Meeting the Requirements of a Large User.
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TT IS often considered a debatable point as to -kwhether the user or the manufacturer is better qualified to insist on certain features of design or of unit arrangement. In the main, we are inclined to the belief that the final say in the matter can usually be left with safety to the maker, as he is able to study existing conditions taken in the mass, and it is obviously impossible exactly to meet individual requirements without greatly upsetting the routine of production and• exercising a detrimental influence on price. • On the other, hand, there is much to be said for the user in a big way of business who has, perhaps, had many years of experience in the• employment of numerous chassis, and has, consequently, gained important and valuable knowledge of their good and bad points. There is nothing that cannot be bettered, and therefore the manufacturer should pay the utmost attention to criticisms and suggestions from users who are in a position to possess such knowledge.
It is undoubtedly the case that in some chassis the influence of the drawing office, as apart from experience gained by, practical usage, preponderates. A clean design is apt to be regarded as more important than one in which accessibility and the easy replacement of parts are primary considerations. Cleanness of design is certainly desirable, but other and more important factors should not be sacrificed to it. We are not referring to small details which, whilst perhaps of importance in themselves, are, when considered in relation to the general design, of little moment, but of such important features as the separate location of the gearbox and engine, as against the unit form of construction.
In this connection we shall publish, in our next Issue, an article dealing with a case in which a well-known user with a large fleet would only order a certain make of chassis on the condition that this was modified in several important respects, and, rather than let a good order be lost, the maker In question acceded to this request and built a number of special chassis, at a slightly increased cost, which have now been running for several months and giving every satisfaction.
From the point of view of this particular user, we believe that the request was justified. There was nothing to prevent him purchasing the chassis elsewhere, and chassis which, perhaps, were already more in agreement with the user's ideal design; but, so far as mechanical soundness of construction and the success of running were concerned, the standard model of this chassis had proved most satisfactory, and the user was loth to place the order elsewhere if such a procedure could be avoided.
As a general policy, however, we think that it would be unfair to the average manufacturer to force upon him changes in design which might not appeal to the majority of users, and we would like to suggest to our readers that, where they have strong opinions on such a matter, they should ventilate them through the columns of this journal, for we, as a paper devoted mainly to the interests of users, are always willing to give space to such opinions. The appeal of one user may be but a voice in the wilderness, but by co-ordinating them in this manner their strength is vastly enhanced, and makers can more easily be brought to see what users in general have in mind.
A Check to the Practice of Overloading.
rpfiE Surrey County Council has decided to _L resume the practice of checking the weight of motor vehicles travelling over the roads within its jurisdiction, and, in cases where the legal weight is found to be exceeded, to institute legal proceedings against the owner of the vehicle. What is a pleasing and refreshing departure from the usual practice of local authorities is the fact that the council has given notice of its intentions in this matter to users and the representatives of users, in the person of the Commercial Motor Users Association, thus showing an amount of consideration that is as welcome as it is unusual. But the Surrey County Council has always been noted for the courtesy and consideration it extends to every person and class with which it has relations and for its common-sense way of carrying out the duties imposed upon it.
The reason for the course laid down in its present resolution is the fact that much damage is being done to the main roads of the county by the habitual overloading of heavy motors. For a time this overloading had ceased to be general, enabling the council to suspend its checking operations, for which roadside weighing machines had been erected. But there has been a recrudescence of the evil, which can only be quelled by a weightchecking campaign.
Users may be reminded that an offence lies in the fact that the weights as disclosed by the weighing machines are in excess of those painted on the side of the vehicle. The weights that must so appear are the total unladen weight of the vehicle, the front-axle weight and the hind-axle weight—" axle weight" meaning laden weight. The weight that should appear against the letters " U.W." (or unladen weight) should he the actual weight of the vehicle, inclusive of the body and all parts necessary to, or ordinarily used with, the vehicle when working on the road, but exclusive of fuel, water or accumulators and of loose tools and loose equipment. The axle weights disclosed should be the maximum pezmitted by the Acts, and not the weights obtained with any average or usual load. The regulation as to the display of these weights applies to all light locomotives or motor vehicles exceeding 15 cwt. in unladen weight and fitted with pneumatic tyres, to trailers and all heavy motorcars. (The term "heavy motorcar" is clearly understood by all engaged in the commercial motor industry.) We give these particulars here because cases BlS have come to our notice where owners have displayed axle weights actually ascertained with a given load, and have afterwards been charged with exceeding those weights, even although the maximum legal axle weights have not been exceeded. There is no disadvantage in declaring the maximum axle weights.
Valuable Tables of Information for Users.
rp WO pages of chassis specifications included in this issue complete the series (covering all the vehicles and appliances on the British market) which was commenced so far, back as March 24th. With so much interesting material and informative matter available each week to an editor, it has been impossible to devote space in any one issue to accommodate the whole of the specifications, however important they might seem and however useful they might appear, whilst it has required a certain strength of mind to arrange for two or three pages in an issue to be given up to specifications, and then to resist the temptations that beset one's path in the last few hours before going to press, urging the utilization of the space for something of more topical interest!
The result has necessarily been that the complete tale of specifications has been spread over six issues, thus, in some measure, robbing the series of the advantage of ready availability. We are overcoming this, however, by arranging to reprint the tables in pamphlet form, just as The Commtrcial Motor Tables of Operating Costs are reproduced.
The issues of the journal in which the tables of chassis specifications have appeared are as follow :—March 24th: Petrol Vehicles, British, 71 pages; Electric Trolley-buses, page ; Petrol Vehicles, Foreign, 41 pages; Steam-bus Chassis, page. April 28th: Electric Vehicles, 2 pages ; Agrimotors, British and Foreign, 1 page. May 5th and 12th: Steam Vehicles and Tractors, 6 pages.
May 19th: Fire-engines, 2 pages. May 20th: Trailers and Front-pivoted Trailers, 2 pages. In all, the specifications fill 26 pages, and no such complete survey of the commercial motor industry has ever before been published.
Even during publication there have been changes in the shape of new models and alterations in details of specification. These changes and alterations will be dealt with in the tables when reprinted in pamphlet form. So soon as the latter is ready for issue, an announcement will appear in our columns giving the details and conditions of issue.
In the meantime, the call for reprints of The Commercial Motor Tables of -Operating Costs is gratifyingly continuous. We are encouraging the idea of the supply to us by a haulier, carrier or coach owner of the names and addresses of competitors to whom, in the conduct of their business, the information contained in the tables should be valuable and useful. We need hardly say that we do not disclose the source from which we obtain the name of a user—in fact, we get them from varied sources—so that any name and address may be sent us in confidence as between ourselves and the sender. Already many hundreds of copies of the reprints have been distributed, whilst the total circulation of the tables up to the present has reached the figure of nearly 25,000 sets. We regard this as useful work performed in the interests of all users, as tending towards economy of vehicle operation, stability of charges and the earning of reasonable profits.