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NARRATIVES OF THE INDUSTRY.

18th November 1924
Page 27
Page 27, 18th November 1924 — NARRATIVES OF THE INDUSTRY.
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The Evolution of the Prominent Concerns in the British Commercial Vehicle Industry which Have Made History by the Pursuit of a Progressive Policy.

THE YORKSHIRE PATENT STEAM WAGON CO.

WE RAVE indicated in certain of the narratives which have appeared in this series of articles that several of the largest of present-day manufacturers of petrol-propelled vehicles were originally founded to construct steam-driven machines wh:ch, of course, were used for road work some time before the commercial possibilities of the internal-corn

• Imstion engine had been recognized. By a process of evolu tion and, perhaps, also by appreciating the existence of an almost unlimited field of utility for the petrol vehicle, they have passed from one sphere of production to the Other so that steam-wagon manufacture has now beeii completely abandoned or forms only a subsidiary branch of activity.

There are, of course, several old-established companies who still concentrate solely on the production of a wide range of steam wagons to suit distinct and varied needs, and amongst these the Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon Co., of Pepper Road, Hunslet, Leeds, occupy a prominent position. They were founded in the opening year of the twentieth century so that, with more than two decades of hard-earned experience standing to their credit, they can claim to possess an intimate understanding of steam-wagon design and development.

It Was in August, 1901, that the first Yorkshire wagon was constructed, and this was a gear-driven fiat platform lorry with a carrying capacity of 3 tons. It was provided with two Bceeds so that the vehicle, which had wood wheels carrying steel tyres, was capable of travelling at Sand 5 m.p.h. A somewhat similar wagon, only of more robust build, was produced in May of the following year to carry 6-ton loads, and this was fitted with steel mid wheels of the traction-engine pattern. Most of the outstanding features of the earliest models were also ta be found on the 5-ton gear-driven wagon which appeared in October, 1903.

The company were not slow to acknowledge the truism that a vehicle gives of its best when constantly employed on the voad, and that such operations as unloading should be facilitated towards that end and, accordingly, in 1903 they introduced a 3-ton wagon fitted with an end-tipping body actuated by a hand-controlled vertical screw gear.

As a matter of fact they had some months earlier supplied the old tipping wagon illustrated on this page to the Norwich Corporation which, it is interesting to note, has this year put into service A modern product of the Yorkshire works. In detail these vehicles naturally possess certain dissimilar characteristics, the modern wagon embodying features 'which the march of time has suggested, lint, be it noted, the transverse boiler which has always served to distinguish the Yorkshire from other steam wagons is still relied upcn.

March, 1904, witnessed the appearance of a 5-ton end-tipping wagon with wood wheels and straked steel tyres. In the following year two new models were built, one being a 5-tonner of the enclosed type and the other a 2-ton gear. driven wagon. Hitherto, all the company's wagons had two speeds, giving 3 and 5 m.p.h. respectively, but in the lighter model offered in 1905 the range of speed was from 4 to El m.p.h. In 1906 a further development was recorded by the appear ance of a chain-driven platform wagon to carry 6-ton loads. Other features of this machine were a compound vertical engine, artillery type road wheels, and its three speeds gave 3, 6 and 9 m.p.h., respectively. We now pass over a period of comparative inactivity and come to December, 1909, when a 3-.ton chain-driven wagon was placed-on -the market, its main features closely resembling those of its prototypes although with the gradnal speeding up of transport it was deemed expedient to embody a threespeed gear in its design so that 12 m.p.h. could be obtained.

The year 1912 was one of some distinction in the history of the company, for it was then that they commenced fitting all their. wagons with solid rubber tyres and cut steel wheels. The-period a the war partially stultified ordinary developmerits but, nevertheless, the company introduced, in 1917, a patent vacuum gully emptier, which has achieved a large measure of popularity with municipal authorities. in 1922, the appearance of a new Yorkshire model to carry 7-ton loads marked a remarkable advance in steam-wagon design and, as cited in our issue dated June 20th 'of that year, it was predestined to revolutionize systems of transmission as then applied to steam wagons. The design was the result of concentrated effort extending over three years, and amongst the outstanding features might be mentioned a vertical compound engine, enclosed self-lnbricating transmission, unit construction of engine and gearbox, and bevel and spur final drive, This model still figures prominently in the manufacturing programme of the Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon

Company. • The most recent product of the company is the Yorkshire Power Farmer, which made its first public appearance at the opening Of the Wembley Eahibition this year. This machine can be used for two-engine cable ploughing, direct haulage on land or road, or for driving a full-sized threshing machine, so that it possesses an all-round usefulness for farmers. There are, perhaps, no outstanding features in the history of the company, for their progress has been marked by steady advancement. Their wagons have gained a number of awards in competitive events, notable amongst which i's the gold medal awarded by the Royal Automobile Club in connection with its 1,000 miles endurance test held in 1907. -That Yorkshire wagons are popular, however, is reflected in the growth of the company's works, the floor space devoted to steamwagon production having increased from 550 square yards to 10,000 square yards in the neriod of their existence.

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Organisations: Royal Automobile Club
Locations: Leeds

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