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Motor Transport in South Africa.*

With Special Reference to the Organization of Services Connected with the Railway System.

In submittina a paper on the subject of the organization of motor transport systems for the carriage of goods, I think it necessary to digress somewhat from the subject matter and widen the scope of the inquiry, more particularly as regards the local conditions obtaining in South Africa, where, as perhaps in few other countries, the internal-combustion engine, in its various adaptations both for road transport and all agricultural work, is destined to play a most important part. In this country of such enormous distances where we have, unfortunately, to combat scourges, drought, and animal diseases, the authorities and inhabitants, generally, are fully alive to the valuable assistance that is placed at their disposal by the advent and development of the internal-combustion engine, and the new methods of mechanical work opened up theeeby.

Interest Aroused in South Africa: All developments and experiments made iu other countries are closely watched by the authorities in South Africa, oriel the future development of the resources of this country will undoubtedly be assisted, or eaten made possible, by an extended use of the valuable forces now available in the form of mechanical haulage and mechanical farming operations. Haying mentioned farming operations I will dismiss that subject with one remark to show how important and nevessary mechanical haulage is to the agricultural development of the con try Farming Difficulties.

When ploughing is clone by animals, far:1,ers have to wait for rain before these operations can he commenced, :sett so much valuable time is lost, whereas with mechanical ploughing the hardest veld can be worked, and the soil is then ready to absorb the rain when it falls, instead of its running uselessly off the land and taking the best suit in its course. With mechanical ploughiug, sowing can then be done after the falling of the first rains, and this is of ineetimable value to the farmer.

Motor Transport Suitable for South Africa.

The progress that, has been made in cionstructing and perfecting road motor vehicles has been keenly followed isy the South African railway authorities, and the use of amid motor transport is regarded as a system especially suited to South African conditions, and it is thought that the system should psove of great value for developing outlying districts sufficiently until the traffic offering justifies the construction of a line of railway, when the motor vehicles weuld be available for use in the development of other districts.

Earliest Attempts at Motor Transport.

The first serious attempt to introduce mechanical road transport was during the latter part of the South African sear (1899-1902), when steam fraction engines were used to a very considerable extent, hauling two or more srailers, to convey provisions and material to the block-house litnes and cutlying posts. Expense in this case was a secondary consideration, the sole aim being to get loads to destination, and though efforts were made to carry on a steam road transport service after the war they were abandoned owing to the conditions of the roads and the question of fuel and water.

Use by S.A.R. in Large Towns, As regains the use of self-propelled vehicles for the delivery of goods at the larger towns where the roads are good, the conditions approximate very closely to those found in Great Britain and the Continent, and the railway department has -or several years successfully used these vehicles in Johanneswhere the fleet consists of 21 traction engines, tractors aud lorries.

Tractors Most Suitable.

It is found that for general purposes the light tractor is the most suitable and the best revenue producer, as the engine is not compelled to remain idle while its cargo is being loaded or unkaded. Wagons with Flats. • Owing to the absence of large manufacturing houses, the solution of the lorry question by the use of detachable tabletops, as used in Manchester and elsewhere, is hardly applicabe to present conditions in South Africa, and this system is not expected to displace the tractor with the load carried on trailers.

Light Lorries.

For luggage and parcels delivery the smaller lorries have been a great success, and the service has been much improved by the use of these vehicles.

The Need for Good Roads.

The success of ally road transport service almost entirely depends upon the provision of good roads, and this road question forces itself irresistibly to the front, as no matter how perfect the organization or the vehicle used may be, if the roads are not good the service will of necessity be slow, inefficient, and uneconomical.

Vetd-tracks.

South Africa, unlike Great Britain and other -European countries, owes the development of its interior to its railways. The roads are, except in the older-established districts and in the neighboinhood of the larger towns, mere tracks across the veld. In many cases. however, the veld affords really good road surfaces, but soft sand is frequently encountered, over which vehicular traffic is difficult, tinbridged rivers, spruits and dry dongasi present further obstacles, though rivers are usually fordable except during heavy rains. During the rainy season the veld roads at times become impassable even for ox-wagon transport, and the only vehicles that can get through are heavy tractors with the occasional use of " spuds" on their driving wheels.

Macadamized Roads and Gradients..

The macadamized or hard roads which exist are generally good, are well constructed and efficiently maintained, and in mountainous districts some fine examples of road engineering arc to be found. There are instances where the road ascend:: uninterruptedly for miles, rising from 1200 ft. to 2000 It. by continuous gradients averaging from 1 in 10 to short, occasional stretches of 1 in 7.

Development of Isolated Districts.

It has been said that " transport is the essence of civilization," and if this holds good for other parts of the world it applies one hundredfold to South Africa, where distances are so great and outlying communities require means of communication with other parts of the Union. Isolated districts with vast capabilities, agricultural and mineral, are to-day lying fallow for want of means of transport, valuable deposits of salt lie untouched for the same reason, and workers find little reward for their labours, as they are unable to dispose of the results of their industry. In spite of the large sums spent annually in South Africa in building new railways, it is impossible to psovide corrammication to many districts which call for assistance in their struggle for development, nor can the country continue indefinitely to bear the costs of the deficits on developing railway lines.

Organization. South African Railways Stateowned. Co-operation with other Government Departments.

As regards erganization, South African conditions lend themselves to the successful operation of road motor services. In the first place the South African railways are State-owned, and motor services as feeders to the railways can he worked as branch services, the organization being, as far as pnesible, on railway lines. In addition to this, the co-operation of other Government departments, such as Posts and Telegraphs, Public Works and Police, afford additional opportunities for serving the hest interests of the public. Obviously it is to the advantage of the public to deal with one organization, and to be able to have its traffic conveyed from one part of the country to the other without the intervention of a third party ; throuili bookings of passengers and goods can be effected, and information enncerning railway train services, etc.., can be obtained from the staff engaged on the motor service.

"Transportation' System on South African Railways.

The system of administration followed throughout the South African railways is that known as the " Transportation " s3stem. This system lends itself to the establishment and working of road motor services, the transportation officer in control being able to direct the road transport as an integral part of the railway service in his district. As an instance of the co-operation with other departments, in the road motor service now in operation between Rot River station and Hermanus the depot had to be established at the latter place where the postmaster controls the motor staff and running .details of the service. A motor garage has been built and equipped with the necessary tools and appliances for cleaning and carrying out running repairs. As a rule the motor men are capable of doing this work, but tor heavy repairs special fitters ere sent out, or the defective parts,sent in to the nearest railway mechanical depot. A varied assortment of spare parts is kept on hand under the charge of the stationmaster or postmaster, who issues only on receipt of the necessary requisition. ) this manner the cost of repairs and renewals of each vehicle issaccurately kept. In the matter of spare parts it cannot be too strongly emphasized that this item should be most carefully supervised, so that vehicles can be kept in commission continuously until they go into the shops for general overhaul, as an interruption to the service or failures on the road would bring the new method of transport into disrepute and create a bad impression. For that :season also the maintenance must be placed in capable hands, as economy in thee two particulars is, without.doubt, false economy.

Storage and Issue of Liquid Fuel. All oil, waste, etc., is measured out as required, and an underground system of petrol storage and a special registering petrol and paraffin pump is provided so that the exact quantities of fuel consumed by each vehicle are recorded. The vehicles used are fitted with speed and distance recorders. Daily records of mileage and speeds are registered. A working time book is issued to the staff, giving the running schedule times and general instructions, similar in many respects to that iseued for railway work.

Drivers Reports.

Motor drivers are also required to fill in a form called the " Motor Drivers' Trip Journal," on which are given Ole actual running times at each stopping place, the miles run as indicated on the speed recorder, and the number of passengers, parcels, mailbags, and weight of goods carried. Forms are also provided for accident or failure report, giving the nature and the cause of the failure, time of occurrence and length of delay involved. On the same form is provided space for detailed cost of effecting the repairs.

Comparisons in Working. Wliere possible a motor driver always drives the same vehicle, thereby enabling comparisons of results in the matter of fuel economy and the cost of upkeep to be made between different drivers on similar machines.

Accounting for Traffic.

As regards the booking of parcels and goods, accounting, etc., the regular railway methods are fellowed.

Statistics are prepared each month under several heads which reflect, among other particulars, the following :— (1) Number of passengers, parcels and mailbags carried. (2) Tonnage of goods carried.

(3, Car-miles run.

(4) Receipts per car per day, and per car-mile. 15) Quantity and metof petrol consumed. (6) Cost of tyres, repairs, renewals and depreciation (separately) per car and per car-mile. (7) Percentage of working expenses to receipts. An abstract of revenue and expenditure is also prepared monthly, particulars being given under the following heads :—e Revenue: Passengers; parcels; goods. Expenditure: Superintendence—salaries, wages, and office expenses; working—running expenses, repair and upkeep; depreciation of plant; rent of buildings, insurance, interest and miscellaneous.

Postmaster Acting. as Railway Agent.

It will be apparent that at many places there will be insufficient work to justify the appointment of an official of the railway for wolk in connection with the motor service only, and as in the case of Ifermanus already referred to, the postmaster acts as agent for the railway department. The mails are carried by the road motors instead of by a pestcart, and the postal service is accelerated, being more frequent and regular.

Portable Phonopores.

Should the motor service be extended through sparselypopulated districts where the telegraph lines run along the road, it would be 'arranged for drivers to be supplied with portable phonopores or telephones.

Privately-operated Services.

Several privately-owned motor services are also in operation in South Africa. The Cape Town Tramway Co. sun a service of 20-seated buses to lout Bay. The distance is about 30 miles, and the fare charged is 6s. The same type of vehicle is also employed to run a regular' service between Cape Town and Cape Town Docks, it distance of approximately two miles, at a charge of 6d. per passenger, In Pretoria a motorbus service has been established, running between the town and the Country Club, while the Tramways Committee of the Johannesburg Municipality intend running motorbuses to act as feeders to the tramlines in the same manner as the bus is intended to act as a feeder to the railway. At several small up-eotmtry stations considerable use is made of ordinary touring cars for carrying passengers between the stations and adjacent towns or villages.

Costs of Operation.

The costs of working of the different classes of motor services are given below, but no details of the working costs of the privately-owned services referred to are available.

Particulars of Most Useful Type of Vehicles. The services that would he most generally used could he placed under five heads :—(1) Light station omnibus for private services ; (2) 30-35 h.p, buses for passengers, mails and parcels;

(3) 2-3 ton lorrks for fast goods traffic, luggage, and town deliveries; (4) light paraffin tractors for easy services on good roads ; (5) Heavy paraffin tractors for cross-country trains of trailers carrying 12 to 25 tons of goods.

Suitable Types.

As regards the most suitable type of vehicle, I am pleased to be able to say that all the vehicles with which we have had experience and which have been of standard construction, as made by the British manufacturers, have so far answered the purpose satisfactorily, though running under conditions far, more arduous than those for which they were designed. If I may be permitted, I should like to make one or two suggestions which might receive the attention of manufacturers who may contemplate the construction of vehicles designed to meet South African requirements.

Powerful Tractors.

Speaking generally, I am of opinion that for cross-country goods traffic, pneeeriul paraffin tractors, with large and wide wheels, will be most suitable. Working costs must be low in order that low rates can be charged for transport. In most eases speed is not a consideration, and in many instances the road conditions will not permit of fast running.

Question of Tires for Goods Vehicles.

The fallowing points are those I would like to put forward for consideration :—For passenger vehicles or other rubbertired machines, the desirability of using larger driving wheels and tires; the size suggested being 1010 rum. diameter and tires 140 urns. wide. These should be of the detachable variety so that they can be reversed or changed quickly where hydraulic presses are not available. (2) For goods lorries the fitting of spring wheels with steel treads for use on roads other than macadamized, for speeds up to 10 miles an hour, is also suggested; the necessity of fitting efficient sprags to hold the vehieae on a hill; the usual trailing sprag is not satisfactory on saft ground ; the use of paraffin or alcohol as fuel.

Fuel, Paraffin or Alcohol.

:Is regards the former, most satisfactory results have been obtained, and in some respects it is held superior to petrol, particularly in the case of big engines, where the absence of harsh running is noticeable when paraffir is being used. In dealing with this important question of fuel itemust be borne in mind that South Africa is still depenthant apon ;supplies from oversea, and as the present requirements do not warrant the shipment of paraffin in bulk, supplies are only available in wooden cases containing two tins of four gallons each. It is computed that at least 30 per cent. of the price paid for paraffin is accounted for by the cyst of the case and this. Indications of the occurrence of oil have, however, been discovered in several parts of the Union, and development is taking place, but no oil is at present produced, so that for some time at least the present high cost of imported fuel will have ta be reckoned with.

An alternative is, however, at hand in the form of alcohol, which could be produced under Government supervision at a very low figttre. The sugar cane industry in Natal could produce large quantities, while in other districts sweet potatoes, sugar beet, banana stalks and maize could be profitably weed fur the purpose.

Road, Carburetter and Magneto Clearance.

So much has been said as to road clearance desirable in so-called " Colonial" models, that it may be well to point oat that in crossing rivers it is even more important to have good magneto and carburetter clearance, if the vehicle is not ti, be stalled. ft is also a wise precaution to " case-in " the lower half of the flywheel to prevent water being thrown about when crossing a stream. It is advisable to carry Lite final exhaust outlet as high as possible.

Dangers of Skidding.

Sonie method of counteracting the dangers of skidding is also badly wanted, and it would appear that this can best be effected by braking all four wheels on the diagonal braking system.

Water-cooling System.

An efficient water-cooling system is a sine qua non. Radiators of the built-up type, in which leaky or damaged tubes cart easily be replaced, are meet serviceable. • In this connection it might also be mentioned that in districts whese water ia scarce and frosts occur atnight, it would be advisable to arrange that only the water hum the cylinders and radiator tubes need be drawn off.

Springing.

As regards springing, the old-fashioned method of a centre bolt and spring clips is not satisfactory. The springs break at the centre bolt, and the ar.:Ls get moved out of line over rough road. This part of industrial motors requires to be completely redeBigned. Additional leaves are not satisfactory.

Drive to Back Axle.

Dealing with the vexed question of worm, bevel, or chain drive, these have all given satisfactory results in South Africa.. The small unspreng weightof the chain system is a distinct advantage, hut this is largely counteractea by the costly renewals of chains and sprockets. It would seem that independent gear drives, as used in the new Austin lorry and the Daimler-Isanchester petrol-electric back axle, combine the advantages of the chain and worm and avoid the disadvantages.

Altitude.

Finally, as special mention has been made in the agenda of the Conference of the altitude at which vehicles have to operate, I should mention that except for the narrow coast belt, the altitude of the Union of South Africa varies from 2000 ft. to 6000 ft. above sea level. It is generally found that an axtra air inlet, under control, has the effect of maintaining the efficiency, and power of the engines,

Railcars.

In many cases the railway lines in South Africa are " development " lines and the traffic offering is small. The cost of running an ordinaty train daily or even tri-weekly is excessive considering the amount of revenue earned, and the solution of the difficulty appears to be the employment of internal-combustion-engined motorcars running on the rails to carry the few passengers requiring transportation, and the running of a goods train only when a full load is available.

In many other services, such as parcel trains, specials, inspections and sandwiching in with local trains at rush hours, internal combustion railcars would appear to be eminently suitable. Several systems have been tried, but these have not all "made good. ' it is surprising that this should be so, as the system can claim so many advantages among which may be enumerated : (a) economy in staff, as the fireman can be dispensed with ;

(b) the abolition of costly water supplies and the expensive pumping stations; (c) supplies of fuel, water and oil can he carried sufficient for at least 24 hours, running without need of replenishment; (d) saving of time in not taking water or running to a depot for coal ; (e) light axle loads and the corresponding economy ill track maintenance where rails Of light section are used; (f) no dead weight is represented by the locomotive, the paving load being used to supply the weight necessary for adhesion.

in spite of these initial advantages the right type of vehicle has apparently yet to be evolved. In the Johannesburg dietriet a very large parcel traffic is dealt with, and in order to avoid delays to passenger tiains a special parcel train has been instituted, and for this purpose a railcar is used, thus forming a complete chain of motor services. The parcels are collected by motor lorries, transported by motus railcar, and, where possible, delivered to the destination by use of motor lorries.

The parcel railcar has attached to it an 18-ton bogie. luggage ;an, while the car itself is fitted up for native passengers arid a parcel compartment. The railcar weighs 27 tons and ia driven by a 160 lap. Leyland engine, the transmission benthe recently-introduced " Thomas transmission."

Thomas Transmission.

Generally speaking the best and most economical results have been

The internal-combustion engine also plays an important part on the South African railways in the form of inspection motor trolleys.

Rail Motor Trolleys.

Divisional officers and engineers find that their executive and inspecting duties can be carried out in a manner quite impossible before these useful machines were constructed. A large number of these machines have been designed and built in the railway workshops. The principal features of the design being:--(1) Seating for four passengers ; (2) travels equally fast in either direction at speeds up to 38 m.p.h.; (3) weighs between 800 lb. and 900 lb., so that the trolley can easily be loaded into a truck without strain or damage; (4) the engine is set longitudinally in thframe to ensure stability in rounding curves and passing . rer stones and to avoid, in the latter case, the possibility of lerailment due to the gyroscopic action of the flywheel ; (5) a abort wheelbase to ensure easy running on curves.

Electric Drill Attachment.

A further developmeig of the same machine is the addition of a trailer carrying a dynamo which can be driven by the engine of the trolley and can thus furnish current for electric drills for drilling sails, boring sleepers and other services at a cost considerably less than by hand.

Concluding Remarks.

In submitting this paper I have confined myself to the experiences and requirements of the South African Railways Administration in preference to presenting the question from a theoretical point of view, conceiving that sash treatment of the subject would be of more practical use to the Conference, enabling such of its members as are interested in the construction of motors to deduce wherein our difficulties in South Africa lie, and to help us to overcome them.