More Steam-wagon Reminiscences
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A Pioneer of the Days of Steel Tyres and Woolleather Brike Blocks Gives Interesting Views on , Steam 'wagon Design
• By R. Thorpe
I WAS delighted to read in a recent issue of your
journal a letter paying tribute to the steam wagon: I agree with your correspondent's remarks that such vehicles were economical to operate, for I have used this means for transport from the early days until heavy taxation, higher speeds, the passing of men who were interested enough to become drivers and the dying out of the craftsmen who could undertake major repairs almost killed them. After all, it was a craft to be a boilersmith or a steam fitter; all parts in those machines had to be fitted, not, like the present-day mass-produced articles, just replaced.
The letter gave me cause for reflection on the days when we purchased our first Foden wagon. This was in 1908, when steel-shod wheels were the vogue, rubber being thought unfit to carry the weight. To the pioneers of those days much of the present transport owes its success.
Might I relate just a few difficulties that may interest your readers?. I think that there are still a,few of the "old school" left who would like their memories stirred.
• Ne doubt some of the present-day operators would think that they were back in the days of Dick Turpin if they were told that before they could proceed into the next county or pass through a county borough they must first obtain, permission from the various county or borough authorities. This 'was so in the days when traction engines were used to move things about. In certain cases, times were fixed for passing through towns en route. Traction engines, carrying out this class of work regularly, were therefore licensed with the adjoining authorities, and carried licence plates to this effect, to obviate asking permission every time, but they still. had to operate to the different by-laws.
It Is the F.oundation That
Makes the Good Road
Another important item was the choice of route. In the early days roads were not surfaced like these of to-day; in rural areas the stone was laid loose and it was left to traffic to crush it into place. This might sound far-fetched, but not so many councils owned road rollers before 1914. It is only in the past 20 years that some of the largest county councils have purchased their own road-making plant. A road in those days that might be good in summer would be practically impassable with steel wheels in • wet„ wintry weather owing to the soft foundations. Even to-day, with modern machines, I have heard drivers say that their vehicles pulled badly on a certain length of road, and when 1' have mentioned that that portion was always noted for being a soft, springy piece as there "was nb bottom in it," they have looked at the smooth, tar-macadam outface and then at me with a look signifying that they thought I was a mental case, but let them get off their pneumatic tyres and drive a steel-shod vehicle over the same stretch, then they would , find out the difference.
Again, water played a big part in the choice of route, as with the early types of steam wagon 12 miles was a good distance to travel on a tankful, less if the roads were of the water-bound type, which, as I have said, was very general. After converting to solid-rubber tyres and with improved road surfaces, the distance was raised to 20 miles or more. Under modern conditions and pneumatic tyres, with higher speeds, it can be raised to 50 miles.
How Bonded-asbestOs Braking Material Came to the Rescue
I wonder how many of the present-day drivers would like to travel over Stannedge and similar routes with a 10or, 12-ton load, using wooden blocks, leather-faced, as a brake. Every time a hill of any length was descended these had to be doused with water at the bottom as the blocks caught fire. Then came bondedasbestos material to counteract this trouble and give better braking power, a foot brake to operate on the engine flywheel was added, the reversing lever being held partly over to assist. It was also customary, with steel tyres, to carry a sack or two of chippings when proceeding to towns with setts and tramlines, so that skidding could be prevented on the hills or to get the vehicle out of the way of trams. I have even had tram drivers assist with their spare sacks of sand to get us out of their way.
I still ..think, like your correspondent, that there is a future for a vehicle running on steam. After the war, with all the research that has gone on with regard to , various metal alloys, it should be possible to construct a light steam generator on the flash principle combined with a Simple single-acting engine, running at a slow speed and working through a gearbox and shaft drive, to compete even with the C.I.-engined lorry. Such a vehicle to be light enough to be taxed at a low rate. Why not, now that there are suggestions wanted for a new system qf road-vehicle taxation, give a concession to users of vehicles using home-produced fuel?
It might interest your readers to know that in 1909 we undertook a removal by van and trailer from Ripon to Slough, bringing a return load from the London Docks direct home. It consisted of six tons of material to be used in the making of hay-stack covers. I should think that there had been few loads brouglif by road motor over that distance before that date.