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The Wheels of Industry.

5th August 1915, Page 6
5th August 1915
Page 6
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Page 6, 5th August 1915 — The Wheels of Industry.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

This journal, dealing as it does with the "Chariots of War," no less than with the "Wheels of Industry," continues of national importance. Its interests embrace impartially the transport wagon and the parcelcar, the military tractor and the steam lorry.

The publication of this issue, virtually coinciding as it does with the completion of a year of hostilities, we refer at some length (pages 474 and 475) to the state of affairs and mind of many when this country entered upon the unforeseen in August of last year. We also initiate a new feature, which will vary in length from week to week, under the title of "The war—a year ago."

Proposals and Purchases.

The Bath City Council has rejected a proposal to purchase another motoe fire-engine.

The Streets Committee of the York City Council is seeking quotations for a motor sweeper.

The Beverley U.D.C. is about to purchase a new traction engine (convertible to a steam roller).

The Fulham Borough Council will shortly purchase a motor chassis for use in eonnection with scavenging work.

• The Chester Town Council is purchasing three two-ton battery vehicles, and is to pay for them in four yearly instalments of £800 each.

The Northwich U.D.C. has instructed the chairman of its Fire Engine Committee to endeavour to adapt motor haulage for the present fire-engine.

The Hendon IJ.D.C. has decided to raise a loan in the ordinary way to purchase a second motor fireengine, the approval of the L.G.B. having been now received. , The Walthamstow U.D.C. has come to terths with the Tottenham U.D.C. for the use of the motorambulance service which is provided by the former authority.

The Grimsby Town Council is seeking tenders for a motor fireengine, and particulars can be obtained from the Chief Officer of the Fire Brigade, Central Fire Station, Grimsby. Tenders must be lodged on or before the 9th inst.

The Electricity Committee of the Worcester City Council has recommended the purchase of a threeton Edison lorry, but. the Council has referred the matter back, for further discussion in consultation with the Streets and the Water and .Sewerage Committees. .

The Notts County Council has authorized the purchase of a traction engine, at a cost not exceeding £800. •The Highways Committee reported that the average cost of horse haulage was 100. per ton per mile, whereas it was estimated that with a traction engine the cost would fall at least as low as 5d. A.26 A Recent Registration.

Oxford Steam Plough Co., Ltd. (160,000), to take over the business, carried on at Cowley, Oxford, by Mr. John Allen, as the Oxford Steam Plough Co.

Mr. F. G. Bristow.

We are interested to learn that Mr. F. G. Bristow, F.C.T.S., secretary to the Conernerdal Motor Users Association, is to be married quietly in London on the 14th inst. He has the best wishes of users and makers.

Baker Electrics.

Wolseley Motors Ltd. has recently completed a very fine example of a box van for a 4-ton• Baker electric chassis to the order of the Dunlop Rubber Co. Other recent orders for these machines include three for the Midland Railway Co., one 3-tonner for Sheffield, one 21-tonner for Birmingham and a 1-tonner for London.

Parsons-Weed Chains.

We are requested by the Parsons Non Skid Co., Ltd., Tottenham Court Road, W.C., to point out that the Weed Chain Tyre Grip Co. —of whose chain non-skid we published illustrations in our issue of 15th July—is the licensee of the Parsons American patent. The English Parsons Co. has for some time past been making the Weed Chain pattern in this country. The late Mr. F. T. Swanborough.

We regret to report the death, after a brief illness, on 27th July, of Mr. F. T. Swanborough, joint managing director of the Avon India Rubber Co., Ltd.

A U.S.A. Parcelcar.

Certainly the smallest participant in the American invasion of the commercial-vehicle industry in this country is that known as the "Argo," which is now procurable from the British American Import Co., Ltd., 14, Cockspur Street, London, S.W. It is priced at 105 guineas, complete with a bbx body that is stated to be capable of carrying 400 lb. net load and to have an internal capacity of 3 ft. by 2i ft. by 2ft. It has a four-cylinder eat bloc engine, two-speed gearbox and bevel gear final drive.

Cambs. County Council.

The Cambs. County Council at its quarterly, meeting on the 24th ult. resolved not to take any action in respect of the proposals for newlegislation which have been put forward by the County Councils Associations. The proposals, in so far as they referred to' the heaviest typis of locomotive traffic, obviously did not receive the approval of the Council, as th.e discussion Shows. Several members, including the chairman, expressed -the view that there would be no alternations in the law for some years to conic.

Sheffield's Motorbuses.

We are indebted to Mr. A. R. Fearnley, General Manager of the Sheffield Corporation Tramways, for a copy of the motorbus accounts of his department for the year ended 25th March last. TheI,..4heffield Corporation has had an average of 14 motorbuses in service during the year under notice, and at the present time is working 17 motorbuses. Motorbuses are principally used as extensions of and feeders to the tramway system. The Corporation has now, with one exception, completed its wellthought-out scheme for serving all the main roads which approach the city from outside areas, and along which—within the city boundary— tramway services are run.

We learn that the fares average id. for l mile. The longest busroute is 61 miles, and this serves a tram-route, inside the city, of only 2.12 miles in length. The great advantage of low capital expenditure, in respect of the major portion of the route, is thus secured.

A total mileage of 369,404 miles has been run during the year. The traffic revenue has been 10.33d. per bus-mile, and incidental revenue an additional 0.14d. Against total receipts of 10.47d. per bus-mile, the total working expenses reach only '7.04d., thus leaving a balance from revenue of 3.43d. per bus-mile. Expenditure is subdivided in the accounts as follows : traffic expenses, 3.01..d. ' • general expenses, 0.37d. ; repairs (chassis, bodies, wheels and tires, workshop tools and sundry plant, buildings and fixtures, and miscellaneous), 1.92d. ; road main

tenance (sundry authorities), 0.054. ; power expenses, 1.68d. After meeting interest and sinking-fund charges, paying incometax, and providing for renewals and depreciation, the net balance is I.754. per bus-mile. We congratulate the management, which has had not a little opposition to overcome.

Spencer Moulton Tires.

George Spencer Moulton and Co., Ltd., informs us that at t}.9 present time the whole of its efforts are being devoted to the production of solid tires for Gov

ernment service, and in censequence it is finding it increasingly difficult to keep pace with civilian demands. Many of this company's tires are in use on heavy-vehicle servie, on the Continent.

A Side-loading Egg Van.

We are able to publish a photo-graph of an interesting machine which has been fitted up particularly for egg transport in this country. Those who know anything about this and similar classes of business will recall that the difficulty in respect of the time taken in loading and unloading vans with consignments has been the cause of • many complaints. We referred to this van two weeks ago. Messrs. Wilkinson Bros., 37, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, and elsewhere, are responsible for the design of a body which has much to recommend it for trade of this kind, and which makes provision for side

loading. The back is left solid, and -affords a capital opportunity foradvertising display. Two sliding doors are formed on each side, and shelves are fixed to form a series of compartments. When load jug is being carried out, the only thing that has to be borne in mind is the kerb at which the machine will pull up when delivering. There is no sorting or special placing to be done to enable rapid unloading to take place. The first door slides past the driver's scat ; when the compartments thus exposed haves been used, the second door follows ; both are then pushed back.

The chassis which is being employed in this case is a Ford, supplied by R. M. Wright and Co., of Lincoln. An interesting refinement is the provision of a door-locking device under the driver's control.

Wheels of Industry

We are desired by Mr. Charles R. Clark, of Whiting (1915), Ltd., to state that it was incorrect for us to describe him as managing director of his company, as we did in the signature of a letter on the "American Lorry Invasion" which appeared in our issue of the 29th July (page 456). Mr. Clark is general manager of the company.

Bosch Magnetos.

We have received an interesting 16-page booklet, dealing with the manner in which Bosch magnetos are made in the U.S.A. and in England, but no statement is made in the booklet as to who holds the shares in either or both companies. Possibly some information in respect to their being—or not being— in German hands will be issued Whiting-Federal.

It may not be generally known that the Whiting-Federal chassis can now be purchased with the final-drive transmission arranged as chain drive or as worm-gear live axle. The chain-driven chassis was described fully in our issue of the 3rd December, 1914, but the wormdriven one is similar in all respects except that the cross-shaft, chain wheels, etc., are replaced by the propeller shaft and Timken-DavidBrown overtype full-floating rear axle. Both brakes are transferred to the rear wheels. Prices of the chassis are £495 for the chain-driven one and 2525 the live axle, complete with tires.

Mechanicll Power in Agriculture.

Yet another demonstration of the aids by mechanical power to agriculture has to be noted, this time under the auspices of the Lindsey (Lincs.) County Council. The demonstration was held at Burton-byLincoln on two days in July, by the kind permission of Mr. John Evans. The demonstration was organized by Mr. R. N. Dowling, of the Agricultural Education Committee of the Lindsey County Council, and was well attended. Amongst the machines which took part were an agricultural tractor by Saunclerson and Mills, Ltd., and a Sandusky.

The Hudford Unit. To Fit the Ford to Carry a Ton.

Certain special auxiliary mechanism, self-contained on a channelsteel frame, is being offered for sale by Markt and Co. Ltd.' of 98-100, Clerkenwell Road, E.C., for attachment to standard Ford chassis. It consists of a frame, an internal gear-driven rear axle, and a driving shaft, which entirely replaces the rear construction of a Ford car. It is arranged so that the original Ford frame becomes virtually a subframe carrying -the engine. The total frame length of the complete chassis so formed is 10 ft. 8 ins., with a wheelbase of 10 ft. It is stated to be capable of carrying a one-ton load. The Ford engine and gearbox remain, and the drive from the gearbox is by tubular Propeller shaft to the rear axle. This last is so arranged that the dead load is carried on the solid axle, the live axle transmitting the driving

torque only. Special brakes are provided, as well as stouter springs.

Glasgow Tramways.

The Glasgow Corporation Tramways now extend to practically 98 route-miles, with a capital expenditure of £3,471,824. The Corporation owns 857 cars, the value of which, as well as of the sheds and power plant, is included in the capital sum stated. A total of

36,260,758 passengers was carried during the financial year ended the 21st May last, with an average receipt per car-mile of 10.6Id. The total car-miles run were 24,214,460.

Payment to the "Common good" fund was only £12,951, the smallest siirn since the year 1902. The total working expenses reached 6.78d. per car-mile, allowances due to the European war reaching another 0.51d. per car-mile, the latter representing no less than 251,817 and accounting for the small allocation to the " Common good" fund. The balance available to meet capital and sinking-fund charges is £340,890. or 3.38d. per car-mile.

In comparing the foregoing figures with any results which are achieved by the L.C.C., it has to be remembered that the Glasgow Corporation enjoys a monopoly of the public-passenger service on the streets of the elydeside city, •


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