AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

OPINIONS and

14th April 1944, Page 32
14th April 1944
Page 32
Page 35
Page 32, 14th April 1944 — OPINIONS and
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

UERIES

VALUE OF OUR LEAGUE OF SERVICEMEN WAVING just received several copies of " The Commercial Motor," I was very much surprised and delighted to read your articles on '.' The C.11e1,' League of Servicemen."

To us in this part of the world the problem of life after the war has raised considerable controversy. Quite a lot of us out here will, I imagine, reach home long after most of the other boys. This; in itself, means that most of the available work will have already been taken.

An organization like the one you have in mind would certainly be a great help in this case. Instead of having to scour the country for suitable employment, your organization could assess the opportunities Available and thus save us considerable time and expense.

There will, of course, also be the problem of sorting the engineers' from those who profess to be in this category. The war, with its increase in mechanization, has brought many people in touch with thechanized transport for the first time. In my experience I have found that many men have proved extremely adaptable and have developed a liking for the work. It is certain that a proportion of these men will wish to stay in the trade after the war. This will mean a large increase in M.T. fitters, etc., with a proportional decrease in the work available.

If, as I believe is your idea, you set a certain, standard before allowing members-to join your organization you will certainly be doing the trade a service.

Will you please accept my name as a member of the League? I 6n send any particulars required at a later

date. A. HALLWAY, CAPTAIN, E.M.E., I.E.M.E. India.

[A slow but steady stream of entrants to The "League of Servicemen ' is being received by us as the scheme becomes better known to the Technical Services. At present the applications are being filed without any strict sorting' out. Later, when the time comes to bring the League into more active operation, the entrants will be divided into their respective categories and the areas of the country where Hwy have permanent addresses. There will undoubtedly be a distinction between those . who were formerly employed in any section of the roadtransport industry and others who have received their 'training entirely' in the Services and who wish to enter the industry. Obviously, in the case of positions being available, in fairness, the f)riner must receive prior consideration As regards -*tandards of education and technical training, these eould not be applied to members for the reason that the scheme is devised to cover every class of worker, and the qualifications which suit a man for a particular positi n might be insufficient for one in a higher grade. The information which we require from applicants at the moment is :—Full name, permanent Iddress, whether employed in the industry before joining the $ervices, .brief •details of technical training, age, and the nature of the position for which the writer considers himself best suited It is also advisable to state whether or not a post would be accepted in any part of the country.—ED.1 EX-SERVICE H.G.V. DRIVER DISILLUSIONED THIS letter may be of some interest to you, as your I journal has always championed the man who does the work—the driver.

I had noted .for a long time past, with something like a feeling of security, advertisements to the effect that good jobs were waiting for men in the motor industry. Also, a few weeks ago, there %Vas an advertisement in your journal, amongst others, stating that the industry was alive to the fact that men were already being discharged from the Army and that employment must be provided for them.

Incidentally, I learned all this while in hospital following my discharge froin the Army a few weeks ago, after servingfour and a half years with the R.A.S.C, as a driver, rising to the rank of corporal. During this service I drove all types of vehicle under the most exacting conditions ever asked of man or wagon.

I have held a licence for eight years and have never had an accident or an endorsement, and my present licence 'entitles 'me to drive a heavy-goods vehicle in peace-time. Before the war I was a driving 'instructor, with my own business, and I think you will agree that this is a reasonably good record, so far as the motor industry is concerned.

However, I was sadly enlightened as to the actual state of affairs. when I tried to put into practice all the fine stories one reads. The result of writing to several of the largest transport concerns ill the country was invariably the answer that my services were not needed. Is this the 'reward that we are to receive after all our efforts? Mind you, I am not asking foe charity. All I want is a reasonably good job. L. C. WILLIAMS. London,. W.2.

M.D.W.T, CONCESSION CONCERNING L.-W. TIPPING _CHASSIS KTO doubt you are aware that in the past couple of

• 1 .1 years or so it has been the policy of the Ministry of War Transport to endeavour to persuade or force all operators of tipping vehicles to accept in the case of new vehicles standatdized factory-built short-wheelbaSe tipping outfits rather than to grant permits for chassis and cabs only, as long-wheelbase types, to permit operators to have tipping mechanisms and bodywork mounted—which equipment might be more suitable for the operators' particular conditions.

We would advise you that we have been, during the past few months, in communication with the Ministry on this -particular subject, and the writer a month ago had the opportunity of putting forward certain proposals and arguments to the Technical Branch of the Ministry. We have now received a communication from the M,O.W.T. to state that it has given every consideration to the proposals put before it by us, and that from now on the Ministry is pfrepared, in exceptional cases where goods vehicles are to be used for light and bulky loads which require tipping facilities, to agree that a long-wheelbase chassis may be fitted with a tipping gear and body. It goes on to say that so long as the present need to save labour and materials pertains' it will not agree to granting a permit for a new long-wheelbase chassis for the purpose of fitting a tipping gear and body if the loads to be carried are sand and gravel, road materials, bricks or other similar heavy' goods.

In the case of new vehicles, therefore, this now means that operators who have to carry light, bulky loads or ladders and scaffolding on long-wheelbase vehicles can put forward their cases to the Ministry with a reasonable chance of having granted to them permits for the obtaining of chassis of the long-wheelbase type with cab only. They can then, of course, approach. the tipping-geat manufacturers for the particular mechanisms which are most suited, to their specific and individual requirements. In the case of used or existing vehicles, the operator can use the same arguments to put forward an application to the M.O.W.T. Maintenanfe and Certifying Officer of the Region where he operates, and obtain a ' permit for material for tipping mechanisms, etc.; for long-wheelbase vehicles. • For long-wheelbase tipping trucks, of course, a subframe type of slant-cylinder mechanism should be fitted, because the sub-frame in this type of tipping mechanism

• acts as a chassis-frame reinforcement. Furthermore, the slant type of tipping cylinder or ram imposes .a lengthwise stress on the sub-frame and not a direct force on the chassis-frame members.

We feel sure that the concession which we have been instrumental in getting the M.O.W.T. to grant will be appreciated as being very valuable to operators whose spheres of operations necessitate such vehicles being used, and we therefore take this opportunity of bringing the matter to your notice with a view to your giving it the desired publicity. .

H. W. SwiFT, Sales Engineer.

Bolton. (For Bromilow and Edwards, Ltd.)

AVOIDING DIFFICULTIES WITH UTILITY ANTI-FREEZE . WITH reference to my previous _letter. on the subject VV of anti-freeze, the folloviing facts may help to clear up part of the trouble. In the winter of 1941-42 we used a Variety of anti.

freeze-liquids to make -up for what we lacked of ethylene glycol. One or two of these had a 30-40 per cent. solu-' tion of calcium chloride. Although this solution attacks iron at a slightly . increased rate when' hot, as against cold, it corrodes aluminium at a greatly increased rate when-hat.

I have now had tests made on pieces of tinned and' galvanized plate which corresponds to the side water plates. '• A 5 per cent. (cold) . solution made tinplate' lose 7 milligrams in two days. The galvanized plate turned black on the bottom side andit lost 4 milligrams... Heating for eight hours gave a similar effect. The zinc seems to have been dissolved generally. It is. not known, however, whether the exposed edges had some effect as a zinc-iron couple.

If pin-holes were present in the original plates, action would commence there. In the summer', when the liquid was emptied out, rust would no doubt form and when Froidene was used this past autumn the cleansing action no doubt removed the rust and started leaks. •

With regard to the other part of the trouble with this particular anti-freeze, if no one has-a better idea, I feel. that the statement by the chemist that sodium acetate reduces the surface tension of _water is the correct solution.

No doubt if all the faces.of cylinder heads and blocks were super finished, one had a perfect gasket, and the parts were carefully fitted, there would be no leak along this joint. I ha,ve found with my own car, however, that if one is prepared to leave the white incrustation as a kind of fungus on the side of the cylinder, it eventually stops leaking. • We are then left with the leaks under the rubber connecting hoses. These can be obviated only by goodfitting hoses with clips which press tight all around; the fungus here, again, will help to stop the leak.

DENis F. PILKINGTON, Transport Officer,' Manchester, 2. Lancashire Associated Collieries. RUSSIA'S HOST 0.F CAPTURED VEHICLES AND TANKS

/OUR article of March 24, under the heading "U.S.S.R. Planning its Future Transport," was most interesting and can only increase our great admiration for these wonderful people. They have indeed surprised the whole world and there is no doubt that they will continue to do so when they settle down to peace conditions. '

With regard to the road-transport section of their planning, I wonder if others have realized—as I have— the tremendous number of motor vehicles that they have taken from the enemy since that great day when they stopped the Nazis and turned west. I did not keep count exactly, that was almost impossible, but every few days they captured from 1,000 to 12,000 or so in one blow.

The total must be enormous, probably something near 500,000. When we remember that in this country our total lori-y fleet just before the war was about that very number, we can get an idea of what they have taken over from the enemy.

The important point is that this huge fleet of vehicles will be of the greatest help to them, in their heavy task of reconstruction and will, at least, relieve to some useful extent the immediate and urgent need to manufacture lorries and thus enable more agricultural machinery to. be manufactured, which is, of course, one of their great necessities,

As to the actual vehicles, we know that the Hun can make a 'good, sound machine—a bit on the heavy side, but good for years of hard work. Only the other day I saw on the road one of the original Mercedes-Benz, oilers which was imported into this country in 1929. It was in fi,ne order and going well. I know the machine' thoroughly, because .I travelled a few thousand miles on it while using it as a demonstration lorry.

In addition to the motor vehicles taken, the Russians have captured a huge number of, Tanks in good order, and although the Tank is not of much use on the road, the engines and, possibly, the transmissions, will be of considerable help to our great Ally. It is pleasing to think that out of all the frightful destruction something useful can be recovered.

Leeds. W. H. GODDARD.

MR. HAMISH MAcDOUGALL QUOTES A B.R.F. RHYME

RREFERRING to the report headed " M.P.s Resent Commissioner's Action " in your issue dated March 24, as this refainded me so_ much of a rhyme which appeared in a booklet' entitled "The. Law," issued by the British Road Federation many years ago,

repeat it for the information and guidance of your readers :— " Under the Act of '33 for Traffic of the Road and Rail,

An operator may be fined for each offence—cash on the nail!

But there the matter may not stop since when his licence claims renewal He may be penalized again, which strikes the heart as rather cruel!

(To punish twice—by English Law—for one offence would seem a flaw!)

But there, of course, the Powers That Be are fairer fax than you or me!"

Glasgow, C.2.

IlAmISU MACDOUGALL,

Secretary, The Scottish Carriers' and Haulage Contractors' Association.


comments powered by Disqus