Was Sheffield Well Advised ?
Page 57
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TOUR report in the issue of The Commercial Motor,
dated October 1, regarding the losses expected to be suffered by the tramways of Sheffield during the present year, prompts me, as a ratepayer of the city concerned, to make brief comment.
The decision to scrap the trams (for reasons of town planning) was made in 1951 and it is surely beyond coincidence that, prior to that time, the city's buses were usually showing a loss each year as against a tram profit. Now, however, the situation has become suddenly reversed.
No new tramcars have been purchased since April, 1952, although new buses are constantly being bought-70 were required for the most recently converted route. Yet during the year 1952-3 the renewals account for trams showed that £111,000 was withdrawn and £116,200 paid in, whilst in the case of the buses, £152,000 was withdrawn and only £59,100 contributed. (This year's published accounts have been set out in a revolutionary form so that these and similar comparisons are, in my opinion, not possible.) TEs is only one instance of the questionable basis of the figures, and many other anomalies come to light upon close inspection. Even if the trams were to make a loss (and I still do not concede that they do in reality) the citizen is still receiving direct benefit from their existerne, apart from the fact that their fares are lower. Maintenance of half of the road surface is borne out of tramway revenue, as well as a contribution of the order of £30,000 per annum to the general rate fund in respect of tracks, etc. There is obviously much more to the question than the mere publication of an estimated figure as a means to justify an end.
Sheffield, 11. G. E. TAYLOR.
Drivers' Comfort, Old and New
I AM entirely in agreement with the views expressed
by T. P. Steele in his letter under the heading "Modem Buses, by a Driver," published in your issue dated October 22. This concerned the alleged lack of consideration for the comfort of drivers in many modern passenger vehicles. In the case of the particular vehicle which I normally drive, there is a wasted space of some 14 in. between the back of my shoulders and the bulkhead, when I adjust the seat so as to hold the steering wheel at approximately quarter to three. This means that my legs are bent at almost a right angle at the knees and if I move the seat back in order to stretch them, I can scarcely reach the wheel, despite the fact that I do not possess abnormally short arms. Another outstanding fault is that the accelerator pedal is too high, which puts a great strain on the right ankle. It is also too near to the brake pedal, so that my right shoe is continually rubbing against it, wearing the leather away in a short time.
It is interesting to note that in the many and varied types of pre-war bus and coach which I have driven, I have hardly ever encountered these discomforts and certainly never all of them at once. I think this was partly due to the fact that the seat was usually mounted right back against the bulkhead and the steering column had more rake than now normally provided.
I think it is a great pity that designers do not carry out more research into driver-comfort. This is far more important than the fitting of heaters, winking indicators and other bric-a-brac which constitute modern improvements in cab design.
London, W.13. E. S. COOKE.
Thornyerofts of 1914
AFTER reading the letter from Mr. H. A. L. King,
• under the heading of "Successful Vehicles of Early Days" in your issue dated October 8, I feel that I would like to add the name of Thornycroft to the honours list of vehicles.
It was my good fortune to drive three lorries of this make in France during the later months of 1914 and onwards when I was with the 75 Coy. A.S.C. Strange to say, all three had been brewery lorries from Leicester, Ramsgate and, I believe, Swansea. For about two years, was attached to the Royal Engineers with one of these vehicles, unfortunately having to leave behind me the benefits of The Commercial Motor Campaign Comforts Fund.
During this period, the old Thornycroft performed yeoman service and was never off the road. Only on one occasion do I remember having an involuntary stop with it and this was probably my own fault, the float chamber fell off but I was able to walk back and retrieve it intact. Later, as a column fitter, I was able to appreciate still further the merits of Thornycroft ptoducts.
Sandybrook Garage, A. SMITH. Ashbourne.
Clearing Houses Under Control
I HAVE seen the letter printed on page 393 in your issue of October 15, with the heading " More Clearing House Trouble." I also observed your note below the letter, that " many of the good establishments . . . belong to the National COnference of Road Transport Clearing Houses," and would like to endorse your recommendation that hauliers should deal with a clearing house belonging to an association which exercises control over its members. Practices such as are complained of by your correspondent obviously give a bad name to clearing houses and would not be tolerated by my Conference, every haulier member of which is urged to bring any complaint to the honorary secretaries of the areas or to myself, so that it may be examined and, if necessary, arbitrated upon. London, S.W.1.
BOYD BOWMAN,
Secretary, The National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses.
[We are glad to receive this assurance from the National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses, but would point out that we also referred to the Clearing House Section of the Road Haulage Association.--Eo.1