The Third W.O. Subsidy Trials.
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Some Fine Climbing in Kent. The Dorman Engine under Difficult Conditions.
Our brief current report of the progress of the third War Office Subsidy Trials, in our last issue, brought up the account of the day's doings to the arrival of the Dorman-engined Lacre at. the scene of operations on Monday of last week, the 13th inst. We told, also, of the running of the two Wolseleys and the Karrier--the three regular participants in these trials—and of the slight mishap, through collision with a timber wagon, which was the luck of the Karrier. Fortunately this contretemps appeared to have little ill-effect.
On Tuesday, the 14th inst., another hilly route was set for the cars, and on this day the Dorman-Lacre made its debut ; there were, therefore, four cars for the day's running. A prompt start was made at 7 a.m. for the Petworth district, the objective being Duncton Hill. The route was Puttenham, Milford, Haslemere, Farnham, and Easebourne. After Duneton Hill a detour was made up Pitt's Hill and hack to Petworth, where the luncheon halt was made. The smaller of the Wolseleys led the way, then came its sister car, followed by the Lacre, with. the Karrier bringing up the rear. A halt, to get the cars together, was made at Haslemere, and they were then run up Museuni Hill. Duncton Hill proved to be quite a good pull, the Karrier took the premier place, passing the small Wolseley three-quarters of the way up.
The cars were turned round at the top and descended, thereafter making their way to Pitt's Hill, which, as a matter of fact, proved to be the worst so far encountered during these trials. It provided an average gradient of what we believe.is I in 6, with the surface at the present time one mass of loose, unrolled stones. The going proved to be very heavy through extremely narrow lanes. All the three subsidy participants came through in fine style, however. The Dorman-Lacre was not allowed to take this hill, because of its body being too wide for the narrow lanes. This Dorman engine, it would appear to us, would have had a fairer chance of putting up a good show if it had been found possible to fit. it on a regular Subsidy model. As it is, the Dorman-Lacce at times has shown signs of boiling busily. It is not possible, of course, to compare the running of this vehicle with the other machines in the trials ; it appears to be highly geared, and is naturally, therefore, very slow on hills, a circumstance which hardly does the engine justice. The mileage for Tuesday was 85. On the Wednesday a start was made at 8 a.m.. for Dorchester, via. Farnham, Heckfield, Reading, Pangbourne, Streatley, Wallingford, and return. This, in comparison with the run of the day before, proved to be little more than a "joy ride." The small Wolseley and the Karrier led during the whole of the un
eventful run. Pangbourne was the mid-clay halt, and the mileage was 80.
On Thursday, the 16th, a run was made to Staines and Sunbury, via Odiham, Hook, Hartley Row, Blackwater, Bagshot, and Sunningdale, branching off on the return journey at. York Town, and thence to Aldershot.. The start was again at 8 a. m. and the cars "
taxied" along in splendid style, with the Karrier leading. Practically the only thing to vary the monot
onous regularity of the running was the encountering of two water-splashes at Sunbury. These were fairly full after the recent rain, and provided some interest
to the drivers and observers; the water in several cases splashed right over the bonnets. The day's mileage was 70.
On Friday it had been arranged for the fleet of cars to trek to Woolwich, whence the rest of the Trials are being conducted. The start was altered from 7 a.m. to 6.30, and the route to Woolwich was through Guildford, Ewhurst, Ockley, Dorking, along the Pilgrims' Way to Merstham, Bletchingley, Godstone, Oxted,
Titsey, Westerham, Keaton, and Eltham. This day was distinguished by the attendance or the Quarter
master-General and staff, who watched the cars take Pebblecornbe, Titsey and Westerham Hilts. The run previous to this had proved uneventful.
Shortly after Shore, -the route struck off into bylanes, marked "Impassable to Motors" and of a very
winding, narrow and rough-surface nature. Ruts of
12 ins, in depth, due to the heavy rains, were encountered. This part of the running proved a severe
trial for the whole of the cars, and especially to the springing. Near Coldharbour the Dorman-Lacre had the misfortune to sink in soft ground nearly up to its axle. The load had to be removed, and, in order to form a road, the iron ballast blocks were put in the mud so that the vehicle might run out on thisItem porary track. The jacking-up and rescuing occupied over an hour, after which the machine continued on its way. Pebblecombe Hill was followed by Titsey Hill, up which latter well-known climb the cars were timed. An hour's stop for luncheon at. Westerham was a preliminary to the climbing of the hill of the same name. All the vehicles tackled it in first-class mamma The Harrier passed the small Wolseley three-quarters of the way up. The run thence to Woolwich was quite without incident.
On Saturday, the 18th, there was another hilly route—this time in Kent, of course. It was via Dart ford, Chalk, Stroud, Rochester, Chatham, Sandling, Maidstone, Wrotham, and Sideup—a matter of 98 miles. . The test hill was Bosley, which has a very considerable gradient. All took it in fine style, and the cars went on through narrow lanes to Helstead. The repassing which took place on this part of the road proved an excellent demonstration to the few onlookers of the ability with which these big machines
can be handled on occasion. In some places the clearance between the hub caps of the passing cars could
almost be mentioned in thousandths. More narrow lanes followed., Near Mereworth, one or two large traction engines were passed by the team with diffi
culty,. Wrotham hill was subsequently tackled with very little difficulty, although the cars had to conic down to first speed with their engines cutting out. The lunch stop was at Wrotham, and an uneventful day's run ended at five o'clock, everybody concerned looking forward to the relief of a Sunday free from the monotonous regu:arity of " reliability.",
So far the vehicles appear to have behaved in splendid manner, and this is all the more creditable, as the present trials are obviously fully as severe as the preceding ones.