Final Disposal Count Soon
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'THE final audit on the disposal of vehicles is likely to be completed by the Road Haulage Disposal Board shortly after the Disposal Bill becomes law, Mr. H. Molson, Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, told Mr, Ernest Davies in the House of Commons last week. Mr. Molson said that he would ask the Board to state how many vehicles were out of service for maintenance and repair at the time of the audit.
Mr. Davies said that the Minister of Transport had intimated that 7-1per cent, of the vehicles were out of service, but it was thought by the Opposition that the proportion was "far greater."
The Minister re-affirmed his intention not to offer the meat-haulage section of British Road Services for sale again. He informed Mr. Davies that he did not think that the Board need be kept in being for more than a short time after the Disposal Bill became law, The number of vehicles owned by B.R.S. on March 24 was 17,695.
BUS SERVICE MAY CEASE THE bus service between Kyleakin 1 and Portrcc may cease because whereas mails are at present carried on the buses the Post Office intend in future to use their own vans. Operators would lose the P.O. payments. Skye bus operators have told Invernessshire Roads Committee that uneconomic services to isolated communities should he subsidized.
The committee await the outcome of discussions on the problem of providing non-paying services by the Highlands and Islands Advisory Panel and the Association of County Councils.
JARC NOW THE ASTRA
THE Jarc light van (The Commercial M01.01', November 4, 1955) is now known as the Astra and is being produced by the Astra Car Co., Ltd.. Windmill Road, Hampton Hill, Middx.
Modifications introduced since the original design was announced include the fitting of a British Anzarti 325 c.c.
two-cylindered two-stroke engine developing 15 b.h.p. at 4,800 r.p.m., and an Albion three-speed gearbox providing ratios of 16.78, 8.64 and 5.63 to 1 forward, -with a 17.5 to 1 reverse.
TATRA. FOR EARLS COURT
ALARGE stand at the Commercial Motor Show at Earls Court in September will be occupied by Tatra standard and cross-country vehicles. They will be staged by L. C. Rawlence and Co., Ltd., 3 Queens Road, East Grinstead, Sussex, of whom a wellknown director is Mr. F. A. Le Vol. The 12-cylindered V-type oil engine will be installed in at least one exhibit.
These Czech models were described in The Commercial Motor of May 4. c2
Cut Transport Cost to Raise Living Standard
QUGGEST1ONS aimed at doubling DJ the nation's standard of living within a generation are contained in a report published last week by the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants.
Investigations should be made of the type of transport in normal use, the factors determining its choice, other possible methods and their comparative costs, the location of warehouses and depots, and the influence of paeking methods on transport costs. The sizes and types of container should be studied, with particular reference to economic loading, handling in transit. and losses from damage and pilferage.
In exploring the possibility of alternative means for transport. the scope for economy by improved operating efficiency should not be overlooked by C-licensees. Much advantage might, says the report, be derived from the application of established principles for cost ascertainment and control purposes, and as a useful first step towards cost reduction.
LICENCES REFUSED
TWO more special A licences, each for a lorry of 3 tons unladen, have been refused by the North-Western
Licensing Authority. The applicants were Mr. H. Hoijord, 44 Thorneycroft Street, Birkenhead, and Reeve Haulage Co., 81 Cambridge Street, Blackburn.
Ops" Room for Ice-cream Fleet
AN operations room, after the R.A.F. pattern, to control the distribution of ice cream to 50 depots in the south has been set up for working round the clock by T. Wall and Sons, Ltd., at their Acton factory. At a glance the state of the vehicle fleet can be seen. Numbers of drivers and vans available are shown, together with daily orders for each depot.
The operations board is of metal and a permanent magnet is fitted to the back of each word and figure. The idea for the system came from Mr. J. P. Meadows, commercial director.
COLOURFUL RANGE OF FACINGS
rOACH operators looking for some
thing different with which to decorate the interiors of their vehicle:, may care to inspect the wide and colourful range of decorative plasticsfaced sheets produced by the Rymalite Co. (IVIallinson Bros.. Ltd.), Brown Street, Salford. 3.
Rymalite sheets and panels at t protected with Profilm, which, it is claimed, can be cleaned with a damp cloth and -soap or detergent. Although it is resistant to temperatures up to 270 deg. F.. it will not withstand 2 cigarette burn.
Mallinson Bros. also produce Vertic patterns, which serve a -similar purpose to Rymalite sheets.