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News of the Week

MORE COACH JOURNEYS FROM LONDON .

HOLIDAY coach outings or recreational tours from London are now extended by the London R.T.C., for Sundays in August and September and August Bank Holiday Monday, to any South or East Coast resort extending from Southsea to Clacton.

Such journeys are subject to the following conditions:—(I) Each operation must be confined to one day and all passengers must return in that time.

(2) If the operation does not comply with the provisions of the R.T.A. 1933 as to " private parties," including the conditions of Section 25 (1) of the R.T.A. 1334, it can be carried out only by an operator who, at the outbreak of war, held a road service licence (continued as a road service permit during the war) authorizing him to operate art excursion or an express service to the coastal resort to which the journey is to be made. The-operation must be carried out strictly according to the terms of the licence or permit, and subject to the further conditions:—(a) that only/ day return fares may be charged, (b) that the fares should not in any case exceed 25 per cent, above the minimum specified in the licence or permit.

(3) The journey must not interfere with any stage carriage, workers' or other service which the operator has been authorized by the Commissioner to provide.

(4) It most not involve hardship on drivers or extra demands for labour.

B.R.F. WOULD WELCOME BOARD OF HIGHWAY COMMISSIONERS

APROPOSAL for the establishment of a Board of Highway Commissioners has been put forward by the Standing Joint Committee of the A.A., R.A.C., and Scottish R.A.C. The B•.R.F. has announced that it welcomes this, for the Federation has been, and is, working along parallel lines. It strongly endorses the principle of removing the detailed administration of the highway system from the M,O,W.T., and of setting up a separate body charged with those duties and empowered to adopt a long-term policy.

There appears to be only the alternatives of a road system which will always fall short of national requirements or the establishment of a body having adequate powers in respect of roads, and no Other responsibilities.

LICENCE CONCESSIONS CONTINUED AND AMPLIFIED

BIZ the Emergency Powers (Defence) Road Vehicles and Drivers (Amendment) (No. 2) Order, 1945, any authority in force on July 31, 1945, to act as driver or conductor of a p.s. vehicle or a tram, trolleybus or hackney carriage in the Metropolitan Police District; use a p.s. vehicle; operate . a road passenger_ service by a permit' issued under previous Orders; or use goods vehicle (A, B or C. licence) is

extended, as was done last year, for 12 months from the date when it would otherwise have expired. • This is to save manpower and paper. The extension will be automatic and without fee, and there is no need for holders of licences or permits to apply

for their renewal. They must, however, notify the ETC. of any .change of address, or of vehicle specified.

Ordinary driving licences, road service licences, and excise licences are not affected.

The Order also makes a concession forharvest work Any goods vehicle operator may, until 'November 30, accept harvest work for hire or reward without regard to any conditions attached to his carrier's licence or defence permit.

Another provision simplifies, the machinery by which R.T.C.s may attach conditions to B defence permits.

BRITISH TIMKEN TRADING tA AFTER deducting depreciation amounting to £24,682, taxation £70,000, etc., the net profit of British Timken, Ltd., for 1944 was £52,624, compared with £60,867 in the previous year. A dividend of 15 per cent, is being paid, which will take 230,000, and general reserve receives £30,000, the amount carried forward being £24,216, compared with £31,592 brought in.

"ALDERSHOT AND DISTRICT" RESULTS

TRAFFIC receipts and other income of the Aldershot and District Traction Co.; Ltd., for the year ended May 31 last totalled £831,272, the previous year's figure being £765,445. The net profit-came out at £28,985, contrasted with £23,277 a year earlier. General reserve receives £10,000, and, after a dividend of 10 per cent. has been paid, a sum of £46,436 remains to he carried forward, as against £39,951 brought in.

ACCLES AND POLLOCK FORMS SUBSIDIARY COMPANY

Ware advised that the cold-rolled metal-sections department of Accles and Pollock, Ltd., has now reached a stage which makes it desirable for it to stand on its own feet in both the matter of production and sales. Accordingly, arrangements have been made for thn transfer of this side of the company's trade to a subsidiary company—Metal Sections, Ltd., as from August 6.

Metal Sections, Ltd., will operate from Paddock Works, Oldbury, and although it will work as a separate trading 'concern, it will be in close co-operation with Aceles and Pollock, Ltd., and will still have at its disposal all that company's technical resources. A. and P. area representatives will also represent Metal Sections, Ltd.

Mr. L. Gibbs, who has been in charge of production in, the past, will continue as works Manager of the new company, and Mr. E. Bryan as sales manager, NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF ASSOCIATIONS TO BE • FORMED

AT a meeting held on July 25 at Manchester, thefollowing associations were represented :-1-1.1VI.F.; Bolton and District Road Transport Association; the Road Passenger and Transport Association, Birmingham; and the Amalgamated Horse and Motor Owners Association. Mr. E. B. Howes was elected to the chair,

A resolution was moved by Mr. Bendy, seconded by Mr. Moss, to the effect that a National Conference of • Road Transport Associations should be formed at once. An amendment was proposed that a National Conference of Road Transport Associations be provisionally formed and that a further meeting be held to which other asso"ciations should be invited. This amendment was defeated, and the original resolution was passed with two dissentients.

The next meeting will be held on September 13, especially for the purpose Of arranging the terms of reference and other. business.

HIGHER PROFIT OF SPURLINTG MOTOR BODIES

I N the year ended February 28 last, Spudding Motor Bodies, Ltd., made a profit of £113,559, which compares with £54,453 for the previous year. Provision for taxation takes £86,925, so that after .£6,413 brought in is added, there is £33,047 remaining, Of this sum £10,000 is absorbed in writing off investments in subsidiary companies for part goodWill, £13,031 by the payment of a dividend at 12,1 per cent., less tax, and £3,000 by a transfer to general reserve. The amount to be carried forward is £7,016. •

RATIONING OF PRIVATE-PARTY COACH TRIPS

RATIONING of motor-coach excursions and tours for private parties has been ' introduced in the Northeast Region by the Regional Transport • Commissioner, so as to give individuals • a, better chance of coach itravel. This move is understood to have been made because of a tendency among operators to favour private-party work at the expense of trip facilities for the general

public. •

The concession whereby, during. local holiday weeks, coaches may run to various east and west coast seaside. resorts beyond the general mileage limit is now subject to the qualification that operators may not allocate more than 10 per cent, of such seaside journeys to private parties: Where a town's holidays are staggered, such operators can take private. parties to the seaside on Saturdays and Sundays only, and their mid-week private-party trips to nearer points must be in the ratio of one to every four public excursions or tours within the 50-mile out-and-return limit. During local holiday weeks or staggered holiday periods, operators who are not licensed to operate public excursions and tours may take one private patty to the coast for every four private. , .excursions or tours operated within the ordinary 70 miles round-trip limit for such operation,

LONDON CENTRE FORMED FOR TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATORS.

As result of the steady increase of members in the London area,_ a meeting was recently held in the Metropolis, when it was decided to create a London Centre of the Institute of . Traffic Administration. Asecretary and treasurer were elected, also a committee,... comprising Messrs. J. Rumble, L. T. Forde, A. Bibby, W. J. Adkin, F. W. Tinhorn, and Capt. C. A. Elliott.

It was decided to appoint a chairman in rotation during the early meetings, the first of which will beheld in London during September. .

It was also-agreed to create a student group of the London Centre, and any young person interested in transport as a 'career should apply for particulars to the Institute of Traffic Administration, 2, Caxton Street, Westminster, London, S.W.1.

BID TO GET BETTER ROADSIDE • PARKING

FURTHER representations are to be made by the County Council Assn,'elation to urge the M.O.W.T. to introduce legislation in regard to the provision of parking facilities in connection with new roadside cafes, and upon the question of lay-byes on trunli' and county roads. The Association refused to accept the view of the Ministry that time could not be found for the introduction of legislation to deal with the dangers which might arise due to vehicles being parked on the highway outside existing roadside cafés. '

CONVERTED BUS •DOES WELL AS MOBILE THEATRE

'THE mobile theatre which was pre.1 sented in June, 1940, to the Army's Northern Comma,nd by the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., recently completed over 50,000 .miles in the conveyance-of concert parties to provide entertainment for Forces members at lonely stations in the North of England. For five years the mobile ,theatre has been on the road nightly almost without a break, carrying voluntary entertainers, who have served more than 100 stations at remote spots on the Yorkshire Wolds, the moors, and in the dales. Throughout its service, the theatre—a converted bus—has been handled by Mr. Harold Brown, one of the West Yorkshire Road Car Co.'s drivers, LEEDS CHAMBER SUPPORTS R.H.A. LICENSING. PROPOSAL HOW to increase the membership of the Road. Transport Section of Leeds Incorporated Chamber of Commerce was discussed at tile .Section's annual—meeting last week. As a step in this direction, it Was -decided to point out to the Chamber's members generally that membership of the Road Transport Sectionis open to C-licence holders as well as to professional road. transport operators. Resolutions 'adopted on national matters included one calling' for the withdrawal of regulation 73B, SO that ti permit for the haulage of ,goodS. beyond 60 Miles will no longer be

necessary. Another resolution Urged that the M,O.W.T. Road Haulage Organization should erase to fin7setion not later than December 31,. 1945.

On the subject . of licensing, the .Section expressed. its agreement, in principle, ,with the R.11A. proposal that A and B licence holders should

. receive automatically the authority for the same tonnage as they had in 1939, and that the grant of tonnage above that level should be at the discretion of the licensing authorities. The Section

. • also supported the view that C-licence liolde-rs should be required to observe the same wages rates and conditions of service for employees as in the case of A and B holders.

COMMER AND KARRIER SERVICE 'STATIONS WILL REMAIN

A FURTHER communication from Rootes, Ltd., .referring to the Commer/Karrier S. service station at Chase Road, Willesden, is to the effect that this station will remain at the same address With the present management -and staff. The change is of name and contrnl only, which will now come under R,00tes, Ltd., and n'ot the companies previously concerned.

U.S. RUBBER NEEDS CAN BE MET, IF . .

I F rubber can be obtained from the " Dintch East Indies, America will turn out 43,301,000 tyres for essential civilian use by the end of 1946. states . Mr. John Collyer, retiring director of the U.S. rubber programmes. .Military and essentialcivilian requirements for tyres and other rubbenproducts during the remainder of 1945 and 1946 could be met if the United States could obtain 73,000 tons or more of crude rubber from the Dech Indies in the next six months. •

• PLANNING TO -RAISE .SHALE-OIL PRODUCTION

pLANS.to increase the production of shale oil to 2.,500,000 tons, annually are to be promoted in the Lothians. The output last year was in the region of 1,610000 tons, Mr. Walter Nellies,general secretary of the Shale Miners' and Oil Workers' Union., states -that. new mines will be sunk, whilst Westwood oil works will be extendedto provide distilling facilities for an additional 1,000 tons a day.

ENEW SILENTBLOC CATALOGUE NGINEERING drawing offices will need no introduction to the products of Silentbloc, Ltd., Victoria Gardens, Ladbroke Road, Notting Hill Gate, London, W..11.. They will, however, be interested in the nevi catalogue published by the company, in which its products and their specific application are well set out. • Copies will be supplied to readers of "The Commercio.1 Motor '' proVided applications be made on notepaper bearing a business

heading, OBITUARY

• We regret to learn of the death of MR. F. A. ALDER:mg, contracts manager for Tilling-Stevens, Ltd.., Maidstone. • He had been employed by the company since the beginning of 1980 and, in additon, was manager' of its battery-electric department, being wellknown inthisheld Of transport. GOOD SURPLUS FROM MAN

CHESTER'S MUNICIPAL BUSES

• A SURPLUS of £240,507, sufficient to Cover the charges of converted tram • routes and income tax, and to leave a. balance of £158,373, Which has been reserved for income tax. 30 profits earned during the year, \'as made by Manchester Corporation'5 transport undertaking in the year ended March 31 last.

All three services produced increased incomes, surpluses accruing from the Motorbus. and trolleybus sections, hut the trams showed a deficit. Revenue from motorbuses was up by £89,7:1 compared With the previous year and amounted to £2,377,684, showing a surplus of £297,565. Passengers carried numbered 255,850,496.

Trolleybuses carried 63,236,959 people and produced an income of £461,383—an increase of £9,840 and a surplus of £59,388.

Tramway receipts showed an increase of £9,528 and, produced an income of £713,167, but a deficit of £103,594 was sustained on the year's working. Passengers carried by the-trams totalled 96,931,670.

NUFFIELD FOUNDRY APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME •

A LTHOUGH the pattern-maker and fonndryman get few bouquets handed to them, their work is not only highly skilled, but is, basically,. the foundation upon which rests the efficiency of the engine-building and other departments.

Under the Nuffield Organization Apprenticeship Scheme, youths who are interested in foundry work are now able, to learn the trade. As apprentices, net only are the boys able to gain • a thorough grounding in moulding and core-making during their period of higher education, but they also learn much' of the work . undertaken in the laboratories, melting plant and pattern -shop. At. the same time they have the opportunity of studying at the Coventry Technical College.

• PRESERVATION AND PACKAGING FOR THE TROPICS

TOWARDS the end of 1943 the 1 British Standards Institution published its Code of Packagin,n B.S.1133. to assist Government Departments and contractors in dealing with this problem generally. Soon afterwards a further booklet (Section 3) was issued dealing with the preservation of metal parts prior to packing.

Experience in the Far. East Las, however, shown the need for much higher. standards, and at the request of. the. Anglo-American Packaging Committee and the M.O.P., the Institution has prepared and published a supplement to the Code suitable for the Tropics. . It is called Supplement No. 2 to B.S.1133, and supersedes the interim Supplement, No. 11, published late last year.

The book, .which comprises goo pages, is obtainable from the British Standards Institution, 28,Victoria Street, London, S.W.I. at Sc. net, including postage. M.O.W.T. REVISES HIRE SCHEDULE RH/D/20

AN agreement has been reached between the R,H.A. and the M.O,W.T, concerning a revision of RH/D/20. This deals with the hire of goads road motor vehicles (short distance and local services) by the Road Haulage Branch of the Ministry.

. In future, the schedule will be

divided into two classes of vehicle:— (A) standard , (non-tipping), (B) tipping. It is also divided into four parts, one for each of the wages groups under the Road Haulage Wages Orders, i.e., Metropolitan and Grades I, It and III. This arrangement replaces the former whereby the basic schedule applied to both Metropolitan and Gri.de I, there being percentage deductions for Grades II and III.

For tipping work, the respective hourly, daily and weekly rates will be 8 per cent, above those given in the new schedule. There is a separate scale for additional mileage rates for tipping work, as set forth in the last column of each schedule. The operative date for these schedules was July 16.

The new rates in the revised RH/D/20 have been made applicable to the War Office and Air Ministry Schedule • RH/WD/20 with the necessary modifications. Separate schedules, the latter and RW/WD/9(tipping work), have been issued to those concerned. To fit into the administrative practice of the War Department and Air Ministry, this revision became operative as from midnight on July ,20.

Most of those cancerned will have received the new schedules; others interested should apply to the Road Haulage Association, Roadway House, 146, New Bond Street, London, W.1, as we have no space available for their reproduction in full.

R.H.A. WESTERN AREA HOLDING GYMKHANA l4EMBERS of the Western Area of -1 R.H.A. are holding a horse show and gymkhana at the Eastville Stadium, Bristol, on August 7. Nineteemitems are listed. in the schedule of events, which start at 10.30 a.m. and continue until 7.30 p.m. The whole of the prize money and all expenses are being defrayed by members, and the entire proceeds will go to the Bristol Royal Hospitals.

WAR WORK BY MANSFIELDS,' LTD., OF EASTBOURNE CPEAKING at the 10th a.g.rn. of Mansfields, Ltd., Eastbourne, the chairman, Mr. E. Tomlinson, mentioned that the cornpany was in the frontiline so far as air attack was concerned. In 1940 its new premises in Cavendish Place, Eastbourne, were bombed and the machine shop totally destroyed. One of its workshops in Hove was also wiped out, and most of its other premises have sustained

damage. However, , premises were acquired ontside, where the company's engineering production branch was

• again set up, and during the Nvar it has speciaiited in the manufacture • of higlf-precision parts for armourpiercing shells and aircraft Annon

guns. These were made available in very large quantities. At other premises repair and maintenance work to Service vehicles of all kinds, and repairs to agricultural and essential transport vehicles have been carried out consistently. .

It is notable that almost 80 per cent. of the original ,staff joined the Forces.

The trading profit for the year, afte: charging depreciation and all other expenses, but before allowing for interest, was 221,954, an increase of 25,292 over that for the previous year.

ENCOURAGING ROAD TRANSPORT WAR SAVINGS AMEETING of the War Savings Committee of the Road Transport Industry was held in London on July 27, under the chairmanship of Mr. E. S. Shrapnell-Smith, C.B.E. A letter from Lord Kindersley was read. In this, he expressed his regrets at not being able to meet the members of-the Committee, having been seriously ill, but he sent warm thanks to the members and the organizations they represent, on the work done for the War Savings Campaign in our industry. He emphasized that the continued success of the National Savings Campaign would be of enormous importance to the rehabilitation and prosperity of our country and its industries.

Numerous matters were discussed and the reports presented, and it was unanimously resolved that maximum support, including free publicity where practicable, be given, as in previous campaigns, by road-transport undertakings during the "Thanksgiving Weeks " commencing mid-September. It was agreed to circc'ulate the suggestion that buses and some vans might fly the National Savings flag during, local campaign weeks.

MORE HINTS TO BUSINESS MEN WE have received from the Depart. VI( Ment of Overseas Trade several more reviews of commercial conditions in various countries, Copies are obtainable from all. Stationery Office and its provincial branches. The whole will deal with 28 countries, for which the subscription is 21; others are charged at 6d. and is. net,, according to length. The present batch covers Sweden; Brazil; Bolivia and Chile; Mexico; and Argentina Paraguay and Uruguay. GOODS VEHICLES FOR CIVILIAN PURPOSES

CERTAIN additions have been made to the goods vehicles in the latest M.O.W.T. list revised to -June 30.Other makes and types may also be added during the course of the year. Vehicles will be allocated only by means _ of licences to acquire, which are granted on the recommendation of the -various Regional -Transport Commissioners.

Additions to the list which we published on April 13 are as follow:— Austin 5-cwt. van; Bedford 5-6-cwt,„ • van; Joivett 10-cwt. van; Trojan 15-cwt. van; Albion 30-35-cwt. truck, also 57-cwt. truck; Bedford 2-3-ton truck; Fordson 2-3-ton truck; Bedford 3-4-ton truck; Albion 7-ton truck (oil); Atkinson 12-ton truck (six-wheeler); Albion 12-tontruck (six-wheeler), and 141-ton truck (eight-wheeler); Dennis 12-ton truck (oil); Guy 4-ton tipping chassis and cab; Vulcan 6-ton tipper.

The only additional electric vehicle to be included in/the list is the Victor 20-27-cwt.

Amongst the miscellaneous there are a fewoiewoorners, such as the Brockhouse Municipal sweeper, sprinkler and collector; Scammell 16-cubic-yd. " Essloo "refuse collector, _9-cubic-yr.t side-loader, • and 6-cubic-yd. rigid-type, also,, previously, we did not mention that the Scammell 12-cubic-yd. types were made as " barrier loader and moving-floor collectors.

TRIBUTE TO MOTOR-TRADE RETAILERS

THE Men of the retail motor trade have performed prodigies of improvisation in keeping trucks and cars used for business purpose-s on the road during the war," said Sir Miles Thomas, vice-chairman of the Nuffield Organization, at a recent meeting of owners of fleets of commercial vehicles' in Birmingham.

" There is a spirit of enterprise, and a determination to overcome difficulties, displayed by garage proprietors and service-station operators, that might well set a standard in other transport undertakings."

ROADS SHOULD HAVE FIRST PRIORITY IN a speech made by Mr. Boyd

Bowman, M.A., to the West Ham Rotary Club, on behalf of the British Road Federation, he emphasized that almost every form of material reconstruction is being held up by the failure to make a decision on. roads, Housing, distribution of industry and town an% country planning all' require that the road system should be planned. first, and the work carried out as a matter of the highest priority.

The Ministry of Transport has stated that it has plans for roads. Let us know what they are. Let us see how they compare with those put. forward by the County Surveyors' Society, the Institution of Municipal and County Engineers, the British Road Federation and other bodies. Above all said the speaker, let us have bold and immediate action.