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WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.

20th October 1925
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

"The wheels of weatth will be slowest by all di9icieties of transport at whatever toilets arising, as a carriage is by he roughnest of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.

Conferences During the Exhibition.

During the Commercial Motor Exhibition a whole series of Congresses, followed in each case by a luncheon, has been arranged. The conferences will be held in t Conference Room adjoining Addison Road entrance to Olympia, and it is expected they will be attended by a considerable number of members of the various associations mentioned.

Those which concern manufacturers and users are here set out :— Monday, November 2nd : Representatives of the four main railway groups will . discuss Railway Road Transport Requirements.

Tuesday, November 3rd : The London nral Provincial Omnibus Owners' Association will discuss the Interim Report of _the Departmental Committee of the Ministry of .Transport on Publie Service Vehicles, whilstthe Motor Hirers' Association will meet in the afternoon.

• Werinesday,November 4th : Incorporated Association of Retail Distributors will disenss problems concerned in the Distribution of Goods by Road from and to the Retail Stores of the Country.

Thursday, November 5th The Commercial Motor Users .Association will bold a conference on Fuel Conservation and other subjects of interest to commercial vehicle users.

Friday, November 6th: There is to be a conference of the Municipal Tramways Association on the -Problems of Local Authorities in Conneetion with the Operation of Miner Omnibus Services.

-Each day the conference will start at 11.15 n.m., and luncheon will be served in the New Ball Restaurant at 1 p.m.

Wigan and District Owners Meet.

The Wigan and District Motor Owners' Association has just held_ its first annual _meeting.. This association was formed only a year ago, and the membership is already mere than 100. in addition, the association has built a garage in Bold Street, Wigan, for the benefit of its members,. and a private company, known as the County Palatine Engineering Co., Ltd., has, been formed.

Mr.-. T. Fielding (assistant seere

• tary), in presenting his report, emphasized the fact that one of the chief objects of the association is to help owners to reduce running costs. At the outset of activities, he did not think it would have been within the cap.acity if the association to have established 11 motor .engineering works in 'Wigan during the first year of its existence as they had done.

At the meeting Mr.. A. Marsden was nPPointed president and other officers were elected as follow :—Vice-president, Mr. J. W. Bayliss ; hon. secretary, Mr. G. Pennington; assistant secretary, Mr. T. Fielding ; committee, Messrs. R. Dutton, T. W. Wood, P. Bennett, T. Yates, S. Wright, F. Eitel

lor, J. Hartley, J. Sellars, R. Clayton, E. Dickinson and A. Aldington.

Motor Lorries Lower Cost of Coal.

The Harden Colliers, Ltd., an important North-country undertaking, have in hand an interesting scheme, involving the use of a number of motor lorries, which will, it is claimed, enable them to supply coals to domestic users in the Hardepools neighbourhood at a figure of between tis. and 6s. per ton

less than present charges. The proposal is to load the coal, direct from their Blacehall colliery, situated about five miles distant from Hartlepool, and the reduction will be made possible by the absence of dual handling. At present loading facilities are being provided at the mine at a cost of about £5,000, and the company's existing road fleet will be augmented as necessity de

mands. The company already own about 15 or 16 vehicles, which are used for supplying coal to workmen, and at the start about half a dozen will be employed on the new scheme.

A Free Cab Telephone Exchange.

The Telephone Development Association has called the attention of British taxicab proprietors to the fact that the Yellow Cab Co., of Newark, New Jersey, have established a private telephone exchange in which more than 20 girls are employed answering free calls for cabs and trade inquiries. The company have also erected a number of kiosks in Various parts of the city from which a taxicab can be called without paYment of the usual fee. Telephone wires from all the cab stations of the company terminate on a private switchboawl. The principle of working is much the same as that which, it is stated, is proving so, successful in Stockholm.

Smith's Stamping Works Report. The report of Thomas Smith's Stamping Works, Ltd., for the year ended August 1st, 1925, shows a profit of £22,008 after making provision for depreciation and taxation liabilities. Adding the sum brought forward from 1924---i.e., £20,206, and deducting the interim dividend, amounting to £4,8,14— there is an available balance of £37,371. This amount is to be appropriated by the payment of a final dividend of 7i per cent. (making 10 per cent, less income tax for the year), which will absorb £14,740, and by carrying £5,000 to the reserve the remainder—viz., £17,631— being carried forward.

Commercial Vehicle Progress in Italy.

In the course of a lengthy report on commercial and economic conditions in Italy, recently drawn up by the ELM. Commercial Secretaries in Rome, it is stated that one of the features of recentyears has been the great advance in the use of commercial vehicles. It is estimated that prior to the war there were only about 900 such vehicles in use in the country, whereas the latest figures show a total of approximately 28,000.

I.A.E Graduates' Meeting. The London graduates branch of the .Institution of Automobile Engineers is holding a meeting at Watergate House, Adelphi, W.C.2, on October 22nd, when a discussion on " Chassis Design at the

Motor Show" will take place. The chair will be taken by Dr. 'W. R. Ormaudy.

Goodyear's Manchester Branch.

The Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co, (Great Britain), Ltd., inform us that their Manchester branch office has been removed to Windsor Bridge, Salford. The removal to larger and more convenient premises has been rendered necessary by the greatly increased business transacted in this area.

Show Entrance Charges.

The charges for admission to the Commercial Motor Exhibitiop, which opens at Olympia on October 29th and closes on November 7th, have been fixed at 1s. for both Saturdays and 2s. for other day.3.

Tippers Wanted for Teneriffe.

His Majesty's Consul at Teneriffe re ports that the Corporation of Teneriffe is inviting tenders for the supply of three tipping lorries and one water tank, which is evidently intended for use with them. British manufacturers in a position to meet the authority's requirements can obtain further particulars regarding this call for tenders on application to the Department of Overseas Trade, 35, Old Queen Street. London, S.W.1., quoting reference A.X.2460. Tenders have to be delivered not later than the early part of November.

A Booklet on Steam Wagon Lubrication.

An interesting little booklet has just been issued by Messrs. IL Barlow and Sons, Belmont Oil Works, Stockport, dealing with the correct lubrication and care of overtype steam wagons. The technical part of this little work has been written by an experienced engineer well versed in steam-wagon mantifacture and maintenance, whilst the matter relating to lubrication has been compiled by an expert on the staff of the company.

Although the specific purpose of the booklet is to draw attention to the company's oils and greases, it contains valuable information, and a copy of it can be obtained from the address given above..

Postal Services in Switzerland.

One of nur correspondents who has recently returned from a holiday in Switzerland reports that the public-service vehicles run by the Swiss postal authorities now carry in front near the windscreen, and also at the rear of the vehicle, a distinctive yellow sign bearing the postal emblem—a horn. When two or more such vehicles are travelling together, every coach except the last shows a sign at the side of the driver consisting of a white diagonal line on a red-coloured disc. As a further warning to other traffic, the vehicles are fitted with a horn sounding three notes —treble e, a and c sharp. By a recent order—notwithstanding that the Swiss traffic rule is to drive on the right and Pass other vehicles on the left—all Swiss postal motor vehicles operating on the leading routes are now empowered to take the mountain side of the passes when meeting other vehicles.

Phenomenal Growth of Merseyside Traffic.

The huge growth of motor traffic on the Merseyside has led the Liverpool City Council to approve a contribution of not less than i362,000 towards the cost of constructing the new LiverpoolEast Lancashire road which will link up the east and west coasts, and is to be a development of the Mersey Tunnel scheme.

Sir John T_Itting told the council at its October meeting, that the necessity for the new road had been greatly increased by the rapid development of the Mersey Tunnel scheme'. In the past 10 years there had been a phenomenal advance in the volume of traffic over the areas which would be affected by the road. Ten years ago the yearly motor haulage traffic in and out of Liverpool amounted to only 800,000 tons; hist year, as had been disclosed by a traffic census, it had risen to 11,000,000 tons. There were signs that

this year's traffic would even surpass this total. Out of the 11,000,000 tons of traffic it was important to note that 6,000,000 tons actually came in from the eastern districts, whilst 3,500,000 tons came from the north and 1,500,000 from the southern districts. It will thus be seen that the areas which the new road would serve supplied more than one-half of the traffic in and out of the city. Only about one-half of the 11,000,000 tons represented actual goods, the remainder representing the weight of the vehicles.

The road, a portion of which will be within the city boundary, will, when constructed, also relieve Queen's Drive and other roads within the city of much heavy traffic for which they were not originally constructed.

The diversion of this traffic to the new road would, in the opinion of the City engineer, show an annual saving of approximately id. in the pound to the city in the cost of maintenance of the existing roads over which the traffic now passes. The new road scheme, if approved by the various councils, will be put in hand in the early part of the forthcoming winter months.

Mr. Albert Brown in Harness Again.

We were glad to see Mr. Albert Brown, of Brown Bros., Ltd., during the Motor Show. He seems to be thoroughly restored to health, and tells us that he is taking his share in the work at the company's Great Eastern Street headquarters.

Guy Vehicles in Demand.

Repeat orders constitute a hail-mark of satisfaction and offer evidence of the all-round utility of the vehicles at present in service. This is exemplified in the case of many orders for Guy vehicles, and amongst local authorities which have recently favoured Guy Motors, Ltd., of Wolverhampton, with repeat orders are the Corporations of Sheffield, St. Helens, Hull, Norwich, Colwyn Bay, Wolverhampton, Healingden, Burton, Reading and Lytham St. Anne's.

Tilling-Stevens Vehicles for Overseas.

It is officially stated that TillingStevens Motors, Ltd., have just secured an important order for Buenos Aires

for the supply of 100 of their petrolelectric vehicles, the order having been obtained in the face of competition from many countries. The company have recently eorapleted an order for searchlight vehicles from the Government of Czecho-Slovakia.

Ten Years' Progress in Kent.

Evidence of the progress of the commercial vehicle movement in Kent is afforded by a census recently taken of the traffic over th0 bridge across the Medway at Maidstone on the main London-Folkestone road. During one week in August' last no fewer than 10,283 motor lorries passed over the bridge as compared with only 642 in a similar week in 1913. Goodyear Appointments.

The Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co. --'(Great Britain), Ltd., Chelsea Wharf, Lots Road, London, S.W.16, inform us that Mr. E. J. Bone, who has been connected with the tyre industry for the past 15 years, is now representing the company in the south-eastern districts and in a part of the South of England, where he is well known in the trade.

Mr. P. Osbourn is now representing Goodyear interests in the eastern counties of England.

Special Buses for Workmen.

In his monthly report Mr. D. F. Adey, omnibus superintendent to the Merthyr Corporation, says that the best practice will be for the local authority gradually to purchase machines of one particular standard, both as regards chassis and body, and retain these solely for the conveyance of workmen. He considers that any vehicle used for the conveyance of

workmen very soon becomes unfit for carrying normal passenger loads, and vehicles used for workmen's service should be retained solely for that work.

Motor Taxation In Cuba.

The Special Commission appointed ty the President of Cuba to draw up measures for the better regulation of taxes and for the control of the public highways has recommended that to preserve the national, roads from destruction the use of cnercial vehicles of a capacity of more than 71 tons should not be permitted. Other vehicles will be taxed according to the width of the wheel rim.

It has been observed that the roads have suffered considerable damage from the passage of heavy-wheeled types of ox-drawn cart, used mostly by the sugar factories to transport the cane from the fields.

A general increase in the rate of taxes on motor vehicles is also recommended, the lowest being 10 dollars (12) per

annum for motorcy.cles of any kind, and the highest 400 dollars (£80) for commercial vehicles of more than 51 tons capacity.

Bullion Transport by Lorry.

One day last week two motor vehicles normally used on goods transport service were employed to convey bar gold valued at £826,640 from Tilbury Docks to the Bank of England, this being the first shipment of gold which has arrived from South Africa since the strike of seamen at Cape Town. The gold was packed in strong wooden boxes, and loading and unloading operations were effected under the protection of police officers. The vehicles jeurneyed to the Bank of England via the new arterial road to Southend.

A Bus Service Ban.

Being of opinion that the existing means of passenger transport in the city are adequate and that it is desir,

able to prevent, so far as possible, further congestion of the streets, the Leeds Watch Committee, whilst willing to afford facilities for the conveyance of passengers through the city from outside districts, is not prepared to grant existing applications for bus licences on conditions which Would permit the indiscriminate picking up and setting down oi passengers in the city.

Motor Vehicles in the CzechoSlovakian Postal Service. In the annual report of the Posts and Telegraph Department of CzechoSlovakia for 1924 it is stated that 309 motorrans and about 4,000 horsedrawn vehicles are now used in connection with the postal service in that country. The department is also Operating 117 passenger and goods motor-transport services. They cover a total distance of about 1,600 miles, the fleet in use comprising 217 motorbuses, 92 motor vehicles of various types and 52 trailers. A Berliet Booklet.

"Solving Your Transport Problems ' is the title of a new booklet which has just been issued by Automobiles M. Berliet, Richmond Bridge Works, Twickenham, near London. The book in itself is a catalogue, for it contains specifications of the wide range of goods and passenger-carrying models marketed by the company, and the title really serves to indicate that a Berliet model is available to meet most transport requirements. A clear illustration of each chassis built is included in the catalogue, and a feature of value is the table of dimensions given in each case. A copy can be obtained from the above address.

A Magazine on Railcars.

The Brill Magazine, which is the house organ of the J. G. Brill Co., whose works are at Philadelphia, and who are represented in this country at Aldwych House, Aldwych, Loudon, W.C.2, is issued at regular intervals and records progress made in the use of railcars. The last issue of this magazine deals with a number of interesting types of railcar built for various forms of service, and in this connection it contains an interesting article on the growth of one of the leading American electric railway companies, this being the tenth of a series.

Blackpool Bus Receipts.

During the nine weeks ended September 17th last the Blackpool Corporation registered a great increase in the traffic dealt with by its buses, the receipts on the vehicles being £2,663, an increase of 11,106 on last year. From April 1st to September 17th the corporation's buses travelled 109,083 miles, carried 1,336,312 passengers, and the receipts were £5,415, or a little under 1s. a mile. The buses operating on the ThorntonCleveleys route carried 206,623 passengers, the receipts amounting to £1,805.

A Show Paper.

On Friday, October 30th (the day after the Commercial Motor Exhibition opens); the Institution of Automobile Engineers will hold a meeting in the old grill-room at Olympia at 2.15 p.m, when a paper entitled "The Process of Cellulose Finishing for Motor Vehicles" will be read by Mr. W. Fletcher Starkey. The reading of the paper will be followed by a discussion, and all those interested in the subject who are visiting the .Show ou that day should make a point of being present.

Ceylon Petrol Imports.

A report recently prepared by H.M. Senior Trade Commissioner in India shows that an increase of nearly 100 per cent. took place in the imports of petrol into Ceylon during the past year, a fact which must be largely attributed to the rapid increase in 'the number of motorbuses now in service.

It would appear that Borneo now constitutes a strong competitor to Sumatra, for during the year 53 per cent. of the total imports of petrol into Ceylon were exported by the latter as against 47 per rent, by the former. The total imports of petrol amounted in 1924 to 3,749,236 gallons as against 1,959,474 gallons in the previous year, each figure including a Government import, which amounted to 40,000 gallons in 1924. Karrier's Latest Catalogue.

The latest catalogue issued by Karrier Motors, Ltd., Karrier Works, Huddersfield, is coniDiled on the looseleaf system, and it therefore lends itself admirably to expansion as specifications of new models are published. The catalogue is-very clearly printed, and contains abridged constructional details of the various chassis manufactured by the company, whilst the numerous illustrations which are included serve to give a good idea of the various spheres of service in which Karrier vehicles can be employed. Apart from goods and passenger-carrying vehicles of various types and sizes, the company, as is well known, produce specific models for definite branches of municipal work. Details of sour of these, amongst which the combined sweeper, sprinkler and collector is prominent, are given in the catalogue.

I.A.E. Awards.

The council of the Institution of Automobile Engineers has unanimously decided to award the Institution medal to Mr. Leslie H. Hounsfield for his valuable work in connection with the examinations of the Institution. The Crompton Medal for the best paper read before the Institution during the 1924 25 session has been awarded to Mr.

• G. W. Watson for his paper dealing with "Brakes for Motor Vehicles," whilst the Utility Prize for the paper considered to be of the greatest service to the automobile industry has been awarded to Dr. W. R. Ormandy for his presidential address on "Research."

Government Encouraging Agri cultural Tractors in Germany.

Some time ago the German Ministries of Food and Agriculture organized a competition for tractors intended for agricultural. and general-purpose work, in connection with which considerable cash prizes were offered. The trials have been conducted over a long period, and the judges' awards have lately been issued.

The first prize of £5,000 is awarded to the Heinrich Lanz Co., of Mannheim, for the Felddank machine, which is stated to have best fulfilled the double requirements laid down. Prizes of £1,500 each are awarded to the Deutsche Kraft Plug Gesellschaft, of Berlin, for their W.D. tractor, and to the Pohlwerke Gesellsehaft, of Gossnau, for their Pohl tractor, the former machine being described as more particularly adapted for general use and the latter for purely a,gricultural purposes.

A further incentive to encourage the use of tractors for farm work is afforded by the fact that the judges point out it is still open for any of the three successful concerns to earn a Government reward of £3,750 if they succeed in s@ling 1,000 of • their machines. in Gerniany within 12 months from April last.

Buses Preferred to Trams.

As a result of experiments with motorbuses extending over a period of 12 months, West Hartlepool Corporation has decided that tramcars must disappear as the newer type of vehicle has proved more adaptable to modern needs.

An Efficient Cesspool Emptier.

The latest example of the Dennis vacuum cesspool emptier is being supsupplied by Dennis Bros., Ltd., Guildford, to meet the requirements of the authorities in Solihull, a residential area six miles from Birmingham. The machine, which we illustrate on this page, constitutes a repeat order for the rural district council. It has been purchased following the successful results obtained from a similar machine delivered early in 1923. The district is growing rapidly, with the result that the surveyor deemed it advisable to put a second machine into commission in order to enable cesspools to be emptied at regular intervals.

The chassis which forms the basis of the machine is a Dennis 5-6-tonner incorporating in its design a 40 h.p. engine, a four-speed gearbox and a wormdriven rear axle. Upon it is mounted a tank with a capacity of 1,000 gallons. and it is constructed with a slight fall to the rear in order that its contents can be completely discharged. The pump is of Rea N,ell manufacture and of the rotary type and can, by the manipulation of a two-way reversing valve, be used either as a compressor or an exhauster. It is driven by an enclosed sliding pinion in the top of the gearbox.

When used as an exhauster, the exhaust air is discharged into the engine silencer, thus ensuring that all harmful gases are burnt before being passed into the atmosphere. When used as a compressor, the pump is able to discharge the liquid through suitable .lengths of delivery hose at a considerable distance and, if necessary, can discharge it against a head of 20-25 ft.

Bus Expansion in U.S.A.

The four leading American commercial vehicle manufacturers produced an aggregate of 32,000 buses during the whole. of last year. During the first six Months of this year the same concerns produced 22,000 buses. Expansion has been even more pronounced during the past few months, and the sales of these companies are said now to aggregate 1,000 buses a week.

Local Proceedings.

Fareham Board of Guardians has decided to purchase a motor ambulance.

Burton-on-Trent Corporation is erecting a motorbus garage in Horninglow Street at a cost of £3,750.

The tramways committee of the Leeds Corporation. has purchased a 22i-ton lorry at a cost of £575.

It is proposed that the Plymouth Corporation should seek powers for running motorbuses beyond the borough boundaries.

Newport (I.O.W.) Corporation has granted Shell-Mex, Ltd., a licence to store 42,000 gallons of petrol at a store on the quay.

Tynemouth Corporation is considering the question of a suitable site as a parking place for motor vehicles at Tynemouth

The tramways committee of the Bradford Corporation has asked the manager to arrange for a month's trial of an A.E.C. -trolley vehicle.

The Mynyddislwyn Urban District Council is to examine the cost that would be entailed in buying a fleet of buses for use in the district.

The tramways committee of the Leeds Corporation has accepted the tender at £270 of Thomas Green and Son, Ltd., for the supply of a footpath motor roller.

The Aberystwyth Rural District Council has decided to apply to the Ministry of Health for sanction to borrow £785 for the purchase of a 10ton steam road roller.

Knighton Rural District Council has adjourned the question of the purchase of a motor fire-engine by the urban district council pending the receipt of further information on the matter.

The tramways committee of the Bradford Corporation has made a contract with the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., for the supply of rubber tyres required for railless vehicles for a period of 12 months at mileage rates. Bradford Watch Committee has authorized the purchase of a prison motorvan.

West Bromwich Corporation is purchasing two new motorbuses in order to open up new routes.

Barnsley (..:_zporation is considering the purchase of a new motor ambulance for the Kendray Hospital.

Sunderland Watch Committee recommends the purchase of a motor fire-engine at an estimated cost of £1,510.

The Cardiganshire Main Roads Committee has resolved to buy road-tarring plant, and has instituted inquiry as to prices and types of machines.

Sheffield Corporation has accepted the tender of Ernest W. Hatfield, Ltd., for the supply of a 25-cwt. motorvan for the hospitals committee at a cost of £495.

American Exports.

Figures which hale just been issued show that the number of goods-carrying vehicles and motorbuses (electrics excepted) which were exported from America during July totalled 4,292, valued at, 2,751,043 dollars. Of this number, 385 vehicles were sent to Belgium, 360 to Mexico, 348 to Spain, 340 to Denmark and 262 to Australia.

Bus Competition in York.

York Watch Committee has approved regulations for the licensing of hackney carriages and proposes to ask each applicant for a bus licence who wishes to run vehicles on any road served by corporation trams, buses or trolley vehicles, to give an undertaking to charge a fare in excess of that charged on the municipal vehicles to persons picked up in the city.

In a paragraph referring to the S.D. Freighter with a side-tipping body which aPpeared in our last issue, it was obvious that our description intended to imply that the body was elevated through the medium of twin telescopic rams, and not as stated.

Germany's Tractor Trade.

During the first four months of this Year 288 tractors were exported from Germany, these mainly finding their way to Danzig, Hungary and Turkey. The total number of tractors exported during 1923 was 273, against 433 in 1924. Import restrictions kept the number of tractors entering Germany at a low level. During the first four months of this year 111 machines entered the country, mainly from Denmark.

A Saurer Publication.

Au interesting little booklet has just been issued concerning the vehicles marketed by the Saurer Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd., 21, Augustus Stree,4 Albany Street, London, N.W.1.

It includes particulars of many of the vehicles which have already been supplied by the company, a short history of the development of the chassis, and brief details of the leading features through which the Sourer has deservedly won such a high reputation.

It is of interest to note that the sales of commercial vehicles during 1924 were more than double those for 1923.

Against Bus Fare Reductions.

Oldham Watch Committee has again had under consideration a communication from the Springhead Urban District Council asking the corporation to agree to a reduction in the fares charged on certain of the bus services run by the North-Western Road Car Co., Ltd. After careful consideration the committee found that it was unable to see its way to accede to the request.

Bradford Bus Powers.

The tramways committee of the Bradford Corporation has deferred the question of seeking Parliamentary powers to run motorbuses outside the city pending a report on certain steps which the Municipal Tramways Association proposes to take in the matter from the point of view of municipal tramway authorities generally.


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