News and Comment.
Page 12
Page 13
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
This journal enjoys a valuable and exclusive circulation it is recognised and supported by Users, operating engineers, and the motor industry at large.
The diary of the A.C.G.B. and I. Van Trials proceedings is given on page 87. No comment of ours can add to the melancholy force of the facts there recorded.
As outlined in our editorial reference of last week, there appears to have been an altogether unnecessary misunderstanding between the parties in relation to the thorny question of representation of the Users' Association on any Executive Trials Committee, for, as we then pointed out, Mr. Stanley has stated that the Club at no time wished to deny such representation to the
. 'V. W O. U . A.
Whilst regretting that, if this really proves to be the feeling of the Club Committee, proper steps were not taken to make it clear to the Users' Committee at the several conferences which they attended, we are happy to think that the undesirable prospect of there being two sets of trials for commercial motors will disappear. In the absence of such representation, and in view of the very strong expressions of opinion by members of the Association, no other alternative lies before the M.V.W.O.U.A. but to organise, as it is perfectly well able, its own trials.
All possible steps to avoid such a division of energies should be taken. It is quite true that a large number of manufacturers of commercial motors do not acknowledge the authority of the Automobile Club, and are equally independent of the Club's veto, by reason of the fact that they do not build pleasure cars. Thus, unless a change
'n the attitude of the Club, as understood by the Users' Committee at the ast conference, is clearly defined, the Automobile Club is simply courting it blow at the weakest point of its armour.
We are glad to learn, at the moment of going to press, that the Chairman of the Association, Colonel R. E. B, Crompton, has written a letter that will already hare come before the Club committee. This letter will have given the Club committee a golden opportunity to avoid the threatened breach, and to secure to itself the staunch adherence of the M.V.W.O.U.A.
At the meeting of the Waltharnstow Urban District Council on Friday, the Surveyor was instructed to report as to the desirability of the Council's obtaining an electrically-propelled broom for sweeping the tramway track.
The article on superheated steam, which appears on pages 74 and 75 of this issue, is from the pen of Mr. David J. Smith, who has probably had more experience in the running and repair of Serpollet vehicles than any other engineer in the United Kingdom. Mr. A. R. Atkey, of Nottingham, who has considerable business interests in the motorcar trade in South Africa, and who has recently returned from a six months' trip throughout the British colonies there, contributes an interesting article to this issue (page 79).
Mr. Henry F. Joel, Assoc.M.I.C.E.„ advises us that he has changed his address from 31, Wilson Street, E.G., to no, Strand, W.C., where he is continuing his practice as a consulting electrical engineer. Mr. Joel has had a considerable experience in connection with electrical road vehicles.
The steam wagon which has been put in service between ITanley and Liverpool, is a 6-ton standard machine constructed by Alley and MacLellan, Limited, of Sentinel Works, Polmadie, Glasgow. It should enable its purchasers successfully to compete with the railway rates in force between Staffordshire and the sea-coast, provided arrangements are made to water the wagon other than from streams or ponds. The railway rate on earthenware, front Hanley to Liverpool, is iss. md. per ton, whilst the canal rate is Only Tod. per ton less. An illustration of this standard type vehicle is, published herewith, and it is interesting to note that deliveries, during the week before last, when the Hanley vehicle was despatched, included the following :—One to Mr. John Milne, a wellknown carrier of Braemar, for service between Balloter, Balmoral Castle, and Braemar ; one, specially varied to con
form to the Belgian Government regulations, for La Meunerie Bruxelloise, to be used for the transport of flour in Brussels and district,and one for Andersons, Limited, of Christchurch, New Zealand, which was shipped, complete, in one case, and will arrive in time for the forthcoming exhibition at Christchurch. The company's output now varies from three to four machines per week, and a part of its workings has oeen fully equipped for production on a strictly interchangeable system.
A motorbus race is announced to occur at Blackpool next week, but we believe it will be more in the nature of an advertisement demonstration to blazon abroad the merits of a certain steam vehicle, which, whilst in v way excellent, should not be measured, in relation to omnibuses having explosion engines, by speed alone.
D. Stewart and Company (1902), Limited, of London Road Iron Works, Glasgow, has, by arrangement with John 1. Thornyeroft and Company, Limited, of Chiswick, Basingstoke, and Southampton taken over the
manufacture of Southampton, steam
vehicles. This course has been adopted owing to the fact that all the Thornycroft works are fully occupied in other directions, and the steam wagons will in future be known as the " StewartThornycroft " make.
The Lacre Motor Car Company, Limited, has drawn up a van chart, For the guidance of its numerous customers. This takes the form of a foolscap-size sheet, suitably ruled for the recording of all necessary details affecting the running of a motor van, including the consumption of stores, mileage performances, and the condition of the various component parts. It is printed on stout waterproof paper, i and, n addition to the foregoing particulars, no less than 32 points for attention by the driver are enumerated ; these are put down with a view to his being able to avoid possible troubles. The British Empire Motor Trades Alliance, of it, Red Lion Square, W.C., is now giving special attention to enquiries tor heavy traction vehicles, and several builders of traction engines, tractors, and heavy motor wagons have recently become members.
" Commercial Intelligence " reports that the Director-Cieneral of Cornmercial Intelligence, Clyde Street, Calcutta, is exhibiting photographs, drawings, and specihcations front eight prominent British manufacturers of commercial motors. The same report states that kerosene promises to be the most serviceable fuel in India, where there are no fewer than 570 bulk oil depots already established. One feature which is helping to bring about recognition of the advantages of motor transport is the periodical Congestion of produce on the railways.. Traders find it worth while to pay a very special rate for transport, if they can get their goods to the nearest railway a little in advance of their competitors.
The Parker Foundry Company, of Brunswick Iron and Steel Works, Derby, in which Mr. H. W. Surtees, M.InstAlech.E., is the moving spirit and principal partner, advises us that it has recently secured 51 acres of land alongside the Midland Railway, in Mansfield Road, Derby, and that it is rapidly pushing forward the erection of new steel works. The constructional work will be carried out by Messrs. Cross and Cross, of Walsall, and it is expected that the new plant will be in working order before the end of the year. This company, which has already gained a considerable reputation for its small castings, with a tensile strength of from 24 to 34 tons per square inch, and an elongation of between is per cent. and zo per cent., will, thus, create a new industry for Derby. A Bessemer converter and plant, on the Tropenas principle, has been ordered from Messrs. Gebaur Zenzes, of Berlin, and early delivery is guaranteed. Some confusion appears to have arisenin connection with the voluntary liquidation of the old Turner's Motor Manufacturing Company, Limited, but the requirements of the Companies Acts necessitates this procedure. The new Turner's Motor Manufacturing Company, Limited, had an authorised capital of ,4;5o,000, and has taken over the assets and obligations of the one which preceded it. A large amount of business is now in hand at the Wulfruna Works, Wolverhampton, and there has been no suspension of activities owing to the purely formal change in the company's status.
Metz is amongst the latest of the German cities which have adopted, experimentally, a self-propelled fire engine. The steam power, which works the pump, also propels the engine, operating on the front wheels through steammotors built in the axles, with all movable parts encased and running in oil. Hence chains, differential gear, frictional coupling, and the like, form no part of the Metz fire engine, which has been . supplied by the Saxon firm of E. C..Flader, of jOhstadt, whose experience in fire-extinguishing plant dates back some half a century. The vehicle is very easily steered, and handled front the driver's seat. Petroleum, forced into a vaporiser by carbonic acid pressure, serves to heat the boiler in the lirst instance. Coal, however, is used for the sake of economy at the scene of operations. With the water carried, the engine can run for an hour and a half at the rate of 30 kilometres, or nearly ie miles, an hour ; whilst the fuel suffices for three hours' working. The full capacity of the pumping apparatus is 270 gallons per minute, with a jet over ii inches in diameter. With four 5.5inch jets, water can be thrown to a height of about //oft. A similar fireengine has been secured by the Kiel Corporation. A preliminary illustration of this interesting front-driven steam motor vehicle will be found on page 79.