Vehicle Problems in the Trans-Antarctic
Page 36
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
QUMMING. up his paper,Performance b-iof Vehicles Under Trans-Antarctic
Conditions" read before the Automobile Division of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in London on Tuesday, Mr: D. L. Pratt, who acted as transport and
engineer officer on: the 1957-58 transAntal-ale expedition; reached several con
clusions regarding the operation of motor vehicles under truly Antarctic condiiions, These showed that one of the principal problems concerns engine starting. The high cranking torques at low temperatures were Materially_ reduced by the. use of
• IOW-viscosity oils; in which case engine starting was stated.tp be quite ,practical
down', to —46° F. without oil dilution and doWn to —60° F. without' oil dilutioi bin With preheating. _• Lagged battery boxes without battery preheating Were sufficient for vehicles not
having ancillary electric lOads, but for vehicles with such loads., battery pre-: heating was essential and air preheating. was found to be taste!' than 'coolant pi cheating
The author stated that conversion of vehicle electrical systems to A.C. genera thin should scilve the . battery heating problem and cope More adequately with all ancillary electrical loads........
In operation, vehicle engines tended. to. overheat rather than run cold because of low terrain' -speeds (1-8 m.p.h.), and crankcase lubrication using a mineral oil _ with additives, corresponding to S.A.E.5W/20W, Akas found to be perfectly satisfactory for continuous use.
Petrol engines were used on all vehicles for seVeral• reasons, notably better Starting, easier repair and lower weight.
MERCHANT PLEADS FOR . FRUIT -VEHICLES ,
NAORE hauliers are needed who special1.11.1 ize in the carriage of fruit, said .Mr. M. Rooney, a Manchester fruit merchant, at a Liverpool traffic court on Monday. He was giving evidence in support of S. Davies (St. Helens), Ltd., who wanted two vehicles on B licence for the collec
tion and delivery of trunk traffic within 50 miles.
Mr. Rooney pointed out that fruit had to be at the market early; if there were delays it soon perished. There had been delays in Davies' deliveries because they had not the vehicles to cope with the demand.
Answering Mr. G. H. P. Beames, for British Road Services, Mr. Rooney said B.R.S. did not specialize in fruit, although at the moment he split his traffic more or less evenly between B.R.S. and Davies.
Mr. F. Davies, managing director of the haulage company, said he liad 24 trunk vehicles. He had frequently had to let customers down by late deliveries and had been unable to pick up regularly. Mr. Beannes submitted that a case had been made out for only one vehicle to operate within much less than 50 miles, Mr. F. Williamson, . North Western Licensing Authority, granted one vehicle with a 12-mile radius.