A Versatile Electrically Operated Lorry.
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WE recently described, and also illustrated, a, new chassis eqUpped with a bus body which had been invented by Mr. J. B. Parker' general Manager and engineer of the Toes-side Raiitess Traction Board, and which was equipped with a trolley-pole to enable it to pick up current from an overhead wire where such 'a system was laid down, and, moreover, had a petrol motor end dynamo, which could be employed to produce the current necessary for energizing the electric motors for propulsion when the vehicle was required to operate ontsidc the radius of such ix system.
• We are now informed by the directors of Railless, Ltd., of Whitehall House, 29t30, Charing Cross, London, S.W.1, that they also have produced a combined petrol-electric and trolley freight car, thus employing the same principle. It has been produced in order to meet the particular requirements of Mr. Donald McColl, general manager of the Shanghai Electric Construction Co., Ltd., and was recently shipped to Shanghai for service to and from the docks.
We are able to illustrate the vehicle, but it is seen without the trolley base or double booms which will form part ' of the equipment, as these will be fitted on arrival of the vehicle at Shanghai. ; This freight car is designed to derive its power from the overhead wires on established trolley-bus routes, the auxiliary source of motive power enabling the vehicle to be free to operate tinder its own power where current from a central generating station is not available.
The vehicle will be seen to be equipped with a patent freight-handling gear for both side and end loading, the gear being operated electrically. A mechanically operated tarpaulin cover is provided to give complete weather protection to the freight. Yet another fea tura of the extremely interesting machine is that the body is fitted with an end-tipping gear, a platform behind the driver's cab acting as a. control station for loading, unloading and tipping. The bodywork is of steel, as is also the driver's .cab.