Passing Comments
Page 36
Page 37
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
IT appears that drivers of Oil-engined vehicles might well be assisted in obtaining efficient gear changing by a simple marking on the dial of the speedometer indicating the speeds at which changes up and changes down should be made. Better still —why not give them r.p.m. indicators?
AN association without share capital has been registered in London under the title of "The British Railway Stockholders' Union." It is stated to have been formed in order to further the stockholders' claims, independently of the railways, for legislation to enable the railways to compete with road transport.
A TREMENDOUS amount of money is invested in the passenger-carrying and goods-transport sections of the road industry, and it would be a good idea for the stockholders in these themselves to form a similar organization which will uphold the interests of transport by road. WE learn that a haulier in Italy is making money by using a powerful low-geared oil-engined lorry drawing no fewer than three loaded trailers. He carries about 40 tons, and says that if the outfit fails after six months it will have paid for itself.
THE Chief Inspector of Factories recently issued
a timely warning and poster concerning the danger of repairing drums or tanks which have contained petrol or other inflammable liquids, without taking certain precautions which are given on the poster.
IT appears that the best method of preparing a drum or tank for repair is to remove the filler cap, etc., and blow live steam into the vessel until It is thoroughly steamed out. If steam be not available, it must be saturated in boiling water and kept boiling for about 20 minutes. After this the inside should be scavenged with air until the vapour is entirely removed. The posters (Form 386) can be obtained from H.M. Stationery Office. RECENTLY, officials at the Clearway Service Station, near Maidstone, were surprised to see, dropped from an aeroplane, a message bag which alighted amongst the petrol pumps. It was found to contain an urgent appeal for an electrician-, mechanic to go to the Maidstone Airport to attend to a defective vehicle dynamo. It is suggested that service stations will soon have•to consider equipment in the form of message-catching nets.
AN interesting comparison between driving methods on the Continent and in this country is afforded in the matter of braking. British drivers generally descend moderate hills in top .gear, whereas Continental drivers, especially in Mountainous country, nearly always descend a gradient in the gear which would be suitable for climbing it. 'Brakes in England consequently have to withstand more usage than they otherwise would. APPARENTLY not all automatic change-speed devices have proved satisfactory on heavy vehicles, for the transport manager of the Barrowin-Furness Corporation has reported on the results of tests on 18 buses recently supplied to the municipality and recommended that the devices should be removed and ordinary change-speed gear substituted, the understanding being that the cost of the automatic devices would be refunded to the corporation.
WE are reminded by the R.A.C. that there is at the present time no law or by-law which makes it an offence to pass a tramcar on the near side when it is stationary. Such a procedure would interfere with traffic flow and tempt drivers either to pull out to the off side of the tram, or to accelerate, in order to pass before it stops. The driver of a motor vehicle must,' however, exercise extreme care.