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Where Theory and Practice Conflict

2nd March 1951, Page 53
2nd March 1951
Page 53
Page 53, 2nd March 1951 — Where Theory and Practice Conflict
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

VOUR leading article, " "I he Road Transport A Engineer," in your issue dated February 16 is most .imely and I hope that it will have a wide circulation tmongst those concerned. It is not difficult to guess he identity of those who are responsible for the '

attempts" which you mention.

In this connection, I would refer those interested to letter published on page 360 of your issue dated December 15, 1944, written by my father, Mr. W M. S. 3olton.

(Mr. Bolton said: "In the past, manufacturers had eft too much to the designers, rarely consulting 'the nan on the job.'" Many operators, including himself. tad had the experience of being forced drastically to Liter new machines before placing them in service. 'ersonally, he looked upon the (then) Institution of kutomobile Engineers as a theoretical body, and the woposed Institute of Road Transport Engineers as the ■ ractical. He added that surely these tvo organizations had a great future they adopted co-operation and iutual appreciation. Thus they vould benefit the industry and the tation, whilst improving the breed"

-ED.).

The steady growth of the body evoted to our interests, and its cknowledgment on an ever-increasing ;ale, both at home and overseas, ;ere bound to have a marked effect on le theorists.

As one who in recent years has been !sponsible for vehicle maintenance and operation in -opical Africa, I can assure you that had our producers I new designs at first troubled to confer with the ractical road transport engineers overseas, they would at have earned themselves the criticism which some ave done abroad.

At one time I was chairman of a Government coinittee, its task being to distribute new machines in the .ton class to suitable applicants from a huge waiting tt built up during and after the war. Although we tuld always rely upon certain makes of British chassis ,ing taken, others could not he disposed of, even to )plicants who might have to wait years for the popular odels. Most of these vehicles are selling there now, -st, because the Government concerned has long wined the importation of foreign makes and, secondly, r the reason that complaints from practical men have suited in a spate of modifications. As regards the heavy iss, I could tell a similar story.

I venture to suggest that if these markets now closed foreign competitors from non-sterling countries are er opened, some of our exporters are due for a shock. It is useless for our designers to rely on the evidence 'mined during visits of a few weeks' duration by thnical representatives instead of employing the cumulated knowledge of our practical men on 0 spot, who, needless to say, are usually members

the I.R.T.E.

As regards looking upon examinations as the main tenon of the engineer, I would raise a point which ty be strange to those who have no knowledge of African or Asiatic mind. Certain members of r staff, coloured mechanics and clerks, could read and imorize text book after text book, and they could, d did "walk through" the examinations laid down august bodies in Britain.

ks regards misnomers. compare the Institution of

er1

Locomotive Engineers with the Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen. By no stretch of the ,maginafion, could engine drivers belonging to the latter be considered as locomotive engineers—any more than that our own lorry and bus drivers would be entitled to be termed automobile engineers.

Maidstone W. F. BOLTON, M.S.A.E., M.I.R.T.E.

LONDON TRANSPORT'S RECOVERY VEHICLES I WAS interested to read the letter from Mr. C. T. 1 Humpidge, in your issue dated January 26, about the method adopted by London Transport's recovery unit to raise an overturned vehicle.

The method used by Rochdale since 1943 differs fairly considerably from that used by London Transport. Whereas Rochdale uses, if my information be correct, a beam clamped to the chassis, the London Transport equipment employs a vertical pole which is not connected to the chassis, but transmits the pull from the winch to the vehicle roof via slings.

The Rochdale device no doubt performs very satisfactorily with its particular vehicles, but would not be applicable in London. This is due, first, to the need to provide not only for our own chassisless and integrally constructed buses and trolleybuses, but also for the wide range of other operators" vehicles which may (and do, from time to time) need attention in our extensive area, and, secondly. to the paramount importance of speed in removing an overturned vehicle from areas of dense traffic.

The latest London Transport equipment is designed to this end; although based on a principle that has been in use in London for well over 20 years, it is new in that it employs a single pole, a winch-equipped tractor and an independent tender carrying the loose equipment. These permit the rapid removal of a damaged vehicle without first re-loading equipment.

• This arrangement has proved to be much in advance of the former method employing two_ poles and a capstan mounted on the one lorry which was used both for carrying equipment and towing the casualty.

London. S.W 1. GEORGE DODSON-WELLS,

Chief Public Relations Officer. (For London Transport Executive)

OUR DRIVERS PRAISED BY SOUTH AFRICAN As a recently departed visitor from South Africa, may

I be permitted a small space in your journal to express my admiration and appreciation of the very high standard of road courtesy and driving skill shown by your drivers of large commercial vehicles.

Having successfully completed a 6,808-mile trailer caravan-private car tour of Great Britain from Lands End to John o' Groats, and from Anglesey to Suffolk, some personal observations may be of interest.

With rare exception, I would credit heavy-vehicle drivers, whether of passenger or transport types, as quite the most skilled and most courteous of all road users, and cycle riders as probably the most incon siderate. J. W. MckilArrit Bechuanaland Protectorate. South Africa


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