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IN YOUR OPINION

22nd March 1963, Page 64
22nd March 1963
Page 64
Page 64, 22nd March 1963 — IN YOUR OPINION
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Car Safety, Headlamp

Replacement Troubles

WITH reference to the letter from Mr. James R. Meek " which appeared in The Commercial Motor of March 8, we would like to endorse every word that your contributor wrote in connection with the troubles he is experiencing with new vehicles, particularly the point that he now finds it difficult to reach 20,000 miles without replacements.

Apart from normal maintenance of oil, tyres and brake relinings, we likewise have been used to 100,000 and more miles without the need for replacements. The number now required before 30,000 miles have been covered is deplorable--comprising starters, gaskets, hydraulic units, dynamos, speedos, etc., with pistons and associated troubles occurring at up to 70,000 miles.

The number of working hours lost through these items has been so extensive over the past two years that we have thought it advisable to let the manufacturer concerned have a full detailed list of all repairs and replacements. A summary and our comments appear below:— " Herewith schedule for 1962—we regret to say the position is even worse than in 1961. We have had to have four replacement engines, three gearboxes, four cylinder head gasket failures, one clutch failure (the third on this particular vehicle), 13 starters, and three dynamos, on six of the current range of vehicles: this is a situation completely without parallel in 40 years of operating your vehicles."

On one particular chassis £50 was knocked off the purchase price—mainly we should imagine through the fitting of inferior equipment—starters, speedos, cables, etc. In return we have had £1,000 worth of trouble.

We must return to the reliability of main components and auxiliary equipment that we have known in the past, since there is little enough time left out of a 42-hour week without having a vehicle unusable for half of it.

Bolton, Lanes. Tom ALLEN, A.M. I. MEcu .E.

Managing Director, William Allen (Bolton) Ltd.

More letters an this Subject will be published next week

Solving Distribution Problems fHE article in The Commercial Motor of March 1, by Mr. D. E. A. Pettit, on the general aspects of distribution problems apparently raised an important query in the mind of your correspondent, Mr. F. R. L. Wentworth, the transport controller of the Schweppes Group of Companies.

Mr. Wentworth was indeed right when he stated that many transport-cum-distribution managers would find it B46 useful to meet, compare notes and discuss common pri lems with others of their kind. He was also, to so extent, correct in stating that the Institute of Transp( the T.R.T.A., and the British Institute of Managemi cover vaster fields and therefore may not have that spo interest in distribution's specialized problems.

However, he is a little wide of the mark in saying ti there does not appear to be any professional body wh enables them to do so. Such a body does exist in 1 Industrial Transport Association, founded in 1927, a the ground it covers rather disposes of the suggestion ti an "Institute of Distribution" might be the answer.

The I.T.A. is most certainly interested in, and concerr with, the distribution problems of transport managers— fact its primary concern lies rather with the industi transport and distribution field, as distinct from what generally termed the "hire and reward" side of transp( Members of the I.T.A. can and do listen to lectures a papers, and mutually discuss problems relative to all aspects of a transport manager's responsibilities, at di sional meetings arranged in the main industrial areas and cities of the U.K., throughout the autumn and win months.

In other ways also, too numerous to mention in a sh letter, the J.T.A competently covers, and is generally reo nized as so doing, the sphere of interest that is in the mi of Mr. Wentworth. Additionally, it is always prepar through the medium of its meetings, to arrange for 1 coverage of any special subject that is, or is likely to of interest to its members in following their avocations

By his knowledge of, or connection with, the T.R.T. it can hardly be that Mr. Wentworth is completely unaw of the existence and functions of the I.T.A., therefore can only be presumed that he has overlooked themmatter which is most certainly receiving our courte( attention directly as well as by means of this letter.

London, W.C.2. C. COURTNEY-CRAMP,

Director and Secretary, Industrial Transport Association

Only One Headlamp I ENJOYED your interesting article, " Aero-engine To niques for Lorries" (The Commercial Motor, March but was appalled to note that the A.E.C. Mammt tractive unit goes on the road with only one headlamp

Rhuddlan, Flints. R. D. JouNsoN, Managing Director R. D. Johnson and Co (Portable Buildings) Lt(


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