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Commercial Vehicles FOR WORLD MARKETS
Page 75
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SUPERFICIALLY, the grey columns of statistics corn. piled by the Government and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders are a formal acknowledgment of the gallant efforts of British manufacturers to restore, as quickly as possible, the world's depleted and battered road-transport fleets. To those who take pains to scan them in the dim light of present economic conditions, they present a picture of endeavour and achievement unparalleled in 50 years' history.
They show that, despite shortages of labour and materials, controls and difficulties created by the breakdown in power supplies early in the year, 154,670 vehicles with internalcombustion engines and 3,275 battery-electrics were produced in 1947, compared with an estimated output of about 108,000 in the golden year of 1938. In spite of the urgent calls of home operators for replacement vehicles. only 103,882 of the 154,284 machines produced for civilian purposes last year were retained in the United Kingdom.
'Ile British Empire took 22,603 chassis and complete vehicles (including industrial trucks, but excluding taxicabs and general-haulage tractors), valued at £10,473,617, and foreign countries absorbed 26,752 machines of a value of £12,307,864.
Figures prepared by the S.M.M.T. show that among Empiie countries South Africa led the way by spending £2,362,547 on 2,715 British vehicles and chassis (including road-haulage tractors, but excluding industrial trucks). Eire bought a far greater number of units (3,432), but as a contributor to the revenue of the United Kingdom took second place with an expenditure of £1,441,560. Australia ran third among Empire countries with an expenditure of £1.1 I 1,74 I on 2,699 machines; British India fourth with £886,452 and 2.144 vehicles and chassis, and New Zealand fifth (7E809,197 and 2,599 units).
Argentina, a hard-currency zone, purchased a larger number of British commercial vehicles than any other over seas country (3,984), but its expenditure of £2,100,548 was slightly lower than that of South Africa. The Netherlands was our second largest foreign customer,rthat country having spent £1,685,139 on 2,357 new vehicles. Denmark took third place (£868,740 and 2,456 vehicles). Spain fourth (£839,223 and 1,265 vehicles), Belgium fifth (£787,666 and 2,736 vehicles) and Portugal sixth (€695,766 and 1,615 vehicles).
Figures may be factual, but they are less eloquent than pictures. The next 14 pages of this issue present to the world one of the finest photographic records ever made of the ramifications of the British commercial vehicle industry. In them will be found illustrations of goods vehicles of various types, including battery-electrics, industrial trucks, motorbuses, trolleybuses and coaches, trailers and semi-trailers, and specialized municipal models. Practically every make is represented.