Important Fire-engine Tests at Glasgow.
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Efficacy of the Turbine Pump Again Demonstrated.
On Monday afternoon last, the 14th inst., at the Mugdock Reservoirs, some 77, miles from Glasgow, a series of interesting tests was conducted under the direction of Firemaster Waddell, the head of the Glasgow City Fire Brigade. Prior to the tests, the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Mr. A. McInnes Shaw, entertained a considerable gathering of visiting Scottish firemasters, and others interested in the development, of motor fire-engines, at luncheon, at the City Chambers. The guests included Lieut. Sladen, Chief of the L.C.C. Brigade, Mr. E. A. H. Gordon, the chief engineer of that brigade, Mr. Raymond Dennis, Mr. Geo. H. Halley and the Editor of Tun COMMERCIAL MOTOR. A morning inspection of the central fire-station had disclosed the fact that Glasgow is well on the way to allmotor organization.
Acexmmodated on the front seat of the six-cylinder Dennis, which vehicle was illustrated in. our pages a week ago, the writer had Lieut. Sladen and Mr. R. W. Downing (at the wheel) for immediate companyduring the run from the centre of the city to Milngavie. A rare turn of speed, particularly on the hills, was developed by the Dennis engine with its White and Poppe carburetter, and it made light work of the trip, with 16 persons aboard. Close behind came the Halley six-cylinder engine, with a full 20 on the seats and footboards. The Merryweather engine was first at the reservoirs, by some 50 yds., but there was no intention to race.
Three engines were subjected to crucial trials, under equal conditions, in the presence of a critical assembly. The writer observed, from time to time, in company with other visitors who did not mind the drenchings involved if one decided to be thoroughly " in the fray," the effective pressures on the pumps, as well as the relative heights of the jets of water thrown by the latest products of the Dennis and Halley factories, and Glasgow's " Hatfield " (Merryweather) respectively. These are summarized later. The outstanding result of the demonstration was the complete refutation of the old idea that the centri
fugal-type pump is inferior to the plunger-type pump. Whatever their relative efficiencies from the power stand
point, it should now be futile for any makers of fire-fight
ing plant to pretend that the turbine system, whether single or multi stage as regards the impellors, is not a practical and real success. The Owynne (Dennis) and the
'Mather and Platt (Halley and Leyland) have been proved. From successive testa, each of from 3i to 7 minutes duration, were conducted on Monday afternoon. The
numbers and sizes of the nozzles were: test 1, 8 by 1 in.; test 2, 2 by in. ; test 3, 2 by 1 in.; test 4, 1 by 11 in. From the pump delivery to the jets, in each case, there
was interposed 100 ft. of hose with 21-in. couplings. It may be noted, incidentally, that the gross areas of delivery were, respectively : 1.33 in.; 1.20 in.; 1.57 in.; 1.49 in. The pressures in lb. per sq. in. at the pumps, according to our observations, were, for tests 1 to 4 respectively: Dennis, 105, 140, 120 and 132; Halley, 100, 120, 104 and 108; Merryweather, 110, 135, 113 and 117. Our notes upon the jets were:—
Test 1—Merryweather, 70 sec. late in starting ; Dennis, an average of about 6 ft. higher than Halley. Test 2—Merryweather, only one jet working after 90 secs., and then intermittently, but both working fairly thereafter; Dennis from 6-8 ft. higher than Haney at times, and Merryweather occasionally as good as Halley. Test 3—Halley 1st away, and thereafter for 2+ mins. best by about 4 ft.; Merryweather away 15 secs. later, and Dennis 30 secs. later ; at end of 3l mins., Dennis and Halley equal ; Merryweather nearly as good on the whole, with occasional high spurts.
Test 4—Merryweather took 45 sec. to get his jet going ; then Dennis was best, and Halley equal to Merryweather ; later, Dennis and Merryweather approximately equal to one another, with Halley a close second. We are content to conclude that, as we forecasted 18 months ago. after certain tests at Weybridge, that the turbine pump is Rot practically inferior to the ram pump.