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WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.

Sheffield Highways Report.

According to -the report of the highway and sewerage committee of the City of Sheffield for the year ended March last, the gross expenditure was £531,618, as compared with £536,631 in the pre

. vious year. The street mileage on repairable highways is 389.06, and on nnadopted roads 92.57,

The annual expenditure on highways for the, year amounted to £83,924, of which sum £63,729 was expended out of revenue. It is shown that the total expenditure on highway repair an maintenance is little above, the pre-wag Jays], the average expenditure for severe years before the war having been. £79,576 per annum as against £83,924 for the past year. In order that an accurate comparison can be made, however, the increase in road mileage should be considered, for since 1914 the mileage on repairable hiaa.liways has increased by 54. When this fact is considered the average -co'St, per mile for the past • year is shown to be £216 as against an average of £254 for the seven pre-war

years.

The gully emptiers which were put into service by the department during the year apparently proved very efficient, for according to the report, two additional vehicles of this kind will shortly be commissioned for use.

Nottingham's Successful Transport Organization.

Excellent work which is being accomplished in connection with the Road Transport Department of the Nottingham Chamber of Commerce, found further illustration in a report recently presented at a.meeting of that body, it boing shown that there had been an increase in turnover and traffic bandied, with the result that the accounts dis closed a slight profit.

The increase in turnover .has been steady throughout the past half-year. The committee observes that it is gratifying to find that, in spite of continued trade depression and competition with. Other means of transport., the Department is holding its own, which proves that it, is of considerable . benefit to the trading community of the city.

The regular nightly services to London are being efficiently maintained and a large amountof heavy traffic is being handled regularly for. important concerns in the city and district. Rates have been stabilized since August, 1923, it being pointed out that there is not much likelihood of a reduction, unless there is a considerable decrease in running costs. • As to the recent fall in the price of petrol, the report directed attention to the fact that. no increase in rates was made when the price was advanced by 40. per gallon in January last and that the price of motor spirit is now a penny per gallon more than it was early in the year.

Russian Government Encouraging Tractor Culivation.

It is stated that the Soviet Government recently purchased 900 Fordson tractors, which are to be landed in two shiploads, at Novorossisk during this month. Thesetractors are to be used entirely for agricultural work, and will be utilized mainly on the co-operative principle.

Glasgow's New Buses.

At. a recent meeting of the tramways department of the Glasgow Corporation, the manager reported that he expected that the whole of the fleet of buses for the Corporation will be delivered in about five weeks' time, and he has suggested a route over which the Vehicles shall run from Bridgeton Gross to Partick. The length of the route is ai miles and it is proposed to give a six-minute service. With regard to the fares to be charged on the buses, the committee recommends that the route be. divided into four stages and that a penny fare be asked .for each stage and a maximum fare of 3d. for the whole journey,

The C.M.U.A. celebration.

The principal arrangements for the coming-of-age celebration of the Commercial Motor Users Association will include, on Wednesday, November 5th, a meeting of the National Council at the Royal Automobile Club, followed by tea and, in the evening, the coming-of-age banquet at the Savoy Hotel. We understand the speeches at the banquet will be 'Short, and will be followed by a variety entertainment. On the Thursday morning, those who attend the banquet will be invited to the works of the London General Omnibus Co., at Ohiswick, where _the chairman and board of directors will entertain them to lunch following a tour of inspection of the works. In the afternoon there will be an inspection of now London arterial roads.

Renault Buses for Belgium.

It is announced from Brussels that the Societe Bruxelloise d'Auto-Transports are adopting Renault chassis for their new motorbuses to be used between the Bourse Brussels, and Ixelles, and that they will also gradually adopt Renault vehicles in place of the old buses used on the Nord-Midi route.

It is added that the omnibus company have-aequired an interest in the Societe Beige des Automobiles Renault and that, in turn, the latter company have also acquired an important holding in the omnibus undertaking.

Manchester's Pumps to be Removed. The annual report of the Manchester Corporation Paving Committee states, .that the erection of petrol pumps on the highway has been held by the Ministry of Health to be illegal, and, consequently, the committee has served 12 months' notice on all owners of such pumps, for the installation of which permission had previously been given, to be removed within the stated period.

Wholesale Tenders for Oil.

The Bermondsey Borough Council recently sought quotations for the supply of motor oil, and in all 27 tenders were received. The works department, after perusal of the list., recommends that that of Worringham and Co., Ltd., be. accepted, at the price of is. 9d. per gallon for 500 gallons of. heavy motor oil and Is. 5d. per gallon for 75 gallons of Ford motor oil.

Motor Kinema's Tour.

The travelling daylight !cinema, which consists of a motor vehicle suitably equipped, used by the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., on propaganda and educative work, has just completed a 5,000-mile tour of the Home Counties. The vehicle set out on this tour on May 1st, and, in spite of much inclement weather, its programme of working was almost completely adhered to. Nearly 200 performances have been given at schools and in villages on the fringes of London, and the audiences which have witnessed the kinema displays have totalled 75,000..

A Halley Bus for Glasgow.

3.. The Halley chassis which is illus. trated on this page has just been delivered by Halley 's Industrial Motors, Ltd., to the Glasgow Corporation tramways authorities. This vehicle has .a seating capacity for 32 passengers, and the body is fitted on a Halley six-cylinder, 40 h.p. long-wheelbase bus chassis. A dynamo lighting set is fitted for providing interior and exterior lighting and the Autovac petrol feed system is used. The petrol tank is fitted at the rear end of the chassis so that fuel replenishment can be effected from outside the vehicle. The bus is shod with Henley tyres.

A Big Sentinel Fleet.

One of the largest, if not the largest, fleets of Sentinel steam wagons operated from Liverpool is that owned by the Kirkdale Haulage Co., Ltd., who own a fleet consisting of 47 Sentinel vehicles. Considering that this company started operations in 1915 with only one Sentinel wagon, it will be seen that its rise and progress have been almost phenome-nal. They are transport contractors to several large companies, including the British Insulated and Helsby Cable Co., at Present, between whose works and the Liverpool Docks there is an uninterrupted daily service of steam wagons and trailers conveying cables for shipment.

. The company have recently had 10 Sentinels working at Preston on a roadmaking contract which commenced a few weeks ago. The task tackled by these vehicles involved the removal of 15,000 tons -of material. The vehicle we illustrate is shown with a very unusual load, consisting of a tandens-type steam roller. The roller, which was required for immediate service, was loaded on to the platform of the wagon and fired &ring its 52-mile journey to the site at which it was required, steam being maintained throughout the run.

The roller weighed eight tons and was transported without a hitch. The trailer was used for the conveyance of accessories and stores.

Lorries Essential in the Canary Islands.

During last June 23 lorries were imported into the Canary Islands. It is highly improbable that railways will he constructed in Teneriffe or Grand Canary, the two largest islands in the group, for many years yet. The motor vehicle', therefore, furnishes the only available practicable means of transportation, and, in view of this fact, it is not surprising that sales of lorries continue to increase. Road repair work and construction are going forward satisfactorily, and it is anticipated that all import records will be beaten this autumn, especially as satisfactory crops have been realized.

Canadian Lorry Exports.

During the month of August 571 motor vehicles of a carrying capacity of 1 ton or less were exported from Canada, the largest. number (336) of these vehicles being imported into New Zealand. Duringthe same month only one vehicle with a capacity of more than 1 ton was exported from the country. The total number of commercial motor vehicles exported from Canada for the 12 months ended August last amounted to 14,195, as compared with 8,023 in the .preceding 12 months.

Linking up Lancashire with the West Riding.

The tramway and bus authorities of Halifax, Huddersfield; Rochdale, Oldham, Todmorden, Stalybridge and Ash-. ton-under-Lyne were recently represented at a conference in Huddersfield, • when consideration was given to the formulation of a scheme for linking up the various districts over which these authorities exercise control with an efficient service of motorbuses. A definite decision _..was.not reached, but a scheme is to be drawn up in the course of a few days for -consideration by the respective authorities, Mr. Bergin Resigns from Duntops.

Mr. L. M. Bergin has resigned his position as managing director of the Dunlap Rubber Co, Ltd., and he will retire after December '31.st next. Mr. Bergin has been associated with the company's activities for a period of 34 years. Sir L George Beharrell, who was Mr. Bergin's colleague, wilt continue to act as managing director of the company.

Traffic Regulation in Wakefield.

• Wakefield Watch Committee has further discussed the question of the regulation of omnibus traffic and asked the town clerk to press for an early decision by the Minister a Transport on the appeals made by certain omnibus proprietors against the refusal of the corporation to grant licences. The chairman of the committee has been empowered to call a conference of bus proprietors when he deems it adVisable for the matter to he again considered.

Trolley-buses for Nottingham.

Coincidently with the elaboration of its motorbus services, which have proved of great advantage not only to inhabitants of the city but to residents in suburban areas, the Nottingham Corporation proposes to apply. for Parliamentary powers to establish trolleybuses on certain routes. Many of the roadways, by reason of their inadequate width, are quite unsuitable for rigid lines and the suggested improvement has been heartily welcomed.

A further development of motorbus services in Nottingham to meetthe needs of districts at present unprovided for, is also urgently needed and it is a welcome evidence of the change of view that the responsible committee is manifesting greater disposition to consider other systems of transport than the tramways.

Soviet Russia's Import Restrictions.

After hearing a request from concerns engaged or •interested in the manufacture of motor vehicles in Russia for a limitation of imports of motor vehicles, the import commission of the GospIan decided to confirm the ratio of imported motor vehicles to those manufactured by the Tsugaz at 2 to 1, including the niotor omnibuses imported from -Moscow. Only 3-ton motor lorries already ordered. abroad are not subject to this limi tati ors

Parking Cars at Olympia.

Many of our readers will be interested to learn that the Royal Automobile Club hassucceeded in obtaining a piece of land for the purpose of parking the ears of members and associate-members attending the Motor 'Exhibition at Olym, pia.

The site is conveniently located on the west side of the Addison Road Railway Station, within 100 yds. or so of the main entrance to the Exhibition.

A Municipal Karrier.

The 1-ton Karrier chassis is well suited to various forms of road service, but when fitted with a tipping body it is an ideal type for many branches of municipal activity. A vehicle of this type, which is illustrated on this page, has recently left the Huddersfield works of Karrier Motors, Ltd., for the gas department of the Falkirk Town Council.

The body is steel-lined, and the screwtype tipping gear is hand-operated. The 1-ton Karrier chassis is simple in design and robust in constructions, and is fitted with a 22 h.p. engine, at the rear ofwhich the gearbox is bolted by means of a large-diameter flange. The box provides four speeds and a reverse.

The chassis is fitted with pneumatic tyres on all wheels, these being of 33 ins. by 5 ins. dimensions. It will be noted that the driver's cab is particularly roomy and comfortable.

"The Motor" Show Rcpcort • Number.

The third show number of Phe Motor, containing the only complete report of the Motor Show published, is on sale to-day. Every exhibit at Olympia is dealt with—cars, coachwork, components and accessories—and hundreds of original drawings and photographs are included.

Containing one hundred and thirty. two pages of reading matter, this issue presents many special articles including, "Popular Features of Design," " Modern Induction Manifolds," "The Motorist's Cause in Parliament," by Capt. Viscount Curzon, M.P., "Four Years of International Racing," by Maj. II. 0. D. Segrave, etc. A useful .plan of the Show is also given. .

Advising the Ministry.

The company who run the Hartlepool Motor Services, and who were formed . recently for the chief purpose of establishing a regularbus service between the Hartlepools, intimated in a recent communication to the Hartlepool Town Council that . they were de

sirous of obtaining licences for three motorbuses, and further that the inauguration of a through service depended upon permission being secured from the West. Hartlepool authority. This had been refused when application was made recently, and an appeal had since been made by the company to the Ministry of Transport against the decision.

The Hartlepool authority decided to grant the licences as requested, • and urged that the Ministry of Transport be requested to allow the appeal in the interests of the travelling public.

Road Transport Improves Postal Arrangements.

Richmandshire Garages, Ltd., of Queen Street, Richmond (Yorks), who recently secured the contract for -the conveyance of postal mails in Wensleydale, have opened up a new passenger service, in conjunction with the mail collection and delivery, which should provide a very useful addition to the travelling facilities available for residents in this extensive dale.

The new service is unique in that it is one of the longest motorbus routes inthe country, stretching as it does from Northallerton to Hawes, a total single journey distance of about 37 miles.

The service, of course, has been primarily arranged for postal purposes; and a vehicle leaves Northallerton,._ where mail bags are picked up from main line express trains, at .4.50 a.m., reaching Hawes at 7.47 a.m. The return journey is commenced at 9 a.m. and Northallerton is reached just after midday, these times covering the hours when transport is most needed by the agriculturists of the dale. The charge for the entire journey from Northaller ton to Hawes is 4s. ad. Provision is made for luggage to be carried.

By means of these new mad delivery arrangements there is a saving of -between one and two hours from end to end of -Wensleydale in the times of delivery of letters.

Local Proceedings.

The Lampeter Town Council is to install a weighbridge for motor vehicles at the market yard.

Barnsley Corporation proposes the purchase of a motor tipping wagon at a cost not exceeding £235.

Bradford Corporation Watch Committee proposes the purchase of an icleli tional motor ambulance.

Barnsley Corporation proposes the purchase of a motorcycle box carrier for the electricity department, at a cost of about £100.

Carlisle Corporation has authorized the purchase of a low-bodied motor lorry, at a cost of about £600, for refuse colleCti,on• Ossett Town Council has given permission to the Yorkshire (Woollen) District Electric Tramways Co., to operate a motorbus service from Ossett to Leeds.

Wakefield Watch Committe is considering the advisability of providing additional equipment and accommodation for the fire brigade.

Warrington Corporation has inaugurated a service of early buses on the Gorsey Lane route at the tlequest of residents in that district.

The Ministry of Health has given the Bradford Corporatiori sanction to borrow 22,770 for the purchase of three motor tipping wagons.

The British Petroleum Co., Ltd., is seeking a site of three acres at Prince Rock, Plymouth for the purpose of establishing an oil and spirit depot.

The London County Council has purchased an electric tower wagon from Eleetromobile, Ltd., for £1,097, for the use of the tramways department.

The Idantrisant and Llantwit Fordre Rural District Council has applied for sanction to borrow £1,500 for the purchase of a motor fire engine to be housed at Pontyclun.

Douglas (I.O.M.) Corporation has accepted the quotation of the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., for the supply of 18 sets of bus tyres. This quotation was the lowest received.

Penzance Watch Committee considered the question of licensing additional hackney carriages, but having regard to the fact that there is no available stand accommodation for the vehicles has taken no action.

Carlisle Corporation has asked a committee to consider (1) The advisability of providing. a central garage for all corporation motor vehicles; (2) the supply of petrol from one source ; and (3) the keeping of a record of the running cost of each vehicle. Swansea Watch Committee recommends the proposed new by-laws with respect to hackney carriages plying for hire within the Borough be amended .so as to provide for a fare for distance hirings at the rate of is. 6d. per mile, and a fare for time hirings at the rate of 95. Od. per hour.

Sir Harold Pink, a Portsmouth Alder.. man is asking the drainage committee to consider the whole system of refuse collection; with a view to the use of lowloading motor vehicle so constructed as to prevent dust and refuse being blown about the streets when being • Idled and taken to the corporation depots.

Shefflex Vans in Sheffield.

We reproduce on this 'page two pictures of a.Shefflex van which forms one of the fleet of eight vehicles of this make supplied by R. A. Johnstone, Ltd., motor engineers, of Tinsley, Sheffield, to William Gunstone and Sons, Ltd„ who are wholesale grocers and bakers, in the

. . city. The body of. this. particular machine is of a special type and has been designed for carrying pastries and cakes. The loading and unloading arrangements are carried, out from the sides of the vehicle, for which purpose there are three sliding doors on each side, the back board being fixed. One of the illustrations clearly shows the arrangement of the racks on which the trays are carried; these are made up to customers' orders and distributed to the shops, from which empty trays are collected.

The fleet of eight Shefflex vehicles supplies to this company has been purchased during the last seven months.

Ford Radiators Down in Price. Messrs. The Spiral Tube and Components Co. have just reduced the retail prices of their polished aluminium radiators for Ford vehicles as follow :— £ s. d. Type A, for 1913-1916 models 10 10. 0 „ B (heavy), for 1917-1923 models ... 9 0 0 „ E, for 1917-192.3 models 7 17 6 G, for 1924 models ... 8 10 0 The radiators for touring cars have also been reduced in price, Bus Stands at Bishop Auckland.

At Bishop Auckland, which is quite one of the most important motorbus centres in the :North of England, the urban district council is takingstrong action in order to relieve the acute congestion which is daily becoming more pronounced, and as a' preliminary measure is allocating definite stands to the various buses operating to and from the town. The decision takes effect from November 1st.

A Super-fuel Compound.

We have just received a small booklet from the Benjamin Electric, Ltd., Brantwood Works, Tariff Road, London, N.17, which deals with the new superfuel ingredient known as Boyce-ite, which the company are now placing on the market. The conipound, as some of our readers may be aware, was introduced into America by Mr. Harrison Royce about a year ago, and in a short space of time it has achieved much popularity amongst motor-vehicle .users ; in fact, at the present time the daily output orthe company is. over 150,000 tins. It is claimed that over 12 million tins of Boyce-ite have been used within the past yeas. Boyce-ite is a secret oil compound which is instantly soluble in petrol. It is stated that 2 oz. of the mixture poured into five gallons of petrol produces a rapid-firing, carbon-destroying fuel, and that it promotes greater power and flexibility of the engine, Camplign Against Excessive Speeds. Since April of this year the police authorities in East Suffolk have conducted a campaign against drivers of heavy motor vehicles exceeding the speed limit. Owing to damage which, it was contended, was being done to road surfaces, the standing joint committee voted a sum of £400 some months ago for the provision of a motor vehicle to enable the chief constable to endeavour to restrict the speed of heavy vehicles to a rate reasonably approximating the legal limits. A motorcycle and sidecar W58 purchased and three constables trained for this special service. Since the committee's policy assumed a definite form some 6,600 miles have been travelled, and prosecutions for exceeding legal limits have been made in 134 cases, 128 of which resulted in convictions. Total fines have been imposed amounting to £422.

The method adopted for ascertaining the speed of a road vehicle is based on the use of a high-class Bonniksen speedometer, which records speed in miles per hour every five seconds, and a stopwatch, the latter being regularly synchronized with a reliable chronometer.

It appears that the measures adopted by the police authorities have resulted in the pace of heavy vehicles in the district being considerably reduced.

A Bus Service for Newport Docks.

The Newport Town Council proposes to run a bus service at the Alexandra Docks for an experimental period of six months. The institution of the service, however, will be subject to the Great Western Railway Co., Ltd. (who .own the docks), agreeing to guarantee the council against any los.s which may be incurred. Dunlop Staff .Changes.

.Mr. S. J. Terry, who, until recently, was attached to the Liverpool depot of the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., as a commercial-vehicle representative, has now taken over the territory previously dealt with by Mr. C. W. 011erhead,-who has been transferred to another branch of the company's business. Mr. Terry's old ground has been taken over by Dir. Weaver, lately att•ached to the Manchester depot.

Meeting of Welding Engineers.

'A meeting of the Institution of Welding Engineers *ill be held in the lecture theatre of the Engineers' Club, Coventry 'Street, W. 1, on Thursday of this week, when w paper entitled "Steel Wire : Its Manufacture, Properties and Uses for Welding and Other Purposes," will be read by Mr. A. E.

Atkins, M.1.14feeb.E., M.I.W.E. Sir W. Peter Rylands, J.P., president of the Institution, will occupy the chair. The reading of the paper will be preceded by an informal dinner.

The World's Demand for Motor Equipment.

To give an idea of the world-wide need for Motor equipment, it might be stated that one out of every eleven inquiries handled by the •United States Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce comes from motor 'dealers in various parts of the world. From July 1st., 1923 to July 1st, •1924, the Bureau handled 1,168,972 inquiries relating to foreign trade, and of these 105,459 related to motor products. . This record was unapproached by any other. industry, and clearly indicates the possibilities of future developments.

At a recent meeting of the Motor Hirers' Association it was reported that 45 new applications for membership had been received since the previous meeting, and that these applicants had been duly elected members.

Petroleum Output in Canada.

According to a report recently issued by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, 00,169 barrels of crude petroleum were produced in Canada In 1923, as compared with 179,068 barrels in the previous year. The value of last year's output was 522,018 dollars.

Seeking Reclassification.

The traffic congestion at Newport (Mon.) is such that the corporation has asked the Ministry. of Transport to reclassify the Transporter bridge as a Class I bridge, thus giving relief to the Usk bridge.

" Spiral Tube's New Works.

The Spiral Tube and Components Co. inform us that they have acquired more convenient and commodious premises at 12, Pembroke Street, King's Cross, London, N., and that their head office end London works will be moved to this address by November 1st.