Lifting capacities
Page 44
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Through the medium of CM may I take the liberty to challenge Mr. Jackson of DialHolmes (England) Ltd., regarding .comments he made about Criton Engineering Co.'s AEC Militant and T.F.L. Crane? (CM January 30 1970).
Chaseside Motor Co, later Dial-Mec, later Dial Holmes, have in my opinion been exaggerating lifting capacities for a number of years now.
Firstly, when the Ernest Holmes wrecking gear was first marketed in this country, the advertisement clearly stated that it was new to this country. There were and still are numerous World War ll recovery vehicles around the country with Holmes gear. Even Dial-Holmes sell them themselves.
In addition to claiming that the equipment was new to this country they also claimed a lift and tow 4 to 40 tons. I wrote to CM at the time over this and the Technical Editor agreed there appeared to be discrepancies. The question I raised at the time was—were Dial-Mec quoting British or American tons? Pages from back numbers of CM have been sent for your inspection. Messrs. Reynolds Boughton have also made. this type of gear for a long time.
I would ask Mr. Jackson why the 40 tons has now come down to 36 tons on a Diamond T when in a large advertisement of that unit they stressed Trackgrip tyres on the front axle of a 6 x 4 unit? At the Commercial Motor Show in 1966, I approached the Dial-Holmes stand and a representative of the company asked if he could help me. I told the gentleman I was in no position to purchase the equipment but I was interested in their claim to lift and tow 4-40 tons. His answer was—Well, you would never want to do it, would you! Did DialHolmes reduce the claim to lift 40 tons to 36 tons after the Trade Descriptions Act? Is not their advertisement "typical American advertising"?
Come, come, Mr. Jackson, let every CM reader see photographs of your E. Holmes gear lifting what you claim. Also please study the D. T. manual and instruction book regarding winch capacities, etc.
One final word re AEC Militants—look at the front of Mary-Anne at the M6 Forton Service Area. No, Mary-Anne is not a girl wearing "falsies". It is an AEC Militant with Holmes 750 gear with a hell of a lot of ballast on the front end. See accompanying photograph.
J. BEARD, Bristol.