That First Hydraulic Gear . . .
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AMAN who claims to have worked on the first successful hydraulic tipping gear to be produced in Britain retired recently from Edbro-B. and E. Tippers. He is Mr. George Reaney, who says he was the first employee of Bromilow and Edwards, in 1919. A farewell presentation was made by one of Edbro's youngest employees, 15-year-old Rodney H. Pemrick, an apprentice fitter-turner.
Recalling that first hydraulic gear, Mr. Reaney said it was fitted on a Vulcan chassis for Hutton Collieries, near Bolton. " It was a twin-ram underbody type driven from the propeller shaft," he said. "It was rough and ready by today's standards, but it worked."
It doesn't sound any rougher or readier than some of the ingenious devices some operators fit to their vehicles today. usually fashioned by the George Reaneys of this world, which are just as effective as was that tip gear he spoke of.
Glasgow's Tram Troubles
THE Glasgow transport undertaking, celebrating its freedom from trams with a "last tram" procession on September 4, has run into a minor snag or two. So far, they have been unable to find authentic period uniforms. One is being made fgr the driver of the horse-drawn tram, but other vehicles will be driven by employees in modern dress.
B20 A 71-year-old Australian woman, Mrs. G. Theodore, has claimed to be the first woman driver of a Glasgow tram— having been incensed at the prior claim of a local lady. Doubts there may be about the first woman tram driver; none, however, exist about who will be the last. She will be the Lord Provost, Mrs. Jean Roberts.
One Law for the Rich
BUS fares according to income are the latest introduction to the transport structure of the Communist world. In the East German city of Chemnitz, season tickets on the municipal bus and tram system cost only DM7 unless the unfortunate passenger is one of the moneyed classes and has monthly earnings of over DM400—in which case he must pay DM16!
The Party name for this town where all are equal but some more equal than others is, incidentally, Karl-Marx-Stadt. That gentleman (so far as I know) had no connection with transport.
Ambition Fulfilled
HARRY SMITH, now 81 and retired, rode in the cab of a big rail loco a few days ago at the invitation of British Railways. The latter heard about him and his ambition to travel on a footplate, and took him from his home town, Bury, to Manchester.
Harry was quite pleased and, incidentally, recalled his early years as a steam wagon driver, when he was fined £5 on one occasion for speeding at 6 m.p.h. Five was the limit!
In his 60 years as a commercial vehicle driver. Harry drove steamers, trams, petrol and diesel vehicles. He was fined three times in the 60 years—all three in his steam wagon days. All three for speeding!
otchpotch ?
ALWAYS find it rather irksome when newspapers and ournals make a big fuss on a particular matter in terms ich are both imprecise and equivocal. In the modern world publishing, unfortunately, hyperbole and hysteria are much common.
km item which caused me particular distress was that recently 'fished in The Railway Review, journal of the National ion of Railwaymen. The statement—even with the vast )enditure on new and better roads the transport industry I not be efficient or economical—is patently absurd. viously efficient" and "economical" in this context can ie little meaning at all. The "will not" is nothing but egorical prognosis—pure (at least in one sense) wishful liking.
3ut this was not all—the report continued—" Now, as most )ple know, the vast road haulage industry is a wasteful tchpotch and is probably run partly by breaking the law...." is word hotchpotch interested me—I wasn't quite sure what meant despite the fact that most people know that it's what : road haulage industry is. According to my Concise Oxford ctionary a hotchpotch is a "dish of many mixed ingredients,
mutton broth with vegetables "! How very interesting1st people know that the road haulage industry is a wasteful itton broth and nobody told me!
:ncidentally it was most encouraging to notice that in last ek's issue of The Commercial Motor there appeared a news ri under the heading " G.P.O. Plans for Parcels by Road." e Railway Review please note. The broth, it seems, is shed in some quarters!