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News of the Week

23rd July 1943, Page 18
23rd July 1943
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M.O.W.T. AND S.J.C. AGREED STATEMENT TRE Central Panel of Controlled Undertakings set up by the S.J.C. functions with local committees in the regions which report to the central body. There is no divergence of view

• between the Ministry and the S.J.C. as to the latter's efficacy in dealing with queries by a centralized channel. Controlled undertakings have individual contracts with the Ministry, and it is, therefore, open to them to go direct to the Minister. The reference of queries and disputes to the Central Panel, however, secures uniformity of policy and of treatment, and tends to save unnecessary work, DEFENCE REGULATIONS TO SAVE FUEL AND RUBBER

REGULATION No. 915 of S.R. and 0., 1943, is of considerable interest to road-transport drivers. It amends No. 70 of the previous Regulations and enables the Minister to make Orders for the abolition of one-way streets, to raise speed limits, and to allow two trailer pumps to be drawn behind a vehicle.

MUCH SAVING OF TRANSPORT FOR BEER

LAST week, in the House of Commons, Mr. Mabane, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food, stated that considerable saving of transport has already been made by restricting the area of movement of beer. His department is advised by a committee of members of the industry, and schemes for saving transport are being formulated by divisional food officers, with the co-operation of specially formed panels of brewers.

• POOLING PLAN FOR HARVEST ROAD HAULAGE

PRICES for harvest road haulage in the North Riding of Yorkshire have been agreed upon under a transport pooling arrangement, it was stated at a York meeting of the North Riding Executive of the National Farmers' Union.

Mr. A. P. Seery, the chairman, said that, on the initiative of the North :Riding War Agricultural Committee, a transport •pool had been formed in which the military had joined along with the hauliers and the L.N.E. Railway Co. The agreement which had been arrived at would be forwarded to all local branches, so soon as it was confifined. He thought that when they saw details of the scheme it would be agreed that it was a fairly good one.

DOUBLE-DECKERS NOT POPULAR IN SOUTH AMERICA I N its report for 1942, the Brazilian

Traction, Light and Power Co., Ltd., which, through its affiliated concerns, controls the public transport undertakings in Rio de Janeiro and San Pttulo, states that the double-deck

AU; buses hitherto in use have never proved popular in Brazil, or elsewhere in South America. Consequently, early last year it was decided to convert them all to single-deckers.

AL the same time, the chassis were reconditioned and equipped for operation as " gasogenios, ' as they are known in Wazil, using charcoal as fuel. The report shows that there are 142 motorbuses in service in the two cities. and that the bus mileage run declined from 6,957,261 in 1941 to 5,782,266 last year, owing to the alteration and reconditioning work undertaken.

DELAY IN PRODUCER-GAS UNITS BEING OVERCOME I N all, 2,000 Government producer gas units have been despatched from the factories to the operators of publicservice vehicles, stated Mr. Noel-Baker, Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the M.O.W.T., in the House of Commons. He added that there has been difficulty in getting labour and materials to convert the vehicles and to build the servicing accommodation which they require, but everything possible has been done to make progress.

"The tools which we hoped to use for making units for goods vehicles," he said, " were diverted to the manufacture 4,,f high-priority appliances required for military operations." In consequence, there had been a regrettable delay, but he assured Mr. J. Griffiths that goods-vehicle units are now leaving the assembly lines.

SAVE PAPER ON BLUEPRINTS

MANY tons of paper are necessarily involved in the production of blueprints for works, but we are afraid that, in many instances. sonie of this is being wasted. Standardization of sizes often makes for economy, as odd dimensions so frequently mean the trimming of borders. Prints in the shops should be well protected, so that they do not require such early replacement.

AN ORDER AFFECTING DRIVERS

AN amendment Order relating to the Emergency Powers (Defence) Road Vehicles and Drivers Order, 1942, has been made by the Minister of War Transport. It provides that a licence issued under Section 77 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, or a permit issued under this paragraph, in either case authorizing a person to act as a driver of a public-service vehicle, can have effect as though it were also a permit to act as a conductor of such a vehicle.

The holder of a licence to drive vehicles included in Group 1 of the Second Schedule to the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations, 1937. is authorized to drive any heavy goods vehicle within the meaning of Section 31 of the Road Traffic Act, 1934, unless by reason of his age he • is debarred from doing so under the provisions of Section 9 of the Road-Traffic Act, 1930.

GROWTH OF GOVERNMENT HAULAGE SCHEME

THE M.O.W.T. Road Organization's latest figure for the number of controlled unitsPin operation is 333, whilst the total planned for at present is 352, leaving 19 units to come into operation. The earlier total was given as 347, but it has been decided to add a further five unit centres.

The date of commencement of hiring, considered from the administrative standpoint, was July 10, but the intake will continue at an increasing rate each week.

NEW DATE FOR RATES. SCHEDULE MEETING

THE meeting, under the auspices of the West Midland Regional dommittee of the Road and Rail Central Conference, which is to discuss with Yorkshire representatives the haulage rates schedule put forward by the Yorkshire Regional Committee, has now been fixed for July 29, at‘Birmingham.

TRANSPORT DURING AUGUST HOLIDAY

AS theie Will be travel restrictions operating from July 30 to August 3 and no extra buses for holidav travel, factories and works requiring transport services on the Bank Holida,30 for personnel or traffic should inform local transport authorities as early as possible, so that the arrangements can be made.

MR. BRISTOW'S LATEST TEXT BOOK

ATHIRD and revised edition of the booklet, "Construction and Use of Motor Vehicles," by Mr: F. G. Bristow, C.B.E., M.Inst.T., general secretary of the C.PrI.U.A., has been published at 2s, net, and is obtainable from the office of the Association, 50, Pall Mall, London, S.W.1. It includes Regulations and Orders issued up to July, 1943.

BUS STATION THAT DEALS WITH 100,000 VEHICLES PER' YEAR

GROWING use of Sevenoaks bus station has rendered necessary a replanning of the arrangements for handling traffic. Where, formerly, passengers boarded and alighted at common points, separate railed-in " pens." for-various routes have now been provided, thus •preventing congestion and enabling passengers to queue in an orderly manner.

Sevenoaks bus station was constructed in 1936 for the joint use of the bus and coach services operated by the London Passenger Transport Board and the Maidstone and District Omnibus Services, Ltd. The present use is. at the rate of 100,000 buses a year and there is ample margin for future developthent. Covered shelters, waiting-rooms, cloak-rooms and refreshment facilities are provided for passengers and staff. The expansion and development during the past few years of routes in the Sevenoaks area is due, in no small measure, to this commodious and wellappointed bus station. HUGE OIL PIPE-LINE BUILT IN A YEAR

AMERICA'S Eastern Coast Area was, 'during the active submarine campaign, almcst starved of petrol. To counter this deficiency an oil pipeline nearly 1,500 miles long has been built through nine States from the oilfields in Texas in just under a year. It cost 95,000,000 dollars and has a capacity of nearly 13,000,000 gallons of petroleum daily. The pipe is 2 ft. in diameter, but later there will be a further line of. 1-ft. 8-in. bore. Although the submarine attacks have greatly diminished, the tankers previously employed will now be available for service elsewhere: TYRE ECONOMY EXHIBITION AT LEEDS AREPLICA of the Tyre Economy Exhibitions staged io successfully in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Bristol will be located in Lee on August 19 at 12, Park Row.

It will be opened at 3 p.m. on that day 'by Lord Rothes, Director of Tyres. The sessions will be: Monday to Friday, 10.30 a.m.-11.30 a.m., -.3 p.m.-4 p.m., 7 p.m.-8 p.m. On Saturdays the evening session will be only .by special arrangement.

The show is not open to the public, but is intended for drivers and operators of goods and p.s. vehicles. Application for tickets should be made to the Tyre Economy. Exhibition Secretary, Ministry of War Transport, 44,-The Headrow, Leeds, I.

CIVIL SERVANTS SEEK PRIORITY TRAVEL

BLACKPOOL buses and trams are now carrying twice as many passengers as in the year war broke out. Figures were supplied to Sir William Chamberlain, the Regional Transport Commissioner, when he visited Blackpool, on Friday last, to inquire into the demand of civil servants that they should have, priority travel over holidaymakers and pleasure seekers. A week or two ago, civil servants caused a tramway hold-up at Norbreck, where they. demonstrated to call attention to their grievance.

Mr. W. Luff, municipal transport manager, contends that to introduce a system of priority travel would be impracticable, unless it be possible to provide -inspectors and queue loaders. He questions whether a priority service would be workable in a town which has such a service frequency as Blackpool. He fears that priorities would antagonize visitors, some of whom spent the holidays in Blackpool after 51 weeks' hard work onmunitions or in the mines.

The buses are working on a reduced issue of petrol and one-third of the trams are out of commission because of lack of staff.

THE CORROSION OF-ENGINE VALVES WE have received an interesting communication from Bentley Maudesley and Co., letd., 13a, Old Burlington Street, Londbin, W.1, concerning the, paragraph published in our issue dated' July 9, under the heading " Does Fuel Corrode Valves? "

This company, as is well known, is the maker Of Carburol, which is an additive for petrol. It has representatives in most parts of the country, and they, according to Our informant, are encountering numerous cases of corroded and burnt-out valves, etc., the cause of which may be the quality of the petrol, as referred to by Mr. G. W. Quick Smith in the paragraph.

It is significant, however, that the company has found that no. regular user of Carburol has made this complaint, and it would seem that this material has the desirable effect 'of removing the, cause of the corrosion or burning.

The company has been advised by its consulting engineer that there may be present in the civilian petrol now provided a content which brings about slow combustion of the gases. The material which it supplies expedites' combustion. Therefore, the valves and seats are not subjected to a high degree of heat due to the passage of slowburning gases, whilst the creation of an oil film over all parts of the cylinder heads, including the valves, etc., reduces the temperature of the heads to a point which prevents the disintegration or burning out of the parts mentioned. GOOD PROFIT OF TILLING MOTOR SERVICES

Prim accounts of Tilling Motor Seri vices, Ltd„ for the year ended June 30, 1943, show a profit of R.51,396. An interim dividend of Si per cent.. (free of tax) on the ordinary shares absorbed £140,000, and a final dividend of 4 per cent, on those shares (free of tax) will take a further .E160,4)00. Alter the dividend on the preference shares is met and £25,000 transferred to the general reserve fund is deducted, there is a balance of £16,396 te be carried forward.

RESTRICTIONS ON VEGETABLE TRANSPORT IN LANCASHIRE

AS from August 1, main-crop potatoes and green vegetables grown in the Onnskirk area of southwest Lancashire may be delivered only by road vehicle within the area bounded by Liverpool, St. Helens, Wigan, St. Helens and Chorley. An exception is made in respect o.f green

vegetables grown within the Tarleton. Hundred End, Banks and Hesketh Bank area. Such produce may be roadborne to -Blackpool, Preston, Blackburn, Bolton, Fleetwood and the Fylde area.

This decision was reached at a meeting held at Orniskirk of representatives of the Ministry of War Transport, Ministry of Food, Ministry of Agriculture, National Farmers' Union, railway companies, and of the farmers and merchants.

A BOOKLET FOR TRACTOR DRIVERS

AUSEFUL little book, selling at 9d., has recently been published by the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Askham Bryan, York', with the object of helping the tractor driver properly to understand the working of the machine in his charge. It is emphasized that only by understanding the operating principles is it possible to ensure efficient maintenance. The booklet is, divided into five sections, covering the internal combustion engine, tractor components, tractor -types, tractor operation, and tractor maintenance. it is written in simple technical language and is illustrated with clear diagrams that help in a ready understanding of the subjectmatter,.

MANUAL ON METHODS OF • TYRE SAVING

EVERY operator of road transport should read the comprehensive 57-page booklet entitled " How to Prevent Tyre Misuse," issued by the publishers of this journal at 2s. 6d. net or 2s. 8d. including postage. It comprises the articles on tyre conservation which were included, over a long period, in " The Commercial Motor," with additional tables for load and pressure. It deals with every aspect of the use and misuse of tyres and embodies a large number of interesting illustrations ehoWing the effects of various forms of abuse. No more complete manual on this vital subject has eirer been produced, and a close study of it should benefit both the tyre user and the Nation. .

CONTROL OF FRENCH CHALK, STEATITE, ETC.

A"'Order, issued by the Minister of Supply, which took effect as from July 19, controls talc and pyrophyllite. It renders it necessary, except for quantities not exceeding 7 lb., to obtain licences for the acquisition and disposal of talc, french chalk, steatite, soapstone and pyrophyllite. Inquiries should be addressed to the Chrome Ore, Magnesite and Wolfram Control, Broadway Court, Westminster, London, S.W.1.

A BREAKDOWN SERVICE IN WESTMORLAND

ME are advised that Messrs. J. B. W Hudson, The Dixies, Sandside, Milnthorpe, Westmorland, are able to offer a heavy breakdown service to commercial-vehicle operators. The vehicle which is used for the purpose is located at Milnthorpe, and is intended to cover an area approximately north of Garstang and south of Carlisle, although it will be used, if needed, east of a line drawn between these two places as far as Hawes, and west of the same line to the coast.

RUBBER ECONOMY EMPHASIZED AT BRISTOL THE Deputy Director of Tyres, M.O.S., Mr. P. S. King, at the opening • of the Tyre Economy Exhibition yesterday at the Civic Centre, Bristol, strongly emphasized two points —first, the continual need for rubber economy, despite synthetic producl thin; the other the vital importance of the commercial-vehicle operator and driver in this economy campaign.

Regarding synthetic rubber, statements had recently been made to the effect that this would shortly be available in quantity in America, but even if and when this happens, we must have the largest possible stock of natural rubber left over to mix, with it. It is not a case of " off with the crude and on with the synthetic." Certain fundamental things, notably the casings of giant tyres, have, so far, not been made satisfactorily, using entirely the syn

thetic product. We may also have teething troubles of all kinds while learning, to use the new material hi quantity.

As tyres account for over 70 per

cent, of the rubber used, they provide the greatest scope for economy.

So far as retreading is concerned, a sound carcase requires only some 50 per cent, of rubber necessary to produce a new tyre of the same size.

A.E.C. TO HAVE "REST PERIOD"

WJE are advised that the factory and W offices of the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., will be closed for a rest period from Friday, July 30, to Monday, August 9. During this period the service requirements of operators wilkbe met.

CALL FOR MORE TRANSPORT EDUCATION

AT a conference convened recently by the President of the Institute of Transport, following a suggestion made by Mr. R. Stuart Pilcher, general manager, Manchester Transport Department, it was unanimously agreed that there was need for further facilities for road-transport education. It was decided to form a representative committee to give detailed consideration to the matter and• to report back to the conference Leading associations were all represented at the meeting.

ROAD RATES FOR MILK RAISED IN PARLIAMENT

WHEN he was asked last week by IfY Mr. Wootton-DavieS, in the House of Commons, why, in two cases of milk transport, which had been laid before him, the transport charge was .97d. per gallon for between 11 and 12 miles and 20. per gallon for about 6 miles, the volume of milk carried being much the same in each case, Mr. Noel-Baker, Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the M.O.W.T., explained that the road rates for the collection of milk for producers are arranged with the hauliers by the Milk Marketing Board. • Therefore he had no particulars of the rates in operation.

MUNICIPAL BUS MERGER STILL UNDECIDED

SUGGESTED merging of Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees bus transport was referred to at a recent meeting of Stockton-on-Tees Town Council.

Mr. A. Smith asked whether the transport committee would consider putting into . operation the recommendations of the experts called in to report on the reorganization of Stockton's transport services. Mr. E. Picicworth, chairman of the transport committee, said that the committee had accepted most of the expert's recommendations, but it was not possible to put them into operation during the war.

Mr. 0. Atkin said it would be no use acting on the experts' advice if there be a possibility of Stockton and Middlesbrough bus services being placed under joint management.

STRONG PROTESTS FOLLOW BRIDGE VETO '

irrHE .announcement\ of the low'. priority class into which the scheme *for a road bridge across the River Tay

has been placed, has caused considerable anger in Dundee and both Dundee Corporation and the Tay Road Bridge Committee are considering how protests against it should be made.

Dundee is refusing to take the Government's " no" as an answer, and as a member of the Tay Road Bridge Committee put it,this scheme has for toó long . been the plaything of the whims of officialdom at the Ministry of War Transport.

He declared that those who had sponsored the scheme for years were convinced, however, that when the war ended public opinion would force the road bridge on the Government as an urgent post-war undertaking.

The suggestion made by Mr. NoelBaker, Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the M.O.W.T.; that a free Tay ferry might be substituted for a road bridge has been described as " fantastic" by a number of Tay road-bridge promoters.

SEPARATE , TRANSPORT SECTION FOR NEWCASTLE WITH the object of separating its W transport and electricity departments, Newcastle-on-Tyne City Transport" and Electricity Committee has approved a plan for the reorganization of the undertaking covering those phases of municipal activity. In a report on the subject, the committee states that reorganization is essential as Mr. W. T. Dalton, chief engineer, retires shortly, whilst within a short time several other senior officials also reach retiring age.

Under the committee's plan, the general manager, Mr. H. C. Godsmark, will be assisted by four senior officials, each in charge of a sub-department covering electricity, engineering, administrative and traffic. There will be an electrical engineer, rolling-stock engineer, commercial assistant and traffic superintendent.

CRISIS IN RUBBER: A WELLTIMED PUBLICATION

THERE is no mincing matters over 1 the world rubber situation in a booklet, entitled "Crisis in Rubber," lately issued by the B. F. Goodrich Co., of Akron, Ohio. As stated in a foreword, the question is whether we can bridge the gap until manufacturing facilities are producing the vast quantities of synthetic rubber needed for our armed forces and transport systems. It is a grim race against time and future events depend upon its successful solution.

Starting with a brief history of wild rubber, the booklet, which is well illustrated, gives: a Clear, unvarnished statement of the Allies' present position with regard to natural and synthetic rubber. A glossary at the end of the book is most helpful to those unaccustomed to the special terms used in describing the five main commercial types of synthetic rubber, or, as the authors prefer to call it, rubbersubstitute.

DO BUS-TICKET RESTRICTIONS PREVENT TRAVEL

RESTRICTION to eight days of the period of validity of 12-journey tickets was discussed at a conference of Durham local authorities called by the Ministry of War Transport. Sir John Maxwell, Northern Regional Transport Commissioner, who presided, said that the period could not be extended.

A representative from Boldon Urban Council contended that the restrictions on the issue of return tiCkets' would not stop people travel ling. He asserted that the general public would travel, no matter what the cost. The restriction, he declared, would only put money into the pockets 'of the bus companies.

Sir John stated that the views expressed would be sent to the. Ministry.


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