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WHERE THE MOTOR HELPS THE TRAMCAR.

5th June 1923, Page 36
5th June 1923
Page 36
Page 37
Page 36, 5th June 1923 — WHERE THE MOTOR HELPS THE TRAMCAR.
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The Value of the Tower Wagon in Connection with the Repair and Maintenance of Overhead Tramway Wires.

ALTHOUGII TkIERE are certaih qualified traffic experts who have followed with a keen eye the growth and development of the passenger-carrying movement and predict the ultimate supersession of the rigid tramcar by the flexible motorbus, it is as yet somewhat premature to write the former type of vehicle off as a back number. .We are aware . that there are certain local authorities in the Midlands which have decided to remove tramway tracks on certain routes, due to the prohibitive cost of reconstructing them, but in these instances the overhead wiring is not being discarded, and is being used to provide power for the propulsion of trolley-buses.

During recent years the trolley-bus has made remarkable incursions into the sphere of municipal activity, and when the many-advantages which it possesses over the tramcar are considered one is ied to anticipate the gradual elimination of municipal tramway systems as and when a renewal of extensive portions of the tracks becomes necessary.

Whether this be the ease or not, however, so long as overhead wiring is used for passenger transport systems, the motor vehicle in the form of a tower wagon will be able to render invaluable service in connection with its repair and maintenance. The slow, horse-drawn tower wagon is now a rare a,vis, and perhaps it is as well that it is so, for its use was not 'unattended with a certain amount of risk to the workers engaged in repair operations from the topmost elevated platform, especially if the animal happened to be of a refractory nature or unduly sensitive to street noises. One might question the use of the independent tower wagon, for the repair of overhead wireswhen a tramway vehicle of a similar type not dependent on an outside source for propulsive power, and running on the existing rails, could be used, but it must notbe forgotten that, although such a vehicle might be found eminently useful during the off hours of the night, its use would impede and disorganize traffio during the time that the services were maintained.

It is here that the mob:13 tower ;wagon possesses distinct advantages, for it can be used during the time when traffic Is at its height without in any way dislocating the services.

There are several types of tower wagon on the British market, and, although the petrol chassis has been favoured in the past for carrying' a superstructure capable of being elevated to varying heights, there has 'been, during the past year or so, an increasing tendency on the part of municipalities to favour the battery-propelled chassis for similar purposes. Although the petrol chassis does not possess inherent drawbaeks for use as a tower wagon, it needs skilful changing of gears on the part of the driver to enable the worker on the tower to feel that his position is secure when the vehicle is on the move.

In many of the petrol tower wagons in use the elevated gear employed is of the Rawlinson central-screw type, which can be operated by one man, but in the case of the electric vehicle battery power is used for controlling the elevation of the platform.

It would be impossible within the scope of this article to refer to every thassis which is callable of being used as a tower wagon. Suffice it to say that most of the prominent manufacturers are in a position to supply vehicles ofthis , description, in many cases standard productions with a slight variation being available for the purpose_ We will, therefore, confine ourselves to giving brief particulates of two makes of tower wagoii which, so far as the elevating gear is concerned, possess features to be found in similar vehicles produced by other makers_ One of our illustrations shows an electric tower wagon recently supplied to the Ipswich Corporation by Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, Ltd. The tower is mounted on one of

the company's M.O. 50.E.D. chassis. The batteries, which are of the Ironclad-Exide type consist of 40 I.M,17.8 cells with a capacity of 258 ampere-hours. The tower itself is constructed of well-seasoned hardwood and is of the twostage type. It is operated by a separate electric motor driving a centre-screw, which is controlled from the rear portion of the cab. Knock-off switches are prcrvided to prevent overrunning in either direction, the switches being self-adju.sting after the safety device has been brought into operation.

A mechanical gong is fitted to give intimation to the driyer that the limit of travel luta been reached, and the tower can be locked at any height without the possibility of it dropping accidentally. If necessary, the tEwer can be operated by hand.

At the top of the structure a revolving platform mounted on rollers is carried, and it is capable of being located and locked in any position. The driver's cab contains seating accommodation for another man beside the driver, the seat to the rear of the cab providing accommodation for-three additional people.Triplex-glass windows are fitted in the roof of the cab, so that the driver, can see the top of the tower at any time.

The lowest height of the Orwell tower wagon from ground level is 13 ft.., and, when fully extended, its overall height is 22 ft. 6 ins.

The platform is capable of accommodating two men, and the machine is complete with all the necessary tools, including vice hook for fire devil, etc. Another tower wagon, of which we reproduce an illustration elsewhere; has just been completed by Tilling-Stevens Motors, Ltd., to the order of the Edinburgh Corporation. The main modification effected in the design of this chassis for the specific use to which it is to be put is that the wheelbase has been reduced from 12 ft. to 10ft. 8 ins., this reduction enabling the vehicle to be operated more easily in congested and awkward places. The tower is built of oak and ash and is fitted with a central-screw elevating gear with cut bevel gears. When the revolving platform at the top is turned at rightangles and has two men on it, the body is perfectly stable. The platform is turned by means Of circular racks and pinions, and locking gear is provided to hold it in any desired position. The height of the vehicle with the tower loaded is 12 ft. 6 ins., he extended height being 20 ft. The electric and the petrol-electric chassis possess one other advantage when used as tower wagons to which we must not fail to refer. The power which normally propels the chassis can be 'made available when the chassis is stationary for welding, lighting, or any other purpose to which current can be applied. By the addition of suitable switches and resistances the current can be diverted to these uses. The electrically propelled tower wagon can, therefore, be accurately described as a dual-purpose machine.

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