Earls Court, 1964

25th September 1964, Page 89

25th September 1964

Page 89

Page 89, 25th September 1964 — Earls Court, 1964

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THREE distinct trends of major importance arise from the vehicle exhibits at the Commercial Motor Show which opens in London today. They are: the provision of much better cabs; the emergence of handbrakes capable of producing at least a 25 per cent efficiency; and the provision of more powerful engines.

Whether a cab tilts or not is not necessarily a major issue when compared with driver comfort; it is on this latter score that the new cabs must be judged, and on this they deserve full marks. Much care and thought have gone into the designs, which offer vast improvements in visibility and comfort. It remains to be seen whether they are as quiet as they are comfortable; but one can reasonably expect road tests to show an equivalent increase in noise control. At last British vehicles can be said to he generally ahead of their Continental rivals in cab design.

The cynical might point to the Construction and Use (Amendment) Regulations which came into effect a month ago and remark that the handbrakes improvement was " inevitable " since minimum efficiency is now 25 per cent. It is an important advance, none the less, and The Commercial Motor hopes it will mark the start of a steady improvement in braking performances.

Probably the most intriguing trend is that towards larger power units and the emergence of vee-form, high-speed diesels. However, it is not easy to determine what real advance has taken place since gross train weights on the new models are higher than on most existing units. These, too, must await test assessment.

Bul never mind the reservations: this is a splendid Show. The best, we venture to say, since pre-war days. No-one should miss it.