OPINIONS and QUERIES
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The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters should be written on only one side of the paper. The right of abbreviation is reserved and no responsibility for views expressed is accepted. Queries must be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope.
COULD A PETROL ENGINE WORK ON STEAM?
THE recent articles in The Commercial Motor referring to producer gas have been verS, interesting and enlightening. It appears that the great disadvantage is loss of power. Mr. W. H. Goddard's comments on the steam wagons are appreciated, especially when he says "it certainly was a beautiful job." .
May I ask those people who are interested in alternative fuels to consider once more the possibilities of steam? Why not take a 3-ton petrol lorry, alter the valve gear, use a small boiler with a continuous coil and provide super-heated steam at 300 lb: pressure? It could be oil fired with a coal base. The used steam; or part of it, could go back through the radiator, returnto water and be used again. Any steam which passed the pistons could be allowed to escape through a vent in the top of the crankcase.
If this be not a practical suggestion I would like to know why. Furthermore, it would give me a better heart to use producer gas, knowing that I may have to sacrifice up to 40 per cent of my pay-load, if I knew that steam, under all conditions, had been tried and failed.
If the Government removed "the man with the red flag" it would give the steamer a fair chance. So long as the steamer is taxed at £105 per year to carry the same load as a petrol vehicle taxed at £30 it will never revive as it is at present, but why not a lightweight model? L. PRITCHARD. Clutton.
GET TOGETHER TO FIGHT OPPRESSION
MAY I be permitted to air the views of an onlooker 11'1 in connection with road transport? On February 13, particularly, the House of Commons discussed road transport in such a manner as to imply that it was just a matter of "how to dispose of the body."
Emergency and nationalization schemes were discussed, just as if the 200,000 owners using 500,000 vehicles were not in existence at all. Obviously, every man jack running a commercial vehicle has the desire to win the war as much as any member of the House of Commons.
Certain members are active supporters of road transport, and I would particularly mention Captain Strickland, whose efforts are untiring, but the majority is bored to tears when road transport is mentioned.
I do not profess to be a politician, but the reason for lack of support for road transport from such men is obvious. If one be troubled by a buzzing fly one swats it and promptly forgets about it. So, with the majority of our M.P.s, the small fly in this instance being the road-transport user; but let a whole swarm buzz and even the most hardened member will take notice.
We therefore come back to the road-transport user, who, it seems, wanders around bleating that new regulations or restrictions have been imposed, that the railway conipanies have done this, that or the other, and then drifts back into the same old groove, with an additional worry added to an already heavy burden. I have read numerous letters in your columns registering complaints, but never have I seen a constructive policy outlined for road transport that has been followed through with energy and determination.
Well, the answer rests with users, and unless they do something for themselves the time will come when they will find their business handed over to the railways, done up in a neat and compact parcel. I can kltnoSt hear users saying : "What about our associations? ;" and my answer is that in this very question you have the secret. Users should realize that one assoCiation, well supported, with strong representation and with a determined policy to pursue, could make progress and speak with a voie that could not possibly be set aside. Some time ago it was suggested that there should be an amalgamation of the two large commercialvehicle associations. Why was it not brought to pass? Internal politics? Was there any suggestion of a plebiscite for members on the subject and, if not, why not?
Come on, road-transport users, guard your bread and butter; you are worthy of a place in the sun. Get together and speak as one voice, otherwise I, for one, can see the writing on the wall. Form one association and canvass new members, not only in the haulage trade, but also amongst ancillary users. Plaster your vehicles With "Use the Road" slogans and, for Pete's sake, fight! C.V. SUPPORTER. Solihull.
PRODUCER-GAS CONVERSIONS FOR COMMER AND KARRIER VEHICLES I T is realized that many users of Cornmer and Karrier vehicles, having had their activities seriously curtailed by the imposition of petrol rationing, are considering the installation of producer-gas plants as a means for alleviating their difficulties.
Prior to the outbreak of war, we had for some time been conducting research investigations and experiments on gas producers, and this work, whilst not finally completed, has now progressed sufficiently for us to make a statement of policy. There is no doubt that many of the producers at present marketed give satisfactory results, provided certain engine modifications be made; it is desirable, however, to mention that there are fundamental limitations which apply more or less equally to all plants applied to road-transport vehicles.
Generally a power loss of up to 40 per cent. must be faced with producer gas as compared with petrol, and whilst under continuous-steady-load conditions satisfactory results are to be obtained, short distances involving consistent stopping provide the least possibility of successful operation.
'To ensure' theutmost success, and to limitso far as possible undue loss of power, the following engine modifications are considered essential by our engineers:—
(1) Increase of compression ratio; (2) Greater freedom of entry for gas to cylinders; (3) Considerable advance of ignition timing.
In the case of Commer and Ranier power units those requirements cannot be met by the alteration of existing parts, but in our efforts to assist users to obtain the best results from any conversion they may undertake, we have prepared special cylinder heads, inlet manifolds and manually operated ignition controls. Further, where maximum loads are carried, or hilly country has to be negotiated, a reduction of axle ratio is desirable.
In the event of new chassis being ordered which are to be operated on producer gas, we will, if this be specified on the original order, supply a lower-ratio rear axle, but we are quite unable to undertake 'engine modifications, and must restrict our offer only to the supply of conversion units.
We cannot take responsibility of any kind for the fitting or behaviour of such apparatus, or any effect it may have on the vehicle or its performance, but we can say, with confidence, that the various measures suggested and provided for by us will be of marked assistance in ensuring that the best results are given within the limitations of the particular gas producer concerned.
Our service department will deal with all matters relating to gas-producer installations, including the supply of special parts and assemblies available for various models, and it will welcome inquiries from all
interested users. N. AKROYD.
Luton. For COMMER CARS, LTD.
/5 GAS-PRODUCER FUEL TOO DEAR?
WE read in your issue of January 13, in the article vv beginning on page 542, concerning gas producers, that the price of fuel works out at the equivalent of petrol at 5d. per gallon. You say that from 12 to 14 pounds of fuel are equivalent to one gallon of petrol. Working on this aseumption, it would appear that the cost of fuel is 3s. 4d. per cwt., i.e., (1(1s. 8d. per ton. We shall be interested to know whether fuel is available at this price.
From our own inquiries we find that the price of the low-temperature coke which has now been put on the market for this purpose is Ns. 8d. per ton, including the percentage of cost of bags, which has to be paid by the consumer. The equivalent cost per gallon on this price works out at 7id. per gallon, i.e„ an increase of 45 per cent. on the figure you give. We understand from the Low Temperature Carbonisation Co., which is producing this fuel, that the price of anthracite for the same purpose has also been fixed at a similar price, but we have not investigated this, as we do not consider that, for lorry work, this fuel is so suitable.
As fuel merchants ourselves, it seems to us that the price asked for the fuel is extremely high—we should have expected the price to be about 60s. or so—and we shall be glad to have your views on this matter, as it would seem either that the price now asked for fuel is exorbitant or that the original ideas on this subject held by those concerned in the promotion. of gas producers has been somewhat over optimistic.
HERBKRT S. CLARKE, Director.
(For Herbert W. Clarke and Sons (Erith), Ltd.) Erith.
[The figure of fuel cost given by Colonel W. A. Bristow at the meeting to which we referred in our issue of January 13 was in terms of b.h.p., not tons. He stated AU
that the price had been brought down to approximately a halfpenny per b.h.p.-hour. He also said that he did not consider the cost excessive, because it was essential to maintain a very high standard of quality. It is actually difficult to assess solid fuel cost in terms of petrol in gallons, as one has to allow for the loss of power with producer gas, but the equivalent figure that we gave in terms of petrol price was that stated by the Brush Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd., in its booklet on the Brush-Koela producer. It may be that this price has changed since the booklet was produced. In any case, even if it be as high as the 71d. which you mention, it would compare very favourably with the present cost of petrol, and there is no guarantee that the latter will remain at the figure of is. 1.0(1.1 in fact, there is every reason to believe that it will rise far higher than this if the war continues for a long period. It must be remembered that at the conc:usion of the war of .1914-18 the price of petrol was something like 5s. per gallon, whereas there is little likelihood of suitable fuel for gas producers rising in anything like the same ratio.—En.1
IS THE LEFT-HAND DRIVING POSITION PREFERABLE?
NOTICE from your "Passing Comments" that LIAr. John Walton, of S.P.D., Ltd., is proposing to put a batch of new vehicles on the road with left-hand steering, and I feel certain that, during the present " black-out" times, once his drivers have become used to'the new driving position they will not want to return to right:hand control, even in normal times.
My own experience may be of interest. During the past war I was with No. S Squadron R.A.F. for four years in France. Originally we worked closely with the artillery, later with the tanks, and we had wireless operators attached to the battery 0.P.s. This necessitated taking up and replacing aerial masts, etc. Dozens of times I had to drive a Crossley tender myself in a complete black-out (no lamps whatsOever), along roads which, during daylight, were under enemy machine-gun fire and observation. It was possible to do this only by the fact that one could lean over the side (driving on the right-hand side of the road) and follow the ditch.
Again, practically the whole of the M.T. in France (as is the case now) had the driver by the kerb side, and because of this the men could get along in darkness and fog, any time, anywhere.
The point of overtaking or drawing out is certainly a disadvantage, but it is very soon overcome, especially if a good rear-view mirror and signal arms be fitted_
ALFRED H. BLACKWELL, M.I.M.T.,
London, NA, Director, Smith and Blackwell, Ltd:
WITH reference to Mr. John Walton's suggestion that the driver's position should be on the near side of the vehicle, This idea appears to have several advantages over the present system, but why not change the rule of the road and drive on the right.
The idea of the driver being on the near side of his vehicle would be a great advantage in fog and black-out, he would be able to follow the side of the road better and stand a better chance of seeing pedestrians.
The disadvantage with this suggestion appears to be in overtaking. As I have no reasonable ideas for this I hope that you will forgive we for being a little fantastic in sending two thoughts that I had after reading the above suggestion : (I) Fit amber, green and .red lights at the back of the vehicle, to be automatically controlled by an invisible-ray projector mounted on the off side and arranged so that the rear warning lights would be changed by oncoming traffic; (2) by fitting a periscope. E. C. COOK. Helvedon.