Let the Operator Advise the Maker
Page 33
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Further Contributions to a Discussion of Considerable Interest
Is Finality of Design Advisable ?
By I. R. Maidens. A.M.l.Mech.E., M.I.A.E., A.M.Inst.T. (Schweppes, Ltd.)
IHAVE been impressed by the profound knowledge and lthe sincerity of the views expressed by all contributors, who appear to have discussed nearly all problems involved in their desire for greater standardization of vehicles and parts.
The desire is not a new one, for 27 years ago a story was current of an eminent " horse " man, who suddenly found himself in charge of a large fleet of " Alpha" vehicles, but there were no spares. Asking for the name of another 3-ton make, he was given " Delta," He—it was said—replied, " Order spares for that make, for both vehicles are 3-tanners." Here the principle that "any oat will fit any horse' was being adopted, This principle, carried even half way (the oat and the horse are not completely standardized) would, in my opinion, mean cessation of progress in design, and, assuming an agreed vehicle were produced, I could not accept it as " finality " of design; in any case, I question if anyone living would see it produced, unless one concern made it On sardine-tin lines.
In new destgns coming from makers after the war *ere will undoubtedly be many new features—perhaps of a revolutionary character—resulting from experience gained under war conditions, but I hope some of the war shapes will vanish. At the same time, I must agree regarding petrol caps, wheel studs, trained contortionists for getting at parts, self-lubricating bushes, etc., and another point requiring attention is the corrosion of radiators.
In my opinion also there are too many models, this. possibly resulting in automatic overloading of small vehicles as trade increases.
I hear of some difficulties being experienced with 30 m.p.h. 2i-tonaunladen-weigbt vehicles, but the extra 10 cwt. now allowed will improve .matters when extra material is applied to the troublesome parts; so will correct loads and speeds!
I have received great-help from makers by insisting, when an order is placed, on having the name of a responsible ofrcial with whom I could immediately get into personal touch should any " real" difficulty arise. This has been very helpful since I adopted the method 32 years ago.
Possibly another help is our unbreakable rule of no overloading and no excess speed.
I feel that the makers, with their research departments and their testing methods, will use war experience in their new designs, to the advantage of all concerned,
Vehicle Design and Construction.
By Algernon Scott, A.M.Inst.T., M.I.T.A. (Spillers, Ltd.)
aUCH has been written which should benefit all concerned, but there is one great weakness which no one seems yet to have attempted to approach, viz., as to the . type of body that affords the quickest loading and unloading for each class of commodity which moves in full loads. Much good would result if this selection could be brought to a high state of technical efficiency.
What traders, as well as users, require is a manual showing test times for loading and unloading all traffics which pass in heavy tonnages, so that the most suitable height, width and length of vehicle platform can be provided to enable drivers to handle them in the quickest possible time and in the easiest manner. .Subject to transit "safety, the effect in minutes per ton of the use of side boards or coarnnags, head boards, tail boards (hinged and fixed) and sizes, should also be tabulated. In addition, handling times to and from vans of varying size should be recorded where this information .is of use. Well-deck wagons should also be triecl out on some traffics. Test times for unloading should be to ground or farmyard level, also to pavement or town
It is here that the vehicle designer should begin. Working backwards from unloading points, many traders and
warehouse people would adjust 'yard and delivery facilities to ensure quickest possible delivery and reduce yard congestions at loading points. It should be an axiom that vehicle sellers never mention accessibility of engines on bonnet-type machines until they are first satisfied that the few hours' Saving in maintenance time will not militate against dailyloading and unloading times or cause roping and undue strain clue to loo-high centres of gravity when under load. Just look at the traffic on the roads and notice the number of 1.1Set5 who should be running over-type vehicles instead of the bonnet type!
This manual is required before post-war works building and .reconstruction are commen6ed. Admittedly the information in a manual would not he accurate for all purposes, different conditions prevailing, but the guide would be invaluable.
r will now venture into another field. Do p.s.v. operators know the time taken in minutes per 1,000 passengers entering and leaving buses while en -route? Have they separate figures for each type of singleand doubledeck body with the different seat layouts? To get into and out of some buses, especially with passengers standing, is a tricky business and appears to reflect great discredit upon many users. Apart from this, the weight of some seating accommodation must be unduly heavy, yet operators moan about, spring troubles! It is no excuse to say that this is war-time.
To the haulier running excellent 6-ton, 50-cwt, tare wagons of many different classes and prices, the single-deck bus scaling 61 tons to carry a peace-time load of only 3 tons, appears to be a completely obsolete machine. With all the stopping service called for on c.s.v. work, light tare surely ought to have had priority in technital study and design, 'but it seems to be almost non-existent! The haulier looks in vain for the variety of proved-efficient higher-class and more-moderately-priced 36-39-seater buses comparable with his 6-ton wagons.
Will it have to be some enterprising newcomer in the p.s.v. business first to produce a high-class 39-seater with a tare of 3-3i tons. Surely present war-time teething troubles in this field will not frighten everyone from producing a really good model of this description.
Makers Have Met Users' Demands By a Bristol I-Faulier ' I T would appear that there is a coneensus of opinion that the design of the commercial vehicle needs improving. May I, as an operator using five different types and makes of vehicle, say a word in defence of the makers and express an opinion that there is, at the present time, a vehicle for every job? The makers have always supplied what the users have demanded, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for it..
Let us, for one moment, cast our minds back to about 1930, when most vehicles were "heavies." The Government, no doubt influenced by the decline of the railways, started prosecutions for overloading, thereby firing the first shot in the road v. rail War. Then the tax on road licences was increased, in some cases by 150 per cent.
Who answered that challenge for us? I would say the makers not only answered it, but the light vehicles they produced had the. effect of boosting instead of restricting the operation of road transport.
May I suggest that, before getting down to the question of alterations and adaptations of any vehicles, the Government should be asked for a statement of policy on restrictions applicable to road vehicles?
Does it propose to leave things as they are, whereby, by fitting larger tyres and springs, you can legally carry 9 tons on a 50-cwt. chassis? Is it satisfied with the present system of taxation whereby safety is sometimes sacrificed to weight reduction?
Let us, by all means, advise the makers. All who have to operate could no doubt make suggestions, but some men's meat is another's poison,