French Makers Cutting Weight
Page 50
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RUNNING concurrently with the Paris Salon, an exhibition showing the uses of aluminium in commercial vehicles has been organized by L'Aluminium Francais. This exhibition is taking place at the Porte de Versailles, next door to the commercial-vehicle section of the Salon.
Although the exhibition consists principally of aluminium bodywork designs, such as are in general use in Great Britain, there are one or two novelties. Among these may be cited the Mege aluminium semi-trailer of integral design, this also being shown in the Salon, and an all-aluminium welded tipping body by Ermont. This is 15 ft. long and 8 ft. 2 in. wide and has a capacity of 8 cu. yd. It weighs just under 104 cwt.
The Bernard all-aluminium sixwheeled chassis, which was a feature of the 1955 Salon, is also shown. It is identical to the standard Bernard singledrive six-wheeler, but the use of an aluminium frame and axles reduces chassis weight by 16 cwt. A 150 b.h.p, oil engine is employed. The payload is 19 tons.
As exhibited by L'Aluminium Francais, the Bernard six-wheeler has an all-aluminium cab and an alloy dropsided stake body.
There are several examples of castaluminium axle casings, brake shoes, radiators, and fuel and reservoir tanks.
RAIL EXPORT TRAFFIC 'MAY BE SPEEDED
MEASURES for speeding export traffic by rail through the Port of London were discussed last week between Sir Brian Robertson, chairman of the British Transport Commission, and Lord Waverley, chairman of the Port of London Authority.
The B.T.C. have been reviewing their arrangements for the movement of export traffic by rail, and have established special 'loading depots at Birmingham and other centres for traffic to be shipped through London and Liverpool.
At present, 81 per cent, of land-borne export traffic arriving at London docks is by road.
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