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Other Employment for Chars-a-bancs.

16th January 1913
Page 12
Page 12, 16th January 1913 — Other Employment for Chars-a-bancs.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Being a Reply to the Article on page 387 of issue Dated 2nd January.

The recent contribution to your columns By an Occasional Correspondent" is so full of errors and misleading statements that, as one of the owners concerned, I am constrained to reply.

In the first place, Mr. Isherwood merely acts for Mr. W. H. S. Jones and Messrs. Johnson and Riley, as one might say, for the passenger work. Secondly, and most important, Mr. Isherwood does not act and has no authority whatever to act on behalf of myself or Messrs. Urmston Bros. (not Winston Bros.), and I must ask you to give this statement considerable prominence. Thirdly, whilst he is correct in stating the machines to be mostly Leylands, the cheap sneer at the one Milnes-Daimler (belonging to myself) bought second-hand is not justified, as this machine has done extraordinarily good work at all times. Again, it is stated that a speed of 20 m.p.h. to 25 m.p.h. can be registered. This statement has already given rise to local apprehension, as the whole of these cars are only licensed to do. 12 m.p.h., and, for myself, I wish it understood that my driver has very definite Instructions regarding keeping to the legal limit. Again, concerning tires, these are principally Connolly and Polack. Personally, I favour the latter, and use the widest tire made, viz., 140 mm., and I am convinced that in the long run they prove the cheapest. As regards petrol averaging 10 miles to the gallon, this is not always so ; a recent test, running light and with a four-ton load, gave the following results—light II miles, loaded 9 miles per gallon. [We make the average of these 10.—En..I This was a specific test, supervised personally.

Now, I will take the photographs : the first one stated to have an alternative lorry body, has not, and so far has been solely used for passenger work. The second photograph states the machines are two Le,ylands, but one is a 28 h.p. Milnes-Daimler kindly lent to me, whilst my new 1913 model was in the making. This 28 h.p. Milnes-Daimler did the London trip in company with the 40-45 h.p. Leyland, in equally good fashion. Before leaving the subject of motor char-k-bancs work, 1 wish to mention the remarkable hold this form of locomotion has taken on the public. Frequently, owners have to call in the aid of other vehicles, parties of 60 to 100 now getting quite common, my largest last season being one of 120, conveying the workmen of a well-known brewery to Knott End, Fleetwood. This side of the motor business is profitable, providing that the owners bear in mind the constantly-increasing running costs, and make their fares accordingly. It is well to remember that running below cost or on cut prices, will bring one quicker to the bankruptcy court than anything else. 1 will now take the last part of the article. It is stated that for lorry work payment equals about 10s. a ton for 10 miles. Bolton is 11i miles from Manchester [This depends on the points from which one reckons.—ED.] and if you get 7s. a ton it is considered good. I know of several firms working at Ss. per ton, and others as low as 3s. fid. per ton. The 10s. rate quoted on a three-ton lorry, comes out at 3s. earned per mile ; on 8d. per mile cost, that shows a handsome profit. Regretfully, however, I must challenge the 8d. per mile theory. Only a little while ago, you gave the cost on a 3-4-ton lorry (not a char-a-banes on which there is increased expense) as not less than 9.9d. with petrol at Is. per gallon, and now petrol is ls. 4d. per gallon. If a profit of 2s. 4d. per mile on a three-ton lorry, and relatively 3s. 4d. on a. four-ton lorry, were being made, makers would have no trouble in selling chassis, and one would never bother with risky char-k-bancs work. Finally, "Nearly all the cars cost £800 apiece." I know that all cost more, and, so far as my last chassis is concerned, this alone cost nearly 2800. I hope, shortly, to give detaled particulars of this machine which will be accurate. If space permits, however, I should like to mention an instance of the remarkable power of the 1913 model Milnes-Daimler engine. Whilst returning from Birkenhead with beef recently, my driver, on going up the well-known Prescot Hill outside Liverpool, came across another

Bolton machine stuck on the hill. This vehicle weighs four tons, and, notwithstanding that my driver was earring 38 sides of beef, he hitched up to his brother in distress, and managed to pull him to the top of the hill, which has a very steep gradient, 1 in 6 I believe. [The gradient is not more than 1 in 15.—En.] Surely a remarkable testimonial to the flexibility of the engine. I enclose you three photographs of this 1913 Milnes-Daimler model. The weight of the char-k-bancs complete, unladen, is 3 tons 15 cwt. The illustration of the party was taken at Higher Hodder. near Clitheroe—a favourite half-day's outing from Bolton.

So far as I am aware, it is the only char-h-banes which has negotiated the famous Trough of Bowla,nd, lying between Hodder and Scorton.

J. H. BRommow,

Tags

People: Riley, Isherwood, Johnson
Locations: Manchester, Liverpool, London

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