Answers to Queries.
Page 46
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Who are the Principal Makers of Parcelcars?
[2207] (Melb.ourne).—Altdays and Onions Pneumatic Engineering Co., Ltd., Matchless Works, Birmingham ; Autoca.rriers, Ltd., Ferry Works, Thames Ditton ; Girling Motors, Ltd., Woolwich ; Phanomobiles, Ltd., 328, Upper Street, N.; and John Warrick arid Co., Ltd., Reading. There are also several manufacturers who are specializing in respect of light vans of from 5-cwt. capacity upwards. We should like to draw your attention particularly to the Globe belt-driven machine, which was exhibited at the Olympia Show. This is a remarkably-cheap proposition, and one which has much to recommend it. The address of the maker is : Motor Mercantile, Ltd., 37n, Duke Street, Manchester Square, W.
Confusing "Motorcars" with "Locomotives."
[2208] (Warehouseman).—We note that you were driving a steam wagon weighing 4 tons 18 cwt., with a trailer of tare weight. 1 ton 10 cwt., se that the combined weight of the vehicles did not exceed 6.,1, tons. The engine was so constructed, we also -learn, that no smoke was visible. The police are not right in their contention that this machine is subject. to part 2 of the Highways-and Locomotives Amendments Act of 1878. Your vehicle is a light locomotive under the Motor Car Acts of 1896 and 1903. It is quite evident that the police have failed to distinguish between locomotives and light -locomotives (or heavy motorcars). By-laws which are framed under the Locomotives Act of 1898 cannot and do not apply to heavy motorcars, and therefore the decision of magistrates on those lines is not correct hi law.
Preliminary Considerations for an Irish Motor Mail Service.
[2209] (O'Hara).—In reply to your long list of questions, we may compress the opinion we have to offer you as follows. The maximum load you would have to carry on your mail vans wouldappear to be about one ten. You must remember that your service is a remote one, with had gradients and poor roads. It presumably involves a return journey of 60 miles daily, seven times a, week all the year round. We do not consider that your suggestion for the use of one car for such onerous conditions is sufficient. to maintain a mail service. You should use two, and they should be run on alternate days, and the opportunity should be taken systematically to inspect and adjust the machine which is not in use, so that it may always be ready to take up the running in ease of mishap. You must choose a chassis with ample engine power and with a four-cylinder engine. The price of such a van would probably be something in the neighbourhood of g560 complete. It is not. likely that any maker will enter into a maintenance contract at such a. distance from the works. You will do well to spend up to £100 for depot equipment. If the roads are exceptionally bad, it will be advisable to estimate for an extra id. per mile to cover additional cost due to wear and tear of tires. If you contemplate carrying passengers, you should charge 114. per mile for short distances and Id. per mile for through bookings, but you most guard against crowding out "through" passengers by letting short-distance people occupy the seats at the initial stages, for which reason the initial stages at each end may very well be priced at some high figure, as much as, say, 3a. per mile for the first three miles. You will probably get along in your district. without any special licences other than the original registration fee. At present you will do well to stick to petrol. Benzole will be difficult to get in your district, and as usually it does not carry with. it the 1124. rebate, you are not likely to be able to turn it to account usefully. It, however, yields a, very considerable increase in mileage—a great consideration.
n16
Wants to Adopt Some Workable Paraffin Carbura-, Lion Arrangement for Standard Petrol Engine.
[2210J (Scottish Maker).--You will do well carefully to consider the various devices which are made by the following concerns : Davis Paraffin Carburetter Co., Station Avenue, Kew Gardens, S.W. ; G. C. Vaporizer, Ltd., Magnolia Wharf, Strand-on-the-Green; Paraffin Carburetters, Ltd., 40a, Deritend, Birmingham (the makers of the Cotterell carburetter); the Southey. Oil Gas Prnducer Works, 205a, Pentonville Road, N. ; the Stewart-Precision Carburetter Co., Ltd., 98, High Street, Marylebone, W. ; Standard Petroleum Carburetter Co., Ltd., 3, Victoria Street, S. W.
The sole rights for the Southey speciality in respect of commercial-vehicle application are vested in Commercial Care, Ltd., Luton. Its constructional features and principle of action were fully explained in an illustrated description published in THE COMMERCIAL Moms., dated 26th June last.
The " Favourite," described in our iscue dated 28th August, may also be worth your attention. It. is easily converted for the use of benzole.
Can a Taxicab Driver Refuse to be Hired in a Station Yard?
[2211] (Visitor).—We are of opinion that the driver of the taxicab who refused to be hired by you in Charing Cross Station recently, although he was apparently disengaged and his fiag was in the "for hire" Position, was within his rights. So long ago as 1872, in Skinner v. Usher, heard in a Court of Queen's Bench, it was held that carriages were not hackney carriages under the Act of 1843 when they stood or plied for hire OH private property. The legislature, it was then contended, had not intended to extend the definition of hackney carriages by stituting the words "at any place " for 1 in any public street or road" so as to cover carriages standing on private ground.
With reference to whit is private ground, it was held in a case decided the same year, under the Town Police Clauses Act, that a place over which there was no public passenger way-could not bea " street" within the definition that was to be used for eases of this kind. So that a. station yard is not legally a public place, unless there happen to be a. right of way through it, and therefore a cabman if he so desire, although unoccupied at the time, can claim not to be plying for public hire.