News of the Week Ban on 60 Miles Widespread from May 22
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f-IN and after May 22, nearly all long'L./distance movements of general traffic will be arranged through the Government Road Haulage Organization. Such movements for 60 miles or over, otherwise than by the Organization, will be limited by " The Road Transport of Goods Order, 1944," made by the m.o.w.T. under the new
Defence Regulation 73B. • Parcels and smalls, abnormal and indivisable loads, and household furniture and effects, all of which are defined Sr the purposes of the Order, are exempt, nor does the Order apply to tankers. Certain exemptions may be given by the R.T.C.s, by permits covering an individual consignment, or' class of consignments. In the ca lo of the former, this can also be done by the officers of the Road Haulage Organization.
Permits will not be granted for general traffic without special circum
stances, Applications will, however, be considered in the following cases:— (a) " Smalls " which comply with the definition in all respects except in the method of handling; (b) consignments between 1 and !A tons regularly collected by " smalls " carriers fronr consignors f " smalls," where no sconorny would result from the change ; (c) haulage vehicles when carrying
loading tackle for, and small parts of, abnormal indivisable loads exempted under the Order ; (d) A and B vehicles used for 60 miles or more and hired to Government Departments other than the MO.W.T., for .which application must be endorsed by representatives of the Departments concerned.
In considering (a), the R.T.C.s may consult appointed representatives of the National Conference of Express Carriers. They will not normally be granted unless the applicant was genuinely engaged in carrying such traffic before November 2, 1942.
For C operators, permits will normally be limited to the carriage of their • own goods. A condition may be that they will be required to place their vehicles at the disposal of the R.H.O. for returning loading.
Applicants for permits must show
• that their loads cannot be reasonably conveyed by another form of transport, and that no saving in fuelor rubber would be effected if they were carried by the R.H.O.
Exemptions given by officers of the R.II.O. will be in the' form of a consignment note (RII/M/2C). This will • automatically cover all traffic accepted by the Organization, whether carried by vehicles included in it or casually employed.
I.T.A. OFFICERS ELECTED
AT the annual general meeting of the Nottingham branch of the Industrial Transport Association, the following officers were elected for the year 1944-45 :—Chairman, Mr. A. 1'. Jackson ; vice-chairman, Mr. J. J. Brown ; hon. secretary, Mr. J. F. Coe; committee, Messrs. J. J. Brown, A. C. Miles, E. W. Gage, A. W. Johnson, W. J. Gant, J. A. Noble, H. J. Wilkins, and R. Scott ; National Council, Messrs. A. T. Jackson and J. J.. Brown.
Branch meetings have been arranged as follow :—May 17, June 21, August 16, September 20, and October is.
BETTER AND SAFER ROADS EXHIBITION IN BIRMINGHAM
LN a speech delivered at the opening of the Better and Safer Roads Exhibition, which _is being held in Birmingham until Wednesday, May IO, Mr. L. W. Gupwell, M.Inst.T., said that a definite action policy on motorways was essential. He referred, very strongly, to the apparently apathetic attitude which is being shown to road accidents, and advocated the policy of making everyone accident conscious.
The exhibition has been organized by the British Road Federation. PERSONAL PARS MR R. PEARSON has been re-elected chairman of A.R.O.'s Doncaster Subarea and MR. A. V. HARRISON has been elected vice-chairman, MR. W. D. REAKES has been appointed deputy manager and traffic superintendent of Bournemouth municipal passenger-transport undertaking.
MR. R. CLAYTON, the newly elected chairman of Leyland District Council, is production manager at Leyland Motors, Ltd., on the staff of which he has served for over 41 years.
SIR VYVYAN BOARD succeeds Colonel E. Gore-Browne as Rubber Controller. The former is Senior Economy Officer, M.O.S., whilst Colonel Gore-Browne has been elected •chairman of the Southern Railway.
MR. , G. H. GRIMSEAW, assistant traffic superintendent, has received expressions of appreciation for his services from the transport committee of Manchester Corporation, upon his retirement after 43 years' •service with the municipality. S.J.C. MAY BE RECONSTITUTED
THE work of the Standing Joint Committee will, in due course, be continued. by the R.H.A. Steps have been taken to ensure that the transition will be effected smoothly and that the important work on behalf of hauliers is not interrupted.
As formalities in the process of amalgamation are taking longer than was anticipated, it is felt that constituent organizations and area committees may wish to have an opportunity of revising their representation. They are, therefore, being invited to submit nominations for the
PRODUCER GAS CONCESSION FOR GOODS
THE Minister of War Transport has given consideration to the Government producer gas scheme in the light of conditions likely to obtain in the immediate future. It is still necessary to maintain the scheme to obtain experience of all aspects of operation, maintenance, design and fuel supply, so as to be ready for rapid extension should that become necessary.
In view, however, of the heavy calls now being made on goods transport. he is reluctant to place an additional burden on operators of goods vehicles, and for the time being has decided not to call for the conversion to producer gas of any further vehieles in this category. Those already converted should continue to operate on producer gas. Orders already placed for conversion should also he completed.
This concession does not apply to p.s. vehicles, which are not likely to be so much affected in their loading.
FROM ENGLAND TO ANZIO VIA DUNKIRK WITHIN a few hours of the estab VY of the Anzio bridgehead in Italy, a British unit found a MorrisCommercial 2-tonner which had been irtmobilized and abandoned by the enemy. It was discovered that the cylinder head and distributor had been removed and that all essential wiring was missing.
The machine was brought into a R.E.M.E. workshop for repair, and the examination disclosed that both the gearbox and rear axle were in good condition. The engine showed only slight wear despite the fact that the speedometer recorded a mileage of 40,000. Of some interest was the fact that the wheels were shod with a new set of German tyres.
It was later discovered that the original owner of the machine was a Sheffield builder's merchant, this being a vehicle that was impressed by the War Office at -the outbreak of war. There is little doubt that it came into possession of the Germans following the evacuation from Dunkirk, and that it has been in use by them for the past four years.
After, being thoroughly overhauled it is once more on active service with British troops at Anzio. Prior to impressment this Morris-Commercial had covered 20.000 miles. STUDENTS FOR "SECOND FRONT" TRANSPORT DUTIES
SCOTTISTI 'students are being asked to volunteer for, transport duties when the " Second Frout " opens. Regional transport pools are being formed in Glasgow and Ediqurgli, and, where possible, students will normally be given 24 hours' notice. This is the result of a meeting which Mr. Andrew Rankin, secretary of the Scottish National Union of Students,. and Miss Mary Beaten, student employment bureau director, had with Lord Rosebery, Regional Commissioner for Scotland, and Mr. Archibald Henderson, Regional Transport Commissioner, in Edinburgh, last week. After discussion it was decided to use every student availablefor transport duties from June to mid-August., when a transfer would be made to harvesting.
Full details of the wages to be paid for transport work are not yet available, but it is stated that the rates will be higher than those already fixed for harvesting, which are 58s, per week for men students and 41s. for women.
UPHOLDING WARNINGS BY TRANSPORT COMMISSIONERS
ASKED by Mr. Keeling about the issue of warning letters by Regional Transport Commissioners to persons Who had been convicted of offences, but who had received purely nominal sentences, Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, Parliamentary Secretary, M.O.W.T., in the House of Commons last week,
• gave this reply:—" Since you last raised the question of warning letters I have had the opportunity of discussing the matter with the Regional Transport Commissioners. As a result, I am satisfied that cases arise, from time to time, in which it is in the public interest that-warnings should be given, if only because it is desirable that any firm, which has been convicted, should immediately take steps to ensure that the regulations are fully Understood and complied with.
" So far as I am aware, there has been only one complaint about a warning letter, namely, that which you raised in a recent debate on the adjournment. Since that debate took place I have learnt that the occasion of the warning letter was by no means the only occasion, in recent months, when the firm had been convicted of offences in the running of their vehicles."
INCREASE OF 143 PER CENT. IN WORKMEN'S SERVICES "
WE all look forward to post-war
W liberty; liberty, in our case, to serve the public without restriction," said Mr. J. S. Wills, M.Inst.T., chairman of the Yorkshire Traction Co., Ltd., when he presided over the company's forty-third annual general meeting. He revealed that, since the war, the concern's ." workmen's " services had increased by 143 per cent, He regretted the need for having to introduce ' austerity 'buses . with their hard seats, arid he regretted. still inure; the fact that passengera &aid no longer rely upon getting a seat, even a hard one! He rale:tad to the completion of the Barnsley Omnibus Station before the war, and mentioned its cost as being nearly £40,000 but, he said, "it has. rendered a really useful public service," He referred to the happy relations which existed between the company and the Regional Transport Commissioner, the local authorities through areas of which its vehicles operate, with municipal-transport undertakings with which it had inter-running arrangements, and with neighbouring company undertakings.
" We are fighting for freedom," Mr. Wills concluded. " Let us retain the liberty to operate as a commercial undertaking, free from the unsettling influence of political machinations," COOLER ALTERATIONS ON P.S.V. PRC/DUCE R TRAILERS
ARRANGEMENTS have been tnade for future supplies of the first coolers Mr p.s.v. gas producers to be modified. Units will be interchangeable with the existing design. As regards second and third coolers, the only change is that when present stocks have been used, future supplies will not have the cleaning extension pieces. We hope to publish next week further notes regarding the first cooler.
•• MACCLESFIELD OPERATORS. FORMING COLLECTIVE COMPANY
A FEW days ago A and B transport Operators 'in Macclesfield held a meeting to consider forming themselves into a collective haulage and trading company. The principle of the formation of a. company for the purpose of overcoming difficulties likely to be met in the post-war period and for the protection of all hired operators was agreed upon.
LABOUR AND THE MOTOR INDUSTRY
RECENTLY, the Rt. Hon. Ernest Bevin, M.P., was the guest of honour at a small priVate luncheon given by Sir Miles Thomas, of the Nuffield Organization, at which the other guests were leading members of the British motor industry.
Mr. Bevin gave some interesting and far-sighted views on the part that the motor industry could play in the reabsorption of labonr and in providing an increase in employment after the war. He indicated lines of thought that leaders of the industry could Well consider, particularly with a view to decreasing production costs and increasing export trade.
BRADFORD TRADERS' WRONG IDEA ON MOTORWAYS
THE Council of the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, meeting last week, confirmed a resolution 'of the Chamber's transport committee; not to support the proposals which the British Road Federation has circulated. to Chambers of Commerce throughout the country for the construction of 1,000 miles of motorways after the war.
Points put forward against the scheme include the' cost that' would be entailed, the acreage of good land which such roads Would take up, and road transport's use of imported fuel as against the railways' consumption of' coal mined in this country. The resolution suggests that danger to life would inevitably follow the increased speed possible on motorways, and that money might more usefully and economically be spent on the improvement of existing roads rather than on the suggested scheme. RESTRICTION ON LICENCES TO ACQUIRE
Sogreat has been the influx, during the past few weeks, of recommended applications for licences to acquire new vehicles, that R.T.C.3 have been asked not to recommend, for the time being, any fresh applications for additional vehicles, save in very exceptional circumstances.
Applications for licences to acquire new vehicles to. replace old ones will still -be considered.
R.B.A. COMMITTEE FOR METROPOLITAN AREA I N connection with the formation of the Metropolitan Area of the R.H.A., it was decided at a recent conference to set up the first nominated area committee on which seats were allocated as follow:—A.R.O. 8, C.M.U.A. 6, London, Home Counties 6, Express arcels Carriers 2. • This nominated committee met in full session on April 24, when Mr. F. F. Fowler was unanimously elected chairman for the first year. The full committee is as follows:—
Messrs. F. F'. FoWler (Frank F. Fowler Ltd I. chairsaan; .F. P Arnold (Thos. T:lling Ltd.); L. W. Ballard (IV. Ballard and Son); S. R Bailey (Convoys Ltd.); R. W Bredemear (Red Arrow Deliveries Ltd ); IL H. Crow (Crow Carrying Co. Ltd.); H. T. Dutfield (IL and G.
DitAelel Ltd.); J.' Elliott (Pickfords Ltd.): R. R Farmer (Atlas .Express Co., Ltd.); W. French IIIrdLed Service Transport Co., Ltd.); R. C. Coozee (N. Francis and Co.); E. C. Green (K. C. Green (Transport) Ltd.); J. S. Nichol! (McNamara and Co., Ltd.); T. C. Oakentold (Newold Transport ye.. Ltd.); F. -E. Partinglon (Partington Transport Co., Ltd.); J. F. E, Pye (Pye Transport Ltd.); E P. Sayers. (The Initial Carrier Co.); Eric R. Taylor (Eno R Taylor (Transportation) Ltd.); C. R. Thompson (Thompsons Haulage (Luton) Ltd.); B. Turner (Thos. Allen Ltd.); J. II. Turner (J. H. Turner); L. V. Ware (L, V. Ward and Co., Ltd.).
From this committee Mr. W. F. French and Mr. Eric R. Taylor were elected vice-chairmen. The appointment of Mr. S. H. Jardine as secretary of the Metropolitan Area of the new Association was also ratified.
WE regret that in our article, Bricks Help Build a Successful Haulage Business," in our issue dated April 21, the vehicles shown in the centre and at the top of the page on the right were wrongly described-. Both were made by E.R.E., Ltd.
TRANSPORT MEN MUST GUARD AGAINST CARELESS TALK WIDELY circulated amongst transVV port operators and their employees in the North-eastern Region is a preinvasion warning •against careless talk; it takes the form of printed cards from the Regional Transport Commissioner, Major F. S. Eastwood. The warning includes the following adaptation of the Yorkshireman's motto:-' " Hear all, see all, SAY NOWT, And if tha handles oat for t'in vasion Keep what tha knows to thisen."
Major Eastwood's message states:" We all' know that a lot of queer loads are being carried just now: this note is to remind transport men not to talk to anyone, except in the course of their duty, about any Government traflic they are handling or seeing..
" What is a funny story to you about a queer load may mean the loss of British lives if an enemy agent gets hold of it."
Posters on similar lines have been issued for display in garages and depots in the Region.
MUDGUARD REMINDERS ON TYRE-INFLATION PRESSURES
RECENT announcements by the Directorate of Salvage and Recovery to the effect that incorrect pressure is amongst the most serious menaces to tyre economy has received wide publicity, and the painting of the correct pressure on vehicle mudguards was considered to he a good procedure, The Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co. (Great Britain), Ltd., Wolverhampton, has for some time experimented with a mudguard transfer with good results; it is easily fixed to a mudguard and has a satisfactory length of life. The varnished surface prevents quick deterioration or destruction from wet or grit thrown up by running tyres or when a vehicle is being washed.
The recommended inflation pressure on the Goodyear transfers is based on the agreed simplified load and inflation
tables recently issued to operators, and transfers are available for individual sizes of tyre and pressure. These transfers may be -obtained on application to the Goodyear coticern or any of its branches.
WEST COUNTRY ASSOCIATION FOR P.S.V. OPERATORS
AT the inaugural meeting at Exeter of the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association for the Devon and Cornwall area, Mr. S. J. Potter, of Haytor, was elected chairman. Mr. W. F. P. Bishop was elected area secretary.
HAULIER'S HELP IN GET-YOUHOME SCHEME FOR SERVICES
AYORKSHIRE . carrier, Mr. L. Willis, of Grassington, is co-operating in a " get-yon-home-" service which is operated between Skipton and seven, villages in the Yorkshire Dales for the benefit of homecoming Service men and women who arrive in Skipton too late to travel home by bus.
So that they may complete their journey, five cycles, provided by a. local war work committee, are stationed at
Skipton hotel. When a machine has been used Mr. Willis picks it up during his-round of the villages next day and returns it to Skipton. If desired, he also conveys the Service members' kit from Skipton free, of charge.
Eai-lier in the war he took part in the establishment of a car " get-youhome " scheme, for which the bicycle plan was substituted when the petrol supply allowed was stopped.
WELDING DATA SHEET
ADATA sheet giving essential information relative. -to such features as the colours and temperatures of an oxy-acetylene flame, gas values, the melting points of various metals and much other relevant information, has been produced by Suffolk Iron Foundry (1920), 'Ltd., Sifbronze Works, Stowmarket. Application for copies should be accompanied by 2id. stamp to cover postage.
H.M.F. GETS BUSY IN MANCHESTER DISTRICT.
LASTweek,•a meeting of Manchester district members of Hauliers Mutual Federation was held at Manchester for the purpose of reorganizing the district. Mr. Nelson, of Liverpool, and Mr. J. Arnold Kirby spoke on the present situation and the real danger to the future existence of the small haulier.. The representation of the small man Was not necessarify the' monopoly of any Association and H.M.F. would see that his cause in particular was put forward.
The following officers were elected:Mt. W. F. Sherran, chairman; Mr. R. Bullock, vice-chairman; Mr. H. B. Hewitt, hon, treasurer; and Mr. F. N. Moss, hon. secretary, tot the Manchester district.
It was resolved to circularize members in the district, asking them toe form local groups and to come forward to a meeting which will be held at the Grosvenor Hotel, Deansgate, Manchester, on May 15, at 7.30 p.m., when each locality will be aSked to put forward a nominee for election to the district committee.
FUNERAL VEHICLES MUST NOT DAWDLE .
DECA USE the response to his pre
vions intimation has not been satisfactOry in some districts of his area, the Petroleum Officer for the Northeastern Region has reiterated to funeral directors the need for economizing in petrol by the suspension of the walking speed for motor 'vehicles in funeral corteges. His instruction that this suspension must apply without exceptions has been passed on to its members by the Yorkshire Area of the National Association of Funeral Directors. The minimum speed to be observed is 15 m.p.h.
The practice of proceeding at walking speed, so that mourners may walk in the cortege, has tended to persist, particularly in country districts.