OPINIONS FROM OTHER.
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Editor :invites correspondence on all subjects • connected with the use of cconntereial ni6tors. Leiters should -be on .olie Of the papeionly and typewritten by -preference. The sight of abbreviation is reserved, and. no responSibility for
• views expressed is accepted.
Co-ordinating the Work of Freight Exchanges.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR..
[1,7201 Sir,--I have read 'with much interest your articles on haulage and freight exchange during the past few weeks. Arising out of these and as a result of my own experience as one/responsible for a, commercial fleet and a sufferer owing to the absence of a well-organized agency or clearing house in London for the purpose of supplying return loads to various parts of the country, I crave ybur permission to express my opinion on this much-debated but practically negleeted. question of " return loads" to and from an part of the country, vital ae it is to the successful carrying out of long-distance motor haulage, and amply remunerative to the man who can plan and organize it. I, personally, had hoped that, ere now, the Ministry of Transport, over which Sir E. Geddes presides, would have formulated a scheme for the successful setting up of great central clearing houses in all the large towns of Britain-linked up with local agencies in the lesser towns and villages, to cooperate in the national task -of ensuring that net one pint of petrol or fraction of maintenance charge. or running cost of road haulage was wasted to the nation let alone the assured increment resultingfrom the finding of return loads so sought after by hauliers and offered by Manufacturing firms, yet missed by both.
I have my own scheme for this co-ordinated system of haulage, which, if it were put into: operation today, would go far toward relieving the congested • state of rg'ilways with its resultant stagnation of trade and enterprise, and, at the,same time, encourage the up-to-date haulier to take any long haul put up to him with the assurance that, at his destination, he would secure either a, full load or full journey, or, at least, sufficient to cover the full prime costs of his return journey. i My suggestion s that a meeting be convened in London of the principal hauliers of the large towns, for the purpose of formulating a scheme of remunerative and self-supporting agencies throughout the country, or, as an alternative to this, to interview the Ministry of Transport with a practical scheme in their pockets. It is a vital and urgent necessity, and I ask you to perform a real national service in supporting ,the .inception of—to my mind—the greatest and most beneficent scheme of co-ordinated supply and demand, vitally necessary to those who are to-day waiting for its appearance.—Yours faithfully,
Brighton. AniHmt SINGLETOY.
Reversing the Scammell Six-wheeler.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[4721] Sir,—Your correspondent in a recent issue referred to the backing of this trailer as a -serious disability. This is a misapprehension;. true, for the,first day or two-the driver gets into some surprising positions with the lorry, but • after a few days the most complicated backing manceuvres can be executed with ease.
If is a fact that, after a little practice, the driver -can back this 'vehicle into positions which cannot be approached by a normal lorry. Our deroonatTater driver, never having handled one of these machines before, would gladly show your correspondent that can be done. Similar American machines are in use daily in C44 railway goods yards, etc. The traffic manager of one Of the railway companies tells us that he can back. • his machines into 'ally position where a pair-horse van can go, and in a third of the .time.
The most acute corners can be very easily turned, and the track can be run closer to the pavement than with any normal type.
The complete loaded vehicle can -turn in a 31 ft. circle, or, by backing in any normal road, very quickly and conveniently.. We -strongly urge that your correspondent, before forming any opinion, should take an early opportunity actually to test the machine. We feel sure that, even starting with a pronounced prejudice, he will agree -that there-is no necessity to make the back wheels steerable.
As regards the ecohomy of use, . we quote the followingfigures, which we submit are astounding ; they are not theoretical, but are the result of tents, and are attainable by an ordinary user.
1.—London to Reading, return, all on top ,sear. Paying load 74 tons. • Weight of lorry
Average speed 0.2-, tons. ... 15 m.p.h.
Petrol consumption ... 1 gal. per 6 mites. 2.—London to Watford, return, with trailer (including Rickmansworth Hill, gradient 1 in 9). Paying load ... 13 tons.
Gross weight ... „. ... 19 tons. Average speed... 12 m.p.h. , Petrol consumption ... 1 gal. per 4.75 miles. Gross ton-miles per gallon without trailer, 72. Net miles of paying load per gallon, 45. ,Gross ton-miles per gallbn with trailer, 90.25. Net ton-miles of paying load per gallon, 61.75.
There is no need to doubt these statements, they can be confirmed by arranging for a demonstration. Naturally, however, the makers only wish to demonstrate to possible purchasers.—Yours faithfully, SCAMMEALL AND NEPHEW, LTD.
Spitalftelds. R. H. JOHNSTON. •
Making Sure of Spare Parts.
Tire Editor, THE COMMERCIAL -MOTOR.
[1,7221 Sir,—I would like to. issue a warning tothe unthinking persons. whoare busily engaged at the present time in buying up anything they can get hold of in the way of vehicles of foreign manufacture. I am not referring to vehicles which have made their names, and the sale of which is firmly established in this country, but to inferior machines, only -a few of which will probably be sold here before the importers find that it does not pay to have the make represented in this country,. When that occurs, to whom will the users look to for the supply of spare parts? If they have to be specially manufactured for individual machines, the cost will be so great that the users will certainly regret not having purchased machines for which a constant supply of spare parts is available. In connection with this subject, I trust that British manufacturers, in the -hurry and bustle of turning out the greatest possible number of new vehicles, will not neglect the laying down, at the same time, of an adequate percentage of spares. It is-a much simpler job to produce extra parts, whilst a particular model is being manufactured, than to do so after the works have been turned on to the production of a different cue; the production of old type spares then will probably necessitate the .changing over of many machine tools.—Yours faithfully,
Bradford. BRADEOMMAIT.