News and Comment.
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
This journal chronicles, fosters, and represents commercial motoring in all its branches members of its Editorial staff possess practical experience and knowledge of the construction and use of commercial motors.
The controversy anent two or four cylinders continues in the columns which are set aside by us for "Opinions from Others."
Why should motor-wagon owners not be able to avoid present delays at docks? We suggest steps to that end on pages 419 and 420.
Will " A.C.C." (Isle of Wight), a petrol engineer who enquired from us in regard to steam-driven vehicles, kindly forward his address, as this has been mislaid.
Olympia, from the 19th to 27th March, is to be filled—more or less— with aeroplanes and other aeronautical exhibits, but there will be no commercial motors.
• A Difference of 10 Years. 1.906 was inadvertently printed, in the paragraph on page 385 of our issue of the 14th instant, in place of 1896, as the date of formation of the Liverpool Self-Propelled Traffic Association.
Road Traction Engineers.
On Monday next, the ist proximo, at 112, Piccadilly, W., beginning at eight o'clock, an interesting paper will be read by Mr. A. Grey of the British Petroleum Company Limited entitled " From the well to the carburetter."
Royal Agricultural Society.
The special trials in connection with the R.A.S.E. show at Gloucester, in June next, will be for hop-drying plants and fruit-tree spraying machines, but it is open to any exhibitor to enter for the Society's special silver medals in respect of new implements. Next year at Liverpool, trials of agricultural motors will be held.
After the Snow.
Westminster City Council, at its last meeting, approved a vote of £86 tos. for the fitting of Peter Union tires to a steam motor wagon which, owing to its having iron-shod wheels, could not be used during the late fall of snow. A number of other wagons owned by the same corporation did excellent service, as we pointed out a month ago, when the snow was on the ground.
Leyland Motors.
We illustrated last week a 31-ton Leyland petrol lorry for J. Greenwood and Sons, Limited, of Blackburn, which company we inadvertently stated to be " brewers," and we now desire to point out that we should have stated
' millers." Other recent northcountry purchasers of similar 31-ton Leyland vehicles are Messrs. R. A. Barrett and Company, mineral water manufacturers, of Ashton-under-Lvme, and Messrs. P. H. Haydock and Company, of Charley. Leyland Motors, Limited, is prepared to give particular attention to any special design of body. for the conveyance of loads of unusual dimensions, whether as to length, breadth or cubic contents.
We are now requested to state that Mr. C. Pemberton Wooler, of 66, Victoria Street, S.W., who represents the Thornvcroft vehicle interest in the North of England, sold the 3ocwt. van, which we named last week, to the Leeds Industrial Co-operative Society.
A Light Locomotive.
In the King's Bench Division, on the 21st instant, the Lord Chief Justice allowed an appeal from a decision of the Justices of Bridgend, in respect of a steam tractor, which weighed under five tons unladen. He held that the Justices had wrongfully convicted the driver on a summons which was taken out under Sections Cu and 62 of the Locomotives Act of i898, which refers to the necessity of having three men in attendance on a locomotive. It seems incredible that such a conviction should have been possible, having regard to the exemptions which are allowed by the Motor Car Acts and the Heavy Motor Car Order.
Dennis Orders.
Maple and Company, Limited, of Tottenham Court Road and Euston Road, W., has ordered three more two-ton, 2oh.p., Dennis vans, each with four-speed gearbox and gate change; direct drive is arranged on the third speed, and a geared-up fourth speed is fitted. The Dennis rear axle, which is guaranteed for two years, will be found on all, as will De Nevers tires, whilst the radiators are of the gilled-tube type. A 3ocwt., two-cylinder, 2oh.p. Dennis van has been ordered by the Direct Aerated Water Supply Company, Limited, of Norhiton, and it should be found very useful by this progressive company, which has hitherto used smaller vehicles.
Turning to the north, we find that the Bradford Tratnways, through Thomas Dyson, Limited, the local Dennis agent, has ordered a 25cwt. van with i8h.p., four-cylinder engine, and that Messrs. Pugh, Davies and Company, of Dale Street, Manchester, through Mr. I. P. White, the local Dennis agent, a traveller's brougham.
Fire-engine Speeds.
The L.C.C., following upon the recent fatal accident near Shooters' Hill (see this journal page 407 ante), has under consideration a recommendation that speed trials be made in one or other of the Council's parks. The Council's solicitor has advised that representations be made to the Local Government Board for the exemption of motor fire-appliances from speed regulations when proceeding to fires.
Manchester Show.
The directors of the forthcoming Show, at Belle Vue, intimate that practically all the space is let. The promoters' advertisement announcement indicates some of the chief exhibitors, and we learn that Clalonel R. E. B. Crompton, C.B., M.Inst.C.E., M.I.Mech.E., IVI.Inst.E.E., M.I.A.E., has been invited to perform the opening ceremony. This show, to which a special issue of `` THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR" will be devoted, promises to be the most important of the year.
Polack-Halford.
Mr. Julian A. Halford, late managing director of Coinmercial Cars, Limited, is now identified with Mr. Fritz Poppe and his brothers, at 3114, Basinghall Street, E.C. This association clearly means that the merits of Polack tires will be increasingly brought before owners of commercial motors, for Mr. Halford, in addition to his great selling capacities, has special knowledge of tire difficulties and requirements. A man who has been through the mill of fitting and renewing various makes of tires is naturally well equipped to deal with customers— both old and new—in a sensible and sympathetic manner. A week ago (page 412 ante) our contributor " The Extractor " was indeed prophetic : immediately following the paragraph about his many friends in the tire trade, there appeared an interesting anecdote which Mr. Halford had communicated. We venture to forecast a good reception for Mr. Halford, notwithstanding the fact that he proved a hard hitter in the days when he was selling vehicles against the men who will now probably serve their own interests very well by turning round and listening to his yoke in another connection, for Polack tires have an enviable reputation.
While on this subject, we may very well quote some extraordinary records which were shown to us on Saturday last : in a series of 65 Polack tires on the back wheels of motorbuses, one had run 50,000 miles, and no less than ten had exceeded 35,000 miles each. Turning through several hundred records, the average life approximated r6,ccoo miles on the driving wheels. Doncaster Borough Council has been discussing the matter of a motor lireengine, but the general feeling appears to be against the expenditure involved.
The Barnstaple Rural District Council is a little bit behind the times : it has adopted a resolution to the effect that by-laws should be passed, to provide for certain widths of motor-lorry wheels, according to weight.
Avoidable Delay.
Kirkham (Lancs.) has a new steam fire-engine, but this proved of little avail, on the 21st instant, when an alarm of fire was notified from Ribby Hall, a mile away, owing to the fact that no horses were available to draw it. By the time the firemen ultimately pulled the engine to the scene of the fire themselves, very considerable damage had been done. Had a selfpropelled engine been in readiness, even eight or ten miles away, more timely assistance would have been rendered.
Australian Representation.
Mr. Eric F. Boult, whose present address is 8, Down Terrace, Richmond, Surrey, advises us that he will sail for Australia about the third week in February. He intends to take up his residence in Sydney, for a term of at least three years, and is open to make arrangements to represent well-known British manufacturers of commercial motors or accessories. Mr. Bault has had no small experience in the running and repairing of utility vehicles, and his touch with affairs at home should be of great value to him when he arrives " down under."
High Temperature Records.
Considerable attention is now being given to the design and construction of reliable instruments for the indicating and recording of the temperatures which prevail in the ovens of casehardening furnaces. The heat treatment of steel is daily becoming more of an exact science than it used to be, and there are many men who have devoted years to the study of the subject. Amongst these men we may mention Mr. R. W. Paul, of Newton Avenue Works, New Southgate, N., who has recently issued a new catalogue dealing with his various manufactures. There is much informative matter in the book.
Tests with Fire Extinguishers: Asbestos Cloth Recommended.
The British Fire Prevention Committee, whose offices are at 1, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, S.W., is a most indefatigable body, and is always making experiments with a view to the obtaining of useful data relating to the fireextinguishing properties of various materials and liquids. Its latest " Red book" deals with some fire tests in which asbestos cloths, sand and steam were employed for the purpose of extinguishing burning petrol. It is interesting to note that the application of asbestos cloths was very effective, and the tests demonstrated the great utility of this material for the subduing of fires caused by spirit vapour. The tests showed that, where trade processes need the employment of a volatile spirit, these asbestos cloths form a most valuable first-aid appliance. The price of the report is two shillings and sixpence, and it contains many valuable records.
Lyons' Tea Trade.
We referred, three weeks ago, to the purchase of 25 Renault vans by J. Lyons and Company, Limited. Nine of these machines had been delivered up to Saturday last, through Boon and Porter, Limited, of Castelnau, Barnes, at whose garage the whole of Lyons' inotorvan fleet will be garaged and maintained. Mr. T. Blanch, of Church Street, Chelsea, is responsible for the bodies, which are 7 feet in length,
feet S inches in height, and 4 feet wide. The well-known and successful " K.T." tires are fitted to the driving wheels, and each driver has in position to his off-side a mirror to reflect any overtaking traffic. The accompanying illustration shows the smart appearance and finish of the series.
The "Temporary and Accidental" Exemption Clause.
A case of particular interest to steamwagon owners was fought at Radcliffe, near Bury, on Monday the 48th instant. The defendant, G. T. White, is the driver of a Foden wagon belonging to Messrs. T. Williams and Son, furniture removers, and was summoned under Section 30 of the Highways and Locomotives (Amendment) Act, 1878, for using a locomotive that was not constructed to consume its own smoke as far us practicable. After a protracted hearing, the case was dismissed, the justices being satisfied that the construction of the steam wagon was not at fault, and therefore the prosecution must fail. The conduct of the defence was in the hands of Mr. Gordon Hewart. of Manchester, instructed by MessrsPoole of Widnes. The facts were substantially that the driver on the date in question (nth December) had stopped to take water for some is minutes. He was using coke at the time, and during the stoppage his fire got very low and dull, owing to his "accidentally " forgetting to fire. When he started, the fire was hardly bright enough for the exhaust superheater in the firebox effectively to render the exhaust invisible, and further it was so low that it was necessary to fire up at once, which would have the effect of further cooling the furnace gases until the new coke was fairly alight. The wagon was as a consequence showing a great deal of visible vapour "temporarily," when a policeman stopped the driver a quarter of a mile from the wateringplace. The policeman stated in his evidence that no steam was visible when the wagon started off again. The defence called Mr. E. R. Foden to give evidence as to the construction, and he was corroborated by Mr. Douglas Mackenzie (London), consulting engineer. It appeared, in the course of the hearing, that the police are in an awkward dilemma, because there is no penalty provided for the case of unnecessary emission of steam due to a driver's negligence. They can only take proceedings under the 1878 Act, and this can be rebutted by evidence as to the construction complying with the definition clause of the 1906 Act, coupled with evidence that any emission is " temporary or accidental." At the same time, it behoves all owners to caution their drivers that they can, by skilful management, prevent the emission of steam, and failure to do so should be punished by the owner, as the expense of defending an action is considerable. The police and the local authorities in the neighbourhood of Bury closely observe steam vehicles of all sorts, and extra care and caution should be exercised in that district. Mr. Frederick Bradbury, general manager of Vieo, Limited, whose offices are at 90, Charing Cross Road, London, W.C., asks us to note that his company has been wrongly entered in the telephone directory under the style of " Vico," Limited," in respect of its telephone number 2918 City.
Sirdar Tires.
J. Tylor and Sons, Limited, of Belle Isle, York Road, N., has been using a set of Sirdar tires on a Halley van for service which now considerably exceeds 12,000 miles of running. This has been completed over all sorts of roads, and under all conditions of service, and a highly-satisfactory report has now been given to Mr. J. M. MacLulich, managing director of the Sirdar Rubber Company, Limited, whose address is 21, Crawford Street, W. We illustrate the tires in question.
Renard Trains.
One of the rare occasions on which we have felt justified in according a full-page illustration to a particular subject is provided, this week, by one of the Renard trains now in India. The particular illustration (page 430) is of a train at the Bombay Docks, when no less than 8o bales of cotton are shown loaded ready for a trip to the mills, a distance of 8.1 miles away. Mr. F. Massy Burnside, in a report dated from Bombay the 29th ultimo, sets out an interesting comparison between the work performed by this train and by bullock cart. One train, taking 8o bales per journey, of yarn from the mills to the docks, and of cotton back to the mills, made two double journeys per day, aggregating 320 bales, or a total weight of 62 tons, which is equal to 502.2 ton-miles, at an inclusive cost of I6s. 8d., or I.8d. per ton-mile; as a bullock cart only makes a single trip per day, and only takes four bales CI ton) at a time, no less than 40 bullock carts were necessary for the corresponding work, and the total cost was 6s. 8d., or 4.46d. per ton-mile. Thus, it will be seen, though competing with a native vehicular unit which can do a day's work for less than as., the Renard train can effect an economy of approximately 6a per cent. Much of this, of course, is due to the fact that the average speed of the train is eight miles an hour, compared with 2.5 miles per hour of the bullock cart.
The English tests of the particular train under notice were mentioned in our issue of the 23rd July, 1908, on the occasion of a send-od demonstration ar the Crystal Palace, and our most recent reference to the work of the Renard Corporation in India appeared only two weeks ago. With many orders now on its books, and with every prospect of increasing demands for India, the Colonies and foreign countries generally, it looks as though the company were about deservedly to reap the benefit of a great deal of unseen and difficult foundation work. Fuller particulars about these road trains can be obtained on application to the Renard Road and Rail Transport Corporation, Limited, 82, Victoria Street, S.W.
The Embankment Problem.
The traffic problem on the Victoria Embankment continues to exercise the public mind, without any very satisfactory conclusion's being reached. The L.C.C. Highways Committee, in accordance with its promise to the Commissioner of Police, has placed refuges at various points in this thoroughfare —only temporary structures at present, in order to find out where they may be most useful. Some of the refuges are placed close to the outer rail of the tramlines; others are in the centre of the roadway. Of the latter, the positions of at least two seem to have been chosen without much regard for the necessities of the case. They have been placed, in each instance, opposite the railings of one or other of the Embankment gardens, and quite remote from the entrances, with the result that no one uses them ! The central refuges are undoubtedly a serious obstruction to traffic. True, there is just room for two vehicles to pass abreast, between
the refuges and the kerb on the one hand, and the tramway track on the other; but what constantly happens is that drivers of slow-moving vehicles take up just the centre Of the available space. There is " waste of road" on both sides of them, and .faster traffic has to slow down until the refuge has been passed. If the police will insist that the slow traffic is kept closely to the left, as they do in the case of the bridges, the refuges will not give much trouble, but, if not, they will be a perpetual nuisance. The fact must not be overlooked, however, that the excessive camber on the north side of the .Embankment roadway will make it difficult, unless the pitch be altered, to .enforce such a rule as suggested. We take it for granted, of course, that the two refuges mentioned above will not be permanently fixed in their present useless situations.
Various proposals are being tentatively put forward to make it easier for nervous pedestrians to cross the Embankment. The suggestion of building foot-bridges at intervals seems hardly worth the space it occupied in the Daily Papers. It would be better, almost, to burrow six feet below the present surface, and then to raise the roadway about two feet, making a gentle slope up to the highest point. This would make a subway deep enough for foot passengers, and there would be no need for steps leading down : short inclines might suffice. The bar to such a scheme is that it would interfere with the underground tramway conduits. By the way, one wonders why the tram track was not laid on the north side of the Embankment, so that people coming from Fleet Street and the Strand could enter the cars without crossing the road at all! It would then have 'been optional upon nervous folk to consider whether the sight of the gulls and the river craft was worth the risk of crossing the road; they would not have been compelled to go. Incidentally, the worst nuisance and the greatest danger of all on the Embankment at present— the crossing of the road at right-angles by tramcars entering and issuing from the Strand subway—would have been avoided, if the track had been on the north side : it would have meant crossing the road at the ends, but at the Westminster end at any rate all traffic must now turn either to the right or the left, there being no road straight on. The L.C.C., perhaps, was thinking of the steamboat passengers; they don't exist now, but even if the boats were running it is obvious that the majority of the tramway passengers come from the land side.
A suggestion dealing with a part of the difficulty, and one of immediate practical utility, has been made by Capt. Swinton, viz., that steps should be constructed leading from Waterloo Bridge to the south side of the Embankment. The steps could easily be placed so as not to interfere with the sweep of the arches, and it seems likely that the public would use them. For the present, with the lack of regulation and the chaos that exists, the only thing to do is to impress on everyone the need for carefulness.