OPINIONS and QUERIES
Page 31
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WHY NOT REDUCE THE WEIGHT OF TROLLEYBUSES
THE letter from Mr. G. Matthews dealing with the suggestion that larger batteries should be fitted to trolleybuses, which was published in your issue dated April 13, was read with much interest by me.
I would suggest that as these vehicles are limited to a definite maximum weight, the More extensive use of aluminium alloys in their construction would enable batteries of greater capacity to be fitted ; indeed, I believe that in any vehicle driven by a battery the merits of the light alloys deserve the careful consideration of both designer' and operator, in view of the savings in weight which may be effected by the proper selection of suitable materials, combined with correct design of the various components. .
The advice and assistance of the Wrought Light Alloys Development Association continue to be available to any manufacturer or operator who is interested in the applicatioti of aluminium and its alloys.
E.G.. WEST. (For Wrought Light Alloys Development Birmingham, 2. Association.) THE TYRE DOES REST ON ITS RIM BASE f CANNOT understand the comments of Mr. W. L. I Barnes in your issue dated April 13, to the effect that he does not agree with my assertions in Patent. No. 560,005, nor does he agree with the writer of the r6sume published on February 10.
His statement that the tyre cover does not touch the base at all is certainly "theorizing," to use his own reference. Personally, I prefer practice to theory, and in my 30 years' experience I have found that, unless rims be " treated " with some special "dope," such as Parry's Tyreprim, 90 per cent. of large tyres do " freeze " to the rim after a few months' service.
I submit that Mr. Barnes is wrong when he says that a tyre cover does not touch the base. It not only touches but usually requires brutal treatment fo separate it from the rim. If Mr. Barnes will kindly explain what he means without theorizing, I shall be glad to comply with his suggestions to comment upon the issue.
Oldswinford, Stourbridge. FRED W. BAKER.
"STORING" SOME STOCK ON A RAILWAY WITH due acknowledgment to " Scope," I feel that " the following little story extracted from that journal is too good to hide from readers of "The Commercial Motor"
A concern in North London wanted an electricalequipment maker to take delivery of a large consignment of die castings, as it was engaged in stocktaking and did not wish to keep these on the premises. The consignee, however, was also stocktaking and did not relish the addition.
The brilliant idea came to both of them, almost simultaneously, that the castings should be put on the railway. Dispatch was duly carried out from a London statinn, and three clays later the load was delivered 20 miles away. This feat of locomotion as the best service the railways had rendered to the companies concerned.
At the time when I saw this I had just started to read " The Unbeaten Track," by Collie Knox, which appears to be another effort to bolster up the railways.
No,one could, or would wish to, belittle the efforts of the men and women of the railways to keep the wheels turning during the war, but their efforts in no way exceed the part played by the personnel engaged in road transport.
Propaganda is a useless weapon unless the cause concerned be fundamentally sound—which is, perhaps, the reason why history has repeated itself in this war, and why British propaganda has come out on top. No amount, however, will succeed in hiding the faults in our railway system. Road transport can ,learn a lesson from its efforts—but will it? G. V. B. COOKELeicester.
DIFFICULTIES WITH THE TASK SYSTEM
AS engineer to a concern employing more than 2,500 vehicles, may I add two other points to those given in a recent article by S.T.R. against the advisability of adapting the " TaSk " system to ordinary commercial use? (1) The driver requires a fairly complete set of tools. Time is necessary for these to be checked regularly, and expense is incurred in replacing those lost. (2) The system is, I believe, partly designed to teach the complete novice the elements of technical knowledge of his vehicle, and such training has its cchinterpart in commercial life only in connection with schools for teach ing drivers. F. G. BROWN. Loughton.
• MORE SUPPORT FOR THE T.R.T.A.
WE have read with great concern your articles relating Tv to the future of the ancillary user, published in issues of "The Commercial Motor" dated April 0 and 13. We are, consequently, desirous of obtaining fuller details of the Traders' Road Transport Association, with .a view to giving that body our support.
Will you please supply us with the full address of this Association, together with any further information you may have? WALTER ROBINSON, Manager,
Transport Department.
. (For The Bradford Dyers' Association, Ltd.) Bradford,
[The Traders' Road Transport Association is one of the three constituent and autonomous bodies which, together, form the National Road Transport Federation. It is a development of the old-established Commercial Motor Users Association, which has passed its haulier members to the Road Haulage Association and is now developing purely on the ancillary side. It is now the national body for this class of operator. The address of the Association is: 146, New Bond Street, W.1.—En.]
OUR COSTS TABLES SAVE SOME HEADACHES
WE have received from S.T.R. the advice for IT which we asked, and must thank you both for this and for the assistance you have rendered to us in the past.
• In these days of labour difficulties, the small haulier can find very little time for costing and estimating, which constitute one of his biggest headaches, owing to lack of care in driving, tyre troubles, and the high cost of repairs. However, "The Commercial Motor" Tables of Operating Costs have proved to be a great asset, and we are looking forward to seeing many future editions.
London, E.9. j. CHESTER.