News of the Week
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N.R.T.F. AND THE ROAD-SAFETY REPORT
THE Interim Report of the M.O.W.T, Committee on Road Safety is to receive the careful attention of the s Council of the National Road Transpol)t Federation, and Mr. Henry T. Duffield, its chairman, says that many of the recommendations will be endorsed by the industry. He particularly welcomed the recommendation that vigorous action must be taken to improve the existing highway system if it is to be made safe and suitable in the post-war period for the increased volume of traffic, and supported theview ex„pressed that one, of the greatest hopes of diminishing road 'accidents lies in the education of every class of road user by means of an intensive and persistent campaign of propaganda.
LEYLAND MOTORS PAYING 15 PER CENT. DIVIDEND
AFIRST and -final dividend of 15 per cent, on its ordinary shares, in respect of the year ended September 30 last, has been declared by Leyland Motors, Ltd., which is the same as for 194243, when an interim dividend of 10 per cent. was followed by a final distribution of 5 per cent.
, FEBRUARY'S LOW ROAD. ACCIDENTRETURNS
nURING February, 384 persons were killed and 7,533 injured on the roads of Great Britain. The number of deaths is the lowest recorded in February for many years, and shows a decrease, compared with the previous February,' of 161. Deaths during the hours of darkness fell from 232 in February of last year to 113. which may be due, in part, to improved vehicle and street lighting.
The following table is an analysis of the number of deaths which occurred in February according to the type of Vehicle primarily involved:— Number of Type of Vehicle. deaths. Service {British Dominion, and Allied of the dime Servmeel .. 81 Public service and hacitneY SO Goods vehicles 106 Private cars ... 47 Motorcycles ... 14 Pedal crcles 37
Othecs 15 I 384
B.R.F. DISAPPROVES OF POSTWAR FUEL RESTRICTIONS THE B.R.F., in drawing attention to paragraph 106 of the Interim Report on Road Safety, in which it is suggested that the release of petrol should be gradual so as to impose an artificial restriction on the return of vehicles to the road, strongly
eleprerates this policy.
Incidentally; Mr. E. H. Fryer, M.Inst.T., who signed the Report, did so with the raservation that he be dissociated from the recommendation.
It is coesidered by the B.R.F., and by us, that it would be wrong in' principle to restrict .the use of motor vehicles in this way when it is no longer neces
sal y zth a war measure. It is all too likely that attempts will be made to use such war-time regulations for postwar purposes.
HOPE FOR LARGER P.S. VEHICLES
A PPARENTLY the MD.W.T. is to /A reconsider the industry's application for increases in certain =anti-lull] permitted overall dimensions for p.s. vehicles, It will be remembered that the most important suggestions as to increased width and length were previously vetoed.
SPECIAL INSURANCE ARRANGEMENTS CONTINUED THE special arrangements made 1 between the M.O.W.T. and the insurers regarding goods vehicles Within a grouping scheme, and where certificates are issued by an officer of the Ministry in particular circumstances, are to remain in force until June 30, 1945.
OBITUARY
It is with regret that we record the death of Ma. N. F. WENTWORTH , a vice-president of the National Road Transport Employers' Federation.
The death is announced of ,MR. WILLIAM GIBSON, of Charles G. S.
• Buist, Ltd., St. Mary's Place, NeweastIe-upon-Tyne, with which lie had been associated for 33 years, over 20 of. them as garage and service manager. N.R.T.F. INVITED TO DISCUSS TRANSPORT'S FUTURE IN'v-ITATIONS from the Ministet of 1
War "Transport and the railway general managers to discuss the future of the transport industry have been received by the National Road Transport Federation. The meeting is to take place this month.
• S.M.T. ACQUISITIONS
THE general manager of the car sales and service branch of theS.M.T. Co., Ltd., Edinburgh, Mr. C. Cambage, announces that his company had completed negotiations for the purchase of the old-established Aberdeen motortrade concern of T. C. Smith and Co.,. Ltd., and its subsidiary, Messrs. Jackson's, of Aberdeen: This deal completes the first stage of the S.ALT, Co.'s plans to provide a post-war service for Scottish commercial and car users.
Mr. W. F. Scott is to be interim manager, pending the return of Brigadier MeKilfop, C.B.E.
Mr. Cambage hinted at new Bedford and Vauxhall models, for which the S.NI,T.'s concern is the Scottish distributor, but said that they could not be ready for sale for some time after the end of the war with Germany.
DESIGN IN MODERN TRANSPORT
ALECTURE entitled "Design in Modern Transport” is to be given by Mr. Christian Barman, F.R.I.B. A., before the Royal Society of Arts at 1.45 p.m. on June 6. Mr. T. E. Thomas, general manager, .L.P,T.B., will preside.
DOUBLE-DECKERS NOW IN USE ACROSS MENAI BRIDGE -..
WE learn that Crosville Motor Services Ltd., has inaugurated an improved service, employing doubledeck buses for the first time on the Bangor-Llangefin-Holyhead route. This has been rendered possible by the strengthening of the Menai Bridge, which is now toll free. Representatives of local councils in Anglesey and Caernarvonshire made a tour, last week, of the route in one of the new doubledeckers and were entertained by the Crosville concern to a luncheon at
Bangor. • Mr. W. J. Crosland Taylor, general manager, said that the Menai Bridge had presented a big problem to the company because of the weight limitation of 41 tons Hence, smaller buses had to be provided. Even then, people who started and ended the journey as passengers had to walk across the bridge. One thing he could never understand was why 14 up to 20 people had to quit the bus, but were allowed to walk across the bridge alongside the vehicle.
WIDENING INTERESTS OF MIDLANDS P.S.V. COMPANY
ANEW company, under the title of Blackheath and District Motor Services, with headquarters at Nimmings Road, Blackheath, Birmingham, was recently formed to acquire the business of Mr. H. Field (Lady Iris Coaches). Mr. W. H Austin, Mr. R. A. Austin and Mr. E. L. Humphries are partners in the new concern, and the last-named is acting as manager. The two firstnamed are directors of G. H. Austin and Sons, Ltd., the concern of bus operators and proprietors of "Happy Days Coaches." This company recently_ acquired the garage and offices of Worthington Motor Tours, Ltd., at Station Garage, Stafford, and now has six depots and a fleet of 80 vehicles.
Some time ago G. If. Austin and Sons, Ltd., acquired the services of H. Glaze and Sons (Engineers), Ltd., Walsall, Including 14 vehicles.
COVMO PISTON AND LINER CATALOGUE WIE have received a copy of the 1945 ' VV catalogue of Bricovmo, Ltd., Wharf Street, Warwick, dealing with Covmo pistons and liners. It is pointed out that, owing to paper restrictions, the contents are restricted to details of types in current production.
Piston assemblies and liners, for all the popular makes of vehicle, are listed, together with details and prices of valve-seat inserts. At the and of the catalogue the names and addresses of Covmo piston stockists is given.,
DO YOU USE BAND SAWS?
COACHBUILDERS and others who use band saws will find much useful information in " Band Saws and Their Maintenance," by J. F. Birch, A.M.I.B.E. Mr. Birch is works manager of C. D. Monninger, Ltd., St. Anna Works, Tottenham, London, N.18, the well-known maker of band saws. The price of the book is 2s. 6d., postage included, and it is .obtainable from the address given
ACTIVITIES OF THE INSTITUTE OF TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATION
ELEVEN centres of the Institute of Traffic Administration are now functioning, and the second informal meeting of the South-Western Region was held at Bristol on March 21, when the provisional officers, Messrs. A. W. Hood and C. J. Micklefielde welcomed Mr. J. A. Dunnage. The latter informed the meeting that arrangements were almost completed for a fortnight's session at the Birmingham University.
INDIA TYRE OPENS NEW SCOTTISH DEPOT
THE India Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., has opened a new sales and service depot at 43, Ade/phi Street, Glasgow, C.5. This is to provide more rapid and efficient facilities for trader and usera in Scotland. There are ample stocks,, and the depot is under the direction of MT. D. M. Greenshields, the India Tyre 'regional manager for Scotland.
NOTABLE' WAR PRODUCTION BY "THE 600 GROUP"
WHAT is known as The 600 Group of Companies, the constituent members of which can be noted from an advertisement in this issue, has issued an interim statement, of its production of war materials up to June, 1944. As the figures are given, there is no' need for, uS eo state them in detail, hut they constitute an amazing example of the manner in which concerns in our, industry have assisted the war effort,
They have manufactured bombs, shells and various components by the million, supplied thousands of various types of machine, erected hangers, machine-shops, foundries and other industrial buildings by the hundred, and played a large part in the construe tion of caissons for the Mulberry barboum Thousands of machines, electrical plants, etc., have been reconditioned, and some 12,000 new machine tools built, whilst the group has supplied hundreds of thousands of tons of ferrous scrap.
MEMORIAL SERVICE TO BENEVOLENT FUND'S FOUNDER
AMEMORIAL service to the late Mr. A. J. Wilson, founder of the Motor and Cycle Trades' Benevolent Fund, will be held on Tuesday, April 10, at 12 o'clock, at Holy Trinity Church, St,. Marylebone, London, N.W.
PAPER ON PACKING FOR TRANSPORT
THE next meeting of the London branch of the Industrial Transport Association will be held on Tuesday. April 17, at 6.30 p.m. at the Institution of Automobile Engineers, 12, Hobart Piece, S.W.1, when a paper on " Packing for Transport with Special Reference to, Fibreboard Packing " will be read by Mr. W. G. Anwyl. THE JUBILEE OF THE MOTOR INDUSTRY THE Council of the S.M.M.T. has unanimously endorsed the recommendation of its 'Public • Relations Committee, that the jubilee of the motor industry be celebrated in November, 1946-50 years from the " Emancipation Run to Brighton." . The committee has been authorized to make preparations for celebrating this event in a Manner befitting the outstanding importance of the occasion.
LATER DATE FOR NUMBERPLATE LIGHTING
THOSE people who have not already attended to the illumination of the rear number plates of their motor vehicles to conform with the new regulations should note that the date when this becomes necessary has been postponed until June 30, BIRMINGHAM'S SUB-AREA OF R M.A. ME ETS
AT the recent inaugural meeting of the Birmingham Sub-area of the R.H.A. Mr. A. Rutty was' in the chair, the chief speakers being Mr. F. W. H. Winwood, chairman of the West Midland Area of the Association, and Mr. G. V. Goodwin, secretary.
The chairman referred to the amalgamation of the national associations into one Federation as a great achievement which made road-transport history. Mr. Goodwin outlined the policy and aims of the R.H.A.
Officials for the year 1945-46 were appointed as follow:—Chairman, Mr, K. G, Bouckley (Transport Economy, Ltd.); vice-chairman, Mr. H. B. Clarke (Droine Garage, Erdington); delegates to the Area Committee: Messrs. H. J. Bedworth, H. B. Clarke, A. Rutty, L. J, Madden, E, Coxbead, J. Redmond.