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A Darracci-Serpollet-Scout Pantechnicon.

1st October 1914, Page 15
1st October 1914
Page 15
Page 15, 1st October 1914 — A Darracci-Serpollet-Scout Pantechnicon.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The householder has by no means been the last individual to experience the beneficial effects which the commercial motor has brought with it. To say nothing of the many improvements in connection with the delivery of domestic stores and supplies, and of the larger area of choice which is now available to the purchasing housekeeper, there are one or two outstanding industrialvehicle developments which have constituted, to an even more marked extent, improvements which are directly available and valuable for the householder. Of these, undoubtedly one of the most noteworthy is the employment of motor vehicles by.removal contractors, and this development is taking place on a very large scale.

A correspondent has recently written to us concerning a removal which was carried out by a machine of this class, and as the vehicle was of an interesting type of which We have had particulars sent to us, recently, we make no excuse for reproducing photographs and some particulars of it. This steamer is one of the' Old DarracqSerpollets which did such good ser

vice for the 'Metropolitan Steam Omnibus Co. in London, and which were subsequently sold when the same company was absorbed by the big London traffic interests, and when standard petrol-propelled chassis were put into service in stead. . .

The subject of this notice, while still in good condition, found its way into the second-hand market, and a small transport company purchased it for 170, continuing to use it as a steamer for general Carrying work between Portsmouth and Chichester. After a year of such employment, the firm extended its operations and undertook' with it the distribution Of imported meat from Southampton Docks to PortsMouth and Bournemouth. We hear from our correspondent, as indeed we have from other eventual owners of Darracq-Serpollets, that there was practically nothing against this type of steam-driven chassis in respect 'ofits operation, but a serious difficulty .arose because it was almost impossible to obtain drivers who were familiar with this very special class of machinery. In the end, the owners 'decided to convert it into a petrol lorry, retaining the original frame members, back-axle • and other' parts.

The Scout Co.; of Salisbury, has for some while past Made a speciality of these unusual Conversions, and the chassis was consequently put into their harids for alteration. It says much for the ability in this direction of the Salisbury concern, when we record that the. whole transformation only oecuPied:eight weeks, and that the vehiclewas only out of work for that coMparatively-short time. Now, with a 40 h.p. Scout engine' the van can carry a load of 31 tons at an •estimated cost of 10d. a mile, and itis doing excellent work, we learn, this new guise.

The two photographs show this converted ])arraeq-Serpollet at work in the neighbourhood around Southampton. The owner will, we feel sure, be pleased to demonstrate the -practicability of this rather remarkable conversion from steam to petrol to anyone who is interested. We regret the disappearance of the Serpollet system. Is this the last of it'?


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