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Will the Steamer Stage a Come-back.?
Page 115
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Some Factors Which Have Militated Against a Vehicle Noted for Economy and Reliability
DURING the past few years the L./employment of the steam wagon has been steadily diminishing, chiefly for the reason that the older models are on the heavy side and consequently suffer from two serious disadvantages— high taxation and a low ratio of useful load to unladen weight. They could, of course, carry much more than is legally permitted, and until now the only concession in this connection has been that the gross load could be 13 tons instead of 12 tons if the speed
were limited to 12 m.p.h. • Many of these older vehicles gave every satisfaction in other respects, doing magnificent work under arduous conditions and showing marked economy in operation.
Influence of the Oiler.
One of the factors which militated against the steam wagon was the rapid development of the oiler. In our opinion, this factor is not of such great importance as it might seem to be at first thought, because the economy of the latter type becomes snore pronounced at the bigger mileages, whereas, in the majority of cases, the steam wagon, owing to its peculiar= capacity for, dealing with heavy loads such as are necessitated in building operations, etc., combined with the need for replenishing its water supply
at fairly frequent intervals, renders the machine more suitable for average mileages where the economy of the oiler is not so marked.
It was practically at the turn of the tide that the steam wagon became really modernized, but too late to arrest its waning popularity. It may be, however, that the importance attached to the employment of home-produced fuel, the fact that under the latest Construction and Use Regulations a four-wheeler employing solid fuel may weigh 14 tons or a six-wheeler 20 tons, and the lighter construction which permits the unladen weight to be under 5 tons (reducing the tax to £70), the tide may set in the other direction. It may well be that if encouragement be given to designers, the steam wagon will he able to develop still further in the direction of reduced weight without a corresponding reduction of load capacity, particularly if it can be rendered less dependent upon road-side supplies of water. It was sad to observe the fall from grace of such a thoroughly British vehicle; and we are sure that many operators who have utilized it in the past would welcome its return.
For trailer work the steam wagon has •always proved iane of the most efficient types of vehicle, whilst nothing Can be said against it from the point of view of safety, for, apart from its mechanical brakes, the engine constitutes one of the most efficient braking mediums which can be utilized.
Control Simplified.
In the old days it used to be considered that the driver of a steam wagon had to be an engineer, and for this reason many of this class were men who had served their time at marine or locomotive work—and fine men they were; but the control and operation of the modern types are so simplified that they are comparable with the petrol or oil-engined vehicle.
One disadvantage—the time taken to raise steam before starting—has been diminished to a considerable degree with the improvement in boiler efficiency, maintenance has been facilitated, and the life of a well-designed steamer is, at least, equal to, and probably exceeds, that of other types of commercial vehicle.