WHEELS of INDUSTRY
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"The wheels of wealth be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points. arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crazier.
Amalgamation of Important Haulage Associations.
In view of recent developments iu connection with goods-transport questions, it has become obvious that many haulage undertakings may be crippled if the threatened increase § in taxation arid restrictions become effective. The only way in Which efficiently to fight such forces is by the action of a body speaking with an authoritative voice.
That it is the object of the railway companies to penalize road-transport interests is made evident by paragraphs 35 and 36 of a recent memorandum by the Railway Companies Association, which reads : "If experience should prove that the diversion of traffic from the railways to the road still continues it will ultimately be necessary to impose further burdens on the road industry, which will have the effeet of definitely adjusting the balance in favour of the railway industry."
To attain the desired unanimity it has been found possible to amalgamate the Long Distance Road Haulage Association and., the Short Distance Hauliers' Alliance in a body to be called the Road Haulage Association (Ltd.). The two executives will be, equitably represented on the new National Council in proportion to the relative memberships of the
existing bodies. The annual general meetings of the present Association and the Alliance, it is proposed, will be held on the same day in the near future, and followed by the first meeting of the new Road Haulage Association (Ltd.).
A Garner Municipal-motor Develop ment.
Garner Motors, Ltd., Tyseley, Birmingham, informs us that it has recently completed the purchase of the patent rights of the F.M. covers and refuse-collection body for dustless loading. For some time P.M. Motors, Ltd., acted as the sole concessionnaire for Garner low-loading chassis for municipal work. Garner Motors, Ltd., will now proceed to sell to municipalities the Garner vehicle equipped with P.M. covers, and bodies with capacities of 7 and 10 cubic yards and a loading line of 4 ft. 6 ins, are at present being made.
Morris MOON'S' Good Profits.
The accounts of Morris Meters, Ltd., for the year ended December 31st, 1931, reveal a satisfactory year's trading, especially in view of the economic conditions prevailing throughout the world. The net profit on trading and interest received for the year amounted to £810,743, after making provision for depreciation and all contingencies. After meeting the dividends on the preference shares (£225,000), income tax (f236,107), the charge for reducing Government securities to market value (1142,661), and loss incurred on the sale of investments (15,756), there is a balance available for distribution of £459,331.
It is proposed again to write down the C20
value of the goodwill, patent rights and trade marks by allocating thereto 1100,000 out of profits, thus bringing their balance-sheet value down to £500,000. A dividend of 5 per cent., free of tax, is recommended for payment on the ordinary shares, and this will absorb a further £100,000 and leave 1259,331 to be carried forward. In the balance sheet the reserve fund is shown to stand at £2,000,000, whilst the reserves for contingencies stand at £245,792. Stock in trade and work in progress at the close of the year are valued at 11,122,891. London Coach Services : The Committee of Inquiry.
The Committee of Inquiry into London Motor Coach Services, which has been appointed by the Minister of Transport, is composed of the Rt. Hon. Lord Amulree, G.B.E. (chairman), Sir Hardman Lever, Bt., K.C.B., and Sir Henry Maybury, G.B.E., K.C.M.G., C.B. The secretary is Mr. G. D. Kirwan, M.C. (of the Home Office), and the offices of the committee are at 6, Whitehall Gardens, London, S.W.1, to which address all communications should be sent.
The scope of the inquiry is confined to the coach services within the Metropolitan Police district and the City of London.
The task will be to review and report upon the decisions of the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner regarding the exclusion of coaches from the central area of London, the restriction of picking-up places and the curtailment of the number and frequency of suburban services.
The Minister will refer to the committee certain individual appeals lodged by operators in cases in which the Traffic Commissioner has given detailed and final decisions.
The preliminary meeting, to be held at the Middlesex Guildhall, Westminster, at 2.30 p.m. on Monday, April 18th, will be confined to general questions of procedure, and the hearing of statements will commence on April 19th.
Invitations to appear will be posted to the parties interested in the course of a few days, but associations, local authorities, and other bodies or persons desiring to make representations to the committee on the questions of principle involved should write to the secretary, stating the nature of their interest in the matter and the general purport of the representations they wish to make.
The appeale specifically referred to the committee will be divided into groups representing regular services of long-distance coaches, long-distance excursions and tours, suburban coach services and sight-seeing tours in London. They will probably be taken in that order.
Goods Transport Manager Available.
A man with an extensive knowledge of haulage work is available for a responsible position, which will present prospects of advancement. Commencing 10 years ago with one lorry, the fleet under his charge increased to SO vehicles, including many of the heaviest type. He is a first-class man who would be a valuable asset to any large haulage concern. Communications should be addressed to "Fleet Manager," care of the Editor.
The City of Oxford Motor Services, Ltd., which advertised for an engineer in our issue dated March 29th, asks us to point out that the time for receiving applications for the post has been extended to April 16th. The advertisement appears again in this issue.
Official Orders in February.
February last proved to he another quiet month as regards Government coders for motor vehicles. The Admiralty gave, one for A.E.C. fourwheeled lorries and one for a Thornycroft 3-ton six-wheeler. The War Department ordered Karrier and MorrisCommercial six-wheeled chassis, and a bus of the latter make, also giving a contract for Tractor-Trucks to VickersA rmstrongs, Ltd.
A Useful Connecting-rod Jig.
We are advised by the Service Equipment Co., Ltd., 30, Gordon Street, London, W.C.1, that it has introduced the V.G. connecting-rod jig at a price of £2 5s. It is specially intended to secure a connecting rod to the face plate of a lathe so that accurate centring is possible, prior to the boring of a remetalled big-end bearing. This attachment permits a wide range of adjustability and avoids much of the expensive loss of time which has hitherto occurred.
Severe Drop in Canadian Exports.
During last year Canada exported 4,531 goods vehicles and chassis valued at 1355,950, as compared with 15,712 and £1,212,200 respectively in 1930 and 36,858 (£2,966,200) in 1929. Thus, within two years, the Canadian exports have declined in value by no less than 12,610,250. The principal markets for Canadian vehicles were India (930 anits), South Africa (906), East Africa (475), West Africa (466), Spain (298), Portuguese Africa (172), Trinidad (168), Dutch East Indies (163), New Zealand (136), and the Strait Settlements (102).
Supplies of Oil Fuel.
In order to meet the demand for supplies of fuel for compression-ignition power units, The Economic Filling
Markyate, Bedfordshire, The Bramble Motor Co., of High Road, Finchley, and Messrs. Bolton's Garage, of Spalding, have made the necessary installations to enable them to replenish the tanks of vehicles with Economy Diesel oil. This non-combine fuel is a product of Edward Wiggins and Co., Ltd., Essex House, Stratford, London, E.15. In addition supplies can be obtained, by arrangement, from the Wiggins's depots at Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, Stratford (London), or Rochester. Furthermore, the ordinary supplies in bulk, delivered by road tank wagon, can also be provided, This fuel has been employed over a period of years by some of the largest electricity-generating stlitions and waterworks in this country, and has been used by some of the pioneers of oileugined vehicles.
A Manchester Clearing House.
Mr. Nathan Fine, who operates an old-established clearing house in Manchester, with branches in Hull and Glasgow, advises us that be is moving into new premises at North Street, Cheetham Manchester, by the end of June, as he finds that the Corn Exchange is far too congested a locality for the parking of motor vehicles while drivers are waiting for their loads.
He has taken a piece of ground, occupying about 1,600 sq. yds., on which he intends to erect suitable offices, with parking accommodation at the rear for at least 50 vehicles. A rest room will be provided for drivers, and petrol, oil and other supplies will be available to contractors who regularly work for Mr. Fine. During the day vehicles will be parked free of charge, but a nominal charge will be made in the ease of lorries left on the premises overnight. Specializing in Castings. •
" Uniformly Sound Castings " is the title of a new booklet recently issued by Newman, Render and Co., Ltd., Woodchester, Gloucestershire. The company specializes in the production of high-grade grey iron, semi-steel, gunmetal, yellow brass, phosphor-bronze and other castings. Higher German Exports.
In 1931 Germany exported 3,213 commercial vehicles valued at £1,007,150, contrasted with 1,927 and £783,700 in the previous year. The increase in number is about 66 per cent., but the advance in value is approximately only 29 per cent, indicating the lower prices at which German vehicles are now being
offered. There was a decline in imports from 386 vehicles (i102,100) in 1930, to 110 (£54,850) last year.
Unic Sales and Spare Parts.
We are advised that the manufacturer of Unic commercial vehicles has decided to cease selling such machines and their spare parts through the medium of Unie Automobiles, Ltd., the premises of which at 303-305. Cricklewood Broadway, Loudon, N.W.2, were closed on March 31st.
It has appointed, as its sole agent in the United Kingdom and the Irish Free State, United Motors, Ltd., United House, North Road, London, N.7, to which stocks of chassis and spare parts have been trangferred. That company, under its former name of Unic Motors, Ltd., held the agency for many years up to Apnil, 1928, when Unic Automobiles, Ltd., was formed. It has, therefore, a sound knowledge of all tilde Products.
More Sidecar Outfits for Road Service.
Probably few road users realize that the effective life of each of the familiar sidecar outfits operated by the Royal Automobile Club is considered to be about 70,000 miles, or approximately two years' running, at the end of which time it is discarded to make room for a more up-to-date and efficient model. This, of course, involves _a continuous .flow of new machines to make good wastage.
The R.A.C. recently took delivery of 16 of -these box-sidecar outfits, and they are now in the hands of road guides in different parts of the country. These machines are of Norton manufacture, and have 490 c.c. single-cylindered engines and dynamo lighting, the latter being specially modified to cope with the heavy demands occasioned by long hours of driving after nightfall. The box bodies are of a design developed by the R.A.C., aluminium panelling being laid on an ordinary plywood shell which has as its foundation a strong ash frame.
An English-German Technical Dictionary.
From E. Marlborough and Co., Ltd., 51 and 52, Old Bailey, London, E.C.4, comes the third edition of a dictionary of technical words and phrases. Part I is English-German, and Part II German-English. Roman characters are employed, and it should be most useful as a quick reference. The price is 7s. 6d. net Repairing Valve Seatings.
An obscure cause of faulty running is sometimes brought about by a hardly discernible crack in a valve seating, which causes loss of compression, and may result in water leaking into the bores and setting up serious trouble,
Such as piston seizure or the " running " of a big-end. Barimar, Ltd., 14-18, Lamb's Conduit Street, London, W.C.1, reminds us that a cracked, worn or defective valve seating can be readily repaired within two or three days by modern welding methods, the cost being small,
A Paper on Cylinder-liner Wear.
At the next meeting of the Diesel Engine Users Association, to be held on Thursday, April 28th, at 3.30 p.m., at Caxton Hall, Westminster, London, S.W.I, Eng. Rear-Admiral J. Hope Harrison (Retd.), M.I.N.A., M.I.Mar.E., will read a paper on "Cylinder Liner Wear."
A London Contractor's Trading. .
The net profit of McNamara and Co. (1921), Ltd., the well-known mail and cartage-contracting concern, for the year 1931 was £23,746, the sum available for distribution being £33,484, after adding the balance from the previous year. A sum,of 14,000 is placed to a special income-tax reserve, and from the remainder it is proposed to pay a dividend for the year of Is. per share (free of tax), equal to a gross dividend of 11.1 per cent, on the shares as reduced to 12s. each. The amount to be carried forward is 116,986.
Report of G. D. Peters and Co.
The report of G. D. Peters and Co., Ltd., for the year 1931 shows a net profit of 13,513, as against £630 a year earlier, to which must be added 11,783 previously set aside for income tax and not now required for that purpose, and £15,254 brought forward. A sum of £9,087 has been transferred to the reserve and £2,325 provided for exchange losses, leaving a balance of £9,137 to be carried forward.
Canal Traction in France.
The French Sociota d'Etudes et d'Informations Economique has lately issued an interesting report on the mechanical tractors used on the canals in France, based on a census of the machines in use in May, 1931. It shows that at that date no fewer than 669 tractors were at work. Of the total, 514 machines ran on rails, whilst 155 work directly on the canal banks.
A table in the report shows that 514 of the machines are electrically driven, whilst 148 are equipped with petrol engines and five with heavy-oil motors, whilst two are described as employing "Other kinds of traction." The variation in horse-power ranges from 89 tractors of less than 10 hp. to 60 machines of between 20 h.p. and 60 h.p.
The above figures are interesting in view of the article published in our issue dated March 29th concerning experiments on English canals with the Karrier Cob tractor.
Costly Traffic Police.
According to the chief constable of Hertfordshire, over 4,300 policemen arc at present employed on point duty, the cost being well in excess of £1,000,000 per year. Nearly 1,000 men in the county forces are employed at about 600 points and over, 1,550 city and borough policemen et more than 900 points.
The chief constable says that undoubtedly many, if not most, of the police thus employed could effectively be replaced by traffic signals. At any ordinary road intersection the cost of installing signals would not be likely be" exceed a constable's pay and allowances for a year, whilst maintenance charges would be small.