My Views on Home and Overseas Trade
Page 40
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By
E. L. Cadwallader
(Joint General Manager, C.A.V.-Bosch, Lid.)
DUBLISHED statistics have sub stantiated the views I expressed two years ago in these columns with regard to the future prospects of passenger and commercial vehicles in England and overseas, although at that time I may have been thought unduly optimistic.
To-day it is my considered opinion that the future of the commercial vehicle is as bright as ever it has been, particularly in the overseas markets. There has never been a finer range of British vehicles available than at the present time, and our friends abroad are the first to appreciate this. Continuous experimental and research work has resulted in improvements in design generally, whilst lower prices have also helped to increase the 'possibilities of further expansion.
During the past two years our commercial vehicle manufacturers have advanced in many directions beyond our foreign competitors. This is particularly noticeable in the case of vehicles equipped with oil engines, and much has been done in
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co-operation with engine builders towards improving the reliability, economy and ease of maintenance of this form of power unit. As a result, our leading makers on all sides report a consistent increase, not only in sales generally, but particularly in those of oil-engined vehicles.
The oil engine is more than holding its own to-day in the commercialvehicle field and, so far as the " heavies " are concerned, it is rapidly replacing the petrol units. With the lighter vehicles the progress of the oil engine is slower, largely due to the higher initial cost, but the future holds distinct possibilities.
The old fallacy that oil engines are rough, or noisy in operation, or that they necessarily emit unpleasant and smoky exhaust gases has been finally and absolutely disproved. More and more passenger vehicles are being
provided with oil engines for town, country and long-distance services. The fact that all existing petrol buses in London will definitely be superseded by oil-enginecl vehicles is in itself a proof of the reliability and popularity of this form of engine.
London again leads the way over the question of trolleybuses, which are soon to supersede trams throughout the suburban districts in the Metropolitan area. Modern traffic conditions there have proved the tram to be out of date and, mainly as a result of simple economics, the trolleybus has taken its place. A large number of municipal transport undertakings is also changing•over to this means. Overseas, municipalities were amongst the first to realize the potentialities of this excellent form of transport.
Summing up the position to day, with a view also to the future, I should say that, whilst there will be a steady and increasing demand in the home market, manufacturers will have an excellent opportunity of still further increasing their exports.