WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
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"The wheels of wealth-will be slowed by all difficulties or transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness Sentinel Waggon Profits.
The report of the directors of the Sentinel Waggon Works, Ltd., for the year 1927 she-Ws atrading profit of £45,233 15s. Id., which compares with a profit for the year 1926 of £49,053 3s. 8d. After writing off £17,500 in respect of depreciation patents and expenses of preference shire issue, meeting interest charges and directors' fees, and paying the interim dividend on the Preference shares (£11,250), there remains to be dealt with £13,419 lie., which includes the amount brought forward from the previous year. The directors now propose to pay the second portion of the dividend on the preference shares for the year 1927 and to carry forward the sum of £2,169.
The directors state that the sales of road vehicles were satisfactory in the early part of the year, but fell off later, a distinct revival, however, following the introduction of their new sixwheeled wagon, the result being that they now have more orders on hand than at any time during the past few years.
The Ministry and Double-deck Six-wheelers,
At 4 meeting, of the tramways committee of the Oldham Corporation a letter was read from the Ministry of Transport concerning the types of double-deck six-wheeled motorbuses which the corporation proposes to purchase. It was said in the communication that in the event of the Guy vehicles forming the subject of an application for the sanction of a loan, the Minister, having considered the particulars relating to this type of vehicle, would not withhold such sanction on engineering grounds.
Garrett Staff Appointments.
Mr. G. Percival Ellard, late London sales manager for the Sentinel Waggon Works, Ltd., has been appointed ssales manager and organizer of the steam wagon department of Richard Garrett and Sons, Ltd. Mr. 0. H. Gardner has also been appointed by the company as sales manager and organizer for all Garrett products other than steam wagons. Mr. Gardner is the late overseas sales manager for Petters, Ltd.
Col. Ashley on a Road-inspecting Tour in South Wales.
The Minister of Transport recently spent three days in inspecting South Wales main roads and in making an inquiry into large schemes concerning South Wales arterial roads for which large monetary grants are required. -1-At Swansea, Coi:AshIey examined the ground of the proposed. new road giving direct access to Swansea from the Neath side. A total cost of £450,000 is esti, mated for the building of this road. The Minister surveyed other proposed Swansea routes and examined the street-congestion problem at Swansea, which is, just new, a matter of urgency in that it is stated to be the reason for the refusal of many bus licences.
Col. Ashley is reported, to have said that in 1926, the first year when the road-maintenance grant was available, it was with difficulty that the money was disbursed. Last year, however, there had been a much better demand for such assistance.
The main proceeding of the Minister's tour was to open, on February 3rd, the completed sections of the important inter-linking road for.the South Wales industrial valleys.
The three short stretches complete' amount to but 10 miles of road, which have been constructed at a cost of £180,000. They effect a saving of four times their own length in the road journey from valley to valley.
Leeds as a Busy Bus Centre.
The s watch committee of the Leeds City Council has recently refused to grant licences for the establishment of a bus service between Elland and Leeds; via Brighouse and Morley and, following this action, it has been announced that privately owned motorbuses make approximately 1,000 daily journeys into and out of the city. This is apart from the activities pf a number of .vehicles owned by the Leeds Corporation, which operates over 50 vehicles and is making additions to its fleet. It was stated that 397 privately owned motorbuses are licensed to run in and out of the city. They operate ' on 15 different routes and provide 53 services.
Plymouth Bus Profits.
A report of the Plymouth Corporation shows that for the nine months ended December last a profit of £7,360 was made on the motorbuses run by the corporation, whereas a loss of £914 was recorded on the tramcars in the same period. The total bus receipts amounted to 156,782, equivalent to 11.73th per bus-mile. So far as expanses are concerned, £13468 was disbursed under the heading of maintenance and repairs ; £17,649 under that of traffic expenses and £1,955 under the heading of general expenses ; whilst the interest and sinking fund accounted. for £9,375. The purchase of petrol entailed an outlay of £6,975. Free State Bus Bill Expected.
It is expected that a' Bill dealing with the regulation of bas traffic in the Irish Free State will be introduced shortly in the Free State Parliament. The Minister for Local Government bas haulconferences with representatives of the omnibus owners and much of the evidence 'taken at the Commission on Traffic Control, which sat some months ago,was coneeraed with omnibus matters.
Licence Offences in Durham.
Durham County Council has issued a report by the county accountant showing the result of the systematic check carried out during the first 14 days of October, 1927, in accordance with the Ministry of Transport's instructions and as a result has authorized the institution of legal proceedings against 348 persons for offeeces in respect of Road Fund licences.
• Tenders Wanted for Bus Services.
Hardly a week now passes ere details reach us of the establishment of new inter-town motorbus services in Belgium. Thus, we learn that the Socisite Nationale des Chemins de For Vicinaux, 14, Rue de la Science, Brusiels, has just invited tenders for the establishment and working of services between Hasselt and islechtel, between Hasselt and Aiken; between Turnhout and Herenthals, and in the Arlon district. The same authorities are also inviting offers for the running of similar services between (1) Assche, Derchem, Salute Agathe and Brussels ; (2) between Ghent and Deynze ; (3) between Nazareth and Cruyshautern ;
(4) between Ostende and La Panne; (5) between Fumes and Coxyde.
Helping the Buyer from Overseas.
At the invitation of His Majesty's Government, buyers from 70 different countries are coming to this country to pay a visit to the British Industries Fair, which is being held in London and Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, from February 20th to March 2nd. The organization of the Fair is based on giving the buyer—and more especially the foreign buyer—every assistance in carrying out his work, and oversea visitors will find many special facilities at their disposal.
The Government, through the Department of Overseas Trade, is giving considerable help so that the business which visitors have to transact can be assisted. On his arrival at the Fair, the overseas buyer will find that his invitation card automatically makes him a member of the Special Overseas Buyers' Club. It is of interest to note that a corps of special interpreters will be available. A special enquiry office is being installed so that full information with regard to such matters as freight, customs regulations, (Rifles, insurance, etc., can be secured. Many other invaluable special facilities will also be placed at the dispose of the overseas buyer.
Smokeless Fuel for Lorries.
The suitability of coalite, the residual fuel of low-temperature carbonization, as fuel for steam wagons was urged by Lieut.-Col. W. A. Bristow, managing director of Low Temperature Carbonization, Ltd., at a luncheon given. by the company a few days .ago at Sheffield.
The guests included representatives of the Sheffield City Council and of the Sheffield and Rotherham Joint Smoke Abatement Committee. It Was mentioned that the Sheffield municipal authorities are experimenting with this fuel for steam wagons and that the results have so far proved quite satisfactory..
An Experienced Man Available.
We know of a man. who has had an extensive sales and technical experience of commercial vehicle work who desires to hear of a first-class concern requiring an efficient representative for London • and the Home Counties, or needing a chief for its London office.
The Position of the Emergency Exit.
The refusal of the Darlington Corporation to grant a licence to the United Automobile Services, Ltd. for a new type of luxury bus in which the emergency door and the ordinary entrance and exit are on the same side
of the body—referred to in a recent issue of Th Commercial Motor—has not been upheld by the Ministry of Transport. By arrangement, the authority and the company decided to refer the matter to the Ministry, and the reply is to the effect that frOm the standpoint of public safety there is no need to alter the position of the emergency door.
As the corporation has also raised questions relative to gangway and seating arrangements, the Ministry has suggested a joint meeting of representatives from the department, the company and the corporation. This is now being arranged.
Lower Canadian Exports.
Statistics which have recently been circulated by the Canadian Bureau of Statistics show that during 1927 17,514 commercial vehicles of a value of 6,272,126 dollars were exported from Canada, these figures comparing with 20,696 and 6,957,242 respectively for the previous year. Of the total for 1927 only 14 vehicles were of a capacity exceeding 1 ton.
Benefits of the Subsidy Scheme.
The Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., has just issued a leaflet which points to the benefits derived by transport users under the W.D. subsidy scheme. Attention is drawn to the various Albion models which come within the compass of this scheme, these including the 24 h.p. 30cwt. model, the 2-ton model and a 3040 h.p. 4-ton rigid six-wheeler.
A Coaching Company's Profits.
That well-known coaching company, Chapman and Sons (Eastbourne), Ltd., of Eastbourne, has just issued its report for the year 1927, and this shows that a profit of 18,426 was made, after allowing for interest and depreciation, and to this amount 12,768 brought in from the previous year has to be added. A 10 per cent. dividend is to be paid on the ordinary shares, after which £2,687 will he left to be carried forward. The dividend is the same as for the previous year, when the net profit was 110,039.
Vehicle Taxation in America.
In an address at the weekly luncheon of the Birmingham Rotary Club, Mr. Gilbert Vyle, dealing with his American experiences, said that every encouragement was given to road transport in America. The average taxation in that country was £2 13s. 8d. per vehicle, as compared with 112 6s. 9d. in Great Britain. He mentioned the fact that during the past seven years practically the whole of the main roads in America had been rebuilt.
dowett Commercial Models.
Jowett Cars, Ltd., Bradford Road, Idle, Bradford, has just issued a brochure giving details of its commercial models. Three vehicles are available, one being a van on the long chassis and the others parcelcars on long and short chassis respectively. The 5-cwt. van sells for /160; the short chassis parcel. car for £145, and the long chassis parcelcar for £150, one having a capacity of 2 cwt. and the other 3 cwt.
A New Drop Window for Passenger Vehicles.
We recently had an opporttutity for inspecting a new drop window for use on motor coaches and motorbuses, which has been designed and patented by Mr. William Young, a motor engineer of Carluke, Lanarkshire, who is now arranging for its manufacture. The window, which can easily be manipulated and is free from rattle and relatively low in cost, has already been brought to the notice of a number of leading vehicle builders, and has, we understand, met with a favourable reception. When the manufacturing stage is definitely entered upon, we hope to publish complete details of the arrangement.