THE 2-TON ALBION REDIVIVUS.
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A Model with Monobloc Cylinders, Plate Clutch, Four Speeds, and Worm Drive.
BEFORE the war the two-ton Albion vehicle was one of the most popular on the market, but since 1914 it has been absent from the range of vehicles mamtfactured by the company. However, the demand for this type has been steadily increasing, and, to meet it, the Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., have recently put on the market a new model of this capacity. Realizing that vehicles designed as a compromise between two different types, such as the coach chassis and that for goods carrying, can never be entirely suitable for either purpose, the makers have built this machine expressly as a medium-speed load-carrier to run on solid tyres, and with this purpose in view they have geared it to give a maximum speed of 171 m.p.h. on the level. Built, as it is, essentially for commercial duty, it may be expected to perform this work in the satisfactory manner which WB always associate with Albion productions.
The enginp is a four-cylindered monobloc with a detachable head. It is not a small engine of ultra efficiency, but is motion which results from the deflection of the road springs. The final drive is by overhead worm.
As is only to be expected, the lubrication on the chassis is attended to by the Albion-Murray patent instrument, which forces oil to all important parts, and is arranged so that the quantity of oil can be adjusted to suit requirements. The limiting of the speed is attained by the use of a totally enclosed governor which cannot be tampered with without dismantling the inlet pipe and carburetter.
The whole chassis is designed to stand hard service. For instance, the shafts of the gearbox are short and stiff and are carried on ball bearings of ample size. The road wheels ran on gunmetal bushes, the white metal liningsoof which are lubricated from the hub caps. The frame is of very stout construction. It has channel section, pressed steel aidemembers, connected by pressed and tubular cross-members. The frame is exceptionally deep at the point of maximum stress and tapers to both ends. With a wheelbase of only 11 ft. 9 ins., the chassis is capable of carrying a platform 10 ft. 3 ins. long, and the fact that gradients of one-in-six can be climbed with ease amply demonstrates that good road performances may be expected.
In common with all other Albion vehicles, this new machine has been subjected to the most strenuous running tests under iull load before being placed on the market, and it, can be confidently prophestecl that the Albion reputation for reliability and sound engineering will be maintained. The running of the Albion vehicles by many users over a large number of years has Droved that they have few rivals so far as low running costs are concerned. This is chiefly due to the fact that throughout their construction the materials employed are used to the best advantage, thus there is no unnecessary weight; also, by a process of elimination over a number of years the number of parts has been so reduced, consistent with satisfactory results, that the Albion is one of the easiest machines to maintain and overhaul, accessibility being a pronounced feature.