Opinions and Queries Attempt to Divide Hauliers?
Page 66
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OME attempts at co-ordination among hauliers may have failed, but it is a little specious of Mr. J. F. Archbold, in his letter published on November 22, to overlook the many other attempts that have succeeded. It is the latter kind that is being studied most closely by the longdistance operators in Devon and Cornwall, who are at the moment busy working out a scheme of mutual co-operation. Naturally, we hope that the success of the models we have chosen will be a good omen.
In our investigation we are obtaining a good deal of extremely valuable information and advice from groups of members in other areas of the Road Haulage Association. This, in itself, appears to make nonsense of Mr. Archbold's statement—if I understand him aright—that the R.H.A. should concentrate on a service to short-distance carriers, and conveniently leave the long-distance operator to some other body.
Mr. Archbold must realize the danger in any suggestion of this kind, which in effect drives a wedge between the two sections of the road haulage industry. Now, more than ever, when there is a further threat from outside that in different ways must affect all concerned in the industry, hauliers should stand firmly together, and not divide themselves into sections that can easily be destroyed one by one.
Mr. Archbold ends his letter with a plea for unity, but it seems to me he is doing everything possible to prevent it. Fortunately the R.H.A. provides the framework for the greatest possible degree of unity among hauliers of every type. • fleathfield, Newton Abbot. L. G. VALIANCE, W. L. Valiance, Ltd.
Some Reasons for Smoking Engines
WITH regard to the letter from L. W, Frampton published in The Comtherrial Motor dated October 11, it would appear that different people have the most varied ideas on the subject of smoking oilers. I have had vehicles reported to me for this trouble and, on testing them, I have found nothing worse than a slight puff of smoke when changing gear.
On the other hand, I have seen some smoking so badly. that, when following them, it would be dangerous to overtake, because the road ahead was obscured by dense clouds of black smoke, on most occasions from the off-side rear.
In your issue dated November l, 1955, I suggested an idea for washing exhaust fumes before allowing them to escape. Recently, also in your journaL.I read of an idea of this nature by Borax Holdings, Ltd., which has been patented, and they were said to be willing to permit the use of the method under licence.
Much of the dense black smoke can be traced to faulty maintenance, but we can still delve a lot farther into this subject. I believe that there are two colours of the smoke which cause annoyance, one blue and the other black, and I will deal with them in that order.
The general tendency of recent years to use a thin lubricating oil is satisfactory in some respects, but when an engine commences to wear, on starting from cold quite a lot of blue smoke is blown out of the exhaust until the unit is thoroughly warmed up. This may occupy about two to three miles of road use, during which a trail of blue smoke is left.
This blue smoke definitely indicates engine oil being burnt, as the thin oil reaches the combustion chamber via wortfbores and pistons, or worn inlet-valve guides.
Now let us deal with black smoke, which is obviously caused by incomplete combustion of the fuel charge. The pneumatic type of pump control, as Used on a vast number of engines, has never struck me as being a good thing, as at tickover many sound like badly choked petrol engines suffering from pre-ignition. This is caused by the air intake being throttled and insufficient air reaching the combustion chamber. Air cleaners often receive too little attention, and a dirty cleaner, coupled with pneumatic pump governing, may cause a lot of trouble in this respect.
Assuming the pump, injectors and timing to be correct, there can be little doubt, if smoke occurs, that there is not enough turbulence. Turbulence appears to give much better performance with any engine and I would like to see an oil engine designed with a hemispherical head, concavetype pistons and a varied fuel-pump timing.
Another source of trouble can be the silencer. On quite a lot of vehicles the straight-through type is fitted. This is packed with steel wool. When the steel wool is choked with soot, from long use, and the vehicle hits a had bump in the road, quite a lot of the soot can be shaken off, to enter the exhaust stream.
I would be pleased to hear whether any smoky exhaust is experienced when a supercharger or blower is used on oil engines.
Southend-on-Sea, Essex. E. GREENWOOD.
Bad Brakes on " Quality " Vehicle
vou will remember that the Road Haulage Association I passed at their Rothesay conference a resolution concerning the inefficiency of brakes on new vehicles. We ourselves have had cause to complain of the lack of braking efficiency on a new high-priced medium-weight vehicle.
On complaining to the Manufacturers,we have always been advised to take the vehicle to one of their depots. where the braking system was dismantled and reassembled, to be followed by a substantial bill. The brakes were in no way improved and a few days later we took the vehicle to another of the manufacturers' agents. They repeated the process and the result was nether largebill. When we complained that the brakes were still inefficient we were advised to take the vehicle back to them.
Sureiy this should be totally unnecessary with a vehicle costing about k2,500. The makers' excuse is that the lorry is overloaded. They thake this. accusation because, to be fair, we took it to their depot with a load. As we all know, lorries are generally overloaded within the makers' specifi-: cation. When the manufacturers' representatives are persuading us to buy vehicles, they repeatedly tell us the only governing factor in loading is the weight that the tyres are able to carry.
Hauliers are frequently criticized by prejudiced and uninformed people for failing to maintain their vehicles efficiently. If lorries are nol fitted with efficient brakes in the first place, how can they possibly have them after five or six years, no matter how well maintained the vehicle may have been?
Andover. J. RAWLINGS, Director, J. Rawlings (Haulage), Ltd.
[Mr. Rawlings supplied the name of the makers concerned and his complaint has been taken up with them.—Eo.1