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VY You Should Go to the Show
Page 93
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How the Exhibits at Earls Court will appeal to Various Classes of Visitor By Thc Editor
NEXT Thursday will mark the
opening, at Earls Court, of the greatest Exhibition of industrial vehicles which has ever been staged in the pritish Isles or in any other country. It will be completely representative of all that constitutes the commercial-vehicle industry from the production and maintenance points of view, whilst numerous conferences of interest will be held.
• The Commercial Motor Show is • what may be termed a comfortable one. It is not crowded and opportunities of inspecting exhibits and chatting with representatives regarding their points are excellent.
To you, as an ancillary user, one or more visits will be of particular importance. Road transport is only a branch of your activities, but it is one of considerable value and may mean all the difference between profit and loss. After all there is nothing to compare with a personal inspection and a. comparison on the spot between the various makes, types and capacities, whilst the ranges of accessories and equipment will deserve close attention.
As a haulier, you will already have had considerable experience with commercial vehicles, unless you are just starting in this work (which, in view of the difficulties caused by the Road and,Rail Traffic Act, will be somewhat unlikely); but despite your knowledge you will learn much.
e Tell the Designer • You will also have the chance of telling the technical representatives on the stands just what you think of their previous designs, and, perhaps, of discussing with them that very debatable point as to whether a particular vehicle should carry only its rated capacity or twice that load. You should also be particularly concerned with those accessories, etc., which make for economy in running and maintenance.
The poorer brethren of the haulage side are rather inclined to look upon you members of the passengercarrying industry as being something in the nature of spoilt darlings. Perhaps they do not realize that, with the great mileages covered by your fleets, a fraction of a penny a mile may make all the difference, and it is up to you to examine most critically all new machines and modifications which may exercise an influence in this important direction. Apart from the chassis, and as to whether these should be of forward or normal control, with offset drive or otherwise, the bodywork should make peculiar appeal; you will be able to study and argue the pros and cons of all-metal and composite types, seating layouts, and all those numerous adjuncts which make for the benefit of the operator and the comfort of the passenger.
These matters relating to passenger vehicles will also appeal to you as a municipal engineer—at least, if you be concerned with the passenger side, but if your tastes lie more in the direction of refuse collection, the carriage of road material, dd., you will still find your wants catered for.
A study of these will enable you to prove to your council that you are alive to modern transport means and methods, and unlikely to have gentlemen from the next municipal area telling you what ought to be done.
Maintenance is one of the most vital branches of the industry. Not only does it affect the economic factor, but a good knowledge of the latest equipment in the direction of tools and appliances will render you, as a maintenance engineer, better able to face that ogre, the vehicle examiner. His polite little visiting card, the " stop " notice, is a reflection upon your capabilities and knowledge, and if you want to earn his 'praise and that of your employer, come to the Show and study, what is being done in your interests.
It may be that you are hampered by a stingy manager, apt to look upon maintenance as an expensive, but necessary, evil. If so, take the old curmudgeon with you and show him what should be purchased.
• Shame—or Pride ? . • The Show will mean two things to you as a designer—either, it will make you hang your head in shame, or feel that you have put something across which will make you the envy of your confreres. In any case, you will have before you a melting-pot of ideas from which you can extract those you think best and modify them to overcome the patent restrictions.
If you be an agent it will, perhaps, be unnecessary to suggest the need for your attendance. You will undoubtedly be there in full force, ready to throw a rosy light upon those models with which you are particularly concerned; but be prepared to back them up by authentic data (see The Commercial Motor Tables of Operating Costs).
If you be a bureaucrat helping to control the destinies of the industry, then certainly attend, for you ought to know the difference between, say, a gully-emptier and a coach.
If you find yourself in difficulty visit The Commercial Motor stand (No. 13), *here you can consult our costs expert S.T.R.