OPINIONS and QUERIES WOMAN HAULIER REPLIES TO INTERESTED CORRESPONDENTS H A" you room for a few remarks from me in connec
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tion with the article "Woman Haulier's Worthy War Efforts," published on December 19, and dealing with my 'haulage concern? The common-sense views expressed by me seem to have met with general approval, judging by the resulting correspondence, and in ymir issue dated January 2 there are two letters which merit reply.
Hello, " Lichfield " and " Cranfield "! Glad to see that the drivers' association is an idea approved of by both of you. Please set your standards foF membership very high; it will then put the hall mark on a driver to produce his membership card, the employer will know he will obtain and must give a square deal." Such an association would clear away many, perhaps all, of the old difficulties and resentments between man and master.
Good wishes to all, and good luck in this grand New Year, which we hope will bring us peace.
Leeds, 10. HILDA M. BORROWDALE, Managing Director.
, For H. Borrowdale and Co., Ltd.
REVERSING WITH THE FIELD RESTRICTED RATIO DIFFERENTIAL.
liVE have read the interesting description of the Held VV restricted ratio differential in the January 2 issue of "The Commercial Motor."
In the caption to the illustration and in the reference to the clutches G and H, in the first column On page 407, the writer refers to a separate control to put the roller clutches out of action when it is required to reverse the vehicle. We suggest that the use of the term " separate control" or " control " is likely to lead your readers to conclude that it is necessary to operate, by means of a lever or pedal, a control mechanism to put the differential into reverse conditions, whereas, in, actual fact, this is not the case.
The action of the reverse mechanism is entirely automatic and comes into play immediately the vehicle is reversed, and the means for this purpose is wholly accommodated in the rear-axle casing. Not only does this arrangement -provide lot reversing automatically, but it constitutes a reaction-limiting device which comes into play in cases of momentary obstruction or of very excessive acceleration, such as would be .calculated to. impose excessive stress upon one driving shaft, whilst the other shaft (driving the slipping wheel) was trans' mitting a negligible amount of torque.
We think that these points should be made clear to your 'readers, as, obviously, the idea of having to operate a separate control would not commend itself, to anybody
interested in this deyice. H. HARRISON, Tyseley. For Bendix, Ltd.
WAS THE STEAM WAGON REALLY PERSECUTED?
IT was both interesting and refreshing to see mentioned, lin the clearly written article "New Steam Technology Could Revolutionize the Steam. Road Vehicle," in your January 2 issue, the names of some of the famous engineering firms whose products are deserving of a lot more attention and regard than they are now accorded, and which, as the author very correctly points out, have 7 bee deliberately driven from the roads.
Those who gave up the sfeamer as the result of the farcical taxation introduced in 1934 were in no way
compensated .for the loss of these reliable vehicles, nor for the subsequent capital outlay with which to acquire i.e. lorries.
It is no exaggeration to say that, almost ever since its inceftion, the steam road vehicle has been harassed and hampered by stringent and often ridiculous regulations. It was the steamer which was made the scapegoat just over Seven years ago and which shows quite obviously the folly of official and unnecessary intervention.
All machines in this industry—traction engines and road locomotives, steam wagons, steam tractors and even steam road rollers are suffering from past and present legislation, introduced and formulated-by men not used
or accustomed to this line of business. As a result. work of national importance in the spheres of road transport, road making and agriculture are to-day being retarded.
I greatly admire the way in which transport operators are doing their best, despite all opposition, and "The Commercial Motor" is of great yalue in showing up many injustices.
What a host of other well-known names present themselves in connection with the above machines—Mann, Atkinson, Allchin, Tasker, Burrell, Fowler, etc. There are ample to choose from. SYMPATHISER. Bristol,
lit is claimed "in official circles " that steam Wagons were not hounded off the roads, but that they were purposely built to be illegal in the hope that they would pass muster, and that their makers and operators subsequently complained bitterly when the re,gulations were .tightened up-. It is also suggested that the later concessions made should have prevented the virtual death of the type. These are certainly interesting points of view and merit reply from the erstwhile manufacturers concerned, and from present and past operators. Whatever were the causes, the results have been very. regrettable We could well clo now with a really large and efficient fleet of steam Vehicles.. It is a pity. that their use declined drastically, just at the time whaq new and greatly improved models were being developed; . probably the advent of the highly efficient oil engine, with it additional advantage of low-taxed fuel, had a great deal to eh) with this matter, for some of the steamwagon makers turned to this type as a relief from their difficulties.—En.] DRIVERS WITH LOCAL KNOWLEDGE SCARCE vOU have several times referred to the shortage of
drivers: Presumably there is some confusion in regard to this matter. There is no shortage, as far as I can find, of trunk drivers, but the difficulty is to get men with sufficient local knowledge to deal efficiently witla smalls. This is a very serious matter, to which you, will find reference in my recent paper before the I.T.A. in London.
Cuss. S. DuNriaix, Managing Director,
Birmingham, 15. Central Carriers, Ltd.
[It is true that we referred some months ago to a possible shortage of drivers, but during recent -weeks we have stated that there does not appear to be any great trouble in is direction, for while some trapsport concerns have complained that they cannot find men, the drivers themselves have stated that they had • difficulty in finding work. It has become really a question of putting the men in the places where they fire required. With regard to drivers to deal with smalls, probably quite a number of these have joined the Forces and may have to be replacaid, by women: Smely some of the latter would have sufficient local knowledge?—ED.]