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THE CONTROL of T HE objection often put forward against the

21st July 1931, Page 46
21st July 1931
Page 46
Page 46, 21st July 1931 — THE CONTROL of T HE objection often put forward against the
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

extended use of steam wagons is that there 3 not a sufficient supply of trained aen to drive them, and that it takes L long period for a man without )revious experience to become a moficient driver. It is certainly nuch easier at the present time to ,btain a driver for a petrol lorry; lue, no doubt to a great extent, to he number of such drivers trained luring the war. Many men also seem to prefer driving a petrol .orry because they consider it a :leaner and more comfortable job.

Ease of Driving.

This argument may have been true in respect of the older types of steam wagon, but the machines now being turned out by most makers leave very little to be desired as regards comfort; and as most of them have foot control of the engine regulator they are, apart from the management of the boiler, easier to drive than a petrol lorry, because there is less need for gear changing, in fact some wagons do not entail changing gear.

In order to ensure that there should be a supply of capable drivers, it has often been suggested that the manufacturers should make it their business to arrange facilities for the training of suitable men. The obstacle to this is the question of payment of wages during the period of tuition. No concern can carry this extra charge under present conditions of trade, and no man can afford to work for nothing.

There are plenty of men, however, who have had experience with the management of steam boilers as, for instance, ex-Navy stokers, and such men should not require a great deal of training in order to become proficient in the driving of steam wagons.

There are two factors in the making of a proficient driver, knowledge and practice, but the former must first be obtained before the latter can be put into operation. It may, however, be as well to point out that the first requirement of a driver is road sense. By this is meant the observation of such regulations as keeping a proper position on the road, giving sufficient room for passing traffic in both directions, care when negotiating corners and cross-roads, proper regulation of speed in all circumstances and, above all, respect for the "man in blue."

Boiler Management.

The first thing to master is the management of the boiler, and the main point to aim at is to maintain, throughout all conditions, a regular steam pressure, which should be about 5 lb. below the blowing-off pressure of the safety valves. All pressure gauges are marked with a red line at the maximum working pressure to which the safety valves

are set. It should never be forgotten that, apart from it being a nuisance to others, all steam blown off at the safety valves is power wasted. The two main points in maintaining constant pressure are an even level of water in the boiler and a regular rate of fuel feed to the fire.

Water is fed into the boiler by a feed-pump driven off the engine, also by an injector, which is operated by steam supplied direct from the boiler. The feed-pmup is for regular service, and the injector is for use when the wagon is standing or to put in extra water if the feedpump should not be able to keep up the water level as, for instance, when the wagon is on a steep hill

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