WHEELS of INDUSTRY "The wheels of wealth will be stowed
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by all dilicallies of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
The Scottish Motor Trade Banquet.
Some encouraging speeches regarding the future of the motor trade were made at the banquet held by the Scottish Motor Trade Association during the combined commercial and private motor show in Glasgow. Sir Edward Manville, who proposed the toast of "The Scottish Motor Trade Association and Exhibition," mentioned that the funds obtained from motor shows enabled the trade to carry, on various activities which would not otherwise be possible, one of these being the watching of legislation which might have an adverse effect 'upon motoring, and, another, benevolent work. He was convinced, also that they had enabled the British industry to put before the public products which were certainly not at the bottoi of the list in comparison with those from other countries.
The chairman, Mr. G. M. Gladstone, J.P., President of the Association, in replying, stated that the reports of business coming from the Kelvin Hall were very good. The greatest possible confidence had been placed in the Scottish Motor Trade AsSociation by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The Association was determined that, no niatter how much work was involved, it would maintain the motor trade of Scotland in its own hands.
In proposing the toast of "The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and Guests," Bailie J. T.
Young, ex-president expressed the opinion that no advertising medium gave so much publicity to the motor industry as the annual shows in London and Glasgow. In his reply, Mt E. H. Blake, president S.M.M. and T., mentioned a certain Chancellor of the Exchequer who had somewhat cynically referred to the motor trade as an extremely buoyant industry. Perhaps his meaning was that, considering the Government burdens of excessive taxation, it must be very buoyant to keep afloat at all. The truth was that the industry, particularly during the past three years, had been definitely held back by the ever-increasing burden of taxation, and it was time to call a halt
The Halley Negotiations Completed..
One of the most important motorbuilding deals that has taken place in Scotland for a considerable time has just been completed between the North British Locomotive Co., Ltd., Glasgow, and Halley Motors, Ltd., Yoker, Glasgow. The former is a big concern with considerable financial resources. It has now secured a controlling interest in the Halley, Co. which has a capital c}f £165,315 in £4:9,801 cumulative preference shares and £115,514 ordinary shales. We understand that the price paid for the lis. 8d. ordinary shares is 2s., and fog the £1 preference shares 4s. each, the number of shares purchased in both cases being 50 per cent, of the total.
Thornyeroft's Trading.
John L Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., reports a profit of £95,876 for the past year's working, as compared with £129,700 in the previous year. The ordinary dividend is reduced from 17i per cent. to 13 per cent., whilst the reserve receives an allocation of £20,000, as against £30,000 a year earlier. The amount to be carried forward is £59,258, as contrasted with £61,882 in the previous year. '
Good Progress with Newcastle Bus Station.
It is likely that Newcastle's first municipal enclosed bus station will be in full service by the end of the year, The scheme has been made possible by the decision of leading motorbus undertakings working services to the west and south of the city, to make an annual payment to the corporation in respect of each vehicle using the station. In this way the corporation estimates that all charges, including those for the erection of the premises, will be met without the need for any call upon the city funds.
• The station will have nine loading platforms, and waiting-rooms and an inquiry bureau. It will be used by owners working long-distance services to nearly every important city and town in England and Southern" Scotland, as well as by purely local services.
• It is hoped that the corporation-may, in the comparatively near future, go ahead with the provision of a second station in the Haymarket, which acts as the_terminus of a large number of services radiating to districts on the other side of the city.
Strong representations have been made to us by responsible people concerning the qualifications of a gentleman who is looking for a post in the wholesale side of the trade, as a traveller or sales manager. He has had experience of commercial vehicles, in addition to private cars, and we should judge that he is well qualified to take up a responsible position as indicated. We shall be glad to put any manufacturer in touch with him if letters are addressed "'Wholesale," care of the Editor.
Dennis Dividend.
The directors of Dennis Brothers, Ltd., of Guildford, propose to recomMend to the shareholders at the general meeting on December 1st the payment of a final dividend of 2s. 2d. per share, less tax, making, with the interim dividend of 8d. per share, a total of 2s. 10d. for the year. A sum of 175,000 has been added to reserve, and the carry forward is substantially the same.
" Great Western's " Successful Appeal.
The Great Western Express Co., Ltd., after appealing to the Minister of Transport against the refusals of Tredegar and Brynmawr Urban District Councils to grant licences for a South WalesLondon service, has obtained satisfaction. A report of the inquiry, it may be remembered, appeared in The Commercial Motor. The authorities have been ordered to grant, the coaching company 10 licences.
In conforming with this decision, Treclegar Urban District Council makes it a condition that a minimum fare of 5s. should be charged by the Great Western Express Co., Ltd.
Modified A.E.C. Chassis for Canada.
The Montreal Tramways Co. is shortly to place in service two interesting A.E.C. chassis incorporating a number of features which investigations made by the chief engineer of the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., on a recent visit to Canada were shown to be necessary. The model chosen is the Ranger driver-behind-engine pattern, equipped with a 110 h.p. engine, this being used without alteration.
The normal wheelbase of the chassis has, however, been increased from 17 ft. to 19 ft. and the frame extended so as to give an overall length of 30 ft. The frame side-members have been made of stouter material and reinforced over the wheel-arches to allow for the mounting of a heavier body, whilst special road springs and 30-in. by 9-in, low-pressure tyres have been fitted to deal with the bigger, loads carried.
To conform with the rule of the road in Canada, the steerink, pedals and hand brake have been mounted on the near side. A new-type front braking system, which embodies a separate compensated .racuum cylinder for each front wheel, has been . incorporated.
Other important features include automatic coil ignition, extra large petrol tanks, front bumper bars, special wheels and studs, and chromium-plated radiator guards.
Liners for Cylinder Blocks.
• A particularly interesting exhibit on the stand of David Carlaw and Sons, Ltd., at the recent Scottish Show, was concerned with the fitting of " Centricast " or nitralloy steel liners to reconditioned cylinder blocks. This concern has for some time specialized in this class of repair work and has installed extensive equipment for re-boring cylinders in accurate alignment by ingenious tools with floating cutters. Liners are then pressed into the block and, in many cases, when the existing pistons can be utilized, the total cost is actually less than that of regrinding and fitting oversize pistons.
.So far the experience of this old-established engineering concern goes to show that the life of the cylinders fitted with centrifugally cast liners is at least double that obtained from ordinary cylinder blocks with aluminium alloy pistons.
Ribble Takes Over Charley Firm.
Negotiations have been completed by the Ribble Motor Services, Ltd., of Preston, for the acquisition of Freeman's Silver Star Services, of Chorley, an undertaking working services in the Chorley, Wigan and Bolton districts. The Freeman fleet comprises 13 vehicles.
Recommended as a Commissioner.
At a conference of representatives of five North Wales county councils it was unanimously decided to recommend to the Minister of,aransport the appointment of Mr?R:sT. Jones, of Carnarvon, as a road-traffic commissioner for the North Wales district of the northwestern road-traffic area.
New Vehicles Registered.
The Ministry of Transport has recently issued a return giving details of the number of motor vehicles registered for the first time under the Roads Act, 1920, during the month of September last. The total number was 17,846, as compared with 17.121 in September, 1929, this year's figure including 3,950 goods vehicles and 588 hackney vehicles, the comparable figures for the previous year being 4,330 and 590.
Light Delivery Outfits at Olympia.
We were sorry to note that the number of delivery sidecars and three-wheeled vans at the Motor Cycle Exhibition at Olympia, last week, was smaller than in previous years. There was no collective exhibit as has been arranged formerly. The most comprehensive range of commercial sidecars was that of the Watsonian Sidecar Co., Ltd., showing a van, a float and a motorcycle carrier. On the stand staging the James Handyvan was a model with a box body and one with a smart float for dairy transport. The Dunelt exhibit consisted of a narrowtype van carrier attached to a side-valve motorcycle of the same make. The Coventry-Victor van was the only one of its kind on view, whilst the Indian three-wheeler, which we described exclusively last week, aroused much interest.
On the O.E.C. stand was a complete outfit with spring-frame motorcycle, also a separate sidecar exhibit. Attached to a Budge, on the stand of that make, was a box sidecar with a two-piece lid. The Royal Enfield milk float was on view.
An Edinburgh Bus Registration.
Connie Brothers, Ltd., was registered in Edinburgh on November 4th as a private company with a capital of £50,000, equally divided between preference and ordinary shares of it. each. The company is to acquire the business of bus proprietors, carried on at Kirkcaldy and Aberdeen by Mr. James Cormie, and its registered office is at Methil, Fife.
Unlicensed Buses in Manchester.
The watch committee of Manchester Corporation has considered a report of the town clerk with reference to unlicensed buses plying for hire in the city and decided that, unless unqualified undertakings to cease plying for hire be received from the persons concerned, the town clerk be authorized to apply for an injunction in the High Court. A.E.C.'s Chassis Programme.
The manufacturing schedule of the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., Southall, Middlesex, at present comprises the following goods models:—
Mercury 35,-tonner (solid tyres) 12,710, (pneumatic tyres) £775. Monarch 44onner (solids) £780, (pneumatics) £850; Majestic 6-tonner. £966 (1,010 mm. by 160 mm. solids), £992 (1,010 min. by 180 rim solids), £1,060 (pneumatics); Mammoth 6-ton tipper, £1,047 (solids), £1,137 (pneumatics); Mammoth 7-8 ton lorry model, £1,040 (solids), £1,160 (pneumatics); Mammoth 7-8-ton tipper, £1,055 (solids), £1,167 (pneumatics).
With the exception of the Mercury and the Monarch chassis, each goods and passenger model can be equipped with the A.E.C. 95 bp. high-speed heavy-oil engine, built under Acro licence, at an extra cost of MOO. This engine was fully described in our issue dated November 4th last.
On the passenger-carrying side the following models are listed :
Regal 28-35-seater, £1,100; Ranger 26-29seater, £1,125; Regent 50-52-seater, £1,200; Renown six-wheeled, short-wheelbase, 60-65seater, £1,400; Renown six-wheeled, long-wheelbase for carrying single-deck bodies to seat
about 40 people, £1,400. The company's 110 h.p. engine can be fitted in each of the first three chassis at an extra cost of 225.
In addition to these models the company is marketing three trolley-buses, a single-deck 3034-seater and double-deckers to seat 50-52 people and 60-65 passengers respectively.
Dennis Secures Rig Railway Order.
In our issue for last week we intimated that the Great Western Railway Co. was ordering an additional 152 new motor vehicles and tractors, and -Dennis Bros., Ltd., of Guildford, advises us that it is to supply no fewer than 108 of the machines in question. The model which has been chosen is _the Dennis two-tonner, the forwardcontrol chassis being favoured as it affords good loading space.
A Long .Journey by Electric Van.
An electric vehicle of unusual design and smart appearance has just been built for the Chloride Electrical Storage Co., Ltd., by Electricars,.Ltd., of Birmingham. Intended mainly for delivery work in the London area, the vehicle began its career in a striking fashion by completing a journey by road from Birmingham to London, the 123 miles being covered with only two intermediate halts for recharging, these being at Northampton and Luton.
The new vehicle is a two-tonner, propelled by.-an Exide-Ironclad battery of 40 cells, type-MVA-17, having a capacity of 258 amp.-hours at the five-hour rate. Half the battery is located under the bonnet, and the remaining 20 cells are compactly arranged on each side of the driver.
The general appearance of the vehicle C22 is attractive and bears a striking resemblance to a petrol-driven van. A relatively light fabric body has been mounted on the chassis.
Forg3d-steel Road Studs.
The rustless-steel studs made by Daniel Doncaster and Sons, Ltd., Penistone Road, Sheffield, are claimed to be particularly suitable for permanent road use because they are drop-forged. The studs are solid drop-forged from tough alloy steel, which has a high tensile strength, and contains a good percentage of nickel and chromium. There are three designs of stud available, two types being round and the other square. Chisel-point, collared and fish-tailed shanks are available in each design.
Wigan to Discard Trains in Favour, of Leyland Ruses.
Wigan Corporation intends to substitute motorbuses for trams to work certain local yid district routes. Meanwhile, negotiations are proceeding with the councils of Ince, Hindley, Orrell and Standish, with a view to hastening the change.' Subject to those councils agreeing to the corporation's proposals, an application will be made to the Ministry of Transport. With the object of put tins the buses into operation as quickly as possible, the corporation has made such arrangements with Leyland Motors, Ltd., and the local bodybuilders, as will enable the buses to be obtained at short notice.
A Hard-worked Six-wheeler..
The roden Speed-Twelve, pnenmatic-tyred six-wheeler, which is shown in an accompanying picture, is doing particularly good work in the service of Mr. S. Elvis, a haulage contractor of Hotheach, Lincolnshire. It is often employed for long periods at a stretch, and an indication of the arduous character of its duties is to be found in the details of a typical day's work which was recently completed.
The vehicle set out from Holbeach'at 7 a.m. on a journey to Snettisham, about 33 miles distant, subsequently carrying a 12-ton load to Boston, bringing the mileage to 82. It then returned empty to Snettisham, took aboard a further 12 tons, and repeated the journey to Boston. After unloading, an empty run was made to Holbeach, bringing the total day's mileage to 196, the work being completed at 7 p.m. On this run the coal (consumption, was found to be I. cwt. for 21 miles' running.
Armonrply for Showroom Bodies. , In our issue dated November 4th we described a travelling showroom on a Commer !Invader chassis, the body of which was' built by the Lambeth Motor Body Works, Ltd., Guildford Street, London, 11.E.1. We are advised by the concern in question that the material used for a large portion of the panelling was Tucker's Armourply, aluminium faced.
A New Empire Motor Spirit.
In a report recently issued by the directors of Trinidad Leaseholds, Ltd., it is stated that, in order to broaden the market for high-grade motor spirit produced by the company, the petroleumdistribution business in the United Kingdom, of Burt, BouIton and Haywood, Ltd., including stocks on hand. has been acquired and carried on as from July 1st last.
• On Monday of last week the porn. panY placed a new motor spirit on the market, which is known by the name of "Regent.' It is refined in Trinidad and is available in two grades, Regent Super being 1s. 21d. per gallon and Regent Commercial 1s. id. per gallon.
A Removals Van with a Twocompartment Cab.
We reproduce on this page an illustration of a recently delivered Leyland vehicle which incorporates a rather novelqcab. The chassis is the Bison TSG1 44-ton forward-control model, and it carries a platform body. The lorry, which has been supplied to the Pall Mall Deposit and Forwarding Co., Ltd., is generally used with a large lift-van body and a trailer carrying a body of the same, type.
It is often necessarry to send a gang of, say, six men with the outfit to carry out removals work. This is the reason that it was thought desirable to provide a two-compartment driver's cab. The forward section is used by the driver and his mate, the latter controlling the trailer brake, whilst the compartment immediately 'behind provides accommodation for four other men. The body was built by W. and T. Robson, Ltd., of Farringdon Road, London, E.C.1.
Hermetic Rubber Co.'s Report.
The report of the Hermetic Rubber Co., Ltd., for the year ended September 30th last shows a net profit of £6,922, after making piovision for all charges. A final dividend of 221 per cent. (less tax), making a total of 30 per cent, for the year, is to be paid, and this will absorb £4,312 of the £11,531 available, leaving £7,219 to be carried forward.
Todmorden's Profitable Buses.
• The ,bus accounts of Todmorden Corporation for the year ended March 31st last show that revenue totalled 165,304, whereas expenditure amounted 'to 147,365, being incurred under the following main headings :—Traffic ex-peiaSes, £20,551 ; purchase of fuel, £10,396; cost of repairs and maintenance, 17,330; general expenses, £4,346; licences, 12,766. The balance of £17,939 is carried to the net revenue and appropriation account, and after meeting sinking fund, renewals fund and
other charges there is a surplus of £6,403 to be carried to the reserve and renewals fund.
At the end of March last Todmordeu Corporation was operating 36 buses, consisting entirely of vehicles of Leyland manufacture. During the year the vehicles covered a total of 1,054,774 miles and carried 5,132,539 passengers.
The bus undertaking of the corpOration is in a healthy condition and is completely free from debt.
Commers Invading Hong Kong.
Commer, Cars, Ltd., Luton, has .recently received an order from Hong Kong for 10 Invader chassis, which, as our readers will be aware, are suitable for coach or bui bodies seating 20-22. People. The bodies are being built in Hong Kong, and when the vehicles are completed they will be put into service between Mong Kok (Kowloon) and Urn Long (New Territories). This erder is in the nature of a repeat, and it bears testimony to the satisfaction given by other. Comtners supplied for service in Hong Kong.
Modernizing Foundry Equipment. .1 Herbert Morris, Ltd., of Loughborough, has provided much machinery for the .economical handling of sthe various materials that have to be moved in modern foundries. A few years ago "the 'company had much to do with equipping the new foundry of Morris Engines, Ltt.1., at Coventry, and we now learn that the Austin Motor Co., Ltd., has placed a contract with it for the conveying and handling plant required in connection with its foundry re-organization scheme.
This plant comprises conveyers for sand reclaiming and distribution, machinery for sand mixing and revivifying, together with conveyors for moulding and casting operations in both the iron and steel sections of the foundry. The value of the contract is £10.000. Herbert Morris, Ltd., has developed a prominent name-for conveying appliances.
Appeals That Failed.
The Minister of Transport has declined to make an, Order on the appeal of Wood Brothers (Blackpool), Ltd., against the refusal of the Leeds authority to grant lieences for a service between Leeds and Blackpool.
W. Armitage and Sons, Ltd., has also failed in its appeal to the Ministry a Transport in connection with the Leeds municipality's refusal to authorize a Leeds-131ackpool service.
For Those Interested in Oil Engines.
On Friday, November 21st, the Dieiel Engine Users' Association will hold a meeting at 3.30 p.m. in Caxton Hall, Caxton Street, London., S.W.1. The subject of the paper will be "The Application of Diesel Engines to Road Transport" and the author will be Major W. II. Goddard, A.M.I.Mech.E. In view of the disturbed political condition of India, it is, perhaps, not surprising that there should be a restriction in the demand for commercial vehicles. The latest official returns to hand!---those for the four months ended July last—indicate, however, that the decline has assumed a serious turn, only 448 complete vans, lorries and buses, and 2,165 commercial chassis, hay ing been imported into the country during that period. -The total of 2,613 and a value of £380,910, contrasts with 4,636 and 1.759,875 respectively in the corresponding four months of 1920, a drop of nearly 44 per cent.
in number and 50 per cent. in value.
An analysis of the returns shows the United States to be at the head of the list with 1,896 complete vehicles and chassis, followed by Canada with (128, Great Britain with only 68 and other countries 21.
A New Seammell on Pneumatics.
With regard to the paragraph on page 421 of our issue for last week, in which mention was made of the Scammell pneumatic-tyred six-wheeler in its latest form, it should be made clear that our mention of a gross load of 12 eons refers to the body -and pay load only. Allowing 30 cwt. for a normal body, the Pay load is -thus 14. tons. At 6:i miles per galldn of fuel this amounts to 68.25 pay-load tonmiles per gallon. The gross laden weight is about 20 tons, which means 130 gross ton-mites per gallon. One appreciates the dead-weight capacity of the 40tanner described in our centre pages this ' week by • realizing that it carries the weight of two such vehicles fully laden. The Berlin Show.
• We understand that the International Motor Exhibition, which was arranged to be held in Berlin between February 19th and March 1st next, may not, after all, be held during that period. The Show is divided into sections for commercial vehicles, m6torears and accessories and supplies. The motorcycle industry has already. decided that the spring is an unfavourable time and has decided to hold its exhibition in the autumn.
'Hull's Municipal Bus Station.
The town-planning committee of Hull Corporation is to provide a bus station in the vicinity of Paragon Station and the chairman points out that it is not intended that the bus station should be operated under the joint control of the corporation and the London and North Eastern Railway Co. It is intended, however, that the corporation should obtain the consent of the railway cenapany to pass over its land for ingress to and egress from the municipality's section of the station. A charge would be made by the corporation. on all buses using its section of the building.
Chain Distribution Drives.
In our issue dated October 28th, in an article entitled "Vital Components," we reproduced an illustration of an engine with a chain drive for the camshaft and other auxiliaries; the layout included an automatic tensioning device. We would point out that the chain employed and the tensioner are both made by Hans Renold, Ltd., Burnage Works, Didsbury, Manchester. In the issue in question we ascribed these components to an associated concern, the Coventry Chain Co., Ltd.