WHEELS of INDUSTRY
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"The wheels' of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the
roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
The Government and the Salter Report.
A late news message from our special Parliamentary correspondent states that the Government will announce its intentions concerning the Salter Report, a few days after the assembly of Parliament next Tuesday. Legislation to deal with the licensing and regulation of goods road transport, something on the lines recommended in the Report, is, he advises us, almost certain. The policy of the Government in respect of any alteration in vehicle taxation 'will probably remain in abeyance until the Budget Proposals are made known.
Leyland's Past Year's Trading.
In our issue for last week we briefly referred to the fact that the dividend on the ordinary shares of Leyland Motors, Ltd. for the year ended September 30, 1932, was to be maintained at 10 per vent., the s...tae as for 1931, and from the company's report just issued we note that, in the year in question, a net profit of 1117,117 was made, as compared with £252,099 in the previous year. A sum of 195,406 was brought into the accounts, so that the total available is £212,523.
Interim dividends upon the 6 per cent. and 74 per cent, cumulative preference shares absorbed 125,594, leaving £186,929. The final half-year's dividends on the cumulative preference shares account for a further £25,594, and after the ordinary-share dividend referred to above has been deducted (£67,500), there remains a balance of £93,835 to be carried forward. No allocation is made to general reserve, which received £150,000 in the previous year and now stands at £450,000.
The New Home of Shell-Mex and B.P.
Last week we had the pleasure of visiting and closely inspecting Shell-Mex House, the new home of Shell-Mex and B.P., Ltd., on the site of the old Hotel Cecil on the Victoria Embankment, London. Hitherto the staff has been scattered in two or three different buildings ; now it will be centralized.
One reason for this enterprise is that, in 10 years, the market for petroleum products has expanded in the "United Kingdom as follows :—Motor spirit, 545 per cent. ; kerosene and white spirit, 50 1%r cent. • fuel oils, 115 per cent.; lubricants, 40 per cent.; asphalt, 300 per cent. It is not surprising, therefore, that tha two companies now employ a staff of 15,000.
The 15 floors have a capacity of 7,650,000 cubic ft., there are 1,486 windows with 27,000 panes of glass, and 22 miles of hot and cold-water pipes. In the basement are a garage for 160 cars and a boiler house with six huge boilers entirely oil-fueled and using eight to nine tons of fuel oil per day ; these boilers supply 3,300 radiators. The five air plants treat 20,000,000 cubic ft. of air per hour, washing and Warming it.
On the Embankment level are a wonderful restaurant and kitchen. The automatic telephone room contains 300 B18 lines, but can be extended to deal with 900. The wall linings of the staircase, etc., are of Portland stone, polished to throw up the fossil content. The lifts can handle 340 people simultaneously and have a capacity of 10,000 persons per hour ; the speed is 500 ft. per minute. Fifty floodlights using 50,000 watts illuminate the clock tower. The °lock dial is 25 ft. square, and has hollow blocks of lead antimony instead of numerals.
"National Omnibus and Transport" Report.
The report of the National Omnibus and Transport Co., Ltd., for the year ended December 31, 1932, shows a profit of 116,187, the amount available for distribution, after adding the balance brought forward, being £61,449. The dividend for the year on the preference shares absorbs £17,500, and the remaining sum of £43,949 is to be carried forward.
In the report it is mentioned that, owing to the effects of the prevailing depression and to the increased cost of petrol, together with the fact -that an exceptional sum over and above the normal provision has been set aside for depreciation of rolling stock, it has not been found practicable by any of the three associated companies to declare a dividend on the ordinary shares in respect of the year ended September 30 last. The companieS have further extended their interests during the year by acquiring the undertakings of a number of small operators. The S.M.M. and T.'s Exhibition Policy.
Certain misleading articles have appeared in the daily Press regarding the exhibition policy of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Its policy for manufacturer members of the Society was originally formulated to restrict the number of exhibitions, run for private profit, at which members were liable to be exploited. The result has been to concentrate effort on the International Motor Show at Olympia, which fully satisfies the needs of the makers and has saved the industry enormous sums of money. It has facilitated the organization of exhibitions overseas where and when required.
It was never contemplated that the British Industries Fair should be used for motor products, as, says the S.M.M. and T., it will be appreciated that foreign buyers of such products do not attend that exhibition, also there would not be the space available in the British Industries Fair for a comprehensive motor exhibition.
International Road-rail Conference, The annual meeting of the Federaticin Internationale des Transports Commerciaux, a body formed in December, 1929, was recently held in Paris, when M. Blum, in his presidential address, dealt with the road-rail question.
He asserted that; whilst operators were prepared to submit to control both as to the technical details of their vehicles and as regards speed limits, they were not willing .to submit to a rail monopoly. There was ample scope for the railways to cut their losses by closing unremunerative local lines.
The Minister of Transport at Dover.
Speaking at the annual dinner of the Dover Chamber of Commerce, which was held last Friday, the Minister of Transport commenced by expressing his regret at the enforced absence of the Member of Parliament for the Division, Major Astor, who was a member of the Royal Commission on Transport, the value of the reports of which were fully appreciated at the Ministry. Incidentally, Major Astor is chairman of The Timm It may be, he continued, that the Minister of Transport is regarded as a prejudiced person when he reiterates the opinion that there is no question affecting the future of industry and commerce which is more urgent at the present time than the organization of transport.
It is idle, he said, to pretend that there is no transport problem, or that industry in the long run will gain anything from reckless, cut-throat competition within particular sections of the transport industry or between alternative methods of transport. In the steady and progressive reorganization of the productive industries to meet the new world conditions. the provision of cheap, adequate and efficient transport facilities is absolutely vital. You may rest assured, he added, that the Government fully recognizes the importance of the transport system of the country.
Interesting Facts About Petrol.
That petrol is one of the cheapest commodities on the market was pointed out by Mr. D. S. Paul in a lecture on the product, which he gave at Plymouth last week to members of the Institute of the Motor Trade. Mr. Paul said that the best anthracite coal had_only 75 per cent, of the energy of petrol, and, measured by weight, even a high explosive like nitro-glycerine had about only 20 per cent, of its energy.
Of every shilling's worth of petrol, only a pennyworth was actually used for transport. The world consumption of petrol was something like 25,000 million gallons annually, of which about 1,000 million gallons was used in this country.
Austin 7 b.p. Van Modified.
The substitution of a four-speed gearbox for the three-speed box hitherto used, is chief amongst the modifications appearing in the latest Austin 7 h.p.
van. It provides ratios of 525, 9.6, 14.4 and 23.3 to 1, the reverse ratio being the same as the first speed.
The spare wheel is now housed under the floorboards, instead of in a receptacle within the van, above the wheel. arch. Here it is readily accessible from the rear, and the new position enables advantage to be taken of the full width of 4 ft. 5 ins, of the interior of the van—a point of particular importance when shelves are required.
The body has also been moved rearwards by 14in. to increase the space for the driver's seat. This has been done without altering the wheelbase, which, of course, was increased, some months ago, by 6 ins. The price, too, remains the same, namely, £110.
A Booklet on Bearings.
A new edition of the catalogue of the Hoffmann Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Chelmsford, dealing with self-aligning ball and roller bearings, has just been issued, and it is more comprehensive than former editions in that it lists a larger selection of double-row bearings. These bearings are being largely used for sa_olications where a simple form of
self-aligning unit is required, and the company now lists them with a taper sleeve and nut in light and medium series. Readers can obtain a copy by writing to the company at the address given, Official Orders in December.
During December last the Air Ministry ordered Morris-Commercial chassis and the Crown Agents for the Colonies contracted for the supply of Thornycroft lorries.
E.M.B.-Wiseman Oil Engine.
We are informed by the ElectroMechanical Brake Co., Ltd., Moor Street, West Bromwich, that it has taken over from Alfred Wiseman, Ltd., the manufacture of the types of compression-ignition engine developed in various models by that concern.
The specifications of oil engines contained in our manual, "Compression Ignition Engines for Road Vehicles," refer to two four-cylindered types, of 4 ins, bore and 6 ins, stroke and 4 ins. bore and 6 ins, stroke respectively, and two six-cylindered models of the same dimensions.
Many New Containers for G.W.R.
The Great Western Railway Co. has found it necessary to augment its fleet of 1,100 containers by a further 310 units. Two additional types have been evolved for the conveyance of •fresh and chilled meat.
By means of the container system, rapid strides have also been made in the household-removal business. To assist in recovering this trade, packing and unpacking arrangements and subsidiary services have been elaborated, whilst 331 per cent, reduction in passenger fares is offered to families moving by rail.
Mr. J. J. Paterson Leaves £75,000.
The late Mr. John J. Paterson, vicechairman of Carter, Paterson and Co., Ltd., chairman of Bean's Express, Ltd., and a director of the London Parcels Delivery Ca., left estate valued at £75,455.
Personal Pars:
Further to a paragraph appearing in our issue for last week, we now learn that Coventry City Qouncil has appointed Mr. R. A. Fearnley, A.M.I.A,E , M.Inst.T., to be transport engineer at Coventry, in succession to Mr. T. Whitehead, who is retiring. Mr. Pearnley is at present general manager and engineer of the transport department of Southend Corporation.
Mr. G. E. Gilbey, of Messrs. Gilbey and Sons, the well-known haulage and removal contractors • of Wakefield, who is a vice-chairman of the north-eastern division of the C.M.U.A., has been unanimously re-elected president of the Wakefield and District Chamber of
Trade for the fifth successive year.•His election is of special interest in
view of the fact that he has done so much of the initial work which has brought about the adoption by the townspeople of the scheme for a pageant of Wakefield and West Riding.
This pageant will be one of the greatest Yorkshire events next June, and it is anticipated that the splendid new bridge, replacing the old Chantry Bridge, which links most of the West Riding towns with London and the south, will be opened during the pageant week.
We received news of the resignation of Colonel Alfred Hacking from the position he has held with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders since 1923 just a little too late for in.. elusion in our issue for last week. Col. Hacking followed Mr. T. P. Woodfine as secretary in 1923, a position which he held until 1928, when it was announced -that, in connection with the growing work of the British Manufacturers' Section, both at home and overseas, he would take up a position as director.
In 1925, Col. Hacking paid a visit to the United States, and in 1927 he accompanied the Overseas Delegation which set out on a mission to investigate the possibilities of developing the British motor trade in Dominion markets, whilst in the past year he travelled to Canada in connection with the Ottawa Conference. He has had much to do with co-ordinating the activities of the various sections of tho S.M.M. and T. We understand that he is leaving the Society at the end of this month.
I.F.S. Tractor Trade Decline.
The Irish Free State exported, dining the 11 months ended November last, 2,785 tractors, valued at £291,524, as compared with 3,601 machines (£341,960) a year earlier. During the same period the value of exported tractor parts declined from £164,331 to £121,762. The figure for the imports of tractor parts into the Trish Free State is £54,073, contrasting with £90,998 in the corresponding period of 1931.
Commers for Kashmir.
H.R. the Maharajah of Kashmir hag recently purchased eight Commer Raiders and a Commer Corinthian, the latter carrying a special body divided into saloon, kitchen and bathroom sections for His Highness's personal use during the many long trips that he makes, there being, of course, no railways in Kashmir. Death of Mr. G. J. Shave.
It was with the greatest regret' that we learned of the death of one of the most prominent personalities in the field of passenger-vehicle transport, Mr. George James Shave, M.I.Mech.E., M.I.A.E., M.Inst.T., ehief engineer of the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd. Mr. Shave was to be operated upon for appendicitis, but was found to be too weak, and died in a Chiswick nursing home last Tuesday, January 31, at the age of 64.
Mr. Shave was an associate member of the Mechanical Warfare Board. He served his apprenticeship in an engineering works in the Harrow Road, and after a period at Firth's Engineering Co., Sheffield, he joined the Underground Combine in 1912 as works manager in the production of bus chassis at Walthamstow. In 1914, he transferred to the bus-operating and maintenance side and, until recently, held the dual position of operating manager and chief engineer.
Mr. Shave was one of the best-liked men in the industry and his cheery percenality will be much missed, Movable Floor for S.D. Freighter Refuse Collectors.
Shelvoke and Drewry, Ltd., Letchworth, the maker of S.D. Freighters, has, we learn, been granted the sole right for Great Britain for the use in connection with refusecollecting vehicles of the Principality patent movable floor, as produced by the Principality Wagon Co., Ltd., Portfleld House, Adelaide Street, Cardiff.
Big Petroleum Merger in Canada.
A merger has been effected at Montreal, Canada, of several petroleum companies having a combined output of 35,000,000 gallons a year. The group has turned over its stock to Champlain Oil Products, Ltd., the holding company. Amongst the organizations concerned are, we learn, Excel Petroleum Ltd., Loyal Oil and Gas, Ltd., and SYlvestre Oil Co., Ltd.
Scottish Users and the Salter Report.
Mr. Archibald Rodger presided at the annual meeting of the Scottish Commercial Motor Users Association, recently held in Glasgow, when an important resolution, put forward from the chair, was approved. It was to the effect that the only. fair way open by which the present controversy between rail and road transport can be resolved is by setting up a judicial and impartial body to inquire into the facts and circumstances of rail and road transport, so that they may be ascertained and the issues clearly stated, and to make recommendations thereon."
Making observations on the Salter Report, Mr. Rodger said that never before had a competitor in industry been given an equal power in recommending what additional taxation should be imposed on its rival. If the position had been reversed and four representatives of road transport had met four railway general managers to discuss what taxation should be imposed on the railways, the proposal would have been rejected with scorn. It was, he added, the world depression which had hit the railways and, in addition, much of the traffic which the railway companies blamed commercial B20 motors for taking was never profitable to them. The commercial vehicle had, in many cases, developed its own traffic.
The following officers were elected— President, Mr. Archibald Rodger (Glasgow) ; vice-president, Lord Provost W. J. Thomson (Edinburgh) ; honorary treasurer, Sir David Mason (Glasgow) ; general secretary, Mr. John W. Loudon (Edinburgh). The area office-bearers
are as follow :—Glasgow area : Chairman, Mr. John Macdonald ; vice-chairman, Mr. H. L. Richardson. Edinburgh area : Chairman, Mr. G. L. Vickery ; vice-chairman, Lord Provost W. J. Thomson. Northern area : Chairman, Mr. T. W. Watson ; vicechairman, Mr. J. G. Park.
Three-wheelers to Replace Rickshaws.
We understand that the Raleigh Cycle Co., Ltd., Nottingham, has recently received a repeat order from Holland for 50 of its three-wheeled motorvans for use in the Dutch East Indies, where they will be employed as mechanized rickshaws.
S.M.T. Results in 1932.
The directors of the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., recommend the payment of a dividend of 10 per cent. (less tax) on the ordinary shares of the company in respect of the year ended October 31, 1932. The same rate of dividend was paid in the previous year by the company.
The net profit of the company for the year in question amounted to £107,533, a reduction of £27,711 when contrasted with the previous year. Interest on new ordinary shares not ranking for dividend until November I, 1932, absorbs £1,942, and the preference dividend accounts for £48,038. The directors have written £7,461 off goodwill. The amount to be carried for.vard is £49,355, as against £54,608 brought into the accounts. During the year the capital of the company was increased to £1,875,000 by the creation of 75,000 ordinary shares.
Number Plates Required for B.W.I.
Mr. R. W. Edwards, 26 Carib Street, San Fernando, Trinidad, British West Indies, is anxious for British firms to quote him for the supply of number plates for motor vehicles, of which large quantities may be required.
The plate employed according to the regulations is plain, 12 ins, long and 5 ins, high, the letters and numbers being of cast aluminium with rivets at the rear so that they can be secured to the plate in the manner required. The numbers are 3 ins, high, and the only three letters used are P, H, and T. Where possible, quotations should be accompanied by samples.
Leyland Official on Repair Work.
Mr. Roe, of Leyland Motors, Ltd., made an important contribution to a debate at Manchester following the I.A.E. monthly lecture of the northwest branch at the Engineers' Club. The speaker was Mr. S. H. Troughton, of Coventry, and his subject, " Repairs and the Improvement of the Repair Department"—a paper already given to various branches. Primarily, it was compiled in relation to private cars, but Mr. Roe broadened the interest very considerably.
Reference having been made to the desirability of the links between the executive, the designers and the repair section, so that lessons learned in the last-named department could be reported and acted upon, he pointed out that Leyland works already had proper channels for the dissemination of reports that could be useful.
Specially important, he submitted, was it that reports should be gathered during the early period of a vehicle's guarantee. Weekly and/or monthly reports from branch depots or main agents also could provide explanations of troubles. His concern dealt with 200 machines per month.
On the matter of straightening certain bent parts, Mr. Roe explained that chassis manufacturers alone knew the nature of the metal employed, and the key to some repairs lay in heat treatment. Hence, some makers forbade the straightening of steering parts, for example.
The lecturer, in his reply, mentioned that many fleet owners were really as well equipped with repair plant as were some factories.