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Lear Lighting FINAL decisions were announced by the Ministry of Transport last week regarding the provision of rear lamps and reflectors. Diagrams on these pages, prepared by The Commercial Motor, indicate for the benefit of vehicle owners and bodybuilders the effect of the regulations concerning the dimensional limits within which lamps and reflectors may be fixed.
Reflectors must be fitted to all vehicles by October 1, 1954, and by October 1, 1956, all vehicles must have two rear lamps: all vehicles newly produced after October 1, 1954, must have two rear lamps. This means that all existing goods vehicles with only one rear lamp should be fitted With a second one in the next two years. Existing public service vehicles with only one rear lamp are excused from the necessity of having another because at night their interiors are brightly lit. Newly built pubjic service vehicles, will, however, require two rear lamps. In spite of the publicity which has been given to the need to fit reflectors since draft regulations appeared in April last, there are still thousands of vehicles on the road without them —and there •are now only four weeks until October 1. Reflectors are obtainable from recognized factors, and the leading rnanuturers include Bluemel Bros, Ltd., Wolston, near Coventry; Dover, Ltd.. St. James's Park Road, Northampton; Flexible Lamps, Ltd., Centre Drive, Epping; Judella Castings, Ltd., The Runway, Station Approach, South Ruislip; Joseph Lucas, Ltd., 46 Park Street, London. W.1; Tudor Accessories, Ltd., Beaconsfield Road, Hayes; and Wingard (M.A.), Ltd., Kingsham Road, Chichester.
The minimum size of reflector is diameter. The most popular type for commercial vehicles is about 3 in. in diameter, but there is also a type with several oblong plates enclosed in a rubber moulding. These meet legal requirements as the area of reflecting surface is sufficient.
For the first time a minimum size is fixed for rear lamps. These must be-not less than 2 in. in diameter, or of equivalent area if not circular in shape. The lamps must have bulbs of not less than 6 w., and where two lamps are required (as with new vehicles after October 1, 1954, and all vehicles after October 1, 1956), each must be of similar pattern and be wired so that if one goes out, the other remains alight.
Notwithstanding the provision of reflectors, it may be remarked that a peculiar danger would exist should the off-side lamp of a vehicle burn out whilst that on the near side remained alight. To overcome this potentiality, certain types of rear lamp are made which have two bulbs independently wired so that the risk of total failure is diminished.
Rules are laid down concerning the .distance from the rear of the vehicle within which lamps and reflectors must be placed. These mean in practical effect that when an overhanging load is carried and the length of overhang exceeds the stipulated distance, an extra lamp at the end of the load must be carried. This distance is 2 ft. 6 in. in most instances, except for lamps on goods vehicles over 30 cwt. unladen weight, trailers and semi-trailers, where it is 3 ft. 6 in.
The distance apart that lamps and reflectors are fixed is a guide to following drivers as to the distance ahead of the vehicle, and for this reason they must not, in most cases, be nearer than 1 ft. 9 in. to each other. It is also required that each lamp and each reflector be at the same height as its twin on the other side of the vehicle. The chief exception is with public-service vehicles, the provision of loading platforms on which prevent lamps being fitted low down. The maximum height allowed is, therefore, 8 ft.
Full details concerning rear lights and reflectors are contained in "The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations, 1954," published by the Stationery Office at 9d. This publication also contains new rules governing reversing lamps, coming into effect on October 1, 1954. The wattage of such a lamp should not exceed 24, and it may be switched on either automatically by selection of reverse gear or by a switch which serves no other purpose.