News of the Week
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RATES REDUCED
CERTAIN deductions are being made from all charges raised under the Schedules RH/WD/20 and RW/WD/9, . with effect from midnight on September 14, and inrespett. of RH/D/20 from September 17 inclusive. These deductions apply to Metropolitan and Grades, I. II and Ill Areas, also to tippers employed on tipping work. The figures apply to the following carrying capacities in tons, and continue in the order given:7-4, to 11, 2 to 41, 5 to 8, 81 ta 15.. All are reductions. Per week; including mileage to 240, all schedules: 2s. 3d., 2s. 10d., 5s. 8d., Ili. 3d.; per hour (weekly, daily and half-daily (WD) hire) including mileage up :a five, all schedules: 1d., Id., 11d. 3d.; per day, including mileage up to 42.i, all schedules: 5d., 6d., Is., 2s.; pe•half-day, including mileage up to 271, • W.D. schedules only: 3d., 4d., 8d..
Is. 4d.; per mile, weekly, daily, halfdaily, (WD) and hourly for mileage
exceeding 240, 421, 271 (WD) and 5 respectively, all schedules: nit, nil, Id., id.
MOTOR REPAIR NEEDS 30,000 rEN
UNLESS some 30,000 to 40.000 skilled and semi-skilled men be drafted into the motor-vehicle-repairing trade, there is a serious possibility of breakdown in road transport during the corning winter, said Mr. George W. Lucas, president of the M.A.A., speaking recently at Plymouth. Skilled men are still being called up from the repairing trade to the Armed Forces, but releases from the Forces are negligible. Thousands of vehicles cannot return to civilian use because it is impossible for the motor trade to recondition them. We would add that there is also the danger that work on commercial road transport is likely to be neglected for possibly more remunerative work on private cars,
VITAL TOPICS DISCUSSED AT SUMMER SCHOOL
AT the Summer School in Transport Administration organized by the Institute of Traffic Administration, which was held in Birmingharn early this month, the effects of the past five: years of war upon the transport inclus.I. try as a whole was the subject of a comprehensive survey. .
Widely differing views were, expressed on that burning topic, the nationalization of transport. Mr. D. Skelding (Birmingham), was emphatic that nationalization wonld result in a deterioration of passenger services, and should be re'solutely opposed. He claimed that-most of the inconvenie,,nces now suffered were directly attributable to official restrictions.
. Mt.. R. P. Bowyer (Leicester) , instanced a great number 'of regulations ;which, whilst necessary., in wartime, should now be relaxed .to„perri-a raad hauliers to play their, proper part in peace-time economy. A week-end conference of the Instithe, to which students of the Summer
School were invited, also centred on
the question of nationalization. A wellargued case for the retention of private ownership was made by Mr. L. J. Heifer (Birmingham), who doubted whether the welding together of widely differing services would meet to-day's needs, and thought the T.U.C.'s scheme would be impracticable when translated from paper. He claimed that there were many types of goodsWhich require Personal service.
The opposition view was taken by . Mr. W. T. Pemberton (Stoke-onTrent), who argued that as present conditions • made amalgamation the prime condition of development, for road transport, we were committed to a situation in which we mist decide between common ownership and public control of private enterprise. He regarded the latter as negative, for it could restrain private owners from doing certain things, but could not compel them to do those which', in the public interest, were essential.
HIGH PRIORITY FOR TYNE TUNNEL PLAN •
LAST week Mr. G, R. Strauss, Part./ liameutary. Secretary Ministry of Transport, visited Tyneside and inspected the site of the proposed Tyne tunnel, between Jarrow and Howdon, and _the. site for the proposed new bridge at Scotswood. Mr. Strauss announced that both projects would have high priority.
A Bill to carry out the tunnel plan, he stated, would be introduced before the end' of the year, and would be passed by next summer at the latest. Mr. .Strauss _said. it was intended to complete all preliminary a Oa ngeinen ts so, that the wort cOttld start a'sioohas fabOUr iind máteiia1 Were available:' PROGRESS OF TRANSPORTMANAGERS'. CLUB WE are informed by Nrr, W. J. Irons.
A.M.Inst.T., honorary secretary of the Transport Managers' Club, Dover House, 170, Westminster Bridge Road, London, S.E.I, that there has been-a fair response to the call for members, but not so good as was anticipated, although applications are still corning in, principally from London. The Club would, however, like more members from the provinces.
An inaugural dinner, dance and cabaret in the Grand Hall of the Connaught Rooms, Great Queen Street, London, W.C., has been arranged for December 3, when it is hoped that all present members of the Club and a large number of prominent men in the industry will attend. Membership is open to all members of the road-trans. port industry holding an official position as transport manager or executive; those concerned with clearing houses. agents or brokers are, however, not
BEDFORD PRODUCTS SOON AVAILABLE
AN interesting announcement from Vauxhall Motors, Ltd., Luton, is to the effect that 'during the next few weeks the company will commence the production of most of the mernbers_of its well-known pre-war Bedford range. Bedford 3-4-ton models will be re-introduced during October; 2-3-ton trucks. 5-8-cwt., and 10-12-cwt. vans . iii November, and 30-cwt, models iii January. These will be in additioh to the Bedford 5-tonner, which has heen in production • .throughout the war.
Prices and lulletaila w di be announced . ,
later but appliCfation for licertees can be .made now for any of -the'vehiclLs
• .
specirseu.
MEEtINGS OF THE INSTITUTE OF WELDING
WE have received a very extensive programme of meetings of the Institute' of Welding. The title and place of meetings which may be of intereSt to our readers are as follow:— September 26, 7.15 p.m., Crown Hotel, Albrighton (near Wolverhampton), inaugural dinner; September 28, 7.30 Heriot Watt College, Chambers' Street, Edinburgh, " Welding, Past, Present and Future," Messrs, A. Stephenson and D. Llewellyn; October 10, 8 p.m., South-west Essex Technical College, Walthamstow, " X-rays and Their Use in Weld Testing," Drs. R. J. Barnes and S. Torrence; October 12, : 6.30 p.m., James Watt Memorial Institute, Great Charles Street, Birmingham, " Developments in the Welding of Aluminium Alloy," Dr. E. G. West; December 6, 7.15 p.m., Cleveland Scientific and Technical Institute, Corporation Road, Middlesbrough, "Weld-: ing of Plastics," Dr. J. H. Paterson; December 7, 7.30 p.m., Edric Hall, Borough POlytechnic, Borough Road, London, S.K1, "rWelding of Plastics," Drs. Hain and Zade; December 28, 7.30 p.m., Heriot Watt College, Chambers Street, : Edinburgh, . " Non Ferrous Welding," Mr: F Clark.
-I.A.E. 'COVENTRY CENTRE • DUTZING the winter session, the L./Coventry Centre ofthe Institution of Automobile Engineers will hold a meeting 011 the second Tuesday evening of every month until March. Friday, November 16, is the date fixed for the annual dinner and dance of this Centre, tickets for which will be
strictly limited, Further particulars can be obtained from the hon. secretary, Mr. H. Norris, 149, Moseley Avenue, Coventry.
EVENING COURSE IN CREDIT MANAGEMENT
ACOURSE in credit management is being inaugurated at the Princeton Street School, Bedford Row, Holborn, London, W,C.1, which is controlled by t-he L.C.C. Hitherto this school has not had in evening class on this specialized subject, which covers the many ingredients that make up this essential_ part of business practice. Students are asked to enrol this week. The course appears to cover the subject very fully.
LEYLAND TRAINING SCHEME FOR APPRENTICES
ARECENT extension of the training scheme which has been conducted by Leyland Motors, Ltd., Leyland, Lanes, since before the war of 1914-18, is the provision of scholarships to enable apprentices to take an engineering cOurse at one of the universities.
In a 32-page brochure entitled "Engineering as a Career," tfie corn.: pany gives full details of its scheme; which has three main objectives:—(a) To create skilled tradesmen, (b) to meet the demand for technicians in all btanches of the industry and so provide future supervisory and' executive staffs, a-nd (c) to give :a -sound training to thoSe who may Select the commercial side as their vocation.
Parents of he's of school-leaving age_ who are desirous of further investigating this scheme, should get into touch . with Leyland Motors, Ltd., at the address given.
-LORRIES TO HELP TRANSPORT IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA ABATCH of 1,250 lorries is . to be supplied to Czechoslovakia by 1J,N.R.R.A., to assist in overcoming transport 'dislocation. Last week 300 of these were handed over. They had been driven from Holland to Prague. ft./.1,R.R.A. had already delivered over 900 lorries to Czechoslovakia, and we presume that these are an addition to the figures given above.
NEW CYLINDER-HEAD REMOVING TOOL
TO overcome difficulties usually assoJ. dated with the separating of a
cylinder head from the block, a new tool, known as the Quickwork, has been introduced by E. H. Arnott, 76; Sheen Park, Richmond, Surrey.
Two diametrically opposed casehardened Wedges, fixed to two sliding shaftS, when moved towards:each other by the turning of the operating nuts, force. the head, and the Mod( apart. Threaded sleeves prevent one wedge from taking a lead over the other,. in' that they serve to regulate the depth' of penetration Of the' respective wedges. This tool is available in two sizes,the " Popular," costing £7 5s., and the " Jumbo," which sells for £7 15s.
BRITISH MOBILE WORKSHOPS . FOR EUROPE
THE Provisional Organization for European Inland Transport was established in May, 1945, to undertake the work of co-operation and.to advise member Governments on individual . questions that require study. It studies technical and economic conditions affecting traffic of an international character, and gives advice and makes recommendations for the purpose Of _ restoring and increasing the carrying capacity of the transport system inContinental Europe.
The Organization consists of a Council, an Executive and aDirectorGeneral, with headquarters and regional staffs. Each member Government is rePresented on the Council, which elects one of its members to preside at each session. The Council also appoints the Executive of five of whom. three are -nominated by the French,. U.K.and U.S.A. Governments. The British Provisional Executive memberis Mr.
V. 'M. Barrington-Ward. :
Inciannection Witio thiS ambition programme, a number of mobile workshops in charge of English -demonstrators has been sent to Brussels, The Hague and Paris, These will aseist.in the repair -andrehabilitation of trans-port:equipment in Europe. These workshops were formerly employed' by the. M.O.W.T. in demonstrating methods 'of parts salvage, repair, welding, etc., to vehicle-maintenance 'staffs in -Britain, and they performed much useful Work.
PERSONAL PARS MR. F. C. CLARK, works manager of the Express Motor and Body Works, Ltd., Enfield, will shortly be• leaving this country for a business tour in America and Canada, MR. G. F. WATTS, managing director of Duple Bodies and Motors, Ltd., has now returned to business after an absence of 10 weeks due to illness. His many fri,ends in the motor industry will be pleased to know that Mr. Watts is in harness again.
Ms. A. jEssop, assistant (outdoor) to the chief commercial manager of the L.M.S., has been appointed to the Panel of the Todmorden Corporation and L.M.S. Railway Joint Omnibus Committee, in place of Mr. II. G. N. Read.
MR. B. C. HARGREAVE has been appointed outside sales representative for Auto Engine Services, Ltd., Glasshouse Lane, Feeder Road, Bristol, 2. This concern is well known in the industry as a specialist in maintenance work for the motor trade and fleet owners, dealing with complete engine overhauls..
MR. C. R. CLUTSON, following demobilization, has now commenced his duties with Leyland Motors, Ltd., as Eastern Regional sales manager. He will be assisted by MR. R. P. BROWN, who has also just left the Services. Both men were prisoners of war in German hands. Mr. Clutson's temporary address is cio the Grand Hotel, Lincoln; telephone, Lincoln 1350.
MR. W. P. BRADBURY, assistant chief commercial manager (outdoor) of the L.M.S., has been appointed a director of Cumberland Motor Services, Ltd., East Midland Motor Services, Ltd., and the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd. Mr. Bradbury is also a director of several other railway-associated road and air undertakings.
BRIGADIER K. M. F. HEDGES, D.S.O., 0.B.E., retired from his post as Director of Mechanization T.T.2, M,O.S., on September 15. In this position he was the co-ordinator of the record-breaking drive of the motor industry to achieve Victory. During the war, he ordered the 820,000 lorries, 150,000 trailers and 420,000 motorcycles which were produced in British factories between September, 190, and VJ-day. Well over 6 ft. in height, and weighing more than 17 stone, the Brigadier personally tried out each new vehicle in the experimental stage to satisfy himself that there was plenty of room for out-size drivers. He also supervised the Wheeled Vehicle Experimental Establishment, where new ssiachines were tested for thousands of miles over rock-rutted roads, deep mud and sand dunes. His Army career started in 1912, when he was conitnissioned in what was then the Army Service Corps as a specialist ,in mechanical transport. He held many important positions in France during the War of 1914-18 and, later, in Ireland and Egypt. Retiring from the Army in 1927, he became Director of Mechanical Transport with the Sudan Government Railways, and, later, Assistant General Manager. retiring in 1932. He was recalled for service with the Army in 1939.
WELDING BLOW-PIPE WEIGHING LESS THAN 1 LB. KNOWN as the Demon, the Suffolk Iron, Foundry (1920), Ltd., Sifbronze Works, Stowmarket, has introduced a welding blow-pipe, the L. D. model of which weighs less than 1 lb. It has a moulded plastic handle. is comfortably balanced, and this latter feature, in conjunction with its light weight, reduces the fatigue factor in operation.
It is claimed that the special type of gas-mixing device, embodied in the head of the blow-pipe, ensures perfectly proportioned gas feeds, with an automatic intermixture of gases calculated to prevent flashback and troublesome backfires. • The price of the L.D. (light duty) model, complete with five interchangeable swaged copper nozzles, and spanners, is £4 5s., the price of all size of nozzle being 4s. 6d. each.
Oxy-coal gas-can, of course, be used with this torch when the extra heat of the oxy-acetylene is not required.
P.V.O.A. AND CAR HIRE MEMBERS
AN open meeting of car-hire operators of the London and Horne Counties Area will be held at Roadway House, 146, New Bond Street, London, W.1, at 2.30 p.m., on September 26.
In an address by Mr. E. A. Heaney, chairman of the National Car Hine Functional Group Committee, information will be given of the activities and policy of the Car Hire Section of the P.V.O.A. This will deal in particular with action taken (a) to secure further relaxations from controls, including radius of operation and fuel allowances; the issue of hackney-carriage licences; permits for new vehicles; newcomers; and the recent decision obtained by the Association from the Ministry of Fuel dealing with rehabilitation and increase in vehicles of pre-war operators; (6) to secure stabilization in the car-hire industry and protection of existing rights by opposing future legislation detrimental to the industry.
TWO USEFUL BOOKS rOPIES of two useful books have been sent to us from Stevens and Sons, Ltd., 119-120, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.2. The first is " Palmer's Private Companies," which has reached its 39th edition, and deals with the formation and advantages of this form of concern. It costs 2s. 6d, net, The other is " The Essential Work Order," Isy H. Samuels, M.A., issued at the same price. This latter is a little late in the day, but the Order is still in operation.
APPRECIATION OF THE PRESS
nN September 11 we attended a luncheon given to members of the Technical and Transport Press by the president of the Institute of Transport .(Mx. Robert Kelso) and other officials of the Institute and members of the Executive Committee of the Council.
Mr, Kelso said that everyone wanted to get his ideas into print, and he thanked the Press and congratulated-its" members on the manner, in which they dealt with these matters. He could think of no more pleasant task than that of being president of the institute.
Sir. FrederickHandley Page made one of his usual bright speeches, and one remark we particularly noted referred to " learning at work." If one remained at college until the age of, say, 26, one arrived at an office or works to find that other men who had started earlier were often firmly settled, some even with families. An Institute like this was one of the 'phases of the university of life. '
The Editor of " Modern Transport " suggested that such a_ plan as that foimulated by the T.U.C. for transport nationalization should be laid open for discussion by the Institute.
Mr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, C.B.E., said that the main difficulty which faced new plans for tranaport was the problem of obtaining the "net maintainable revenue.'" T.R.T.A. DEPUTATION TO
ADEPUTATION from the T.R.T.A. to the M.O.W.T., on September 18, • pressed for the . withdrawal of Defence Regulation 73B, and, pending that, for the granting of relaxations permitted under the Order to be more freely and quickly made to assist trade and industry in the difficult transitional period of change-over from a war-time to a peacetime basis,
A CURE FOR GLASGOW'S CONGESTION
GGLASGOW'S present inefficient road system not only causes many accidents, but also a great amount of wastage_ It is estimated that to stop a vehicle from 30 m.p.h., and restart it, wears as much tyre rubber as does one mile of travel, whilst the petrol consumed while doing so would take the vejsicle a distance of 700 ft. The first planning report from . the cityengineer to • the Highways and Planning committee of the Glasgow Corporation gives details of a new road scheme, designed to overcome the congestion that results from the present conditions.
Provision of roads to meet individual requirements is a means for preventing accidents, states the report. Pedestrians would he excluded from the arterial roads. High-speed single-deck electric passenger vehicles, made up as trains and drawing current from under the rails or trolley wires, would run between the dual carriageways of the arterial roads, and through tunnels in the centre of .the city. Buses would oerve certain 'areas. where no alternative transport was available; they
would run clockwise and anti-clockwise around the inner ring road. To alleviate congestion, private bus services would terminate at nodal points on -the inner ring road, and few corporation buses would enter the inner core.
. A feature of the scheme is the closer co-ordination of rail and road transport. As markets are concerned with both, they *ill be near the inner ring road, so as tobe accessible to arterial road transport..
LEYLANDS TO REOPEN MIDLAND . OFFICE
THE Midland office of. Leyland Motors, Ltd., in Birmingham, is to be reopened 011 October 1. It will be located at the old address—King Edward House, New Street—and will again be under the charge of Mr. Frank Gardner. During the war,. Mr. Gardner was connected with the company's war-time activities at its South of England works at Kingston, ' and he will now resume his position-as Midland 'Regional manager.
REPUBLICATION OF "AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING RECORD" THE director of the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Askham Bryan, York, Mr. J. K. Gaunt, announces that publication of the " Agricultural Engineering Record," as a quarterly journal, has been recommenced this month. The price is Is. per copy, or 45. 4d. per year, including postage. It is obtainable from the secretary of the Institute, or from H.M. Stationery Office. The journal will include accounts of the research and development work 'carried out at the Institute, also articles from other' workers in this field_ Summaries of 'test reports issued by the Institute will he given when they. are of general interest.
OBITUARY We much regret to announce the sudden death, on September 13, of Ma. D. JOLINSTONE SINCLAIR, managing director of St. Helens Cable and Rubber Co., Ltd.
We learn, with great regret, of the recent death of MR. S. H. EVER INGBA F.I.M.T., managing director of Everingham Motors, Ltd., which operates E.B. Motor Services in the Yorkshire area. He was one of the members of the Public Relations Committee of the British Omnibus Companies.
The furniture removals side of the road-transport industry, in Yorkshire, has lost a prominent figure by the death Of MR. LAWRENCE ROWLAND TURNBULL, of Roundhay Road, Leeds, who _died on September 12, aged 68; he had been in business 'in Leeds for 41) years_ For many years Mr. Turnbull was hon. secretary of the Yorkshire Centre of the National Association of Furniture Warehousemen and Removers, and later he became chairman of the "Yorkshire Furniture Reitnivers'-Association, . when .stliat organization was formed a few years before ti:e war just ended.
BUS CREWS ON DUTY MUST NM SMOKE
THE Regional Transport Commissioner, North Midland Region, Mr. J.. H. Stick, has-addressed a letter to all p.s.v. operators in his Region, drawing attention to the particular provisionin the -Public-Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations, 19:36, that a driver or conductor, when acting as such, shall not smoke in or on a vehicle during a journey or when it has passengers on board.
-Owing to the police having more urgent duties to perform; infringements of this regulation have been somewhat overlooked, and drivere and conductors have become rather lax. The police have, however, sent reports to Mr. Stirk regarding the prevalence of smoking while onscruty. and he asks that the position should be brought to the notice of those concerned. Breaches of the regulatiou may result. in a fine not exceeding .£5, and one driver was recently convicted and punished. He was additionally,fined for not displaying his official badge.
H.F: HEATING EXHIBITION
A PARTICULARLY interesting bition of high-frequency heating was opened yesterday at Dorian(' Hall, Lower Regent Street; London, S.W.1, by Rediflusidn; Ltd., Canton. House, Regent Street. It will -remain open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily, except on Sunday, until September 28. Application for invitation cards should be made to the company.
MIDLAND I.O.T. MEETINGS ,
THE Midland Section ofthe Institute of Transport, 571, Bearwood Road, Birmingham, has reverted to its normal practice of evening meetings. The first of the session will be the chairman's address, at 6 p.m., on September 25, at the Imperial Hotel, Temple Street, Birmingham.
ARC-WELDING MAINTENANCE
A LTHOUGH. the vehicle-mainterfs ance . engineer is probably more familiar with the gas-welding process, the merits of arc welding, where applicable, are, no doubt, fully appreciated by him.
" Maintenance AM Welding " is the title of a 230-page book recently pub-. fished by the James F. Lincoln Arc
\V.eldiiig Foundation. .
Copies of this publication are avail,. price. 6e.; 'from . the Lincoln Electric Co., Ltd., Welwyn Garden City, Herts;