OPINIONS and
Page 32
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UERIES
THANKS, MR. SMITH—WE ARE NOT DISCOURAGED VOUR leading article, " The Industry's Safety Valve," I published in your issue dated June 25, particularly interested me, and I agree to the full with the sentiments expressed therein.
It is, indeed, unfortunate that for some time past there has been a serious tendency in the industry for sections to be continually at cross purposes, with the result that no one is happy, and the affairs of the industry Must consequently be prejudiced.
I am sure that anything that you have written has been with the sole object of assisting the industry, and it is certain that, if nothing else has been achieved, you have made a large number of persons, who previously were not interested, "association-minded."
I know that you will not be discouraged by your critics, as I can assure you the industry generally has much to thank you for, which will become more apparent oirer the passage of time.
London, S.E.5. ROLAND T. SMITH,
REMINISCENCES CONCERNING A 1901 MILK LORRY
RECENTLY I noticed that you had achieved the 2,000th number of your interesting journal. I am ' one who well remembers the very first edition, and until quite recently I had several by me, but with great regret they were included in the salvage.
I also remember the earliest commercial vehicle, as regards petrol-driven machines. This was manufactured by F. Allard arid Co., Ltd., of Earlsdon, Coventry, in 1901, being built to a design of the late George Pilkington, of Coventry, for a firm of milk contractors in Hull. If my memory serves me well, they were Messrs. Emery Brothers.
It was a 'single-cylindered job, and I recall its efforts during test at Sioneleigh Hill, when few of those in the motor-engineering industry were alive as to the weight of a few full churns of milk. However, it passed its test satisfactorily, and was actually delivered to Hull with a load Of goods on its outward journey.
Some few years later the Mandalay Co, also Made a few commercial vehicles, and the late Edward Sturmey was not far behind with a really good model. Even at the present time the gearbox of his vehicle might be considered as some years ahead in design.
••I was almost half-way through my apprenticeship when the early milk lorry for Hull took the road.
Ewell. • • FRANK JARDINE, A.I.T.A.
MORE MEMORIES CONCERNING • MAJOR T. G. TULLOCH
WAS very interested in the reference to the late Major 4 T. G. Tulloch in your issue of July 2, and recall with great pleasure many meetings with him during my visits
to Palestine in 1931-33. • His enterprise in establishing a restaurant and dance floor at Kallia, on the Dead Sea, caused soine comment in the Palestine Press from dear old souls who had settled in the Holy Land in the hope of getting preferential treatment by being on the spot on the Day of Judgment. Their imagination conjured up scenes reminiscent of the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which, of course, are reputed to have had their location. nearby, and a similar fate was predicted for this attempt
to .revive their iniquities. Moonlight dances at Kallia were a useful source of revenue to the Jerusalem transport undertakings, but on dark nights the possibilities of attention from armed bandits in the shadows of the Judean Hills was a restraining influence.
Frankly, I cannot recall any serious carburation difficulties arising from pressure variations at 1,300 ft. below sea level (Dead Sea) and some 2,000-odd ft. above (Jerusifin), neither was cooling affected in any degree. Major Tulloch was an enthusiastic supporter of the C.I.-engined vehicle, and Saurer 5-ton oilers were used in transporting the products of the Palestine Potash Co. from the Dead Sea to railhead in Jerusalem—an enterprise in which Major Tulloch was closely associated. Thank you for reminding rile of memories of a very
courteous gentleman. A. H. GLASSPOLE,
Luton. Sales Engineer, Cornmer-Karrier, Ltd.
[The additional information concerning Major Tulloch is interesting and amusing. So far as the carburation difficulties are concerned, Major Tulloch wrote to us pointing out that the chief troubles concerned excessive fuel consumptioh and the power developed. If adjustment was made for the higher altitudes there was an excess of air at the lower, and pulling was not so good; if more fuel was permitted at the Dead Sea level to improve climbing ability, then, as tho air became slightly rarified on ascending, there was too rich a mixture and consequent waste.—En.]
A CRITICISM OF LIVERPOOL'S TRAMS
UNTIL recently I was unable to obtain "The Commercial Motor" at the place where I am stationed, but I was lucky to -get Several back, numbers and my. wife is now able to send it to me weekly. I wonder whether you can publish the following as a reply to a correspondent who wrote several weeks ago concerning Liverpool's trams.
As a Merseyside person and a former regular traveller on the trams of Liverpool, I can say with all honesty that I have never travelled on anything eivorse. The route's 'where the trams have. their own tracks with 'hedgerows each side, are no exception. One can read, but only
when the vehiclecomes to rest at a stop. .
I suggest that the writer of the letter referred to should take a ferry to Birkenhead or Wallesey and find out what real comfort is on one of the buses. Liverpool, from a transport point of view; is obsolete.
, Home Forces. j. E. EATON (Sergeant). ONE OF OUR READERS CRITICIZES AN ADVERTISEMENT I WOULDlike to draw your attention to the full-page advertisement of Rootes, Ltd., in "The Commercial • ;Motor " dated July 23. It is I believe, not considered good practice amongst theranks of well-versed fitters to stand the lid, of the grinding paste tin .on the top of the -cylinder block, as appears to be indicated in the illustration forming this advertisen3ent.
Davenport. • (PTE.) LEONARD SIMMONS
[No doubt Roetes, td., will be pleased at the meticulous . manner in which its advertising is studied by .our readers. So far as the little criticism is concerned we have drawn the attention of the company to this point. We are inclined to concur with you as to it being inadvisable to stand anything of this nature on the cylinder block, although it would not be so risky with a grinding composition as with a powder—ED.)