The Conference on Roads.
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The conference between road makers and road users was opened, at Olympia, on Friday afternoon last, under the 4thairmanship of Sir John Wolfe Barry. We write "opened" advisedly, as the proceedings were limited by considerations of time, space and incomplete organisation. A small room, with seating accommodation for less than half of the attendance, did not conduce to anybody's comfort : neither did it lend Colour to the supposition that any sustained debate would be possible. The nine papers were taken as read— the only practicable course, and this brought forth a grumble from many of those present that they had not received advance copies. No definite programme had been arranged, beyond the submission of two -resolutions by Mr. H. Percy Boulnois, M.Inst.C.E., and these motions, which were adopted amidst some confusion, provided for the appointment of a joint-committee of road makers and road users, and the establishment of a small executive committee to deal with the preliminary details affecting the formation and functions of proposed larger committee.
Passing to the somewhat desultory and discursive discussion which ensued, a lack of secretarial or presidential direction marred the already small chances of an intent or critical treatment of the views that had been advanced in the papers. Motions and suggestions were made as to how the business should be conducted, but successivespeakers took their own lines. We do not hold that the hour and a half, from 3 o'clock to 4.30 p.m., was fruitless, for some of the speeches were most instructive, hut everything was spasmodic except the tendency to concentrate upon the -tarring of roads and road metal. Views of the most diverse character were advanced on this subject, quite the most interesting one being the expression of fear that any regular demand will send up the price of coal-tar to a prohibitive -extent. Sir John Wolfe Barry, and, later, Sir John T. Thornycroft, struggled with an awkward situation, and the ulti
mate action of the meeting in adjourning the conference to an-other occasion was the wisest of decisions. It is expected that two days will be set aside for the purpose of a full discussion, and that the Institution of Civil Engineers will lend its -large hall in Great George Street, Westminster, for the purpose.
The joint Honorary Secretaries, Messrs. Gibson Thompson, Editor of " The Surveyor," and Mr. W. Rees.Jeffrcys, Secretary of the Motor Union and the Commercial Users' Association, are to he heartily congratulated on one thing : they have, for the first time, succeeded in bringing together two supposedly antagonistic groups for the purpose of friendly -discussion and a mutual interchange of views. We can only repeat our expression of regret that they did not find it possible to work up a better agenda for last Friday's meeting, at which not even a Press table had been provided! We begin -our report of the papers elsewhere in this issue,
The Naming of Parts.
The diversity of the names which are given to the same component parts of motor vehicles,by makers and 'agents, leads to considerable confusion in the mindsof many users, some of whom, having no previous experience with petrol engines and change-speed mechanisms, are not in --a position to grasp the meaning of a number of the terms applied. A prospective buyer, at the recent Olympia and Agricultural Hall shows, was not a little perplexed, after hearing one exhibitor refer to the "crank-case," to hear the next maker whom he visited refer to the same part as the " bed-plate," whilst visits to other stands-called up such names as " crankchamber," " crank-pot," and " base-chamber." Another example may be given " ignition plug " generally conveys the impression that the -ordinary high-tension sparking plug with fixed points is meant, yet we have heard the term applied to the casting on which all the make-and-break gear is mounted, and in which the low-tension-magneto insulated plug is fitted, though other makers refer to the whole of the parts assembled on this plug as the " make-and-breakplug," or the " L.T. cylinder plug." Again, the rods which operate the make-and-break, and also the rods which open the inlet and exhaust valves, are variously designated " trip_ rods,'' " lifting-rods," " valve-rods," " tappet-rods," and by one maker the term " valve-pushers "is used. We note, further, that the casting enclosing the change-speed gearwheels and shafts is referred to by some makers as the gear-case," whilst others prefer " gear-box " or " gearpot " : next, the names given to the rods, by which:all changes of gear-ratio are effected, are at least four in number, viz., the " selector rods," the " striking-nods," the " shifting-rods " and the "change-speed-rods." The most confusing terms, perhaps, which we have heard, are those applied by various makers to the divided, or ACkermann type of leading axle : the short, jointed portion of the axle, on which the wheel rotates, is referred to by different makers as the "pivoted-arm," the " axle-arm," the " steeringarm," the " stud-axle," the " stub-axk," or the " Ackermann-axle." Other parts, which are the possessors of many names, are the rods which maintain the true radial distance between the countershaft and back-axle, or between gear box and back-axle, and which, in most cases, transmit the driving effort through the main frame, thus pushing the vehicle along : these are referred to as the " radius-rods," the " thrust-rods," the "anchor-rods," "the perch-bars," or the " reach-bars," according to the fancy of individual designers and salesmen.
We cannot, while admitting that most of the names are suitable ones, see why there should be such a variety of them applied to one part. The Council of the Institution of Automobile Engineers might do a less useful service for the trade, and motor users as a body, than to take in hand the naming Of component parts, with a view to the regular application, throughout the whole of the trade, of one name only to any one part. The names should be as short as possible, and, at the same time, they should at once convey the desired impression to the mind of a maker or user. We feel sure than such an understanding would make the ordering of spare parts a much simpler matter in many instances than it is at present, and would do much to avoid delay in despatch, due to misunderstanding or mis-quotation of the names by which they are known to the makers, a course which users persist in following, notwithstanding the general practice of numbering all parts.
Brighter Times for London Motorbuses.
It is a well-known fact that the receipts of both horsedrawn and self-propelled omnibuses in London barely enable their owners to make both ends meet during the winter months. These vehicles suffer rather heavily in comparison with the electric tramcars, owing to the fact that the London County Council has statutory powers permitting it to use an enclosed upper deck, subject to the approval of the Board of Trade officials, whereas New Scotland Yard does not look favourably upon the canopied motorbus. The result is that the average winter conditions which obtain in London drive a large proportion of fair-weather patrons into the bowels of the earth, or into the County Council tramcars. Exactly how long operating companies will en-dure this prejudicial circumstance we are unable to say, but we believe that the three principal factors which contribute to its continuance are all capable of removal. The factors which at present weigh against the fitting of canopies are : (a) the supposition that top-heaviness and a tendency to overturn would be dangerously increased, a supposition which is entirely fallacious; (h) the fear of the proprietors that prohibitive extra wear and tear upon the tires would result, a consideration which improvements in manufacture are rapidly proVingwill be without support for much
longer ; and (c) the unsightly appearance and alleged interference with the view of frontages, a hyper-official view, and one which does not in fact obtain to any appreciable extent amongst householders. The canopied or enclosed motorbus will assuredly come, but whether as a double-deck, or as an enlarged single-deck vehicle of the char-a-bancs type, remains to be seen.
There is, however, quite apart from finer weather and lengthening days, a growing belief that the London General Omnibus Company may fall into line as regards a limited adjustment of fares in the Metropolis. It is premature to say that such an arrangement between London's numerous passenger-carrying interests will be settled, but the recent improvement in the quotations for the shares of the company named suggest that credence should be given to City reports on the subject. An all-round reduction of from 15 to zo per cent, in the distance for which the humble penny now allows a passenger in a London motorbus to travel would have a generally beneficial effect : it would provide the necessary margin to enable the companies to work their businesses upon lasting and sound lines, and it would still leave the penny stage considerably longer than was the case when the London Motor Omnibus Company came into the field with its cutting operations two years ago. The inner policy of the L.G.O. Company is not easily changed, and any departure from its previous inclination to keep down fares so as to " starve out " the newer undertakings will be a certain indication of concerted action all round.
The general position of affairs in the London motorbus world is gradually assuming definite and clear shape. The combination of the good points in the old traffic and the new engineering branches are being steadily if slowly merged into a working whole and the huge expenses incidental to all experimental work' are surely lessening. It is also certain that the drivers are settling to their work in a much more consistent fashion : one sees much less rash driving, and little or no evidence of the bad manipulation which was noticeable last summer. With a growing proportion of trained personnel at their disposal, and with falling repair bills, it is to be hoped that the principal companies will look about them to place fresh contracts for batches of new vehicles. The programme of conversion to mechanical traction having been adopted, there can be no slackening or turning back. Neither is there any occasion for hesitancy, having regard to the marvellous expansion of Greater London, the insatiable demand of the public for more travelling facilities, and the remarkable simplification of operating control that petrol-electric transmission now confers.