GAS TRANSPORT IN THE NORTH.
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What Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Glasgow are Doing.
nEVELOPMENTS IN the North of LA' England are proceeding apace. The
spirit of "push and go is in the air on all sides.; initiative and enterprise 'are meeting with their due reward.
The Corporation of Leeds announces its readiness to meet all demands, and to smooth over all difficulties which crop up, no matter what their character, to the benefit of the coinimmity. . Which is as it should be. The authorities have established three charging stations— Sovereign Street Depot, New Wortley Gas Works, and Kirkstall Road respectively—while the installation of similar arrangements at the five following gas works—Meadow Late, Dewsbigy Road, Lower Wortley, Sheepscar and Rodleyis being contemplated. When this 'scheme' is carried into effect, the town will be well equipped in regard to public gas-charging facilities. . The system introduced is a 4-in. supply pipe to pass the gas through a 300-light meter; with a 3-in, outlet for connectien to the gas bag. The acting general manager strongly urges the standardization of the connection to containers, with which we are in hearty accord, pointing out the disabilities attending the filling of the containers with the present divergent connections ranging from 1 in. to 3 ins. Under such conditions filling is certain• to. prove unsatisfactory.
The largest container which the Corporation gas department is called .upon to fill regularly is one of 650 cubic ft. capacity, and eight minutes are occupied in the process. The Leeds Industrial Cooperative Society, to whose activity in this direction we have already drawn attention, has 10 delivery vans fitted for this fuel, including one five-ten lorry, and is completing arrangements for the
-prompt conversion Of 20 further vans. The Ideal Stores have a three-ton lorry and two delivery vans running on gas, while in addition to the 'foregoing seven • delivery vans,' ono light_ lorry and one heavy lorry, all belonging "to local users, are in regular gas service , and are charged at the Corporation stations. it must also be mentioned that severalfirms who have embraced gas have had large meters installed upon their own premises to meet their individual charging re
quirements. Inquiries are still flowing in, and there is every appearance that coal-gas propulsion for utility vehicles in Leeds is destined to a wide vogue. That satisfaction is being recorded is obvious from the details which have been advanced by one convert to this fuel. Ile made a first test with a load of 5 tons 12 cwt. .on a run of 4 miles, an Austin fiveton lorry being used forthe purpose. The gas consumed was 280 cubic ft., which is equal to 29.47 cubic ft. per Vehicle-mile, 50 cubic ft. per ton, or 5.26 cubic ft. per
At Newcastle the Corporation is running three mOtorbuS' routes on Coal-gas,.
while a few private light vans are, in ser
i . Vice. But inquiries are numerous. The
Newcastle and Gateshead Gas Co. is ready to meet the publie requirements, but at present its operations aro being somewhat thwarted by the by-laws of the „ Newcastle Corporation, especially in re,' gard to the provision of facilities for charging from the public street. At presQnt only three suak..standards have been permitted, and these are for the conveni, ence.of the Newcastle Corporation,' which seems to corne•perilously near discrimination in. favour of vested interests, instead of for the benefit of -the community as a whole. But certain proposals .afe under discussion which may bring about a complete amelioration of the prevailing conditions, thereby bringing Newcastle more into line with its enterprising
neighbours. .
One -distinctly 'progressive move in this district deServes-'mention. • Some 30
as interests, chiefiy•in Northumberland,
urharn; "and North Yorkshire:, have joined hands to form the North of Eng. land Gas Managers' Association, purely. and, solely to carry out the supply of coal-gas as a motor fuel to lorries, light delivery vans, and other vehicles engaged in utility service. A scale of Charges has been drawn up based upon the price of gas,in the particular locality. Thiis, in those districts where gas is 2s: 3d. per 1000 cubic ft., the charge is 4d. per 100 'cubic feet, with a minimum charge of 8d., and so on pro rata up to gas at 5s. per 1000 cubic ft., where•the.tarift is ls. 4d. per 100 cubic ft., with a mini
mum oils. 4d. ,
The coupon ticket system of payment has been adopted, each ticket representing id. in value, with 12 tickets on a page, and 20 pages, the equivalent of £1, in the hook. These tickets are interchangeable, and may be tendered at any of the gas depots comprised in the scheme. A Newcastle user drawing a supply from the Alnwick Gas Co. may tender •a Newcastle coupon in payment, and -vice. versa. Thiscommon recognition of the coupon throughout the -territory involved is a valuable Concession, and must. lead to rapid development•of coalgas propulsion, owing to the facility with which recharges may he obtained,
In some districts, where the supply of labour is 'acute and where tbo ;nduetrial demand for gas is
heavy, the desires of potential coal-gas ueers are not easy to fulfil. Sheffield is a CR613 in point. The local gas company is willing to satisfy requirements in this direction, but, at the moment, is reluctantly compelled to hold its hand. The works are 150 -hands short, and the output is some 2,000.000 cubic ft. per day below what is demanded to cope with current power and lighting requirements, while it has been necessary to resort to lower pressure taeensure the available supply going round. At present only a few taxis are running on coal-gas, these vehicles drawing their supplies through the ordinary meter, no general charging station having yet been installed. Efforts are being made to persuade the Ministry of Munitions to assist in strengthening the staff to ensure a greater daily output of gas.
• The Rother Vale Collieries, Ltd., are sunning their buses ore gas from the Intake tram terminus to the colliery three miles aleay, thus providing through communication facilities for their employees. These vehicles, each carrying 45 men,cover the round journey of /fix miles on 450 cubic ft. of gas, representing a total cost of 10d. This is equivalent to 1.6d. per vehicle mile, id, per passenger and .037d. per passenger mile. A week or two ago we referred to the hiatus prevailing in Edinburgh between • the corporation and the Scottish Motor Traction Co., and the fact that the Edinburgh and Leith Gas Commissioners were criticised for being hostile to the new movement. We also pointed out that no complaint could be laid at the door of the last-named concern. Now differences have been amicably adjusted. The Gas Commissioners have approved of an arrangement advanced by the Motor Trade Association. Certain garages throughout Edinburgh and Leith are to be equipped by the gas company with, the necessary meters, connections and other facilities for recharging. The gas is to be supplied at the rate of 3s. 6d.
per 1000 cubic ft. within the municipal boundaries, and garage proprietors will be permitted to charge up to the rate Of 6d. per 100 cubic ft. for gaesesupplied to moth r vehicles. . This sum ie to include aost of labour and other expenses. A similar arrangement has also been completed with the Scottish Motor-Traction Co., the corporation having relented to the extent of permitting the containers to be charged in Market Street. Private motorists desiring to use gas and
to charge their .containees on their own premises will also be extended a like concession, but•they will have to bear the expense of supplying and• installing the necessary meters and auxiliaries.
The Glasgow Corporation has followed pit-. Necessary changing apparatus is to be installed at_the Walls Street and Milan Street depots, the mains dep.artment in Dalmarnock Street, and the Clydebank showrooms, the rate being the flat one of 4d. per 100 cubic ft. inclusive.
Converted Light Lorry.
The 18-22 h.p. Seabrook light lorry, which we illustrate on the next page, is a, conversion by the Wallsend Motor Co., Ltd., of Church Lodge, High Street East,. WalLsend-on-Tyne, possessing one or two interesting features. The gas bag carried on a light tray supported on stanchions is of 280 cubic ft. capacity. No alteration has been made to the Holley carburetter, the gas-feed pipe—e-in. gas barrel—from the container being carried right throueh the choke tube, theie by'permitting the driver to switch over from ,gas. to petrol, or vice eerie., with-, out leaving his seat. t To the dash is fitted an ordinary len. steam valve, instead of the usual gas tap, and this allows a very fine and cur
xect adjustment-of the gas supply to the engine. The running of the lorry on coal-gas has proved 11,414 satisfactory. With petrol the average run was 12 miles per 'gallon. 'On gas it cosi, id: per vehicle mile. At 2s. 7d. per 1000 cubic ft.
for gas, a charge costs Rd., while the run per charge comes out at 16i miles, as compared with 5s. for petrol at the cur rent price of 3s. 9d. per gallon. .
Flugel High Compression.
In our last issue we published a letter from Flugel and Co., Ltd., 33a, Green Lames, London, N., drawing attention to their reducing valve for use with the high-compression system of carrying gas. We fully described and illustrated by diagram ei the details thereof in our issue dated llth October last, and" now we show on the preceding page a Ford ear' fitted up on these lines. The two cylinders carrying the gas, compressed to 125 atmospheres, are carried on the 'runningboards, one on either side to balance the vehicle, and are neatly cradled. From each cylinder a pipe is led ta the dash; the pipe, in fact, is led from one cylinder to the other, thus coupling them together. At a convenient point on the dash this pipe is tapped and the gas led to the patent reducing valve which is mounted in a convenient position with its calibrated gauge confronting the driver. 'This valve is exceedingly sensitive and readily adjustable, the movement of the eetting nut, carried out by a key, allowing the pressure to be varied between the extreme limits of zero and 2000 lb. per eq. in.
The valve is automatic in it§ action, The gas is discharged into a small cylindrical chamber, also disposed on the dash and just below the valve, from which it is drawn by the engine. .
Low Pressure Cylinders.
The storage of gas at low pressure in cylinders is making.headway, inassnuch as the necessary vessels are more readily pbtainable than those adapted to highPressure storage, while, of course, the compression of the gas does not offer filch difficulty. In the case of a ,heavy lorry, the incidental weight does not constitute a material handicap. A coneignment of such cylinders, ranging from de ft. in length by 20 me diameter, weighing 1 cwt., to 10e ft. long by ft. diameter, and weighing 4 cwt., has been acquired by the Tyre Service Co., Ltd. 87, 89, 100, Little Albany Street, Regent's Park London, N.W. These cylinders vary from 114e cubic ft. to 295 cubic ft. in capacity at a pressure of 210 lb. per eq. in.
Two 30 h,p. four-ton motorbuses of the Imperial Tramways, Ltd., plying between Stockton and Yam, cover the 14 mike on 400 cubic ft. of gas.
Gas. Brevities.
Murkett Brothers, BridgeStreet, Peterborough,. Willt•reeliarge. flexible. com tainers, am? are in a position to supply gas-bags.
Gas holders and non-metallic gas containers for commercial. cars are being supplied by .R. Omerod and Co., Wrox1am, Norfolk.
The " Yorkshire Post'' is converting six delivery vans to coal-gas fuel. H suecessful,,the whole fleet of motor vehicles will be converted. .
The Austin Motor Co., of Longbridgo • Works,. Birmingham, has made. arrange .ments for the supply of gas bags and fit,. tings suitable for 2-3-ton standarm lorries.
Sir William Angus Sanderson, Ltd., of Newcastle-an-Tyne' xaho are fitting out containers, report receiving more in quince thee. they Can cope with: put th-a*
leeway _will soon be -made up. • •
Murray and Charlatan, of .Newcs.atle: on-Tyne, are patenting several' devices whereby to overeome, difficulties with low overhead bridges; garage entrances, and similar obstacles, to, the flexible .container; Frequenters of the .Dorking road may obtain re-Charges at the garage of Warne and CO., Ltd., Myrtle Road, Dorking, who are also in a :iosition. to carry out any necessary repairs to cantainers and
auxiliaries. . .
The Wandsworth B.C. has extended permission for six months • to tbe Wands'worth, Wimbledon, and Epsom District Gas Co. to swing, a 21-in swivel pipe over the footpath • Warple WaY for charging gas bags. The .pipe, while in use, will give ample headroom for pedestrians -to pass under.
We are informed that the Rejax gas equipment is going great gas ' The Sunderland Gas Co. which has converted a 20 h.p. St•udal;aker to coalgas, is using this vehicle to educate traders to the possibility of this fuel.
United Automobile Sarvice.s. Ltd., Bishop Auckland, have • standardized their bus gas bags. They measure 25 ft. in length by f4, ft. diameter. They have been in _service se .seven, saantba.
The 620th Company, A.S.C.; have a three-ton Daimler and a three-ion 'Wel.seley running on the new fuel. Should they prove satisfactory; the Whale fleet of 10 lorries and ether motor vehicles .will. be converted to gas, thereby dispensing with petrol entirely. These machines are. principally employed tor the handling of military mails. The gas bags, which are being supplied through the Director of Aeronautics, meastwe 20 ft. long by 5 ft.
11 ins, wide and 4ft. in height.
Rotherham Corporation has decided to convert their buses running-to Aston ,tv coal-gas. •
. A new, simple and effective gas:filling valve has been invented by Mr. Oldham, of Wept Bromwich.
British Rubber Minufactures, Ltd., have booked a single order for gas bags to the Value of £6000. • Is this a -record?
Martin-Walter, Ltd., 62, -Sandgate. Road, Folkestone, have gas laid OIL through. a large main to expedite uharging.
Cofficld and Milton, • 1 Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, London, W. 1, report day-and-night. work to keep pace with orders for their special containers.
• Gas chargeS on the Portsmouth Road may be obtained at the garages of the Bear Rote], Ether, the Anchor Hotel, Ripley, :and :from Mr. Smith, Cobham. -IR the continued absence. on active service of Lieut.-Col. S. •E. Smith, Mr. W. H. Stradling has been appointed assistant manager of the British Tramwaya and Carriage Co.,' Ltd.
• Middlesbrough is enterprising. The gas department, although eXperiencing difficulty in securing •• sufficiently large meters, has installed two garage services and four for priVate firms for commercial :vehieles to suuly at Iow pressure through a 2-in. pipe.
C.helmsford • taxiCab owners who re:. cently Made application to 'the Corporation for a 50 per' cont.increase in; cab fares due to the exerbitant price of petrol hav•e been urged to-Ilse:coal-gas inatea.d, The Corporation 'have purchased -the gaa companies undertaking, and apparently intends energetically 1-.ta furt4er the claim of gas for motor-vehicle prepal
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