OPINIONS FROM OTHERS.
Page 54
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A Suggested Steam Wagon Demonstration.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2611] Sir,—We are very interested in the editorial in your issue of August 2nd, under the above heading. We welcome the suggestion made and would like to endorse it; we are quite prepared to place a vehicle or vehicles at the disposal of the organizers of such a demonstration.
Like you, we think that the proper body to undertake the work is the Steam Vehicle Committee of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and we strongly commend the wholelsuggestion to them.
We look forward with confidence to seeing such a joint demonstration shortly carried out, as we feel sure that there are still many people who do not realize the enormous strides that have been made in the efficiency, easy riding, silence and speed of the modern steam wagon.—Yours faithfully, TEE " SENTTNEL " WAGGON WORKS, LTD.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2612] Sir,—With reference to your editorial respecting the demonstration of steam wagons, we approve of the suggestion made and shall be very pleased to take part in this demonstration.—Yours faithfully, A. L. CROFT, Director. (The Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon Co., Branch of Deighton's Patent Flue and Tube Co., Ltd.) The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2613] Sir,—In connection with the editorial appearing in your issue dated August 2nd, we ourselves would be quite agreeable to consider such a demonstration as described in your article, provided, of course, that sanction was given by the Steam Vehicle Committee of the S.M.M.T.
We fully appreciate the points raised in this article with regard to the steam vehicle industry in this country, and we hope your proposals will receive favourable consideration.—Yours faithfully, R. Fish, ESQ., Sales Department. (For Richard Garrett and Sons, Ltd.) The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2614] Sir,—We have duly read the editorial in your issue for August 2nd.
We really do not think that any great amount of business would follow a demonstration such as you mention; most of the steam-wagon manufacturers today are giving demonstrations themselves all over the country, and anybody who is thinking of purchasing a steam wagon knows quite well the various makes that are on the market.
It was a different matter altogether in the early days when the manufacture of steam-driven vehicles was in its infancy.
There is certainly a good deal of competition between steam and petrol to-day, but we are of the opinion that steam will be able to hold its own, as the general tendency is to carry greater weights, and in 20 years' time we may be taking 50 tons on one vehicle.—Yours faithfully, S. P. TREMLOW, Director. (For Fodens, Ltd.) The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2615] Sir,—Wehave read the editorial concerning a demonstration of steam vehicles which appeared recently in your journal, but from our point of view B36 we would not be interested in the proposed demonstration.—Yours faithfully, F. AYTON, Managing Director. (For Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, Ltd.)
New Regulations for Heavy Motorcars.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2616] Sir,—We have only just received the new Heavy Motor Car (Amendment) Order, 1927, with the circular letter in connection therewith, issued by the Minister of Transport, but we have not yet had time to study these fully. We should like to say at once, however, that we think it is all to the good of both users and manufacturers that these fresh regulations should now have been issued so that all those concerned know where they stand.
The gist of the proposed new regulations has, of course, been known for some time past, and realizing the importance to users of vehicles bought in future complying with the new regulations, we have made a point in all recent designs of complying with the regulations which we anticipated would be issued.—Yours faithfully, L. M. SE4BRooK, Motor Vehicle Department. (For John I. Thornyeroft and Co., Ltd.) Why so Few Sidecar Taxis ?
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2617] Sir,—A few years ago there was quite a number of sidecar taxis to be seen about, and quite a lot was heard about them. Now they are comparatively scarce.
It would be interesting to obtain opinions as to why they have not " caught on "; also, if there are many running in cities and towns other than this.
I have been running one In Manchester since 1921, but with only comparative success, as the traffic conditions here are rather peculiar.—Yours faithfully, A. C. SKIDMORE.
The Rhinoceros Steam Tractor.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[2618] Sir,—We have read with much interest the excellent article about our new tractor in a recent issue of The Commercial Motor.
There is, unfortunately, a little confusion in the paragraph at the top of the second column on page 753, where the boiler is described as of the "locomotive type."
This, of course, is not the case, as the Sentinel boiler is a vertical one, in which the water tubes are steeply inclined, whereas a locomotive boiler is generally not a water-tube boiler and has horizontal tubes through which the gases from the fire pass. These long, horizontal tubes suffer from the great disadvantage of becoming partly uncovered by the water when the vehicle is going up severe gradients, with the result that they are liable to become overheated. Obviously, what you had in mind in referring to the boiler fitted to the Rhino as of the "locomotive type" is that it is the one which has been used in certain of the larger sizes of the Sentinel patent locomotive.—Yours faithfully, F. W. BENNETT. (" Sentinel " Waggon Works, Ltd.).
Shrewsbury. [Through a typing slip the paragraph in question, which was intended to apply to the engine (hence the reference to the horse-power, to the governor, etc.) was ascribed to the boiler. So, if the word " engine" be substituted for " boiler " the error (which, for our readers' sake, we regret) can be amended.---En., 0.31.]