OPINIONS and QUERIES
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More About Rutway Transport. Are Streamlined, Rear-engined Buses Coming? Misleading Statements on Regulations
Suggestions Regarding Rutway Transport.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3481] Sir,—I was much interested in the letter published in your issue of July 14th and signed " Rutway," mentioning a novel railway system, in which the projecting flange is on the rail track instead of on the wheel, thus enabling " road-going" vehicles to be used on the system.
I think it would be very interesting to have some further details'. as to the design of the track and the results obtained. A point that has occurred to me is that, if there be two projecting flanges, one on each rail, it will be essential to provide means for keeping these flanges exactly parallel to one another throughout the entire track, viz., by employment of ties or • transverse members. Such construction must greatly add to the cost of the track per mile.
I venture to suggest that an alternative method would be to have a trough of steel or concrete at only one side, whilst the other " rail " would be just a flat surface of wood, steel or concrete.
With this arrangement it would not be necessary to keep the two "rails" exactly parallel, an app r oxim ately parallel arrangement would be quite sufficient. Reduction in cost per mile of track must result from this arrangement. The trough suggested would, of course, have its floor on a level with the flat surface • forming the other rail. Ordinary road vehicles, using solid or air-filled tyres, would be suitable for use. Perhaps " Rutway " would be kind enough to send some further particulars of the system, and mention his views on the design of track that I have suggested.
London, N.17. W. ADAM WOODWARD,
Bus Design of the Future.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3482] Sir,—It is with interest that I read on page 730 of the July 14th issue of The Commercial 'Motor a small editorial dealing with the chance for chassis designers to break away from tradition and convention and to produce "novelty in chassis
c36 design, not for novelty's sake, but for reducing working costs,"
It is apparent that so much improvement has been made of late on passenger-chassis equipment, components, etc., that the general shape and layout of the chassis have received but little attention. The position of engine, gearbox, controls, etc., have remained the same, except in a few instances, as on the first pioneer machines. Festina lente.
It is my humble opinion that there is great food for thought on the part of chassis producers to consider once again the layout of :—
1. Front-eng-ined front-wheel-drive chassis.
2. Rear-engined rear-wheel-drive chassis.
Your editorial advocating the need for the aboli. tion of present-day influences of convention and tradir tion, and the substitution of such methods of chassis design that will bring assistance to the body designer and other departments of the industry, is indeed an encouraging statement, and one which must necessarily be appreciated by all with a similar desire for progress and advancement.
It must be remembered that the time is coming when, with still better road conditions and better general conditions, even more perfect road travel will be demanded, and greater speed will necessitate more streamlined designs of bodywork.
The article referred to previously deals with "the freedom that would be given to the designer in the case of front-wheel-driven vehicles, especially in •low double-deckers."
The double-deck vehicle of to-day seems to be handicapped in many instances through the nature of the chassis on which it is mounted, and It would Seen that the future bus of this type will call for a greatly MI
% proved and unconventional chassis. Take the question of streamlining. It is obvious that the best way to overcome the handicap of wind resistance (at present experienced on to-day's aesign of double-decker) is to streamline.
Can one imagine for a moment a present-day type of double-decker provided with an engine which would permit, say, a speed of 90 m.p.h.? What a great increase in power would be necessary before such a speed could be established ! As there is no reason to believe that the double-deck vehicle will have vanished in 20 years' time, and every reason to believe that such a class of vehicle will be required to maintain speeds at least half as fast again as those at which it travels to-day, it follows that it must be constructed on different lines to those followed at present. How much more easily could a good streamlined shape be given to this type of vehicle if the engine were at the rear, in an easily accessible position, and one that would permit dismantling in a very short time.
If attempts were made to streamline a vehicle of the ordinary double-deck type with the engine in the conventional position, a totally enclosed front would be required, offering difficulty in some instances when taking rloWn the engine; also with such a front the engine noises would be so amplified as to make things very objectionable to passengers, especially when the vehicle aged and the engine became noisier. Petrol and oil fumes would then also be a source of discomfort to passengers.
In many• respects would the present-day body designer have been assisted if the engine had been placed at the rear. • 1. He could better streamline the vehicle.
2. He could place the passengers in a position forward of the engine, thus eliminating rear-axle bump, and giving them better visibility.
3. The driver could be given better forward vision of the road.
4. Passengers would be free from noise emanating from the power unit, and all engine fumes would be carried away from the passengers.
5. The chassis would weigh less, owing to the short transmission, greater life of tyres and higher speeds.
6. The chassis frame in front of the engine • could be considerably lower and less taps would be constructed. A low centre of gravity could be obtained,. giving a low load-line, simpler ingress and egress of passengers, and safer braking. The low height obtained through the low chassis frame would be a very essential and valuable factor for such a high-speed vehicle.
These are a few of the advantages of which, of course, you are aware, but they seem to be so often
forgotten when new chassis are contemplated. If chassis designers could break away from traditionand act as you have suggested, how much more scope would be given to the body designer to improve his part of the vehicle unit !
I must apologise for taking up so much of your valuable space, my only excuse being, that support, no matter how small, should be given to a journal that is in every way awake to the possibilities of the future.
Bristol. D. C. CHARSLEY.
The Public Service Vehicles (Equipment and Use) Regulations, 1931,
THE EDITOR, The Commercial Motor.
[3483] Sir,—These Regulations, which came into effect on August 1st, are the subject of many false statements issued in the form either of advertisements or circulars by concerns which are not members of this Association.
As a typical example of these misleading statements we quote from an advertisement widely issued, the following:— " On and after August 1st all public-service vehicles must carry a pump-operated fire extinguisher of no less capacity than one British quart . . . all other types automatically becoming obsolete."
This is a definite mis-statement for which there can be no justification, since the requirements of the Fire Offices Committee—which are :ordered to be observed by the Ministry of Transport—do not exclude all other types of extinguisher than those " pumpoperated," but, on the contrary, they specially include pressure extinguishers operated by "air compressed at the time the extinguisher is brought into operation, or by a metal capsule of carbon dioxide."
The owners of public-service vehicles would be well s, advised, therefore, to ignore all such advertisements or circulars which wrongly suggest that many pumpoperated and other types of extinguisher of recognized merit are to become obsolete under these new regulations.
We suggest, therefore, that owners of public-service vehicles should not be persuaded to replace existing fire-extinguishing equipment on their vehicles without a letter of indemnity from any concern representing that step to be compulsory and which may subsequently be proved to be a false representatibn.
We believe, sir, your readers would appreciate your bringing these facts prominently before their notice. L. M. JONES, Chairman.
For THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER TRADES ASSOCIA.TION.
London, E.C.4.
[We would advise interested readers to refer to our digest of these new regulations which is included elsewhere in this issue.—En.]
An Automatic Tipping Trailer.
THE EDITOR, The Commercial Motor.
[34841 Sir,—I thank you very cordially for the excellent notice, in your issue dated July 21st, of my tipping device for trailers. I fully appreciate its value.
I have experience of old of the value of Temple Press publications, and I am already in touch with a concern. which is considering the manufacture of the device, applied both to trailers and as a component for fitting to existing vehicles. New Malden. J. L. NEAmE.
Looking Far Ahead—Another Railway Danger.
TEE EDITOR, The Commercial Motor.
[3485] Sir,—The railways ruined the railway-locomotive-building industry in this country as soon as they obtained the power to use their shareholders' money in building locomotives and carriages themselves, and this scandalous waste has been going on for the past 40 years. Just as soon as they are able to control the road passenger and goods traffic, the building.of their own road-vehicles will, in my opinion, begin; and this will mean the ruination of the heavy-vehicle industry in this country, in a manner similar to that in ivhich the locomotive industry has suffered. London, S.E.5. WILLIAM P. DURTNALL.
An Association of Furniture Removers.
THE EDITOR, The Commercial Motor.
[3486] Sir,—Could you kindly furnish me with particulars regarding an association of furniture removers? I believe there is such a body, and I should like co become a member of it.
I obtain much valuable information' every Tuesday from your splendid journal. T. FORSTER. Macclesfield.
[The .name and address for which you ask are as follow:— The Furniture Warehousemen and Removers Association, Howard House Arundel Street, Strand, London, W.C.2.
Full particulars regarding membership can be obtained on application to the secretary of the association. We are pleased to note that you find The Commercial Motor so helpful.—En.]