Passing Comments

24th September 1954, Page 80

24th September 1954

Page 80

Page 81

Page 80, 24th September 1954 — Passing Comments

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,Photographic Records of Bodies

A N interesting and useful record system is being employed by a Scottish coachhuilding concern at Wishaw. Most of their products are to special order and they have been faced with the keeping ofidong descriptions of constructional details.

To reduce these to easier dimensions and, at the same time, to enable the progress of construction to he visualized, a photographic method has been instituted. Each job is photographed at the-front, side and rear as an external record, whilst progress pictures are taken as the various stages are completed. The negatives are carefully filed so that reference to them can be made promptly.

The system may appear rather costly, but in practice it has proved simple and straightforward, the work being done by a member of the company who is actually engaged on coachwork. He is thus competent to decide when the photographs should be

c14 taken and what details to stress. Excellent result have been obtained with quite a simple camera.

This photographic library has also proved invalu able in showing prospective buyers how their vehicle are likely to appear when finished. It also gives then an idea as to the care with which the coachbuildin, is carried out.

Economy in Show Business

THE well-known show, "Oklahoma," will tour 14 American cities by road. Only the econom permitted by road transport will allow this to tak place, for otherwise travel by train would hay involved the additional expense of conveyanc between the stations and the theatres.

Highway Express Lines of Philadelphia has agreed to carry the cast of 60 persons, costume scenery and properties, and coaches and articulate vehicles will he employed on this task.

Tar Oxidation in Roads

MANY of our most impertant roads now have a tarmacadam surface. One of the difficulties vith some tars, however, has been their liability to )xidize. The Road Research Laboratory have been nvestigating this matter and have carried out a lumber of experiments on methods by which this ;hemical action can be obviated or reduced.

As a result two processes have been suggested; one s to wash the tars with aqueous caustic soda to emove any phenolic constituents. The second is to tontrol the oxidation by employing a catalyst. In his case, contact between the catalyst and the tars s assisted by the use of air under pressure.

Our Suicide Alleys

THE chairman of the National Roads Board of

New Zealand, Mr. F. M. H. Hanson, has been visiting Britain. On his return, he described to his Board the experiences which he had had during his stay. These may have been enjoyable in some ways, but not as regards driving.

One of his strongest comments was that the middle lane in a three-lane highway was a suicide alley" for drivers. He told the Board, in fact, that he would strongly oppose such roads in New Zealand because he did not intend to become a murderer. He added that such roads should never be tolerated in his country.