WHEELS of INDUSTRY
Page 40
Page 41
Page 42
Page 43
Page 44
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
" The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport, at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
YORKSHIRE WAGE DEADLOCK BEFORE NATIONAL BOARD.
The deadlock between the employers' and employees panels of the Yorkshire Area Joint Conciliation Board was con-. sidered by the National Joint Conciliation Board, in London, on Monday. At the time of closing for press no information was available as to any decision reached by the National Board, but evidently it will be put before the Yorkshire Area Board, which has provisionally fixed a meeting for Monday next, April 15, at Leeds.
The dispute between the Yorkshire employers' and employees' panel is confined to wages, agreement having been reached on working conditions. The deadlock concerns the grading of the area, and it seems likely that the National Board will definitely put forward a scheme. This may take the form of suggestions for securing an agreement between the panels, accompanied by the intimation that if they still fail to agree, the scheme must be put into operation as a definite decision by the National Board. Alternatively, the National Board may simply intimate that the scheme must be operated, without further expenditure of time in negotiation.
The position is complicated by the attitude of the Yorkshire Stage Carriage Operators Association, which disagrees with the wages terms already offered by the employers, as well as with the working conditions agreed upon.
Taxation Receipts and Licences Current.
The gross amount received in payment for licences issued during the three months ended February 28, 1935, was £18,803,057, compared with £19,057,393 in the corresponding
period of the previous year. These figures are contained in a return recently issued by the Ministry of Transport, which also shows that thetotal number of licences current during this period was 2,012,714 as against 1,789,335 in the corresponding period of the previous year.
A. EC. Oversea Tractor's Successful 10,000-mile Test.
A description of an A.E.C. eightwheeled tractor, for use with two Dyson eight-wheeled trailers, the outfit being built to carry a total load of 15 tons over rough unmade tracks, appeared in The Commercial Motor dated August 4, 1933. A report of the performance of the outfit, during a test in the heart of Australia, over a total distance of 9,937 miles, conducted by the Oversea Mechanical Transport Directing Committee, has just been published.
The tractor is equipped with an A.E.C.-Ricardo six-cylindered 130 b.h.p. oil engine. All wheels are driven, those c1.8. on the first and fourth axles being steering wheels.. Provision id made for carrying 3 tons on the tractor, whilst each trailer carries 6 tons.
During the 29 weeks' test, fuel was consumed at the rate of 3.15 m.p.g. and the average, speed was 12.87 mph. Distances as great as 170 miles were sometimes accomplished in a day. The running cost per ton mile has been estimated at 3.7d.
As a result of the success encountered by this tractor-trailer unit, the coinmittee has decided that an axleload of 41 tons' Is practicable on the average earth roads of the Colonies and Dominions, and accordingly has prepared plans fon an 'outfit of twice the capacity, comprising a (f-ton tractor and two 12-ton trailers. We hope to publish fuller particulars of the test next week.
The Highway Code.
Copies of the latest (1934) edition of the Highway Code are obtainable frOrn Temple Press Ltd., 5-15, Rosebery Avenue, London, E.C.1, at 11d, per copy, including postage.
Growth of the B.R.F.
The membership of the British Road Federation has recently been increased and strengthened by the admission of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce. The Federation now conconsists of 24 national organizations which, together, cover all the various interests of the commercial road-transport industry.
New Registrations in February.
The number of mechanically propelled road vehicles registered for the first time in February, 1935, was 27,470, contrasted with 22;905 in February, 1934. This year's total includes 4,920 goods vehicles and 337 hackney vehicles, the comparable returns for last year being 4,001 and 227. TAXATION EFFECT ON MILK DISTRIBUTION COSTS
At the recent annual general meetingof the Express Dairy Co., Ltd., the chairman gave sonic interesting facts and figures concerning the road-transport activities of the company. He said that, every day, its vehicles transport some 1,200 tons of milk, cream and other goods, this figure not including incoming milk carried by road tankers or other vehicles.
Dealing with the constantly increasing cost of handling milk, he referred back to the Salter Report, which had resulted in an incfease in taxation costs of no less than £3,614 per annum on the fleet of vehicles used for cOnveying Ailk from the bottling depots to the distributing centres. This represents an increase of 101 per cent, in haulage alone in connection with milk-distribution costs in London. The mileage .run by the company's 'vehleles is about 3,250,000 per year.
The chairman referred to the fact that the concern is employing a -number of electric vehicles for the door-todoor distribution of milk and other goods. These vehicles are being used at 18 branches, and it is possible that their employment may be considerably extended in the future.
Hydrogenation of Creosote: First Ship
ment from Billingham.
Pending the completion of the erection of the plant for the direct hydrogenation of coal, the first shipment of petrol, some 800,000 gallons, produced by the hydrogenation of creosote at the Billingham plant of • Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., was on April 9 loaded into the S.S. '' Otterhound." The petrol was for delivery to the Shell-Mex-B.P. Co., which, with the Anglo-American concern, are undertaking distribution on behalf of the producing company. This delivery initiates a regular service between Billingham and East Coast ports,
Albion's Good Trading in the Past Year.
The report of Albion Motors, Ltd., for the year ended December 31, 1934, shows a profit of £44,681, after providing for depreciation and all charges, including subsidiary company's tracl-• ing loss, the amount available being £55,209 after .adding the balance brought fOrward. A 6 per cent, dividend (less. tax) on the preference shares absorbs £8,032, whilst a dividend on the ordinary shares, at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum (less tax) Witt account for £20,725, leaving £26,452 to be carried forward. The directors report a considerable increase in the. turnover for the year.
FORD RESULTS IN 1934.
The report of the Ford Motor Co., Ltd., for the year ended December 31, 1934, shows a 'Lading profit of £1,429,263, this being reduced to £797,191 after deducting depreciation and obsolescence (£619,301), and directors' fees, interest on employees' investments and boys ti aining school. (£12,771). After deducting a loss on debt due from the Ford Motor Co., Cologne (£152,755), reserve for and losses on exchange (£84,830), and certain •other items, as well as an appropriation of £25,000 for income tax, the total becomes £483,663.
It is proposed to pay a dividend of
5 per cent. (less tax), which will absorb £348,750, leaving £523,083 to be carried forward, as compared with £388,170 brought into the accounts.
Another Brown Bros. Demonstration.
Brown Brothers, Ltd., is holding a, demonstration of garage equipment at
its Water Street premise S Manchester, from April 29-May 4, when a number of equipMent manufacturers and suppliers is co-operating with the company.
Leicestershire R.H.A. Officers.
" The annual meeting-of the Leicestershire area of the Road Haulage Association was held in Leicester on Saturday last, when the following officers were elected for the ensuing year:— Chairman, Mr. F. Plafts;
Man, Mr. FL Russell; honorary secretary, Mr. H. Platts; committee: Messrs. Peter; Brarnford, Hamblin, Kirby, Simmons, Latham, Bamford and Hall and Miss Walker. There was a good attendance, and the honorary secretary gave an address on " Licences and their Limitations."
R.I.A. Call for Better Roads.
At the 48th annual general meeting of the Roads Improvement Association, held last Friday, there was a strong call for better and safer roads. Lord Iliffe, who presided, congratulated the Minister on having made the community more road-conscious than ever before, and said that the problem of loss of life was mainly a financial one. He hoped that when the Budget pro presented, the Chancellor would see his way to make provision for additional resources.
Mr. G. R. Strauss, M.P., chairman of the highways committee of the London County Council, referred to the two London bridges—Chelsea and Waterloo—which are being built, and thought that before long Wandsworth Bridge would be demolished and a new bridge erected.
Wakefield Irish Subsidiary Registered.
An Irish Free State subsidiary company of the Wakefield concern has been registered under the title of C. C. Wakefield and Co. (I.F.S.), Ltd. The directors nominated are Viscount Wakefield, Mr. W. R: Graham and Mr. J. Brown. The new concern is a vate one, with 4. capital of R15,000.
The next issue of The Commereial Motor., dated April 19, will be published on Thursday next week—a -day earlier than usual.
A NEW THREE-WHEELED VAN.
A neW three-wheeled van, designated the Reliant, having a 7-cwt. load capacity and moderately priced, is about to be marketed by the Reliant Engineering Co., Watling Street, Twogates, Tamworth, Staffs. The principal' of this company is Mr. T. L. Williams, who has had extensive experience in the design and inanuicture of vehicles
of this type. At an early date, a description and full road-test report will be published in The Commercial. Motor.
Shipping Guide for Hauliers.
The following is the number of ships arriving at the London docks, wharves and jetties named, from April 12-20 inclusive :—Docks : king George V, 9; Royal Albert, 13; Royal Victoria, .3; Surrey Commercial, 6; West India, 5; East India, 2; South West India, 2; Tilbury, 12; Tilbury Stage, 2 ; Millvvall, 4; London, 1. Wharves : Hays, 4; Middleton's, 1; Mark Brown's, 1. Tilbury Jefty, 3.
Technical Sales Manager Available.
A technical sales manager, age 43, well qualified in works control, organization, sales development, etc., and who for 10 years has been calling upon purchasing managers, maintenance engineer; etc., of the big transport concerAs, as well as on manufacturers, having also spent some time abroad, requires a position where his experience will be appreciated. Letters should be addressed "Sales," care of the Editor.
I.T.A. Conference: New Dates.
As the dates originally chosen .for the 1935 conference of the Industrial Transport Association fell in Jubilee Week, arrangements have now been made to postpone it for seven days and, with the agreement of the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, who is extending civic courtesies to the conference, the event has now been fixed to take place from May 16-18 'inclusive. The annual dinner will take place on May 17, at 7 p.m., at the Constitutional Club, Water Street, Liverpool. The dominant theme of the congress will be " Transport Planning in the New Age."
A Practical 30-m.p.h. Warning.
Although designed primarily for the private motorist, the Tbirtilite speed signal should prove a handy device for the drivers of light commercial vehicles. It is a recent addition to the range of accessories made by S. Smith and Sons (Motor Accessories), Ltd., Cricklewood, London, N.W.2, and incorporates a dashboard lamp which lights at 20 m.p.h. and goes out at 30
This is operated by a switch, controlled by a governor, driven by the speedometer cable, the mechanism being accommodated in a small box' provided with fittings for connection between the gearbox speedometer-drive take-off 'and the lower end of the cable. The price of the Thirtilite is 27s. 6d.
NEW FEATURES IN A BODY FOR MINERAL WATERS.
The Cestrian Mineral Water Works, of Chester, have recently put into service the Dennis Ace vehicle which is illustrated on this page. The body of the machine is, in. some respects, out of the ordinary, and was designed by Mr. J. M. Lloyd, managing partner of the firm.
It will be seen that deep sides take the place of the usual open type and, apart from the cleaning-up in appearance, these can be used for advertising. To enable the loading height to be reduced to the minimum, the wheelarches are let into the platform and, to render them unobtrusive, a box is used to form a replica of two mineralwater cases, with the sides slanting inwards a little so as to present the same appearance as when a box is resting on the sill of the platform. Dummy boxes are also employed at the front of the platform to cover the supports for the front board.
A hinged door in the side gives access to the battery and to the tool box." The backboard is the same depth as the sides and, to enable the spare wheel to be readily reached, the bottom half is hinged. The vehicle is rendered particularly attractive by the colour scheme of orange, with gold letters shaded black, which is adopted. The unladen weight of the vehicle is
• slightly below 21 tons.
The Trading Results of Scammell Lorries, Ltd.
In the 15 months ended December :I-1, 1934, Scammell Lorries, Ltd., made a gross profit of X97,155. General expenses absorbed £66,422, so that the balance was £30,733. After providing for del), cciation on fixed assets (£20,484) and loan interest, etc.
there is a balance of £3,412. The payment of interest on the 51 per cent. notes absorbed E4,736, so that there was a loss for the period of c20
£1,324, which, deducted irorn,the hal= ance brought forward (£2,575) leaves £1,251 to be carried forward.
New legislation made it necessary to produce new types of vehicle to meet the changed conditions, and two machines, a lightweight rigid sixwheeler and a lightweight articulated eight-wheeler, were introduced. Although they were not put into full production until late in 1934, they have proved very successful. Mention is also made of the success achieved by the two types of mechanical horse which the company markets.
Stockport Sub-branch for C.M.U.A.
Disappointment was expressed in Stockport, last week, at the poor way in which local hauliers had rallied to a meeting held by the Manchester branch of the Commercial Motor Users Associa tion. Eventually it was unanimously decided to form a sub-branch of the C.M.U.A. at Stockport, and a meeting is to be held, on April 16, at the White Lion Hotel, to form a committee and elect officials. There are already 46 Stockport members in the Manchester branch, who will form the nucleus of the new organization.
Mr. George Worsley presided and the chief speakers were Mr. W. E. Macve (chairman), Mr. S. Royle (chairman, special section), Councillor H. Howard Robinson, J.P., A.M.Inst.T. (secretary), and Mr. 3. L. Kinder (organizer).
Councillor Howard Robinson explained that while he was in the Isicensing Authority's court at Chester that day a haulage contractor had applied for a licence for an additional vehicle. The trader for whom he did a large amount of haulage was present to support the application and guaranteed work for the vehicle. The argument was then put forward by the railways that a contract A licence should be granted. This principle was dangerous, for if a trader went out of business the vehicle could not be used and would form idle capital.
THE INDUSTRY MUST ORGANIZE ALL ITS_ RESOURCES.
Only a short time is left, in which road transport must marshal all its forces to acquire the necessary power to alter the present state of the hauls age industry, said Mr. F. F. Fowler at a recent meeting of the Cambs and Ely Sub-area of the Road Haulage Association.
In six or eight months' time the Licensing Authorities will start dealing with the renewals of B licences, and in 18. months' time with A licences. What is going to happen.? asked Mr. Fowler. The position will be the same as to-day when making applications for vehicles to be acquired. The haulage industry is faced with Acts of Parliament, judgments . of the Appeal Tribunal, and the weight of fully organized opposition. hy the railway companies, and oniy by •a united effort can the industry make known its demands for fair play-.
Mr. T. R. Sanders said that the greatest difficulty the industry has to face is that the Government is railwayminded.
Driver of Disabled Vehicle Summoned for Obstruction.
A police constable who gave evidence in a ease: at Doncaster, in which a lorry driver was summoned for causing obstruction on the Great North Road, was severely cross-examined and criticized by counsel for the defendant. The driver was stated by the constable to have been asleep at the wheel while his lorry was standing on the Great North Road. The police maintained that the lorry was. causing an obstruction, as, within half a mile, them were two, cafés catering for lorry drivers.
Theconstable admitted that • the driver had told him that he pulled up because the hack axle had become overheated and that he had not given this detail in his examination-in-chief, because he "thought it was only an excuse."
The defendant's explanation was that he intended to wait until the axle
cooled down; before adding oil. He explained the trouble to the police, who kept him waiting, with their questions, for about half an hour.
The magistrates dismissed the summons, as well as a second summons, for not keeping a record of that day's rest hours in the record book. The details of the second case wete that the driver had not entered in his book a rest of half an hour taken earlier in the evening.
Road Services Replare Another Branch-line Railway.
The Great Southern Railways of Ireland has decided completely to close down the Galway-Clifden branch line and to replace it by bus and lorry services, which will serve the whole district and will commence on April 28. The company has made speeial arrangements for the transport of livestock in connection with fairs. It is. also proposed to provide depots at Maam Cross, Recess and Clifden.
CANAL CARRIER TRANSFERRING
• . TO THE ROAD?
Decision was reserved on a waterway carrier's application that came before the Deputy Licensing Authority Jar the North-Western Area (Sir W. E. Hart) last week. Bishop's Wharf Carrying Co. sought licences for two motor vehicles which were to be used for loads that would not pay to carry by barge. The company was stated to own 20 barges, each of 100 tons, but tour had recently been laid up. On behalf of the railways it was submitted that it was the thin end of the wedge that would ultimately enable the applicant to transfer from the water to the road. In the latter case the• facilities were already excessive.
A New Reo Agent, Walson, Ltd., Abbey House, Baker Street, London, N.W.1, advises us that it has taken up an agency for Reo commercial vehicles. The company is the sole distributor in London and the Home Counties for the Scammell mechanical horse. In view of the success attained by both these makes of vehicle, the company has opened a service statioa.at 154, Church Street, Paddington, London, W.
Prizes for Coachwork Drawings.
An -exhibition of prize-winning drawings of buses, coaches and other classes of motor vehicle will be held on Thursday next at the Polytechnic, Great Portland Street Extension, Little Titchfield Street, London, W.1. It will he open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. until and. including Thursday, April 25. It is organized by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and two important coachbuilding associations.
Road-accident Returns.
The following figures are extracted from the Ministry of Transport return of persons killed or injured in road accidents during the week ended March 30, 1935, the figures in parentheses being those for the corresponding week in 1934. The number of persons who died as a result of accidents during previous weeks is included
in the total. In England 85 (97) persons were killed and 2,724 (3,610) injured, whilst in Scotland 9 (13) were killed and 300 (324) injured. The figures for Wales show that 6 (10) persons were kilted and 121 (143) injured.
Mr. Riches Issues Warning Against ' Rate-cutting.
A. warning against rate-cutting was issued by Mr. Henry Riches, the Northern Scotland Licensing Authority, when Amalgamated Scottish Utilities, Ltd., applied for a licence. for 18 vehicles and two trailers acquired from Scottish Roadways, Ltd., Dunfermline, and six vehicles and three trailers purchased from Modern Roadways, Ltd., Kirkcaldy,
Objections were lodged by the London and North Eastern Railway Co. and by the Coastwise Shipping Road Traffic Committee. For the Dundee, Perth. and London Shipping Co., Ltd.,
it was stated that, for the past 20 years, the company has carried certain materials from Stockport to Fife at the rate of 41s. 9d, per ton, but the applicant was doing the work for 30s. This information was said to have come from a director of the manufacturing concern.
Mr. Riches, granting the licence for a year from April 1, expressed surprise that the company, having been issued a short-term licence, had indulged in rate-cutting. He warned the applicant concern to conduct its business in conformity with commercial practice. The applicant's manager denied knowledge of rate-cu tti ng.
A Timber Price-list.
Messrs. N. Gerver, 6-10, Mare Street, Hackney, London, E.8, has recently compiled a new price-list of hardwoods and plywoods, which will interest motor-vehicle bodybuilders. • FORTHCOMING MEETINGS OF THE R.H.A.
A number of meetings of the local areas of the Road Haulage Association is to he held during the next few weeks, and the following is a list of the meetings announced to date : Western Metropolitan Area: Annual general meeting, Hammersmith Town
Hall, April 15, 7.45 p.m. Northern Metropolitan Area : Members' meeting, discussion on pre,sent problems, April 15, 8 p.m. Ledbury Sub-area : Ring o' Bells Inn, Ledbury, April 12. Worcester Sub-area Albion Hotel, Worcester, April 12. Barrow-inFurness: April 24. Whitehaven: April .25. Carlisle: April 26. Northwestern Area : Annual general meet ing, Liverpool, April 29. Preston: April 30. South-eastern Metropolitan Area: Annual meeting and luncheon, Holborn Restaurant, London, May 1.
A COMPACT AND USEFUL BOOK ON ROAD LAW.
A valuable. and. comprehensive but compact book on road traffic law, under the title of "Road Traffic Manual," has just been published at 3s. by Mr. Ernest Booth, 63, Warrington Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, Mr. Booth is assistant clerk to the Justices of Ashton-underLyne and examiner to the Borough Police, and has had a long and varied experience in magisterial routine.
• E.R.F.. Distributors in South-eastern Counties.
We are informed that E. R. Foden and Son (E.R.F., Ltd.), maker of the E.R.F. Gardner-oil-engined Vehicles, has allotted additional ground, covering "Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, to its agents and distributors, Messrs. W. J. Boyes and Son, 30, Blenheim Grove, Peckham, London, S.E.15. The personal representatives on the new ground will be Mr. R. Boyes in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, and Mr. W. J. Lovesy in Essex.
A Novel Traffic-warning Device.
With the object of warning drivers that their vehicles are too high to pass along an underground roadway at the • gates of Paris, a photo-electric system has been installed. Two projectors shine. into two photo-electric cells above the street, and when, moving towards the passage. a lorry cuts the two beams, a warning is sounded by a loudspeaker calling out in French "Lorry too high, go around the tunnel." At the same time, a warning lamp shines at the entrance.
Prosecution on Amended Summons: Appeal Possible.
A probable appeal to Quarter Sessions against the decision of the magistrates, which, it was contended, went outside the limits of the regulations, was indicated at Truro City Police Court, on Monday, when the Heavy Transport Co., Ltd., St. Austell, was summoned for having caused a driver to use a lorry which did not comply with the construction regulations, contrary to Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930.
Mr. Humphrey Cooke, for the defendant; submitted that the summons was bad, because it did not specify the partitular regulation which the vehicle had infringed. As there were 80 or 90 separate regulations under the Section, and they dealt with at least 29 different subjects, he could not possibly know what he had to answer.
The police asked to have the summons amended and contended that the companyknew the regulation, because it was set oat fully on the summons against the driver. Mr. Cooke replied that it would be most unfair to amend what was obviously bad, but the magistrates decided that the case should proceed on an amended summons.
The summons against the driver was for having driven a lorry without mudguards or similar protective means, Mr. Charles Hodgson, manager of the Hea,tiyTransport Co., Ltd., stated that
c.22 the lorry was recently passed by a traffic crammer. The lorry had been running since the regulation was passed in 1931, without being challenged.
When the bench fined the company 10s. and the driver as., Mr. Cooke spoke of the possibility of an appeal.
Westinghouse Brakes for Trolleybuses.
Westinghouse Brake and Signal Co., Ltd., advises us that the 120 trolleybuses which are on order for London Transport (Leyland and A.E.C.English Electrics), will be equipped with Westinghouse air brakes, whilst similar equipment will be employed on the 30 trolleybuses under construction for Newcastle Corporation and for the 15 vehicles that are being built for Bradford Corporation. HOURS CASE OUTSIDE COURT'S JURISDICTION.
The submission that the court had no jurisdiction was successfully made at Doncaster BoroughCourt, in a case in which a haulage contractor, Mr. Harry Fountain, of Murton, near York, was summoned for causing an employee to drive for longer than the Prescribed periods. The prosecution was undertaken by the Doucasler police, in view of information which came into their possession during a case of speeding against the employee, a few weeks before.
. The bench upheld the subMission for the defence that the court had no jurisdiction, as the vehicle was not within 40 miles of Doncaster when the alleged. offences were committed.