WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.
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" The wheel of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by The roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier
Knighthood for Mr. Dennis.
The list of civilian war honours issued last week contains (as is usual, however) singularly few, names of men who have rendered signal service in connection with motor transport and with valuable engineering work.
Congratulations, however, are to be extended to Mr. Raymond H. Dennis upon the honour of a knighthood conferred upon him for his services in cone nection with the pupply of motor lorries and fire-engines. Mr. R. Waley Cohen, for his services as Petroleum Advisor to the War Office, also receives a knighthood, upon which he has our felicitations. We are pleased to see the following appointments and promotions:—To the rank of Commander of the Order of the British Empire :—Mr. H. E. Blain, operating manager Underground Railways ; Mr. Alexander Craig (Maudslays), J.P,, Chairman Coventry Munitions Board of Management; Lt.-Col. C. V. Holbrook, Director M.T. Dept. M.o.M. ; Mr. A. J. McCormack, O.B.E. (Wolseleys); and Mr. T. C. Pnllinger, O.B.E. (Arrol-Johnston). We also congra.tulate Supt. A. E. Bassani, of the Carriage Dept. of Scotland Yard, on the granting of the rank of officer of the Other.
The undernoted inquiry received by Commercial Car Hirers, 'Ltd., from the Green Isle of Erin, with regard to their advertisemelpt of Commer Cars, has the real Hibernian flavour :—
"Can you let me have immediate delivery; if so, when can I have it?
Liverpool Haulage Trade.
The Liverpool motor haulage trade last, week showed an improvement over the two preceding weeks, reports Mr. J. F. Shaw, of the local motor haulage clearing house. Asked what was the opinion of the trade generally on the recently adopted standardized rates, Mr. Shaw remarked that, although there were some People who considered them too low, the feeling, taking it ail round,
was one of satisfaction. Of course," added Mr. Shaw, "it is impossible to please everybody, and we had to take many factors into consideration; but some of our well-intentioned critics have not adequately realized that these are not hard-and-fa.st rates; they are merely minima."
Willys-Overland Capital Increase.
The Willys-Overland Co have in creased their capital of 75,000,000 dollars to 100,000,000 dollars fn order to provide facilities for expansion, and to obtain economy in production.
Widford Bridge, on the London main road, near Chelmsford, has collapsed as a result of heavy motor traffic.
We think the Council of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has doneitheicorrect think in approving the Royal Dublin Show, in addition to the Royal Agricultural Show for ;exhibits under the bond of complete commercial vehicles,
For Transporting Machinery.
An interesting type of body has been. designed by Eeeles Motor Transport, Ltd., of Costa Green, Birmingham, for the transport of heavy machine toMs, etc. It was found that the ordinary type of body was far too high for this heavy class of work, and the only lorries which could cope with the work before were of the horse-drawn type. The floor of the vehicle shown is only 9 ins. fron the ground. The company have built several of these vehicles, and can supply similar ones to anybody interested.
C.M.U.A. Parade'.
On this and the following pages appear photographs of some of the teams, or' parts of teams, which will be competing in the Parade i commercial motor vehicles organized by the Commercial Motor Users Association, to be held in London in Lincoln's Inn Fields on Saturday next, The vehicles will commence to form up at 12 o'clock, and judging will start at 2.30.
Trying Their Own Products.
On Pahn Sunday, the departmental heads.of Commercial Cars, Ltd., travelled to Brighton by a couple of Commer Car chars-a-bones, one of which was a new 30-seater just supplied to the Central Garage of Luton.
The trip was greatly enjoyed, the
• arrangements having been exceedingly well-carried out, and particularly pleased was the party at the comfort and find running of the new vehicle.
Henley's Profits.
The report of the 'directors of W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works, Ltd. for the year-1919 shows a profit of £203,368, the balance after: meeting depreciation on
• . machinery, interest on debenture stock, etc., being £168,625, to which must be added the balance brought forward from the previous year of £122,009. The final dividend on the ordinary shares makes 3s. per share for the year on the ordinary .£1 shares, the total dividend distribution being £69,000, £29,543 being transferred to reserve account. The balance carried forward to the next year is L141,632. ' Municipal BuS. Schemes.
At a Law Committee of 'Willesden U.D.C. the solicitor 'reported that the Hertfordshire C.C. had obtained permission to deposit a Bill in Parliament seeking powers to runmotorbuses outside the county and in the Metropolitan Police district. In the event a the Bill becoming law, it is possible that buses might be run over some of the main roa,ds in Willesden. The committee is of opinion that provision should be made of a oontribution te the committee, as the highway authority, in respect of wear and tear of roads, and recommends opposition to the Bill in. order to secure the insertion of a clause providing for a contribution of lid. per car mile for that purpose.
Motor Fire-engine for Newark.
The idea which. was at one time favoured at Newarkon-Trent of purchasing a motor lorry to draw the Corporation fire-engine his ben discarded, and the more practical plan adopted by the Council of deciding to purchaSe a meter fire-engine, which it is estimated. may cost about £1,700. The present arrangements are admittedly archaic in a borough 'which, next to Burton.-onTrent, possesses some of the most valuable. an.altings in. the country, and the amount for the acquisition of up-to-date appliances is to be included in the next municipal budget, the first payment on account of the loan to be raised not 'maturing until the next financial year.
A Grand National Precedent.
One wonders if, as ar-result, of the baste displayed by motorists to cross the Mersey ferries on Grand National day, when they paid substantial sums for a nearer position in the queue leading to the ferry boats, a new practice will be inaugurated amongst the owners of earri mercial motors, viz., that of paying for the chance of an earlier waiting vehicle to board the luggage steamer. The queue of business vehicles and motor chars-k•bancs waiting at the Woodside Ferry to get to 'Liverpool on the day referred to was half a mile in length. A man intent upon getting to Aintree in good time made the enterprising offer to the driver of a business vehicle of a pound for his placein the queue. This was. promptly accepted, and they forthwith changed places. The business' thus inaugurated then became the business of the day, and I am informed that in one case £.5-was paid for a front .ponti..in in the line. Drivers of commercial vehicles made easy and substantial profits. The situation has a serious as well as an amusing side. One can foresee, if the pressure at the ferries is maintained, an added weight being given to the move for adequate transit facilities. Supposing, for instance, an owner-driver with a load is anxious to get to Birkenhead from Liverpool, and finding a queue of between 150 and 200 vehicles waiting for the boat, as the writer saw a few days ago, with no possibility of reaching the steamer for three hours or so, he would naturally feel tempted to offer a. few, shillings to a driver in front whose appearance suggested his need of cash for the exchange of positions. Employees of motor haulage companies are not likely to make financial inducements to other employees, but owner-drivers may endeavour to negotiate for prior places. It is a situation which -would pay the owners of fleets to ponder over.
Peter Union Capital.
The Peter Union Tyre Co., which before the war, had a capital of two million marks, increased this amount to five millions during the war, and are nevi contemplating a innip to ten millions of marls&
A "Pressed" Frame.
We reproduce two photographs of a 2-ton Guy chassis, after having collided with a 5-ton lorry. We were at first; informed that the Guy had been run into broads.ide on, and we were at a..loss to understand why the frame should have been contorted, in such a. curious manner by a side thrust. After making further inquiries, however, we were Informed that the two vehicles had* met end on, the right wheel of the 5-ton,lorry locking between the right wheel and dumb iron of the Guy, thus forcing the axle andwheel back and 'acting as a lever, ming the front wheel of the Guy as a fulcrum.
It says much for the design of Guy chassis that this particular vehicle was able to be driven. back to the works—a distance of aa miles—under its own power, without any ladjuabment or alteration, and the flexible ;sub-frame permitted this great amount of distortion without breaking off the crankcase or gearbox arms. The left-hand illustration shows how great wasttbe
laxity of the eandan shaft.
COMMERCIAL MOTOR Personal Pars.
Mr. H. Neaverson has scored a distine success in the management of the trans port scheme instituted by the Council cu the Borough of Huddersfield about a year ago. The various departments of the borough require to move over 200,000 tons of materia,1 per annum.
Mr. A: E. Jackson, who has represented Clayten and Shuttleworth, Ltd., for many years in London and the south of England, has resigned •his position with that company and has taken up a similar position with Fodens, Ltd., of S.andbacla. He will remain at his old address, which is 3, Church Road, Forest Hill, S.E.
Mr. R. S. Linton, has recently been appointed manager of the automobile lubricants department of Sterns, Ltd., the -sell-known producers of lubricants. -The company have secured his serviees
for a period of years. The fact :that, Mr. Lutton joined the staff of this company only 18 months ago is indicative of the excellent work he has done. In ' cidentally Mr. A. W. Hinshelwood is now the Scottish representative of the company, and his offices are at 19, Waterloo Street, Glasgow.
A Commemoration Dinner.
To celebrate the coming-of-age of Tom Norton, Ltd.," of Llandrinclod Wells, and to welcome employees from H.M. Services a commemoration dinner was held recently at the Rock Park Hotel, Llandrinciod Wells. There were well over 70 guests, of whom 60 were employees of the company. After the loyal toast had been submitted by the chairman, there was a silent toast to the fallen, which was followed by that of "Our Gallant Boys." Mr. Jeffrey Jones, J.P., t'then proposed " Tom Norton, Ltd.," and recalled in an interesting speech the birth and early days of the firm, and how the present managing director and two other ryoung men met at an hotel, where the idea of esta.-blishhig the concern was first launched. The company were the pioneers of the motor industry in Worth Wales, as in 1900 they look delivery of a Daimler wagonette which was of 6 b.p. and able to carry 11 people.
Mr. Tom ISTOrtOtt was presented with a gold lever watch and Mr. John Norton with a gold. Swan presentation fountain pen. Substantial cheques were then presented to the meniwho had-leen-ed.
Co-operative Tours.
Several co-operative societies own motor chars-a-bancs, and will be catering for parties of their members durinvthe coming season. The Oldham Industrial Society was one of the first to enter into this business, and the Leeds Society is about to develop it on a large scale. At Plymouth the co-operative society will have sixteen motor chars-t-banes in service this summer, as compared with three last year. These vehicles are of the Dennis type, and will all be garaged in, a building in Vauxhall Street, Plymouth, capable, of accommodating 40 heavy vehicles. The repairs are carried . out by the society's own staff. Mr. H. Langmead-Wallia is the traffic manager, who has the superintendence of 7 Foden steam wagons, 63 petrol vehi. cles, and 130 horses and parts. The replacement of the latter by motor vehicles is only a matter of time_
e• members of the society make up th r own parties of 29 passengers, and a charge of £20 per char-a-bancs is made for one-day trips to Exeter, St. Austell, Newquay,Nor Truro; £17 10s. for one-day tripe to Teigamouth, Mortonhampstead, or Okehampton; £15 for one-day trips to Bodmin, Chagford or Paignton; and £10 forIialf-.day.trips to Salcombe, Prineetown, or Torquay. For three-day tours the charge. is twoguineas per seat exclusive of hotel accommodation and meals.
Oldham Chars-a-hancs.
Motor chars-a-haute and pleasure vehioles will be on all the math roads of Lancashire this year. The operatives have plenty of money, and are already booking seats on the excursions organized by the leading garage proprietors.
Messrs. Preston and Ward, Ltd.,
King Street, Oldham, have a fleet of Leyland and Thornycroft chars-a-bancs; Mr. Percy Hilton, of the Crowley Garage, Waterhead, Oldham, has a Leyland char-a-banes in service; the Shaw Motors, Ltd., Shaw, Oldham, have a 50 h.p. Karrier vehicle; available for April bookings; Messrs. John Farrow (Oldham), Ltd., are organizing, motor trips to the football matches every Week, and several of the local garage's are awaiting the arrival of their new chars-C-banca.
Nottingham Motorbuses.
Although long delayed, the first portion of the scheme wider which Nottingham districts hitherto unprovided for by tramway traction are to be served by :motorbuses, is shortly to be put into operation. Three of the new single-deck v.ehiales have now been delivered to the authorities, mid, when fully equipped, their' initial journeys will be inaugurated upon routes running from Alfreton Road via Gregory Boulevard and Hucknall Road to and from Bagthorke, serving many important residential areas and connecting up With the existing tramways at several points. Ae a preliminary a siggested scale of charges has been drawn up and3submitted for approval to the Ministry of Transport. In connection with the tramway undertaking, the Corporation authorities have also obtained, during the last few. days, delivery of several rieW electric cars, which are not yet quite.. complete in their equipment owing to thodelay oomaiened by the moulders' strike; and these also will be brought into operation shortly.
Swinton Forge at Swinton, near Manchester, has been taket over by the Swift Fleet Motors, Ltd, and will be used as a garage for their public service and haulage vehicles. .
Char-a-bancs Items.
Several new firms have sprung up.in Liverpool, Wallasey and district 'in-the motor char-a-baties services, and commencing on Thursday (April 1st), over the Easter holidays, the Collingwood Transport Co., of Liverpool,instituted a g daily motor service, which:rthey inaugurated with 1920. Daimler coaches. The Wallasey TouringiMotor Co. are newcomers in the field, and are arranging excursions with their new Leyland ebars-i-bancs. The New Brighton Motor Coach Co. has over 50 motor-chassis on order, 'and bodies are being made to be fitted as soon as the chassis arrive. By Easter it was.hoped to have three new coaches in commission, and 12 by the middle of July. A number of tours have been booked, eachrgfor partiesaof over 300, and in uric case coaches have been ordered for a party numbering 650.
The Lancashire United Tramways, Ltd., have 50 chars-C-banes available for touring purposes.
Thornycrofts for Leeds.
As mentioned in the first paragraph On this page, co-operative societies do good work in' owning ',and hiring out chars-a-banes to their members: In addition to Oldhani and Plymouth, Eccles and Rochdale are already served in this way, and the Leeds Society is about to institute a similar department. This society has 23 motor vehicles in commercial usea seven different types of ma chines are employed It is intended, however, to adopt Thornycroft vehicles for any additions that may be required, so that only one set: of spare parts will be needed. It will be some time before the existing vehicles are &splaced, but ,the decision to make the Thornycroft the standard has been definitely arrived at.
-Abolishing Bus Queues.
In a letter to the daily Press, a correspondent recommends the use of the system adopted in Paris for doing away with the scramble for accommodation on public conveyance's. At each recognized stopping place, situated on some convenient post, is fixed a file of small paper tickets, numbered consecutively. Each intending traveller, on arrival, detaches one, and the conductor of the omnibus or tram:tear takes on his complement of passengers in strict accordance with the numbers hgld.
Our readers will remember that we described this system in detail, including illustrations, in our issue of November lath.
Goodyear Extensions.
In order to „meet the tremendous demand which is beiog made for all types of rubber tyres, the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co. are making large extensions, • and that in spite of the fact that they already have 46,000 employees in their factories and branches all over the world. It is expected that this number will be greatly increased before the end of the year, when the extensions at Akron and the new factory at Los Angeles are completed.
The company run a housing scheme, and have already provided acearmnodation for 5,000 of their staff. The-company also assist its workers to purchase these houses at reasonable prices—a system which mightwell be adopted with, we believe, satisfactory results by some of the larger concerns in this country.
Tyre Legislation in Norway.
The Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Co., which, incidentally, has always been one of the foremost in advocating the use of pneumatic tyres for the purpose of sayMg the roads, has received •sable advices that Norway is proposing national legis lation specifying that motor lorries up to a capacity of two tons must be sup plied with pneumatic tyres. A proof that this rule is coming into force is that motor lorries shipped to Norway by American Eilit.n uf,actur era have already been refused admission, because they do not conform with the new wheel and tyre specifications, which are said to be
as follow motor vehicles used for commercial purpose's must be equipped with tyres of at least 5 ins, tread on all four wheels; this means that up to two tons they must be equipped with pneu
matic tyres; from 2 to tons, either pneumatic or solid tyres of over 5 ins. are permissible, whilst lorries of over 3itons' capacity may rim on solids. At present there is some douletas to whether the law will apply to city streets, but the Norwegian Government estimates, that, unless action is taken to specify the sizes of tyre widths, the country roads will be spoilt within two years.
The Year's Transport
A copy-,,of the 23rd annual report of the Birkenhead ' and District Road Transport Association covering the year 1919 has recently come to hand, although there is no indication as to the date on which it was published. We shall be obliged if the secretaries of the various transport associations-, in the country will make it a point to send us their annual reports and balancesheets as soon as possible after publication. The report of the Birkenhead organization shows that much valuable work for and on behalf of its members has been conducted during the year past, whilst there is every promise of a vigorous and useful is ear before it.
The special committee of the Manchester Corporation that ii inquiring into motor transport for the municipal services has made a special inspection of the garage of the Manchester Co-operative
Wholesale Society. •
Local Proceedings.
A 30-cwt, motor lorry for use at the Dartford Institution is to be purchased by the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
A light motor vehicle is to be purchased by the Metropolitan Asylums Board for use at the Darenth Training Colony.
A sub-committee from the Hammersmith B.C. has visited Willesden to inquire into the methods of dust collection by Orwell electric vehicles.
Mr. G. J. FIawkesworth has received fermission from the Staffordshire County Council to run an omnibus service between Tiitbury and Burton.
The Ministry of Health has granted authority to raise loans as follow :— Kenilworth U.D.C., .£1,345 for a tipping wagon ; Rotherham C.C. L2,666 for motor lorries.
• The Health Ministry has sanctioned the purchase by the Metropolitan Asylums Board from Messrs. Richard Garrett and Sons, Ltd., of a steam traetor and four trailers for cartage work, at a cost of £1,865, and an " International Jisnior" paraffin farm tractor, at a cost of £300. The vehicles are reqtlirecl for the Darenth Training Colony.
The Economy ofLight Vehicles.
East Ham Corporation is considering the purchase ' of motor vehicles. for general haulage, and a special committee has considered tenders which have been
received. After consideration, it has come to the conclusion that a lighter type of vehicle will be more efficient and economical for the purpose, and the Corporation' therefore, have arranged to get tenders for the supply of two 1-ton or 1L-ton motor wagons from firms of repute.