OPINIONS and QUERIES Coach Operators Financing Wasteful Competition by Railways. May a Plain clothes Policeman Stop a Van?
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Engine timing Rules Specially Light Semitrailers Sometimes Justified. Percentage Allowances in Sub-hiring. Licensing Vehicles fo r Business and Pleasure
RESTRICTION ON COACH DUPLICATION.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[4469] Sir,—I am wondering if Mr. C. Y. Lloyd is right in assuming a weakening of the Minister's attitude on long-distance coach duplication because of his statement in the Ministry letter of December 31: "It will, of course, always be open to the Commissioners to adjust the number of duplications authorized on good reasons being shown to them for so doing." This does not mean that the Commissioners will dare to disregard Order 54.
That statement was made by the Minister in a paragraph in which he explained that the North-Western Area Commissioners had limited duplication in accordance with that Order, whereas, on the same service, the Metropolitan Commissioner authorized, at certain periods, even lesser vehicle journeys than the standard set up by Order 54, and it is with regard to those lesser numbers that the Minister says the Commissioners are open to make adjustments, and if he had added the words "up to the maximum set up under Order 54," the matter would have been emphasized, although it is clear, to my mind, now.
The Minister, in September, 1933, made it perfectly clear that he made the Order to protect " backbone " services of the railway, and he felt it a matter of national necessity to maintain the railways on a sound financial footing.
• That decision was arrived at when railway finances wereat a certain level, and the Minister has seen no reason to depart from his original decision on the later appeals. It is open to every company concerned to make applications -to-day for licences to continue these services, without those conditions as to vehicle duplication, on the basis of the changed circumstances that have arisen from the increased number of passenger journeys made on the railways.
If the. railways contend that the journeys have increased to the detriment of their revenue, or only at increased operation cost, then, perhaps, the Minister would fake the opportunity of explaining that the Act aims at the prevention of such wasteful competition, and if the railways indulge in it, although he has no power to control the railways,. he will not exercise his right to regulate road transport to finance wasteful competition on the part of the railways.
Many operators, too, can now show that this Order, aimed to protect the railways on these terminal-toterminal facilities, where good rail facilities certainly exist, does, in fact, protect them from and to the inter
mediate points where there are inferior rail services and where it has been held that no protection can be justifiably claimed.
The existent booking practices on road services result in the terminal-to-terminal passengers obtaining all the accommodation, whilst the prospective passengers from places between the 'terminals are, unfortunately, kept out—and have no comparable travel facilities available.
F. A. Fuer, Director, London, S.E.4. M.T. Co. (Motor Coaches), Ltd.
THE RIGHTS OF POLICE IN PLAIN CLOTHES.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[4470] Sir,—In your issue dated December 21, under the heading "Drivers' Right to See Police Badge," you state that" Drivers of motor vehicles on the public highways, if stopped for any reason by a policeman in plain clothes, are legally entitled to demand the production of a badge or warrant of identitiy," and you give as your authority a recent statement by the Home Secretafy in the House of Commons. Will you be good enough to tell us whether a policeman in plain clothes has a right to stop a motorvan in motion and, if so, under what Act of Parliament?
THE ASSOCIATED BISCUIT MANUFACTURERS, LTD.
London, S.E.16. •
[The position is that a policeman in plain clothes has 'a right to stop a motorvan in motion if he has reason" to believe that the law is being infringed, but the driver is not obliged to stop, and cannot be prosecuted for failing to do so. Although it does not appear to be specified in so many words in any Act of Parliament, every policeman has a general duty of seeing that the law is observed, and of taking the necessary steps to prevent it being infringed, whether he be in uniform or in plain clothes. Sub-section (3) of Section 20 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, provides that any person driving a motor vehicle on a road shall stop the vehicle on being so required by a police constable in uniform, and if he fails so to do he is liable to a fine not exceeding five pounds.—ED.]
WHERE SPECIALLY LIGHT SEMI-TRAILERS ARE JUSTIFIED.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR. [4471] Sir,—With reference to our letter which you published in your issue dated January 18, regarding the test of the Morris-Commercial with T.T.A. Dragon semitrailer, we would like to make it quite clear that our statements appertaining to unladen weight referred specifically to our standard production under test. 3341
In publication No. 183 of Messrs. Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd., it is certainly stated that non-detachable semi-trailers of approved design come within the un laden weight limit of 3 tons with the Morris-Commercial tractor, and, as approved makers, we do make a light semi-trailer to conform with that unladen-weight limit. Experience tends to prove that the majority of operators prefers to buy the full construction on account of longer life, trouble-free service and the margin of safety afforded under the most arduous working conditions.
There are occasional instances where—due perhaps to the impossibility of obtaining the necessary excess ton nage permit—the benefit of the articulated transport can still be obtained with a lighter form of semi-trailer.
Then, it will be obvious, there are certain limitations which, if conditions permit, might well be taken in view. of the lower rate of tax.
Perhaps you will be good enough to publish this letter to make it Clear that we have a lighter form to qualify the declaration of a complete vehicle under 3 tons un laden. T. M. PATTERSON, For TRUCK AND TRACTOR APPLIANCE CO.
(MANCHESTER), LTD.
London, S.W.1.
SUB-HIRING BY CONTRACTORS, The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[4472] Sir,—Will you please forward me your book "Guide to London Wharves and Docks," and include your Tables of Operating Costs.
Could you inform me what percentage of the usual 4s. per hour for 30-cwt, vans is allowed by the London , Motor contractors when they hire to each other? At the present moment I have a class B licence for a Morris 3-cwt. van, for which I charge 3s. per hour. This is frequently on hire to a contractor who pays me 3s. per hour, he gets 4s. per litrour, the same as his 30-cwt.
vans. How would I charge him were I to operate a 30-cwt van, when, of course, I should charge 4s. per hoer to the ordinary customer? HIRER.
London, E.5.
[The maximum percentage which is allowed by one haulage contractor to another in the circumstances you name is 10. The case you mention is not one for a maximum percentage, since there is insufficient profit in the operation of a 30-cwt. vehicle at 4s. per hour to allow of more than 5 per cent., which is all that you can reasonably
THE TIMING OF A PETROL ENGINE.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[4473] Sir,—I should be glad if you could let me have some information on the practical timing of petrol and oil engines utilized in heavy commercial vehicles.
Dorking. G. H. GILLMAN.
[To time the ignition of a petrol engine, determine first the firing order (usually 1, 3, 4, 2 for a four-cylinclered engine). Set the engine with No. 1 piston at the top of the stroke with both valves closed and the exhaust about to open at approximately four-fifths of the way down the next stroke. Turn the armature of the contactbreaker-distributor rotor until the contact points are in the act of separating (in the fully retarded position) and the brush is opposite the distributor contact, wired to No. 1 sparking plug. Wire No. 3 sparking plug to the next contact, No. 4 to the next, and so on, according to the firing order. Then couple up the drive. Final adjustment of the contact-breaker timing should he made by experimenting in conjunction with road tests. In the case of an oil engine, the proctdure is similar, except that the order of injection-pump plunger operation is the same as the firing order. Therefore, pump No. 1. is connected to cylinder No. 1, pump No. 2 to cylinder B42 No. 2, and so on, regardless of firing order. To ascertain when injection commences, fully open the control valve, disconnect pipe line from No. 1 pump and turn pump shaft slowly, watching the fuel in the union. The fuel begins to rise a moment before injection commences. The commencement of injection corresponds with the separating of the contact points with electric ignition. It is, of course, best to time an engine to the maker'stiming diagram. If you do not possess one for the engine in question, or are unable to obtain one, a large number has been published in The Commercial Motor road-test reports, so we could probably supply you with the information. After disconnecting the fuel piping between injectors and injection pumps, always take precautions to disperse any air that may be in the pipe, by rotating the engine before finally connecting the injector union.— En.]
HOW A MECHANIC CAN KEEP UP TO DATE.
The Editor, THE COT,IMERCIAL MOTOR.
[4474] Sir,—I am a motor engineer by trade, but left this work shortly after my time was up. I have now returned to the industry after a lapse of eight years, but feel that I am not a qualified mechanic. The fitting does not worry me. It is knowledge of ignition and carburetter faults and how to trace and cure same which I require, also information on oil engines, of which I have had no experience.
I would be much obliged if you could advise me as to the best books to read up, their prices and where they
can be obtained. M.C. Paisley.
[The best all-round book that you can obtain would be " The Motor Manual," price 2s. 6d. (2s. 10d. by post). For a more comprehensive work on lighting and ignition we recommend "The Motor Electrical Manual," price 2s. 6d, (2s. 9d. by post). You can obtain full information on oil engines from "Compression Ignition Engines, for Road Vehicles," price 2s. 6d. (2s. 9d. by post). All these are published by Temple Press Ltd., 5-15 Rosebery Avenue, London, E.C.I.—En.] OPERATORS WHO DO NOT REALIZE THAT THEY REQUIRE CARRIERS' LICENCES.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[4475] Sir,—Will you kindly give me your advice on the following matter? In connection with our business as "Newsagents and General Mixed," we run a motoreyile and sidecar. We have occasionally to go out to other towns around for goods, and on one or two occasions we have been asked to bring back goods for other tradespeople. In The Commercial Motor dated January 4, I saw a report of a tradesman being summoned for not having a Class C licence. Do we really need one for our outfit, as it is insured for both business and pleasure?
think that the above query will be of interest to other people using such machines for their business.
Harrogate. NEWSAGENT.
[If you employ a motorcycle' and sidecar for the carriage of your goods, you must obtain a Class C licence, but this would not permit you to carry goods for other tradespeople. To combine this work, you would require a Class B licence to enable you to operate as a limited carrier.—ED.]
SERVING THE INDUSTRY.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[4476] Sir,—We thank you for your reply to our lengthy inquiry. Your valuable information and assistance are very much appreciated.
Beattock. R. ec W. JARDINE.