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OPINIONS and QUERIES Big Mileages with Oil-engined Buses.

7th April 1933, Page 51
7th April 1933
Page 51
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Page 51, 7th April 1933 — OPINIONS and QUERIES Big Mileages with Oil-engined Buses.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[4034] Sir,—Referring to Mr. Goddard's letter No. 4029 in your issue for March 31.

Mr. Goddard in the role of historian is always interesting, but his loose references to mileage rather spoil the effect. In connection with his figures he says "enormous," "probably" "about," "somewhere near," and for an engineer these terms are lamentable.

There are lots of oil-engined buses apart from those lie mentions, which have completed over 50,000 miles of hard town work, and are covering over 1,000 miles a week. Most of your readers will know this, but if Mr. Goddard wants to play with history why not give the whole story, even if we have heard it before.

A. P. WELLS (For Crossley Motors, Ltd.). Manchester.

The Qualifications Required by Traffic Managers.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MoTox.

[4035] have noticed from time to time in The Commercial Motor that many traffic managers, etc., appear to possess an engineering qualification—indeed, they often hold the dual post of traffic manager and mgineer.

As one optimistic enough to hope for success in due course in the transport world, but experienced in only the traffic-operating side of the work, may I ask whether one of the leaders in the bus world would advise me, through your columns, whether the holding of an engineering diploma, as well 'as that of, say, the Institute of Transport, is necessary for success in obtaining such posts?

was very interested in the notes by Mr. Frank Pick recently published in your paper and referring to the examinations of the Institute of Transport. I am sure that there must be many juniors like myself, eager to devour as much advice on the way to success, as "those who know" can give us. P. E. WIND°. Tunbridge Wells.

A New Metal-rubber Coupling.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[4036] Sir,—On page 260 of your issue dated March 31, we note a paragraph dealing with patent No. 387,178 for rubber-bushed universal joints. We would like to point out that this refers to the patented metal rubber coupling for which we have the manufacturing rights for Europe.

W. G. PALLETT, General Manager (For Laycock Engineering Co.). Millhouses, Sheffield 8.

Road Transport in New Zealand.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOE.

[4037] Sir,—Please forward a copy of your Tables of Operating Costs.

We are running a fleet of four lorries a distance of 120 miles each day. We have been engaged in road transport for the past ten years and have done fairly well. The New Zealand Government is giving us some trouble, but, like the owners of transport in England, we will get over it.

Many thanks for such an interesting and useful paper

as The Commercial Motor. E. P. EDWARDS. Otaki, New Zealand.

Fallacious Railway Propaganda Exposed.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[4038] Sir,—In a recent issue of a Sunday newspaper Sir Josiah Stamp wrote an article entitled "The Great Road War," in which he put forward various claims to public support for the railways.

The commencement of the article, appealing to the British sense of justice and fair play, seems hardly in keeping with the recent demands of Sir Josiah Stamp and the other railway managers for a 10 per cent. reduction in railway employees' salaries. I venture to suggest that the thousands of employees of these companies would have an. entirely different story to tell the public, together with their opinion of railway-company justice and fair play.

I do not agree with the statement that the railways constitute a national transport organization. The word "national" can, and should, be applied only when the shareholders or owners are the nation. Sir Josiah Stamp's own words are, to a great extent, a true statement of the case. The railways are appealing to the nation for protection in the form of restriction and legislation in their favour, by bluffing the general public that the railway organization is national.

The railways' unsatisfactory position Is due entirely to the, wholesale duplication of systems and services, and to the employment of inadequate and obsolete rolling stock, which, to this day, would not have called for replacement or revision, from the railway-company angle, unless road transport had forced the issue.

Sir Josiah Stamp's statement to the effect that the railway companies bought their land and built their permanent way out of their own pocket, at a cost of 1800,000,000, surely is beside the point? It can be safely considered that the 1800,000,000 mentioned was, and has been, a most satisfactory investment. To the nation, the matter has a no greater interest than the cases of the many tobacconists' or confectioners' shops in a village or town high street, which, by the modern

trend of events, have been by-passed, causing the value of the business to depreciate.

My point in answer to the railways' contention that they were the backbone of trade, during the years that this country was climbing to the peak of Industrial prosperity, is that the Government saw fit to commandeer practically every commercial vehicle available at the hour of need—in August, 1914.

Further, the Government automatically admits the importance of road transport by its subsidization of many types of vehicle suitable for engagement in modern warfare. No country can safely look into the future and realize the possibility of further warfare without fully appreciating the necessity of having available thousands of modern, efficient commercial yehicles.

Referring to the Salter Conference, which presented the Minister of Transport with a unanimous report, as the railway representatives were representative of their industry, and the other members of the Conference were by no means so completely representative of the road-transport industry, it is not surprising that its decision was unanimously in favour of the railways. I admit that one point, and one alone, in the Salter Report, calls for approval, namely, the suggestion that a commercial vehicle should pay an annual licence fee in accordance to its carrying capacity.

Coming to the end of Sir Josiah Stamp's article, it is delightful to note the railways' interest in proposing that the system of licensing and control shall be put into force to ensure that old vehicles are maintained in a fit condition, and that all road-transport workers shall have reasonable wages and fairer conditions of service. In reply, I would suggest that the general public would propose that the railways first put their own house in order, particularly as regards both these matters, whilst the thousands of railway employees would -cry out that "charity begins at home," and remind the railway managers of their recent proposals for a 10 per cent, salary reduction.

The railways suggest that the Salter Report proposals are intended to eliminate the wastefulness of excessive transport facilities. Surely manufacturers and the public should decide as to how their goods shOuld be transported? The law of supply and demand will much more adequately and fairly prevent any wastefulness of excessive transport facilities than will any railway company's proposals or Governmental legislation. In this respect, I would particularly emphasize the value and importance of the word "fairly," a.s used above.

It is suggested that the "chaotic" conditions of road transport call aloud for correction, but no industry calls aloud for correction more emphatically and needfully than does that of the railways, in every branch of their activities, and, strangely enough, particularly where their activities are covered by the use of commercial vehicles.

I think that it is quite safe to state that, amongst the commercial-motor-operating and manufacturing trades generally, it is agreed that the railway companies usually run Toad vehicles well past their prime.

The truth of, and answer to, the whole problem of the road versus rail is that "age will count" and "youth must win." Any method of artificially dealing with a natural development must undoubtedly and inevitably cause trouble. SCYTHE. London, S.E.12.

Sliding Changes with Helical Gears.

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[4039] notice in your issue of March 10, under the heading of "Recently Published Patent Specifications," a reference to an improved gearbox design, No. 380,510, which appears to contain exactly the same features as the patent specification No. 366,730, granted to Messrs. Wright and Lewis, and which has now become standard gearbox practice for all sliding-change 030 gearboxes used on machines in which this firm is interested—i.e., food-preparing machinery of the highest quality.

Essentially, this is indoor machinery, and, in consequence, the design and construction have had to be brought to such perfection that noise, due to the gear drive, is reduced far below the point of annoyance. This has now been definitely attained through using helically cut gears of a much steeper angle than previously, in some eases the helix angle being as much as 45 degrees and in other vases perhaps only 35 degrees; it depends on the various factors. The usual helix is approximately 23 degrees.

The sliding engagement is effected by mounting the sliding gears on a helically splined shaft, the lead of the gear helix being equal to the shaft helix. Gears and shafts constructed on this system are easier to change with than the standard type of straight-cut pinions. This can be accounted for by the rotary action set up by the sliding movement. Steep helical gears set up extra tooth pressure, but not much, and after nearly two years' service it is difficult to detect the difference in wear, if any, between straight and steep helically cut gears.

It might easily be said that gear noises are the most annoying, and at the same time the most difficult to eliminate, and that any advance in this direction would be more than appreciated, particularly by the man in the street.

It would be interesting to note the difference in the performance of two independently driven gearboxes of exactly the same construction throughout, except that one should have the best straight gears and the other the best steep helical gears.

There are two such gearbexes available that can be started up at practically a moment's notice, and in the interest of those whose inclinations are towards definite improvement in gear construction, full particulars or a personal inspection would be gladly arranged.

To enable a more accurate comparison to be arrived at, these boxes have been speeded up to approximately 3,000 r.p.m., and when being run under load it is scarcely, an exaggeration to say that the straight gears make ten times as much noise as the helical.

E. W. LEWIS, For the Peerless Electrical Mfg. Co., Ltd. London, N.W.1.

Should a Contractor be Held Responsible for Bus Overloading ?

The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.

[4040] wonder if you have by any chance come across a case where a proprietor of a contract carriage has been charged under No. 14 of the P.S.V. (Equipment and Use) Provisional Regulations, No. 2, of 1031, because his driver ,allowed—or, rather carried—more passengers than the seating capacity of the vehicle permitted?

There is no doubt that the driver is liable, but there is room to argue that the proprietor, having hired out his vehicle at an inclusive figure and having no control except through his driver, should not be held responsible. If you have a reference to a decided case and can let me have it I shall be much obliged.

Glasgow. CONTRACT.

[We have not come across any case in which the question has been raised as to the liability of the proprietor of a contract carriage for a breach of Regulation 14 of the Public Service Vehicles (Equipment and Use) Provisional Regulations, No. 2, of 1931, where the vehicle has been let on hire at an inclusive figure, including the services of the driver. We entirely agree with you that there is ground for arguing that where the vehicle is overloaded with the knowledge of the driver the proprietor of the vehicle should not be held liable, as we consider that for the purpose of this particular Regulation his place has been taken for the time being by the person who has hired the vehicle.—En.]


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