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5th May 1933, Page 94
5th May 1933
Page 94
Page 94, 5th May 1933 — WHEELS of INDUSTRY
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The Federation of British Industries has sent a protest to the Minister of Transport, pointing out that the proposals of the Road and Rail Traffic Dill are in no way acceptable to traders.

It believes that the interests of the country demand cheap transport, firee from unnecessary restriction, that efficiency must depend upon competition between the road and rail interests which provide it, and that no legislative restrictions should be imposed to hamper one form of transport in competing with another.

The Bill removes restrictions upon the railways, but fastens new shackles upon road transport. So much is left to the discretion of the licensing authorities that their decisions may entirely destroy the independence and utility of the industry. The results may well be to place the control of road as well as rail transport in the hands of the railways, by .their financial conti-ol of the fewer units that will survive the administration of the Bill. The use of road transport by • a concern running its own lorries will be hampered by vexatious regulations.

A Research into Causes of 3,000 Fatal Accidents.

The National Safety First Association has just published a research into reasons why over 2.000 fatal road accidents occurred in England and Wales during the last six months of 1932. It is a document of 20 pages, comprising mainly tables and diagrams and including a map. Copies, price 2s. 6d. each, may be obtained from the Association at Terminal House, 52, Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W.1.

It is clear that not only motorists, but also cyclists and pedestrians can do much to lessen the risk of accident. Half the victims were pedestrians, a quarter motorcyclists and one-sixth cyclists ; 80 per cent, of the pedestrians were either under 10 or over 50, most D20 of the motorists (mainly motorcyclists) were between 20 and 30, and the cyclists between 14 and 20 years of age. Curiously enough, the school age-10 to 15— has proved to be the safest period.

The greatest number of accidents occurred between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Most accidents occurred in built-over districts, and only 25 per cent, in open country.

Forty per cent. of the eases of collision occurred at road junctions, and the majority of accidents when there was not much traffic about. Just over half occurred after dark, and in one out of every seven of the accidents, poor artificial lighting was a contributory cause; 412 were affected by slippery roads, 119 by restritted view ; and 57 by tramlines. In 943, error of judgment on the part of drivers was deemed the chief cause.

Dunlop Results for 1932.

The Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., announces that the results of working for 1932 show, subject to final audit and after providing £561,000 for depreciation and obsolescence, a profit from all sources of 11,542,000, compared with

£1,181,000 for 1921. After the dividends on guaranteed preference shares in subsidiary companies have been deducted there remains £1,232,000, and, after taking into account interest on debenture stock, etc., which absorbs £370,000, there is ft balance on profit and loss of £862,000, the amount available being £1,254,004) after adding the balance brought in.

The taxation reserve requires 1293,000, and the directors propose paying the second half-year's dividend on all elltsses of preference share, amounting for the full year to 1281,000, and to recommend a dividend on the ordinary shares of 4 per cent. (less tax), which will absorb €236,000, leaving 1444,000 to be carried forward. Guy Motors, Ltd., Fallings Park, Wolverhampton, announces the production of a new 2-ton chassis, which is available in two lengths of wheelbase, i.e., 10 ft. 6 ins. and 12 ft. 6 ins., the former selling at 1239 and the latter at £245.

The specification includes a fourcylindered 50 b.h.p. overhead-valve engine, a four-speed gearbox, fully floating spiral-bevel rear axle, four-wheel self-energizir..z. brakes, a 7-in, frame with five deep-sectioned cross-members and a special suspension system. A feature of the new model is the large amount of body space available in proportion to the overall length.

Remarkable Transformer Transport.

Shortly after we closed for press with last week's issue, the second of the two giant 125,000 h.p. transformers for Barking Power Station was transported from the works of the maker, the Rackbridge Electric Construction Co., Ltd., at Walton-on-Thames, to Barking. The weight of the unit, which is the largest of its kind in the. world, was 120 tons, and this will be increased to 165 tons when the auxiliaries and 6,000 gallons of oil are added.

E. W. Rudd, Ltd., carried out the transport to Greenland Dock, where the P.L.A. 200-ton floating crane (the world's largest floating crane) lifted the transformer on to a barge. It travelled by river to the Albert Dock, and the crane lifted it back on to the road vehicle, by which it was conveyed to Barking. The reason for using a barge was that the bridges were not considered sufficiently strong.

The outfit utilized by E. W. Rudd, Ltd., was the 16-wheeled trailer built for transformer work. It was specially adapted for this particular task, andwas hauled by three steam tractors.

Scammell Lorries Scottish Depot.

Scammell Lorries, Ltd., advises us that it has taken more commodious premises for -its Scottish sales and service depot, which will enable the company to offer improved service facilities to users, as well as to carry a more comprehensive stock of spare parts. The new address is 251-261, Alexandra Parade, Glasgow, E.1.

Coach Association Starts Hauliers' Section, Yorkshire Coach Owners, Ltd., an association which hitherto has catered only for public-service vehicle operators, has decided to establish a section for hauliers, in consequence of the Road and Rail Traffic Bill now before Parliament. At least 100 hauliers have already applied for membership.

Members of the road-haulage section will be enrolled at the same subscription as for coach owners—£5 for the first vehicle and £1 for each subsequent vehicle. Where a member is both a coach owner and a haulier, his passenger and goods vehicles will be grouped together for subscription purposes.


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