COAL-GAS PROGRESS.
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Nottingham Progress.
Although, owing to drastic., licensing arrangements, the' progress latterly in regard to gas-propelled. cars has: not been at so rapid a .rate in Nottingham as earlier anticipations suggested the possibility of, some substantial results have been attained. The Corporation, as owners of the gas undertaking, the largest municipal trading concern, which last year made a profit of £123,662, has afforded all facilities possible for the work. Two inflating stations at Corporation depots were rendered available and there was the possibility of bringing two others into use if required, but these have not been found necessary as, apart born the effect of present restrictive conditions, most owners,lin order to save delay involved in journeying to the works, renew supplies from their own service pipes, as they are permitti. to do. The minimum charge is ls. for 300 ft., with 4d. for each additional hundred. Of the 70 odd vehicles at present running in Nottingham, propelled by gas power, all but two belonging to private car owners are of the type essential for commercial
motor, purposes, and are being used mainly by bleachers, dyers and finishers in the lace and hosiery trades. But with a return to normal times the possibility uf expansion is obviously great.
Tip-wagon Conversion.
Of all the many and varied 'Coal-gas conversions, that have been carried b out to different types of commercial vehicles quite a number have been effected to tip. wagons. So far as this type of vehicle is concerned the very nature of its construction, that is to say., the mechanically. or band-operated tipping arrangement, does not lend itself to simple and ready conversion. On this account, therefore, much individual thought has been expended in an endeavour to overcome these irremediable difficulties. In this direction we can cite many caSe.s of ingenious adaptation. One of these instances ia reproduced in illustrative form at the top of this page. lb shows a Whiting-Denby tip wagon which has recently been-supplied by the Cleveland Car Co., Ltd., Darlington, to the order of the Darlington Corporation. The adaptation of the veiticle to run cal gas and the manufacture of the tipping gear was carried out in the works of the suppliers. It will he seen thatthe flexible container and its tray have been carried forward well over the driver's cab, thus avoiding the possibility of interference with the working of the tipping gear. Although on this account the flexible container employed is of small capacity, it is ample for the length of journey undertaken,
Popularity in Yorkshire.
Nothing is more remarkable than the way in which coal-gas-thas sprung into popularity in certain tdistriets in comparison with the laxity shown by, others. The West Riding of Yorkshire probably has more gas-driven vehicles than any other locality. The accompanying picture taken at Keighley shows a Sunbeam touring car on the left with a Cox gas trailer attached, and a Ford delivery van with overhead container on the right of the picture. The container on the Ford was made by the Thornton Engineering Co.,of Bradford.