News and Comment.
Page 13
Page 14
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
This journal is recognised and supported by Users, Operating Engineers, and the Motor Industry at large.
This number completes our first century of "THE COMMERCIAL Monet."
The Lord Mayor of London, Sir William Treloar, will open the Commercial Vehicle and Motor Beat Show, at Olympia, on the 7th proximo, and will proceed to Kensington in state.
The paper on the subject of "The Organisation of Motor Transport for National Defence," by Sir J. H. A. Macdonald, G.C.B., will be read on Monday next, the 1 I th instant, at 3 o'clock, at the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall, S.W.
The motor-vehicle business of T. Coulthard and Company, Limited, of Preston, has, owing to the great expansion of its textile department, been transferred to the Lancashire Steam Motor Company, Limited, of Leyland, which latter company will, for the future, undertake all this portion of the Coulthard business, including repairs to vehicles.
The flotation of the United Motorcab Company, Limited, with an authorised capital of .,253,00u0, divided into 5o,u0o preferred ordinary shares of ./.1 each, and bo,000 deferred shares of is. each, passed off, satisfactorily, last week, the underwriters being relieved of their obligations in respect of the 18o,000 shares which they contracted to place in consideration of a to per cent. .7ommission. The registered office of the company, of which Mr. W. M. Hodges is general manager, is at 32, Oid Jewry, EX.
At a time when increasing interest is being taken in heavy motor vehicles, we are interested to learn from Messrs. Lloyd and Walker, of 5, Castle Street, Liverpool, the Accountants Department of the Liverpool Self-Propelled Traffic Association, that a few of the judges' reports on the third Heavy Vehicle Trials (1901) are available for sale, price ins. 6d, each post free, and any of our readers who desire to avoid a) blank in their library of motor reference books, should not fail to send in their orders.
Sturrnev Motors, Limited, of Widdrington Road, Coventry, writes to point out that it has taken over the business of the Duryea Motor Company, and, therefore, the sole rights of the Parsons engine. This engine does not utilise paraffin by the mere fitting of a carburetter, but, as illustrated and described in our issue of the 20tei July, 1905, attains that end by a special construction of the valves, in which the oil, while being aspirated, is vaporised, directly against the combustion chamber, and in such a position that it is impossible for any cooling to occur between vaporisation and explosion. The Roads Improvement Association's competition for a tar-spreading machine is to be supplemented by one for the best preparation of tar. Copies of the rules can be had from the Secretary, Mr. W. Rees Jeffreys, 1, Albemarle Steeet, W.
A stock of 200 electric motorcabs were, according to a "Central News " telegram, destroyed by fire, at New York, on the 29th ultimo, at the garage of the New York Transportation Company, at the corner of 8th Avenue and 49th Street. The fire is attributed to the spontaneous combustion of paint, in the company's paint store.
A " Daily Mail " representative has tested a tootorcab against a smart hansom, over the same II miles of busy London streets, and has found that the mechanical vehicle occupied only 54 minutes, whereas the horse-drawn cab took 8o minutes. The fare by the motorcab (taximeter) was only 7s. ad., but the driver of the horsed cab asked for half a sovereign, and settled at es.
Appreciations.
Additional references to our programme for the ensuing year, which have reached us since our issue of the loth January went to press, include one from Mr. Herbert Austin, of Birmingham, in which, after complimenting us upon the expense to which we have decided to go on behalf of our further missionary efforts to extend the coinrnercial-vehicle movement; adds " wish you every success during the coming year, and congratulate you on the outspokenness and impartiality of the leading articles in your paper." The vapour-emission trials of theA.C.G.B. and I. have been deferred, at the request of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, from the 7th to the oeth of March. Entries closeon the znd of March, at noon.
The Newcastle Motor Show, which is to be opened to-morrow (Friday), will include several interesting commercial-motor exhibits. The Secretary has been obliged to add a temporary annexe, some 70 feet by eo feet, to accommodate recent applicants for space.
The Coventry Chain Company,. Limited, of Dale Street, Coventry, requests that manufacturers of chaindriven motor vehicles will correspond with its managing director, Mr. A. S, Hill, M.C.E.I., concerning the company's method of securing silence with roller-type chains.
The exhibit of the Lancashire Stearn Motor Company, Limited, at the forthcoming Manchester show, will include standard steam wagons, which are repeat orders from Messrs. Chambers, of Whitelield, and from the Manchester Motor Transport Company, as well as a petrol van for Kodaks, Limited.
Auto-Car Agencies Limited, which, company has opened new show-rooms at 3, Hanover Court, Hanover Street, W., has been appointed sole London representatives for Halley's Industrial Motors, Limited, of Glasgow. We hear good accounts, from Scotland, of the running of Halley vehicles, both steampropelled and petrol-driven, so that opportunities for trial in the South, should be welcomed.
The demand for the water-ballast,. motor rollers, which are manufactured by Messrs. Barford and Perkins, of Queen Street Iron Works, Peterborough, is increasing apace. This firm's rollers are becoming more and more popular for road-making, with, granite, tar macadam, asphalt, etc., whilst their earlier uses for racecourses and training stations, cricket grounds, parks, golf links, and the like, has in no wise diminished. The cornpany's latest catalogue (No. x9i) contains most interesting details and testimonials.
A Lancashire customer of the St. Pancras Iron Work Company, Limited, writes as follows in regard to his. standard 5-ton St. Pancras steam wagons : "The two wagons we purchased from you, we are pleased to say, are giving us every satisfaction, and have not missed a journey. It is sufficient to say we bought one after a trial, and this satisfying us so well that we purchased another, and we are equally satisfied with the second. Another pleasing feature is that only one-half of the coke is consumed, although our work and journeys constitute a very severe test for any motor wagon." It appears that these two wagons have been doing 30e miles a week, with average loads of 7.7 toes.
The commercial-motor section of the Manchester Motor Show, which is to -open, at Belle Vue, to-morrow (Friday), the 8th instant, includes exhibits from half-a-dozen of our best makers of steam wagons.
The Commercial Vehicle Committee of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders expresses the hope that exhibitors will not attempt to bring vehicles to its exhibition for trial pur,poses. This recommendation will, no .doubt, have effect in regard to heavy :lorries, but we expect that a number of .exhibitors will elect to show the powers .of their smaller passenger vehicles for ,public conveyance.
The London Cabdrivers' Union apg-ears to be unsettled as to the effect of .taximeters, and a meeting of protest took place, on Sunday last, at the Lam.beth Baths. Whilst recognising that taximeters will be compulsory on trtotorcabs, from the 1st July next, -some of the drivers appear to hope to be -able to hold out against their being The Roads Improvement Association, -at the instigation of Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, has decided to take the neces.sary steps to form a National Dustless Roads Committee. All recognised -motoring, cycling, engineering, agricultural, municipal and coaching bodies will, it is hoped, be represented on this committee, of whose work Mr. Douglas -Mackenzie, A.M.I.Mech.E., has intitcriated his willingness to take charge, as Secretary. This endeavour to combine he present spasmodic and isolated -efforts in connection with dustless roads is to be highly commended, and the -concentration of the various existing -committees should induce more general .financial support from all quarters. The " Wellington" Tractor. William Foster and Company, Limited, has issued its new illustrated -catalogue of" Wellington "tractors, in which the claims of this type of light -locomotive are set out in admirable -fashion. This tractor has, during the past twelve months, been improved and altered in many important respects, until it is, to-day, in the front rank for economical steam-haulage purposes. Particular attention has been directed to the adequate protection of the driver, _and to the fitting of water tanks with .a large mileage capacity. Amongst -other special features, the following snay be named : the provision of a flange, round the base of the cylinder scasting, which is machined truly flat, and the bolting of this flange to a suit:able seating which is riveted to the Moiler; the fitting of a special type of ffeed-water heater, in order to e..onomise 4fuel; a novel and effective arrangement -of the spring mountings, in order to -diminish wear, and easy provision for 'taking up parts when wear does occur; :and a simple method of control for the feed-water valve, which is so arranged :as to avoid all " scour " on the threeway cock, and to relieve the driver of anxiety in regard to his water level. The catalogue contains valuable testi monials from users, and a copy should be obtained from William Foster and Company, Limited, Wellington Foundry, Lincoln, by all who are interested in the independefit'steam tractor as distinguished from the self -contained motor wagon. The Parsons Motor Company, Limited, of Town Quay, Southampton, has brought out a water-cooled silencer; the prices range, according to size and material, from 43 15s. to 46 los. Mr. Frederick Thoresby, general manager and secretary of the Car and General Insurance Corporation, Limited, which company's net premium income is now well in excess of -1:too,000 per annum, intimates that he is desirous to receive additional applications for agency appointments, which should be addressed to the company's head office, t, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. (next door to the Mansion House). This company, apart from its extensive motor department, has some to other branches of activity, and the latest additions to its policy list are those for domestic servants, gardeners, chauffeurs, and others, all of whom will be affected by the new Compensation Act. Potteries to Liverpool. The preliminaries in connection with the formation of a road-carrying company, to operate, in the first instance, between the Potteries and Liverpool, appear to be approaching completion. The promoters of the scheme announce their intention to work from "depot to depot," with the necessary collection and delivery arrangements, at each end, independently of the motor wagons. Having regard to the length of the journeys, and the 'considerable risk of losing trips if any delay were to occur in Liverpool, by waiting for turns at the docks or warehouses, this general plan of work is to be commended. We hope that the undertaking will be got into working order during the coming spring, so that the drivers may become accustomed to the roads before the winter comes round. In the absence of particulars of the traffic and rates that are offering, we withhold any comment upon the prospects which lie before the promoters. From Satisfied Users. Milnes-Daimler, Limited, of 221, Tottenham Court Road, London; W., received, during the closing days of January, a number of interesting testimonials from users of its delivery vans, and not a few of these refer to vehicles which have been in ose for several years. We quote, at random, a few opinions of these old customers. From the Chairman of the Bon Marche, Limited, Brixton Road, S.W. : " The advantage of motorcars, compared with horses, is their rapidity, and the long journeys. Recently, our iSh.p. car took a load to Bexhill, and returned the same day, a distance of about 130 miles. It would have taken our horses at least four days. . We intend, gradually, reducing our horse stud and increasing the motors." From the Patent Steam Carpet Besting Company, Limited, 196, York Road, King's Cross, N. : " We have pleasure in giving testimony to the generally excellent character of your lorries, as in use by us. . . . We bought our first lorry chassis from you in May, 1902, the second in March, 19o.z, and the third in May, 1905. All these cars are in daily use, in the collection and delivery of carpts, and have given great satisfaction. The 1902 car you have overhauled once, and the 1904 car you had to repair in consequence of an accident ; but, beyond that, the cost of repairs has not been excessive, the largest item being tires. We reckon these three cars do the work of from 9 to 12 horses." From Friswell (1906), Limited, 1, Albany Street, N.W. "We have had one of your 2-ton 9h.p. lorries in use for nearly three years. The first year, we had it running on iron tires, and, when we tell you that the lorry is used not only for carrying cars, but, also, is Largely in request by men who are learning to drive, you can imagine what it has to go through. We do not know another lorry that would have stood up as the Milnes-Daimler has done. We have hardly touched it all the time we have had it, and it looks like going on for another three years. It can be seen, at any time, by anyone interested in that kind of traffic." From Lucas and Company, Limited, The Brewery, Leamington: " We had, in November last, had our MilnesDaimler lorry for a period of two years. . . . Including all costs, the lorry shows a saving of 4:zoo on the first year, and on the second year, as against six horses. It is quite impossible, fairly, to compare horses with a wagon of this sort, because the horses cannot possibly do the whole distance, which, frequently, amounts to so and 60 miles. There is, also, at times, the very important consideration of the convenience of quick delivery. During the time we have had this wagon, it has proved most reliable, and we are fully satisfied with it in every way. It has given us no trouble, and we have had no breakdowns." From John Shannon and Son, Limited, George Street, Walsall : " We have run the 8h.p. Milnes-Daimler van for two years, and have found it eminently satisfactory. It has had particularly difficult work to do, as the road over which it daily goes is very hilly and awkward." From the Wolverhampton Steam Laundry, Sweetman Street, Wolverhampton: "We have had a Milne:-4Daimler motorvan running for over three years, and are pleased to say that we have found it very regular and reliable in its running. . . . We find the advantage of the increased area the motor enables us to cover."Tags