WHEELS of INDUSTRY "The wheels of wealth wilt be slowed
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by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs,"—John Beattie Crozier.
Seven-day Licences for Certain Vehicles.
From January 1 users of certain vehicles will he able to take out lieenceo for periods of seven days, the duty payable upon each licence being one fiftysecond of the full annual rate, plus 10 per cent, upon this anionnt, any fraction of a penny being reckoned as a penny.
This is in respect only of vehicles to which Section 26 of the Finance Act, 1933, appliesThey are -.--(a) Those authorized to be used on roads by virtue of an Order made under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930; (h) exceeding such weight (not being less than 11 tons) as may be prescribed by an Order made under Section 22 of the Finance Act, 1921 (which provides for taking out licences for periods of the Sear) ; and (c) are chargeable with duty under paragraph 5 of the Second Schedule to the Finance Act, 1920.
The Position of Crossley Motors, Ltd.
Notices have appeared in the Press regarding the voluntary Winding up of Willys Overland Crossley, Ltd., and to prevent the possibility of this company being confused with the well-knowu Manchester concerns, Crossley Bros., Ltd., and Crossley Motors, Ltd., it is as well to. explain that neither of the latter companies has any connection, either managerial or in any other way. with Willys Overland Crossley, except that Crossley Motors, Ltd., has a small holding of ordinary shares which was written down to nil some years ago. These shares were part of the consideration paid to Crossley Motors, Ltd., whea It sold its war-time aircraft factory et Heaton Chapel to the Willys Overland Crossley concern.
U.A.S. Maintains Profit.
During the year ended September 30, 1933, United Automobile Services, Ltd., made a net profit of £59,556, as contrasted with 159,739 for 1931-32. The preference dividend accounts for £10,500, and it is proposed to pay a dividend of 7 per cent. on the ordinary shares, after which the amount to be carried forward will be £31,390, as against 1.31,333 brought into the accounts.
During the period under review a number of bus businesses was acquired, and the balance-sheet now contains an item of 1.53,394 in respect of their goodwill. The depreciation reserve Shows an increase in the year from £282,981 to 1467,028.
French Company to Construct and Finance Coalite Plant.
Low Temperature Carbonization, Ltd., which manufactures smokeless fuel, oil and petrol from British coal, has announced that an agreement has been entered iuto between it and one of the largest French concerns of coke-oven builders, S. A. .de Carbonisation et de Distillation des Combustibles. Under It, the constructional and licensing rights for France of Coalite plants are B20
acquired, and such plants will be erected and financed for approved collieries, etc. The first demonstration plant will be at Lens.
The whole of the revenue in respect of licences and royalties will accrue to the British company.
The French concern, which dates back to 1857, has built over 5,000 coke ovens, The agreement is important, as it is claimed to be the first of its kind ever
concluded by a British low-temperature distillation company with foreign cokeoved builders.
Morris-Commercial Couriers in Demand.
Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd., reports that orders received during the past three months for the heavier types of commercial vehicle show an increase of over 50 per cent., when compared with the same period of last year ; the models referred to are in the 4-5-ton class. Amongst the orders may he mentioned 26 4-ton Courier hydraulic tipping lorries for Gloucester County Comicil, 11 5-ton Courier brewers' lorries for Samuel Allsopp and Sons, Ltd., and 7 5-tonners for Edinburgh Corporation.
Import and Export Returns for November.
The Board of Trade returne for November, 1933, show that the value of commercial vehicles, cars, chassis and accessories imported during the month was £159,716, as contrasted with 1227,402 for November, 1932, and 1188,694 for November. 1931, This year's decrease is due to a fall of 149,998 in the value of imports of parts and accessories, and of £16,815 in cars. There was a further increase in 'consmercial-ehassis imports, the figure for November last being 73, as against 10 a year ago, the value rising from 12,636 to 110,664.
So far as exports are concerned, a marked improvement is shown in complete commercial vehicles, the figure being 188 vehicles, valued at £47,698, the comparable return for November, 1932, being 102 vehicles, of a value of £12,727.
Chassis exports, although not so good as for October, are again much higher than the figures for November, 1931, and 1932. For November last, 1,518 (£174,601) chassis were exported, as compared with 1,200 (£141,097) in 1932, and 510 (171,494) in 1931. There was a slieht increase in the value of exports of light chassis, but a quite appreciable increase in those of heavy chassis, from £56,224 to £83,311.
Dealing with commercial chassis separately, we find that 731 chassis (1101,795) were exported in November, 1933, as against 556 (£75,968) in 1932, and 284 (149,033) in 1931.
Big Order for Gillords.
The Gifford Motor Co., Ltd., announces that it has received an order for 21 Hera 32-seater super luxury coaches from W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., the well-known Scottish bus-operating company, the head office of which is at Falkirk. It will be remembered that the Hera chassis was exhibited at the recent Commercial Motor Show, where it creafed a good impression.
W. Alexander and Sons, Ltd., was registered in 1924, and is associated with Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd.
AIXTrading: Important Agreement with London Transport.
In our issue for last week we announced the dividend payments of the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., for the nine months ended September 30. The report for this period now shows that the company made a net profit of ;E62,384 (the trading profit was £111,327), to which has to he added £219,593 brought into the accounts, giving a total of £281,977.
As already mentioned, the final dividend on the ordinary shares is 3 per cent.. making 5 per cent, for the period, and the amount to he carried forward is £225,727. The company has recently reached an ' agreement with the London Passenger Transport Board for the supply of chassis and spare parts for 10 years for a large proportion of the Board's fleet.
India's Imports Doubled.
During the six months from April 1 to September 30, 1988, 2,068 lorries, vans and buses, valued at Rs. 30 lakhs, were imported into India, the comparable figures for the previous year being 1,007 vehicles and Rs. 17.1 lakhs. Vehicles from the United Kingdom rose from 233 (Rs. 51 lakhs) to 448 vehicles (Rs. 10 lakhs), and those from the United States from 597 vehicles (Rs. 81 lakhs) to 1,058 (Rs. 111 lakhs), whilst Canada shipped 544 vehicles, as against 154 a year earlier, the value rising from Rs. 2/ lakhs to Rs. S lakhs. Of the total number of vehicles imported, 1,820 were shipped as chassis and 248 with bodies.
More Than 100,000 Miles on a Dennis.
The Brighton branch of Schweppes, Ltd.' has in its service a 4-ton Dennis which has run just over 100,000 miles before being overhauled, and this without experiencing an involuntary stop. The total amount expended on replacement parts, excluding tyres, but covering fan belts, sparking pings, brake facings, spring repairs and every mechanical part supplied to keep the vehicle in efficient condition during its eight-and-a
half years of service, was £41 8s. 9d., which is approximately 0.1d. per mile. The cost of th5 overhaul which has been conducted is, of course, not included in this sum.
Mann, Egerton's Trading.
During the year ended September 80, 1933, Mann, Egerton and Co., Ltd., the motor and electrical engineering concern of Norwich, made a net profit, after providing for income tax, of £21,485, as
11 compared with £12,827 in the previous year. Adding the -balance brought forward, a sum of £36,730 is available. The directors recommend the payment of a dividend of is. per share on the ordinary shares, leaving £16,606 to be carried forward.
Brazed-in Valve-seat Inserts.
A new method of inserting hardenediron valve seats when reconditioning engines, known as the Hartbro process, is now practised by Messrs. Hart Bros., Jenkinson Street, All Saints, Charltonon-hledlock, Manchester. It consists of brazing in a loose .insert, the fusible metal forming the joint over the whole area in contact with the cylinder casting.
The firm claim that this patented process eliminates all stresses set up by contraction after welding or by the pressing in of a tightly fitting insert. In the brazing operation the whole casting is evenly heated, with the result that neither distortion nor stresses aro
caused. In proof of this statement, Messrs. Hart Bros. point out that the surface grinding necessary after reconditioning 12 valve seats in the head ofa six-cylindered engine is normally between 0.004 in. and 0.01 in.
New Features in a Cattle-carrying Trailer..
An interesting trailer has recently been supplied to the Great Western Railway Co., by the Harrow Industrial Co., Ltd., Stanley Road, South Harrow, Middlesex. It is for use in connection with the company's cattlecarrying activities between markets and farms in the Oxford and Theme districts, and if it is found as successful in use as is anticipated, we understand that a number of similar vehicles will be purchased.
"Primarily for use with towing vehicles that are already equipped for the transport of livestock, the trailer is constructed so that cattle can walk through it into the lorry.or van. For this purpose there are doors at the front of the trailer and the tailboard of the towing vehicle is arranged to bridge the intervening space.
Besides the ramp at the back of the trailer there is a second ramp inside it, the floor being built on two levels. Thus the cattle climb from the ground to the level of the lorry in two comparatively easy stages.
Folding sides are provided for the rear ramp, whilst the doors at the front perform the same function, in the case of the bridge, when beasts are passing from trailer to lorry and vice versa.
Russian Factories to Make Oil Engines.
Owing to the favourable results given by experiments with oil engines for road vehicles, which have been made by the Moscow Automobile Institute " N.A.T.I.," the Commissar of Heavy Industry has ordered the motor factories to include in their programmes the manufacture in quantity of compressionignition engines. Four kinds of unit will be constructed, these being of 40 h.p. to 100 h.p. Personal Pars.
Mr. A. E. Plant, of Beardmore Diesels, Ltd., has been elected a member of the council of the Australian Association of British Manufacturers, on which he will represent his company.
Beardmore Diesels, Ltd., has just established an important agency in Australia, with Commercial Steels (Australia), Ltd., of Sydney, the organization of which covers the whole of Australia, including Tasmania.
In view of the volume of orders which the company is now receiving, ArmstrongsSaurer Commercial Vehicles, Ltd., has found it necessary to reorganize its works qt Scotswood, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. They have been divided into three departments with a view to speeding up production and output, and at the same time, maintaining an economical basis for works operation.
The departmental chiefs are Mr.
E. B. Wakefield, who is commercial manager, Mr. J. Pratt, who is production manager, and Mr. A. Lampert, who is chief engineer. Mr. Wakefield controls chassis orders, costs, prices, dispatches, bodywork, demonstrations, etc. ; Mr. Pratt is responsible for production, and Mr. Lampert controls design, testing, inspection, the drawing office, etc.
Buyers of A.E.C. Fleets.
The Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., announces that it has received two important orders for goods vehicles, one being from the Ham River Grit Co., Ltd., Ham, Surrey, which has ordered 20 Matador petrol-engined end-tipping lorries, and the other from the Feltham Sand and Gravel Co., Ltd., Felthani, Middlesex, for 24 vehicles of a similar type.
The Dutch Motor Show.
The 23rd Amsterdam Motor Show will be held in the exhibition building of the Dutch association, "De Rijwielen Automobiel-Industrie," at Ferdinande Bolstraat, 155, from February 9-18, 1934. Included amongst the exhibits will be all types of goods and passenger-carrying vehicles.
Thornycroftts Outlook.'
The annual general meeting of John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., was held a few days ago, when Sir John E. Thornycroft, K.B.E., managing director, presided. After dealing with the accounts, he gave some interesting figures regarding the reduction in overseas sales of the company's products, and, on the basis of 100 per cent. in 1929, the figure felt to 78 per cent in 1930. 57 per cent. in 1931, 17 per cent. in 1932 and 12 per cent. in 1933. This reduction in overseas business has had the effect of making the overseas undertakings a heavy expense on the company instead of a source of profit.
After reviewing certain other branches of the company's activities, he went on to deal with the commercial vehicle side, and said that depressed trade and uncertainty about new legislation have had an adverse effect on the motor-vehicle business at home. Since the effect of the new Act has been _ definitely known, there has been a distinct revival in business.
Sir John spoke of the company's new designs and the fact that they are providing vehicles carrying the maximum possible payloads within the taxation classes and maximum axle loads. He added that the company takes the view that there is a large field for a 2-ton vehicle of robust type and giving a maximum body space on the smallest overall dimensions; good orders for this type have been received from railway companies and other users.
Avon Tyre Progress.
The 44th annual meeting of the Avon India Rubber Co., Ltd., was held a few days ago, when Major R. F. Fuller, J.P. (chairman), said that the net profits for the past year amounted to over 12 per cent. on the increased ordinary capital, and that £50,145 had been spent during the year on additional plant and improvements to cope with trade expansioia. He added that exports continued to increase in a most satisfactory manner. The new Duo-Trend tyre, which was placed on the market a short time ago, is meeting with a good reception. The total sales for the first two months of the current year show an increase of over 20 per cent.
Sir Herbert E. Blain, C.B.E., mentioned that over £300,000 had been spent in works modernization during the period of the trade depression.
The company's trading during the year ended September 30, 1933, was referred to in detail in our issue dated November 24.
Guy Motors Prospects.
The 18th annual ordinary general meeting of Guy Motors, Ltd., was recently held, when Mr. Sydney S. Gay occupied the chair. After dealing briefly with the accounts, the chairman pointed out that the year under review has been the most difficult in the history of the company. He referred to the uncertainty of the position created iii the minds of prospective buyers by the Road and Rail Traffic Bill, and to the disastrous effect that it had on the industry, the difficulties being further accentuated by increased taxation. After elaborating upon this matter, he went on to say that the crying need of the industry is for a reasonably long period of stability and freedom from legislation.
After reviewing export markets, Mr. Guy dealt with future businesa, and said that the company's turnover for the five months ended October shows an increase of 2q per cent. compared with the previous five months, and 63i per rent. compared with the same period in the previous year, whilst the orders received show an even greater increase.
British Goodrich Report.
Further to a preliminary staten‘ent appearing in our issue dated November 24, the British Goodrich Rubber Co., Ltd., now reports a net profit of f93.540 for the year ended September 30, 1.933 —nearly £30,000 higher than for the previous year. This sum is arrived at after providing £15,625 for income tax.
With the final dividend of 4 per cent., now proposed, the ordinary shares receive 6 per cent, for the year, whilst a sum of 120,000 is allocated to general reserve, and £10,000 to contingencies reserve. The amount carried forward is £26,415, as compared with 120,217 brought into the accounts.
The Barimar Process for Lengthening Valve Stems.
A method of lengthening valve stems by electrically welding new and very hard metal on their ends has been perfected by Barimar, Ltd., 14-18s Lamb's Conduit Street, London, W.C.1.
It is inexpensive, and valves treated in this manner have been run 15,000 miles or more without the clearances varying more than .002 in., thus rendering unnecessary the adjusting of tappets at fairly frequent intervals. The elimination of adjustable tappets would permit of a considerable lightening of the valve gear, and the wear is so sligt that the grinding-in of the valve will normally take it up. When the valve requires skimming up, it is an easy matter to grind the and of the stem to give the necessary clearance. A Rate-stabilization Move.
A campaign by the goods-transport section of the Yorkshire Motor Coach and Transport Owners Association, Ltd., aimed at securing stabilization of rates, will open to-night (Friday), when a meeting of Yorkshire coal hauliers will be held in Leeds. This will be followed by meetings in other sections of the industry.
Mr. J. Keeling. -secretary of the Association, informed our correspondent that it is hoped later to negotiate with other transport associations with a view to obtaining unity of policy on the question of haulage rates in Yorkshire.
The "Woe and Wail Act."
Mr. F. G. Bristow, general secretary of the Commercial Motor Users Aseodation, visited Liverpool on December 7, and addressed ,a big gathering of Liverpool commercial motor users on the provisions of the Road and Rail Traffic Act.
Particular interest was taken in the question of weak bridges, and Mr. Bristow explained that the C.M.U.A. intended to continue to press for the provision of bridges that would be adequate for modern traffic conditions.
The Act was referred to by Mr. A. E. Masheder, transport manager of the Liverpool Co-operative Society, Ltd., (presiding), as the "Woe and Wail Act."
" This Act is not only a tax, but a punishment meted out to those who are accused of enticing away or stealing from the beaten track—beaten in the double sense—the carriage of goods. It is also punishment for those who have not enticed or stolen any carriage of goods.
" It is also punishment for transport tigers in dock areas and business localities, where no expansion, development or trespass on railway pursuits is possible."