OPINIONS
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QUERIES
AN APPRECIATION OF OUR SHOW ISSUES.
[5195] As a keen and regular reader of The Commercial Motor, practically from its inception, I would like to congratulate you and your staff on the excellence of the recent Show numbers.
This opinion is not that of myself alone, but elicited in discussion with quite important members of the industry. It was generally thought that these particular numbers had far excelled any of your previous efforts., That this should he the case during -the very_ important time that the industry is passing through is all to the good, and I, for one, am happy that it should be so. R. T. SMITH, Director,
London, S.W.19, Nntek Electric Co., Ltd.
• • WHAT ARE THE FACTS ABOUT PRODUCER-GAS ECONOMY?
[5196] I am in complete agreement with, that part of your article on the subject of producer-gas, published in your issue for November 5, where you point out the desirability of using an indigenous fuel for the I1C.E., hut I do not understand your 'reference to its• economy in comparison with petrol, to say nothing of oil fuel. :
It was preyed in France—which is the counety of origin of the portable poor-gas producer—over. 1.0 years ago that unless 1 kg. of solid fuel were at least .75 to 80 per cent, cheaper than 1 litre of petrol, the claims of economy. made by the .makers, of producergas plants were entirely unjustified owing to the loss of pay-load and to the considerably lower calorific value of charcoal and anthracite.
It would seem that this fact is recognized in this country, as two speakers at the recent C.M.U.A. Conference at Porthcawl—one of whom is connected with tfie firm that represents the makers of the producer-gas plants referred to by you as having been sold in large numbers—stated that the running costs of a petrol and a producer-gas vehicle were. " about the sarne."
London, W.2. H. R. POPE.
IN FAVOUR OF HORIZONTAL ENGINES.
[5197] I was interestedto see the article "Scope of the Unorthodox in Design," by Mr. L. A. Poole, in your issue dated November 12. It seems that an engine placed on its side, on the lines of the new. Green Line coach, or a horizontally opposed engine, positioned just behind the driver's cab, with a shaft running forwards through the gearbox to the front axle, would have many advantages. This layout would eliminate a long transmission line, making for low loading, in addition to dispensing with the necessity of having to turn the drive through a right angle, as in Mr. Poole's layout.
As to accessibility—in the case of the engine on its side, auxiliaries could be placed So that they are acCessible from the side on 'which the cylinder head projects. Intake and exhaust manifolds could be on the upper side of the engine, leaving the underneath absolutely free, so that any component that was inaccessible from the side could be got at by removing a trap door in the floor immediately aft of the cab.
If a horizontally opposed engine were employed auxiliaries could be arranged, some on one side and some on the other. In either case, any repair could be executed quite easily with the engine in position, except for reboring, in which case the engine on a vehicle with, a lorry body could be removed by way of a trap door. In the ca % of a van body, it should be possible to arrange for the engine to be lowered from the chassis.
• Epsom. P.G.S.
THAT ROAD TRANSPORT BENEVOLENT FUND.
[5198] Your . leader regarding appeals for financial assistance in last week's isSue is of particular interest to me in view of `the fact that you have already expressed yourself on similar 'lines regarding the institution of a trade benevolent fund for the industry of road transport., Your assistance in the arranging" of a conference at which those most likely to support my suggestion could be invited to attend would now be greatly, aPpreciated, in order that we can go one step forward at least.
London, S.W.1. E. H. B. PALMER.
[We shall be very pleased to give our assistance in the arranging of a meeting Of those interested in the formation of a Trade Benevolent Fund for the road-transport industry, and we would ask those members of the industry who are in a position to help in this matter to communicate 'with us, with a view to organizing such a gathering.—En.]
THE AGE OF DRIVERS AND STEERSMEN.
[5199] The situation as regards drivers and steersmen for traction engines, tractors, articulated vehicles and road rollers is anything but satisfactory. Under the provisions Of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, no person entitled to hold a licence to drive this class of vehicle until he is 21 years of age, nor is he permitted to steer such vehicle until that age is reached. The result of this enactment is that it is impossible to apprentice boys to the trade of driving, as used to be the case. The driver was accustomed in the past to grow up with his engine, and a sufficient number remained in the trade all their lives. Nowadays, a boy who has reached the age of 21 has usually adopted some other calling and does not wish to change. The result is that a serious shortage is becoming apparent.
During the past five years the National Traction Engine Owners' and Users' Association_ has approached the Minister of Transport direct on the matter on five different occasions. In December, 1936, in conjunction with the Steam Cultivation Development Associatibn and the National Farmers' Union, this body presented to him, through a joint deputation, a petition of nearly 9,000 signatures. Beyond a promise that the matter will receive careful consideration when fresh legislation in connection with the licensing of drivers is being contemplated, no satisfaction could be Obtained.
The reason for this legislative restriction is not clear, for it is quite idle to suggest that a .young man of 17 or 18 is incapable of handling a slow-moving " vehicle when he is considered by law to be capable, at the same
age, of handling the fattest vehicles on the road. The effect of this „restriction is that agricultnral operations are being interfered with, road making and repair are hampered, labour Which might usefully be introduced into the trade is not reaOhing it, and the Whole situation is highly. unsatisfactory.
It is to be hoped that, by the United representations of all bodies who are interested, some sblution may be
found. M: RunivEN,BELL, Secretary, The Natrona' Traction Engine Owners'
and Users' Association. London, S.W.1.• WHAT SHOULD BE THE BASIS OF VEHICLE TAXATION?
[5200]In your issue of The Commercial Motor, dated. October 49, Lt.-Col, A. G. Scainmell, wrote an article entitled "The Case for the New Tax System," and in the next ,issue Lt.-Com. J. W. Thornycroft wrote on the same subject. Both these distinguished gentlemen ably advocated taxation on gross weight.
May I ask why the tax should not be on the payload? Surely it would be fair to all, users and manufacturers. .
It appears that the chief cause for complaint is the overloading of light vehicles. Surely if you tax gross load the tendency will be further to reduce unladen weight. For example, a vehicle weighs 4 tons 10 cwt. and carries 71 tons. Under the proposed gross load tax, it would pay £60 to carry 7 tons. It is feasible then to expect a manufacturer to make a vehicle of 3 tons 10.cwt. to carry 81 tons, and so lighter unladen weight would be encouraged. There is another aspect. Consider a standard vehicle of, say, gross load 8 tons. A tipper weighing 10 cwt. more would be penalized because it would come in the next taxation class, or have to carry a lighter load.
If the tax be on the pay-load, the unladen weight would not matter,, and overloading would soon cease.
Clutton. L. PRITCHARD.
MR. C. LE M. GOSSELIN CHASTISES US.
[5201] I, greatly deplore the advice you give to your readers in The Commercial Motor dated November 19, deprecating my acceptance of the railways' conciliatory attitude, as indicated in the T.A.C. Report, as sincere. It is tbe surest means for setting the "man in the street 'S againa the report itself. Is that your object ? .
On the face Of it the report seems favourable for the industry; why, then, throw doubt on the bona-fides of those who have produced it After all, the report expresses almost word for•word what the industry itself asked that it should contain. • I was on the sub-committee of the British Road Federation which put the industry's case up to the British Road Federation. Am I to take it that you suggest we ourselves are not sincere, or is it only the railways?
When the Salter Report was published the industry and the Press declared that the railway representatives were knaves, and we—the road-transport representatives —were fools. I should be sorry to think that this abusiveness had become a habit.
Preston. C. LE M. GOSSELIN.
[No, Mr. GosEelin, ig-e hope that abusiveness is not a habit of The Commercial Motor. We are, generally, in favour of the T.A.C. Report, but we most be permitted to point out any weakness which shows itself or any feature to which particular attention should be drawn. We think that your reference to the• Salter Report as a method of rt,l2 strengthening your argument rather detracts from its force., The Salter Committee was, in our opinion, totally • unnecessary in view of what had been put forward in the. final Report of the. Royal Commission on Transport. A • direct result -was the imposition of greatly increased taxation oil commercial vehicles, and other burdens Of an almost crushing nature. We will, leave it to the industry to judge whether in " abusing" the Salter
• . Report we were right or wrong.—ED.] ESTIMATING BRAKING EFFICIENCY.
. r5202]-Further to my letter [5184, November 12] on
the subject of discrepancies in braking performance, it would appear from your remarks, with which I agree, that it is about time the fundamentals of braking were • thoroughly investigated, especially in respect of the retardation figure of 32.2 ft. face., which represents 100 per cent. brake efficiency. This figure, with pleasure cars, has on several occasions been exceeded, but is explained away as being a phenomenon due to the braking surface being very rough and dry and the tyres brand new, thus a "rack and pinion" effect ensues.
The vital question of " timelag " is rather difficult when the stopping distances are measured by the time or tape method. I would suggest that this might be overcome by the use of a Tapley or Friedli-Feragen type of instrument; as these Meters commence to record as soon as the driver lifts his foot off the accelerator pedal, which means that they are in advance of the braking action, and the "time-lag" trouble is dispensed with.
I do not think that discrepancies in the percentage efficiencies should be put down altogether to " as, irrespective of speeds, this remains the same, but to the distance travelled varying proportionately, something like the following, assuming a combined " timelag " of .25 sec.
LInstead of our making further comments on this matter, we suggest that' those of our readets who have had extensive experience of braking matters should put forward their views—ED.]
ANOTHER CASE OF LICENCE SUSPENSION. •
[5203.] I was interested in the article, " It Happens To-day," which appeared in your issue dated October 8. On October 26, I was summoned by the Staffordshire police for exceeding. go m.p.h.. with a Leyland Hippo. which was new this year and is in perfect order. A police car followed the vehicle down-hill on a good, wide stretch of road, only these two vehicles being on the hill at the time. The officials had said that the speed was from 23 to 29 m.p.h.
I posted my licence with a letter, but it could not be found at the court until after I had been fined 10s. and my licence suspended for two months.
Two months' suspension, in my case, means a loss of wages, etc., totalling to about £60—a heavy penalty, I think you will admit, and this despite the fact that the licence I sent was a clean one. I had been fined previously for speeding, but nitrecently, and there were no other charges, although my. driving has covered over 26 years.
My best wishes .go with you and The Commercial Motor in. your stand. for the heavy-vehicle driver.
Falkirk.J.M.