Economy: it's a gas
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WITH THE CURRENT concern about shortage of vehicle. fuels in future years, I am reminded of a vehicle test which took place over 40 years ago, with the
gas-producer commercial vehicle.
The vehicle was built on a Gilfo d 6-ton chassis, with an AEC six-cylinder engine, which incorporated a gas-producer unit using charcoal to produce the gas. I was then a sergeant in the RASC with the Army Experimental Establishment at Farnborough, Hants, called the MWEE, and tested the vehicle on the Alt-y-Bady hill in North Wales in 1937.
The trials and tests were reported with photographs in Commercial Motor (May 7 and June 4, 1937). Apart from the historical event in commercial motor history, and my participation, I now feel use of the gas-producer system is likely.to be resurrected in future as an economic prospect for transport days ahead.
We in Great Britain will have plenty of coal, but less and less oil, so maybe a revival of the old system is now due.
E. E. HOLLI DAY, Trowbridge, Wilts.
We feel that the modern equivalent, lpg 1-nay be a better bet These days. An interesting alternative is the -aquapet" engine; claimed by its inventor to give a 40 per cent fuel saving (CM, June 22, 1979).
— Engineering Editor.