Contributions from Drivers and Mechanics.
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TEN SHILLINGS WEEKLY for the Best Communication Received, and One Penny a Line of ten words for any thing else published.
Drivers of commercial-motor vehices and tractors, and mechanics and foremen of garages or shops, are invited to send short contributions on any subject which is likely to prove of interest to our readers. Workshop tips and smart repairs ; long and successful runs ; interesting
photographs : all ore suitable subjects. Send is post-card, or a letter, or a sketch to us—no ;natter how short,or how written, or how worded. We will "knock it into shape" and prepare sketches, where necessary, before publication. The absence of a sketch does not disqualify for a prize. When writing use one side of the paper only and mention your employer's name as a guarantee of bona fides. Neither your own nor your employer's name well be disclosed. Payment will be made immediately after publication. Address our letters to The Editor, THE CONINIERC/AL MOTOR, 7.15, Rosebery Avenue, London, E.C.
The Future Three-tonner-A Driver's Opinion.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the 10s. -ise this week.
[706] " J.M." (Battersea) gives his opinion below on the subject of the future three-tonner—a subject which is being discussed at the present time in the correspondence columns of this journal : " With regard to the discussinn which is going on in your paper relative to the future three-tonner and to the possibilities of petrol-motor lorries, I should like to give a few ideas as a commercial-vehicle driver of six-years experience, with eight different types of machines. I would suggest the following vehicle as being that most suitable for this country.
The chassis should be built to come within the fourton-tare limit, but it should be designed and built to carry four or five tons, as I believe that the majority of buyers can do with the extra-carrying capacity at times. I believe I am correct in saying that running costs are roughly proportionate to weight carried. So far as the main specifications of this machine are concerned, I would suggest a 40 h.p. motor with four separate cylinders. This should be fitted with forced lubrication to all bearings, and there should be large inspection doors on each side of the crank chamber ; circulation of the cooling water must be by means of a positive pump, and the tubular radiator should have detachable top and bottom headers. Bosch H.T. magneto; gravity-fed petrol; governor control with a hand cut-off (similar to that of the Albion engines); a large leather-faced cone clutch, made adjustable like a Milnes-Daimler ; and a good clutchstop, are other features which I would embody.
" The hand control that I have suggested should be arranged with a lever of the Renault type on the lefthand side under the steering wheel. The gearbox should have four speeds forward and a reverse, and the gear ratios might very well give road speeds of 4, 8. 12, and 16 m.p.h. at the engine's normal speed. A eardan shaft and a worm-drive should complete the transmission. The wheels should all be of equal sire, and 36 in. by 5 in. tires on the front and 36 in. by 10 in tires on the back wheels should give good results. A set of front-wheel brakes should he operated by a pedal, and a set of rearwheel brakes of large diameter should be controlled by a hand-lever.
" The rake of the steering column and the pull-on type of brake-lever might well be modelled on those of the X-type chassis. The change-speed gear must, of ormrse, be of the gate type; the pedals should be comfortably arranged and should be similar to those on the Rolls-Royce touring car. A wheelbase 12 ft. long, and an extra-good steering lock, which should be carefully arranged to give the same radius on both locks, are both points which require attention. The petrol tank should have a capacity for a 100-mile run at one filling. I should like to emphasize one point in particular, and that. is that
the average driver of a petrol-machine is able to drive and to care for his vehicle and to take charge and deliver his load with the aid of a decent-sized boy ; on the other hand, all steamers for transport and delivery work require two men and a boy. The petrol vehicle can cover a larger area in a given time, and I think, taking all in all, the teamer has not a leg to stand on ' in comparison."
Not Easily "Stumped."
[7971" J.L." (Great Malvern) writes:---" I was recently unfortunate enough to have an accident with a passenger motor vehicle which I was driving, and this resulted in a broken steering arm; it snapped ' clean in two ' between the steering-gear box and the first ball joint. Of course_ at first I naturally thought that I had put an end to my run, as I could not see any way of repairing the brake or of improvising a temporary makeshift, so that I might get along home I wanted a blacksmith's shop more tham. anything else, and that was like wishing for the moon, as. T happened to be in the middle of a. common. I at first thought of splicing the arm with a spanner, hut that looked rather dangerous. All my insets were a bag of tools, a jack, a Lucas pump and a tin of carbide. Even the indispensable piece of copper wire was missing. It was only after a few moments that it struck me that might use my Lucas pump, which had a tubular handle that telescoped on to the pump when not in use. It did not take me long to make up my mind. I knocked the, cap out of the end of the tubular piece and slipped the latter on to the top half of the broken steering arm_ I then forced the bottom half of the arm up into positioir as well. In order to keep these two in position in the sleeve I strapped the steering rod itself loosely on to tile front road spring."
"Welsh Steam Coal Sold Here."
L798] " TI).' (Canning Town) writes : "1 read with interest your leading article on the subject of steam-coal and water depots on the highway, which appeared in your issue for the 10th November. The letter from ' J.S.' (St. Albans) [No. 789.—Em], which presumably gave rise to your comment, is, of course, of interest to all steamwagon drivers. The principal difficulty, with which we drivers meet on the road, is that of obtaining eleau water ; eepetially is this true in and around London. Exorbitant charges are now made for it at places which hat e gradually veme to be recognized as regular stopping-pinees:. It seems very hard to me that a driver should have to stop at a public-house, and there have to spend money, which he in the ordinary way would not have to spend, in order that he can get water for his wagon. To make matters worse, it is very difficult. oftentimes in many of these places to obtain water unless the driver is prepared to buy same beer.' Phe ostler, too, always has to he tipped. Of course the only receipt that is obtainable, and which it is necessary for the driver to produce to his OWIler, is that for the water charge. This state of affairs is a great hardship to me and to many other drivers that I know, as it is frequently a difficult matter to recover the money so spent. without the production of a formal receipt. I think that the C.M.U.A. could do a lot of good by arranging emengst its members to supply water at a lair price to those drivers who happen to be in their 'district. This is bound to be cheaper than if the water is made available by the local authorities, as, of course, the turncock has to be paid for as well as the water. I do not suppose ‘ve shall ever arrive at a state of affairs when the drinking-trolighs will be turned over for the use of steamers. 1 have found, to my cost, that the drivers themselves are in ninny cases to Idame for the difficulty which is now experienced in getting water. As an instance of what I mean, I must tell volt that I was recently at a well-known brewery, where I had been allowed to take water in the past without any charge, but on this occasion I was politely told that no more water would be given under any condition whatever. lipun asking the cause, I was informed that a driver who had recently taken water there had cleaned his fire and asbpan and had left all the dirt behind him. He had also stolen a. new pail which had been placed there for the convenience of drivers. The firm for which I worked used to give free water to drivers, until one of them pulled into the yard and there dropped his fusible plug, and this mishap caused the yard to he blocked for n couple of hours. In consequence, other drivers lost the privilege.
" I have not had so much trouble in the matter of obtaining coal, as I find that good progress can be made when burning ordinary coal that is supplied by dealers, provided that some intelligent change is made in the method of tiring. Welsh coal can be thrown on the fire anyhow, and it gives no trouble, but this is not so with ordinary coal; when using the latter, a bright fire depends upon light and frequent feeding. The blower shoeld not be used when ordinary coal is burned, as it makes too fierce a fire and yields so much clinker. It will always be an advantage to a driver if he can buy a sack of coke to be mixed with the ordinary coal, as it keeps the fire open and stops the coal from clinkering. As soon as the fire begins to look a bit dull, it should be cleaned and a short stoppago should be made until a bright fire is again obtainerl "
A Satisfied Driver.
1.7991 " C.13." (New Cross) writes:—" I am a constant reader of the C.M.,' and I thought I should like to give you a few notes about my wagon, of which I send you a photograph. [This is reproduced below.—ED.] I have been for four years driving for the Eastern Motor Wagon Co., Ltd., and in the whole of that time I. can remember nothing in the nature of a serious breakdown_ The only things that I have had new on the machine are one or two piston rings, and several new boiler tubes about six months ago. I think this is a very-good record of reliable running. I am, at the time of writing this letter, carryout a pretty-stiff job, which consists of carting stone from a yard in Vauxhall to Higham, four miles the other side of Canterbury. This is a journey of 66 miles each way. I have been doing three journeys each week, and up to the present have been on the job for four weeks; this makes a mileage of le584 miles for the month, which, in view of the fact that the roads have recently been in poor condition after the night frosts, I consider to he a very-good performance; it has ' made her speak the truth going up some of the hills. Each load I have had has scaled between eight and nine tons. I will let you know the total mileage when I have completed the contract. I should only like to add that this is the wagon which was awarded second prize, and a Foden Special at the last parade, a record of which I am proud.
" In view of the recent discussion about supplies of Welsh steam coal on the road, I should like to say that 1, amongst other drivers, would very much like to see a few coal boards displayed, much in the same way that the country is now plastered with petrol notices. To have to carry a large supply of coal on a long journey is a veryserious consideration at all times. I hope some owners will mist. you To do something in this matter."