ROAD TRANSPORT IN OTHER LANDS.
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Items of News Intended to Stimulate the Interest of British Makers in Overseas Markets.
M.T. Reorganization in India.
AN Army instruction in India ont
.1ines the future programme of the new mechanical transport branch. ,It states that following the mechanization of the First Divisional Train, and the revision of peace establishments, a reorganization will shortly be commenced. The present eight light mechanical transport companies will become heavier units equipped with. 3;ton six-wheeled lorries for one-third of thearm, and with 30-cwt. four-wheeled lorries for two-thirds of it.
Bus Prospects in. Japan.
JAPA.N le' regarded as a • promising = field for motorbus manufacturers. The demand is, at present, largely limited to. light vehicles, tho large high powered bus having, as yet, made. little Progress, About 60 per cent. at the vehicles in use are fitted, with locally built bodies mounted on light fourcylinder chassis, and probably an additional 30"per cent are ordinary cars used for bits work.
There has been practically no development of rapid inter-urban, bus services, although these undoubtedly will be established in the near future over the new Modern highways connecting Tokyo and Yokohama and ()Sake and. Kobe.
Sweden's Tractor Trade.
FIGURESrelative to Sweden's trade in tractors which have lately become available for the year 1927, show that' about twice as many Swedish tractors were exported as in 192 last year's exports. reaching a total of 325 machines, rattled at 5:112,465. The machineswere, exported to a number of different countries, the largest numb.er going to Argentina,. Australia and Balgari n The imports of motor tractors into Sweden. during 1927 are returned at 575 machines of a value of £60,770; no fewer than 563 being, American ; Great Britainis credited with only two machines.
To Work in Nigeria.
AN accompanying illustration is of
two 35-40-ewt. Giffordchassis ordered by the Niger Co., Ltd., fir use in Nigeria. The, windscreen and driver's seat are extras: ordered, to: meet local conditions and, incidentally, simplify the bodybuilding question. The type of body largely used in this part of the. world is similar to an ordinary highsided lorry body with supports about 5 ft.. high, and on to these is bolted a onepieee" canopy, which is also bolted to the two uprights seen on the driver's seat, and then to the -windscreen. On the sides, of the canopy canvas screens
are fitted, and these can he let down. in wet weather, and thus totally enclose the body. The windscreen and driver's seat can be knocked awn so as to reduce shipping measurements.
Vehicles built for service in Nigeria often have to work under the. most gruelling conditions, and in the hands of native drivers are subject tomuch abuse, not only. in the matter of driving but also overloading, It is for these reasons that a vehicle of sturdy Construction is absolutely imperative, and in the case of the two chassis illustrated, although they are 2-tanners, they were, in view of the special circumstances of use, sold as 30-cwt. types.
Belgian Registrations.
ACC°IlDING to a return lately issued by the Belgian Government, there were 80 light and 308 heavy motorbuses registered in Belgium during last year, no previous comparative figures: being aveilabIe Thenumber of motor.' vans' registered increased' from 25,901 in 1026 to 26,249 last year. On the other hand, there was a decrease in. the number of heavy lorries registered from. T,I83: to 6,236. Buses Wanted in Poland.
HIS Majesty's Consul at Danzig re
ports that a local firm of agents is desirous of receiving offers from British manufacturers for the, supply of four , • saloon motorbuses to carry 24to 30 persons. Those concerns desirous of offering British-built buses can obtain further particulars upon application to the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street,. London, S.W.1„ reference number A.X.7129being quoted.
Advantages of Assembling Abroad— American Progress.
THE policy of establishing assembly plants in foreign countries, first adopted by American manufacturers in 1923, has developed to such an extent
that 29 such factorieswere in existence at the end of 192T. During that year the total production (.,:f these factories was 198,500: units, practically equal to the entire output of this country. These figures do not include the products of American branch factories in Canada, which are considered as independent, although they are closelyaffiliated with the parent. plants across the border. Neither do the figures. include American vehicles where it is known that they, are assembled mostly from foreign material.
During the first six months of ,last year 40,556 lorries and motorbuses were assembled in American. foreign. plants. For the corresponding period of 1928 the total was 35,150.
Figures RTC not available as to the actual number of commercial vehicles produced in various assembly plants, but a rough idea can be obtained by:dividing the total output in each country by three. During. the first six months of 1928 the number of American motor vehiclessold. that were assembled in Atistrttlia was 15,741 ;. in. Germany, 11,5434 in Argentina, 10,955'; in Brazil, 9;572 ; in. Denmark, 7362; in Belgium, 6S73; in J'apan, (1,701; in South Africa, 5,857, and in other cormtriee, 13;736.