Out and Home.—By " The Extractor.
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Including a Visit to the Edinburgh Show.
The Broadhurst Wheel Company has removed to 30, Mark Lane, E.C. Mr. C. W. Alison controls this concern, and I understand it is progressing.
I was hailed the other night, on Holborn, by an agricultural-looking person with a bright eye and a rubicund visage, and, he, on getting to close quarters, turned out to be my friend Mr. Whattam, the eastern representative of Wm. Foster and Co., Ltd., of Lincoln. He kept Inc out of my bed for some time, but it is a pleasure to meet Whattain : he knows his business, and if it is to be got he is a likely man to get it, whilst he has the excellent quality of finding a good word to say for the men he meets in business opposition to him.
I read somewhere the other day that the Scotchman keeps the Sabbath and, incidentally, everything else he can lay his hands on. I think that is just a playful English slap at him, and one which he can and will return with compound interest, for the Scotchman is a jocose person, and of all men can take and give a joke. I have just had a few hours at the Edinburgh Exhibition, and it does one good to note the enthusiasm these people put into their talk. Whether principals or stand attendants, they give you the points of their vehicles with a great show of interest and conviction. It may be difficult for the poor Englishman to catch every syllable of this northern tongue, but, all the same, he leaves with a clear general idea, and he is impressed with their knowledge and their earnestness.
There are a good many exhibits to interest the commercial-vehicle user. The Albion people show a very fine rfih.p. van, designed to take 25cwt., a roomy vehicle, quite one of the best 1 have seen ; the Belhaven seems to be making excellent progress, and exhibits two lorries which attract great attention. In course of another week or two, I expect our Editorial department will give a full detailed description of this latter make, which is rapidly finding its way into favour. The only steam wagon displayed is the Stewart-Thornycroft, made by D. Stewart and Co. (1002), Ltd., of Glas ffow. Mr. Crosbie tells me he has entered a tractor for the War Office Trials, and has had practically to build one specially in order to conform with 'he requirements. The reconstructed Argyll Company shows, amongst pri yate vehicles, its latest cabs (page 429) and its "combined Unit" set for cabs, shown separately, created satisfactory interest. The point that a spare set or two can be kept at the cab headquarters appeals to many people, and, as the engine casing and gearbox casing together are in one solid casting, these can be ()hanged with great facility, and the cab quickly put on the road again. The new chief, Mr. J. S. Matthew, was at the exhibition, and in great demand.
Alldays and Onions show a traveller's cart of e;cellent design, and I gathered from their northern representative, Mr. H. White Stevens, that several of this type are being supplied to Lever Brothers, Ltd., of Port Sun
light. It is well _worth examining. The Berliet cab should certainly be seen, whilst the Halley char-A-bancs is a splendid vehicle, and should attract many buyers, for it strikes one as being most comfortable and commodious, whilst the exact required height for sightseers. I think we shall see a great increase in the sales of this type for pleasure-providing districts. Mr. G. H. Halley was in attendance, and was greatly disturbed because of the cancellation of the Olympia..show--" just at a time when the trade was making such steady progress," he said."
The first of the new 8-toh.p. Berliet motorcabs to arrive in this country is the one that is at present being exhibited at the show in the Waverlcy Market at Edinburgh. The two-cylinder engine is of extremely neat design, and the general appearance of the forward part closely resembles the wellknown Renault vehicles. The two cylinders are cast as one piece, and are Somm. in diameter ; the piston-stroke is 120111111. The high-tension Bosch magneto is conveniently fitted, and is driven from the camshaft by means of skew gearing which is neatly enclosed. The working speed of the engine is controlled by the aid of a foot accelerator. This vehicle is illustrated on pages 422 and 429. The " l'aransure " moulded detachable solid tire was shown by Messrs. S. Stevenson and Company, of 56, Logan Street, Glasgow. This tire is one of the usual moulded endless type, but the chief feature of the invention consists of the arrangement whereby the stretching of the tire over the " clinch " is avoided by the use of a simple form of detachable rim.
Another interesting invention was the Lynton resilient wheel for single or twin solid tires. The principle of this wheel was illustrated in " Tun ComMERCIAL MOTOR on the 12th September, 1907, but a photograph of a core plete wheel is reproduced herewith, whilst sectional views of both singletired and twin-tired wheels are also given. The figure on the left shows a single tire in its normal position, whereas the adjoining view shows how the floating flange is displaced, thus pinching the top part of the tire, when that parr of the rubber which is in contact with the ground meets with any obstruction that prevents its easy roll ing over the road surface. In the twin-tired wheel, the two inner steel flanges :ire permanently secured to the
hub of the wheel, and, consequently, transmit the drive to the tires, whilst the two outer flanges " float." Smith's flexible hub was fitted to a wheel that we illustrate, and which wheel was also provided with the "Never-skid " sectional band, for which Mr. R. C. Johnston, of 57, Hope Street Glasgow, is the Scottish agent. Each of the sections of the band is secured to the adjoining felloe of the wheel by means of a bolt and nut, and the holes through the wood are bushed with steel tuhes, to prevent their enlargement as a result of any " working " of the bolts.
Last but by no means least, the latest Shrewsbury-Cheiliner productions call for mention. Apart from its" Giant" and " World " tires, there is the new " Pioneer " taxicab tire : of the last-named tire, more anon.
Amongst the oil firms, Price'sare here, and Easton and Melville.. " Shell " have a good display, as usual, and " Pratt's " are not behind. Altogether there is much of interest in the Show, and it is a cheering sign, in these apathetic times, when we were told at the opening, by Sir John Mac-. Donald, that all the space was taken, and that 20 large firms were excluded_