Bird's Eye View
Page 49
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Those Low-speed Signs
HAVE you noticed some of the ridiculous places where they (whoever "they" may be) have positioned those 70 m.p.h. restriction signs? Coming off M4, for instance, there is one right at the roundabout at the end of the slip road, and Heaven help anyone who tries to take that roundabout at 70!
Four companies were chosen to make the signs. They were given precisely three weeks to meet the order and first off the mark with five days to spare was Gowshall Ltd. (a Tube Investment company, of Oldbury). Tube Investment also supplied the steel tube posts for the other signmakers involved in the exercise.
Air-cooling Plea
MEMBERS of the Transport Association in general, and their chairman, Mr. Ken Beresford, in particular, are always willing to "have a go" if a new idea appears to be worthwhile. When, at the TA luncheon last week, Ken commented on the potential value of air-cooled engines to the typical operator, his interest betokened a train of thought that obviously could have practical implications if his investigations are productive.
His main concern is to eliminate plumbing and thus relieve the driver of keeping a watch on a system that can give unexpected trouble and to obviate the use of anti-freeze and attendant troubles.
Inevitably with air-cooled engine projects, the questions arise: "How much power is the fan wasting?", "When will an efficient variable-speed drive be evolved?" and "Could a belt drive be developed that failed safe?" The questions have been hanging about for a long time.
Any Key Rings?
TN February of last year we published a plea for badges for the I children of a sanatorium and asthma centre in Holland. Bill Brookes, publicity manager of ERF—who told us about the badge collecting habits of these mites—informs me that many badges have been sent over by British commercial vehicle manufacturers as a result of the publicity, and passed on to me the thanks of their teacher for the wonderful response.
Apparently, however, the children also collect key rings and anyone wanting to get rid of their unallocated advertisement key rings should send them to Th. J. J. Stouten, Sanatorium "Berg en Bosch", School Department, Bilthoven, Holland.
No Congestion!
ONE of our northern staff. whd has been reporting Bradford hauliers criticisms of delays at Hull, decided to make a surprise visit to the port one day last week. He toured the 12 miles of quays and found no queues of lorries, no congestion at all.
The dockers were off at an unofficial meeting in the City Hall, deciding to hold a series of one-day strikes over piecework rates at the port!
More for Managers
T HEAR that the first annual dinner/dance of the Industrial 1 Transport Association (Forth division) held at the Fox-Covert hotel in Edinburgh last week was a great success. No less than 130 guests were in attendance.
Principal after-dinner speaker was Mr. H. M. Dick. VITA, transport manager of SCWS at Glasgow, who endeared himself to all present by saying that while the status of transport managers had improved compared with 40 years ago, there was still room for further improvement. "Transport managers-, he said, "must press not only for recognition in the status sense, but also in a monetary sense."
Mr. H. S. Douglas, national vice-chairman of the ITA, complimented the office bearers of the division on the magnificent work carried out since the branch's inception 18 months ago. Attending, purely on a social basis, was the Scottish LA, Mr. A.B. Birnie.
Who Pays?
THE £130m. deficit of BR obviously haunts Mr. Stanley Raymond. His "Transport Highway Authority" was promptly shot down by Mrs. Castle. How long, I wonder, before the railways raise their freight charges sufficiently to break even?
British industry is heavily subsidized by the low freight rates of BR and consumers or taxpayers must balance the books! It makes little difference which pocket the money comes from.
Sport Bonanza
FOOTBALL is providing a growing bonanza to transport interests if the £28 fare for the Leeds/Valencia match is any indication. At this rate—and if England win the Ashes—cricket enthusiasts may expect long weekends "down under" by 1970.