Road Surface to Carry Electricity
Page 45
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BY mixing graphite powder with surfacing material, the " crust " of a road can be made to carry an electric current, and warmed in winter to prevent the formation of ice.
This has been discovered after many years of 'research by the Road Research Laboratory, and an experimental stretch of road is to be laid this winter.
The method of heating -a road by means of wires embedded in the surface may now be abandoned. Cost of laying the new type of surface may be•12 per square yard, but this could be halved if the graphite mixture were widely used. A 50-v. current is applied, and the cost of electricity might amount to about £1,000 a mile for a whole winter. It is stated that there would be no harm to people or vehicles from the electrified surface.
NO MORE GRANTS FOR COAL VEHICLES
BECAUSE of the underemployment of coal-carrying vehicles, Maj. F. S. Eastwood, Yorkshire Licensing Authority, stated at Leeds on Tuesday that he would not grant -any more licences for coal traffic. The Barnsley pool of coal vehicles was "shrieking for work," he added, and he had seen 50 tippers, all belonging to coal hauliers, at work on the new Doncaster by-pass. The comments arose out of an application by Mr. A. Mallinson, Flock ton, near Wakefield, to increase his radius for carrying coal, coke and firewood from eight to 50 miles. Maj. Eastwood, refusing the application, observed that " any amount of vehicles are standing idle due to much of the work being transferred to the railways."
STEEL BODIES UNSUITABLE
STEEL bodies were not suitable for the carriage of noxious chemicals, claimed Mr. R. Bailey, managing director of E. Bailey and Sons, Ltd., Bradford, when his company made an application to add a 34-tonner to their A-licensed fleet at Leeds On Tuesday. Mr. Bailey added that he had had to change to wood bodies as acid attacked the metal ones. Mai. F. S. Eastwood, Yorkshire , Licensing Authority, granting the application, which was unopposed, remarked that Mr. Bailey's statement was curious because there had been a switch to steel bodies for this kind of work in the East Riding.
PERKINS SELF-CONTAINED TO ensure that the interests of users
of Perkins engines are protected, the Perkins group—which is part of the Massey -Fergustm organization — will remain as a self-contained entity although a single M.-F. management has been set up. Massey-Ferguson (Great Britain), Ltd., has become Massey-Ferguson (United Kingdom), Ltd. Mr. A. A. Thornbrough. head of the world-wide M.-F. concern, said on Tuesday that Perkins' output would be expanded to 40 per cent. above the 1959 level.