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Not-so-stupid Operators
Page 99
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AAUCH has been written recently on the bill-climbing I" abilities of six-wheel conversions and heavy commercial vehicles. Mr. Wall's letter (The Commercial Motor, December 16), presents somewhat distorted opinions in relation to the facts.
The design of British commercial vehicles has, for years, been largely governed by the legal requirements for gross vehicle weights and not by "the cut-throat manner in which road transport operates at present and the gross stupidity of many operators," as suggested by Mr. Wall. The legal requirements have particularly penalized the heavy twoaxled vehicles in comparison with light vehicles: Chassis plating is an obvious answer to the problem, provided that the law governing gross vehicle weights is amended accoraingly, and would be welcomed by most established road transport operators.
In recent years the engine power outputs of all manufacturers of heavy vehicles have been considerably increased and braking efficiencies have also been greatly improved. These are facts which are obvious to the regular road user of today.
The general standard of vehicle Letters to maintenance has also been
improved and this is confirmed by recent reports from Licensing Authorities in various parts of the country.
I suggest that Mr. Wall should visit the workshops of any well-established long-distance haulage contractor and see for himself their vehicle maintenance organizations. Judging from his letter I am sure he would be surprised.
Finally, it is unfair to compare the average haulier with the few cut-throat operators who admittedly do exist.
Dundee. I. R. MEEK, Service Manager.
Allison's Transport (Contracts), Ltd.
Calling All Model T Fords
'J THE picture and news item in The Commercial Motor, 'HE
23, of the 5,000,000th Ford produced in this country being driven off the assembly line, makes interesting a Comparison with the astronomical output of more than 15,000,000 model T Fords between 1909 and 1927.
A Ford T Register, formed early this year, has over 65 members so far, and we should be interested to hear from any more T owners, or about any T models still in use.
16 Townsend Drive, C. T. W. PEARCE, St. Albans, Herts. Registrar.
Rigorous Maintenance
yOUR correspondent "6.?." (The Commercial Motor, December 16) asks London Transport for suggestions on the control of diesel fumes including the use of catalytic filters. The Department of Scientific and industrial Research has stated quite recently that no filtering device, catalytic or otherwise, at present available is satisfactory.
London Transport's own methods, which are effective. include rigorous maintenance, regular and frequent tests of dieselfuel pumps and injectors, and the deliberate derating of the maximum power of bus engines in general service.
Westminster, S.W,1. R. M. RoamNs, Chief Public Relations Officer, London Transport Executive.
For Private Use ?
WOULD bring to your attention that any vehicle adapted to carry eight or more passengers, and used for hire work, must be a p.s.v.
It seems to me that Mr. Walkerley was thinking in terms of "private use rather than private hire.
This vehicle, and others similar, is free from Purchase Tax—but if any seats are removed to make it, say, a sevenseater, then it becomes at once liable to Purchase Tax of roughly
the Editor 000. In my opinion the original write-up on the vehicle (published in The Commercial Motor Novem
ber 25, 1960) was very misleading.
Eyemouth, Berwickshire. WILLIAM BLACKIE, Mackie's Coaches.
That Personnel Carrier
IT is apparent from Mr. T. Walkerley's comments on my letter about the Commer personnel carrier that he has overlooked the provisions of Section 117 of the Road Traffic Act, 1960.
If this vehicle seats eight or more people and does not have a p.s.v. licence because it does not comply with the conditions of fitness regulations, then it cannot be used for hire or reward.
London, N.W.5. JOHN BIRCH, Managing Director, Birch Bros., Ltd.