The second annual general meeting of the Ballast, Sand and Allied Trades Association, which has done so much to establish a system of correct measurement for materials sold by the cubic yard, was held recently in London, with Mr. F. Wells in the chair. He called attention to the great progress made with the loading line and delivery ticket system, by which members of the Association certify measurements to their customers.
Up to the end of last year 3,000 loading-line plates and 350,000 delivery tickets had been issued to members.
Over 20 municipal authorities had mentioned the system on their tenders or orders for material.