Answers to Queries.
Page 21
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Urgent Bodywork.
[2785j (London).—We note that you have applied to Messrs. horn and like firms and that they cannot execute. We think you might be able to get your special bodywork undertaken by Messrs. James
Bartle and Western Ironworks, Lancaster Road, Netting Hill, Co.,i.
Address Wanted. Is There to be a Show at the Crystal Palace?
[7786] (Lisdoonvarna).—The address for which you inquire is Straker-Squire (19t3), Ltd., Nelson Square, Blackfriars, London, S.E. The Crystal Palace is at the present time solely in the hands of the Admiralty, for naval training purposes, and there will be no exhibition there for an indefinite future period. No exhibition of commercial motors, and no motorcar exhibition of any kind, is likely to be held until after the war.
Can They Add Petrol Tax to Contracts for Haulage ?
[2787] (Wilts).--Your legal position is not clear. We consider that you cannot add it. The extra tax is not 3d. per gallon, but 1.d. per gallon, as the old rate of rebate is to apply. The difference is so small, due to the imposition of that extra Val per gallon, that we do not think you would-be justified in making an extra charge unless an additional one is made to you by the parties from whom you hire the vehicles.
Trailers and Brakes.
[2788] (Salop).—A *ton lorry is quite a good type of machine. If a trailer be hauled, the back tires on the lorry will only have about 7-10ths of the life which they have when no trailer is hauled ; furthermore, under the present law, no speed in excess of 5 m.p.h. is legal with a trailer. As regards brakes, if the brake on the trailer can be operated from the wagon, and independently of the wagon brakes, no man is required on the trailer ; alternatively, also, if neither wagon brake can be used without. putting on the trailer brake.
Braking While Going Down Hill.
[27691 (Burnley).—It is unwise to slip out of gear, and RO leave the whole of the braking work to be done by friction on the drums. It is not always necessary to switch off, provided the throttle be almost closed, unless on a steep hill In going clown i a steep hill, t is a good plan to engage a gear low enough to provide sufficient auxiliary braking effect, before starting down the hill, and also to switch off. The throttle should not be entirely closed. Refer to our article " The Engine as a Brake " in issue of the 16th September.
Collection from Depot at 31 Miles and Big Delays in City Tr, if c Making Deliveries.
[2790] (E.C.).—We can quite understand that the machine which you mention has given trouble. That make never seemed to "find its feet," if we may use that colloquial term. House-to-house delivery, or delivery with frequent calls, is not the best class of use to which to apply motorvans, but we know from actual facts that the Great Western Railway has found motorvan delivery most economical for its parcels work. So long as you keep any horsed vans, you can give the motors the work which involves a "lead" before ,delivery begins of several miles, or as much as possible, if five miles is out of the question. If you have worked out the cost per hour for a horse-drawn unit of a particular capacity, and if you Will Five us a few examples of a typical day's work, stated in total miles, total call, initial load, and estimated total duration of stoppages, we can give you an outright answer. A three-ton unit is too big for your class of work. When you get down to the last 10 cwt., you are delaying a potential 2 :tons of capacity unnecessarily. Perhaps when writing to us further you might state the average weight per delivery which occurs in your business.
A Shop on a Chassis.
[2791] (Glasgow).—We advise you to put your case before the following local manufacturers Albion Motor Car Co., Ltd., Seotstoun.
Halley's Industrial Motors, Ltd., Yoker.
Hire-purchase orders are not much sought at present, but there are certain firms which co-operate with the motor industry to help matters of the kind. The scheme which you suggest is quite practicable, and is one which the Editor himself advocated many years ago, although he does not know of any ease in which a motor shop has been established by a butcher. It will probably be impossible to get delivery of a vehicle unless about £100 can be paid down.
Is There Any Duty on Wheels and Castings?
[2792] (Sheffield).—The import duties to which we referred in our issue of the 30th September were subsequently taken off, in so far as they applied to commercial motors or parts for them, and we have dealt with these changes in our issues of the 7th and
14th October. We included the substance of the actual clauses of the Finance Bill in our issue of the 21st October. Component parts of motorcars are to be subject to the import. duty of 33* per cent., but this will not apply to steel wheels for commercial vehicles. It is the intention of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise to place a distinctive stamp on such imported parts, when they are exempted on tho score of their being for a commercial motor, and heavy penalties are imposed for any obliteration or removal of such a distinctive stamp or mark.