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Gear Which Has A NYONE who sees the new Caused a Revolution r-Ibooklet published by the in Transport . .•, Self-Changing Gear Co., Ltd.;
Lythalls Lane, Coventry, and .entitled Wheels Within Wheels," cannot fail to be _impressed by this remarkable recOrd of a Conception in gear changing which has found application throughout the world in many classes of transport. Known generally as the Wilson gearbox, it is more technically described as a self-changing, pre-selective gear. The idea originated in the epicyclic gear embodied in Major Wilson's Wilson-Pilcher car built in London in 1898. It came into greater prominence during the 1914-18 war, when a form of the Wilson gear was adopted for the track steering of Tanks. The company is now allied to the Hawker Siddeley concern, and the gear is used on railcars, shunting locos, logging trucks and marine craft. Practically all London buses are also fitted with it, and in no fewer than eight European capitals British-built buses A26 equipped with this type of gear are in daily service. Now, some 80 per cent, of the company's work in hand at Coventry is for export,
Go-slow Movement IT is rather interesting to find in the Interests' of I in one .factory, that of the Safety ' AC-Sphinx Spark Plug Co.,
. at Dunstable, a go-slowmovement, with dismissal as the penalty for disobedience. We hasten to add that this is a safety measure instituted by 'arrangement between the works management and the accident-prevention committee. During inspections to discover any unsafe condition or untidiness in the works, it wai found that accidents were frequently caused by workers hurrying along the gangways of the production line, and roadways, and then tripping over or colliding with bins and machinery, so the go-slow warning was given for the benefit of everyone. .
Interior Heaters PopWEATERS are becoming ular on Commercial "popular not only for Vehicles special purpose commercial
vehicles, but also for normal coaches and buses, and some large orders are being received by certain makers. For example, 500 ambulances on Daimler chassis are being fitted with the Clayton type, whilst similar equipment is being installed in large numbers of vehicles owned by the Western National and Southern National concerns.
Nylon Tyres are IT is well known that the con Growing in Favour in struction of commercial tyre
America carcasses from nylon cord has given them a much higher degree of reliability. More infotmation regarding therri has just reached us from the Du Pont Co., of Delaware, U.S.A., the booklet issued being accompanied by a sample of the cord, which is, unfortunately, insufficient to serve any practical purpose. It is claimed that there is not a case on record of any of the thousands of nylon tyres on the road having blown out, whilst testing under the most brutal conditions of high temperature shows that such tyres
give -an extra high margin of safety. They are also greatly resistant to damage from bruising, whilst the nylon resists deterioration from moisture entering by way of a cut or crack. Nylon is about twice as strong as other fabrics used for tyre cords and, weight for weight, it is stronger than steel.
Reader Impressed by (INE of our readers writes a Barr Garage in '—most eulogistically con Leeds cerning the new garage opened at Leeds by Robert Barr, Ltd., and used mainly for touring coaches. Here, he saw what he describes as an amazing array of fine vehicles, 'chiefly of Leyland and A.E.C. makes, some bearing souvenir labels of hotels in Italy, Switzerland, etc. There were examples from HOITleland Tours, Croydon; Ruby Cars, Torquay; and a luxurious model with tables, operated for Leeds United Football Club. The' garage has fluorescent fighting and white-tiled pits, and the floors are said to be kept scrupulously Clean. The concern, of course, has branches at Ottey, Bradford, Royston, Pontefract, Harrogate, Blackpool, etc.