Heavy Motor Vehicles and Road Wear.
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WE ARE rather too much inclined to blame the road engineer for the present bad state of repair into which our national routes have hallen, and for the inability of the ordinary macadam roads to stand up under heavy traffic. We must remember, however, that the present vast increase in motor traffic was unforeseen, and, but for the war, the numbers of heavy motor vehicles would certainly . not have attained anything like their present proportions. The result has been that road construction and development have not been able to keep pace with this increase ; in fact, it is probable that, unless modifications are made in the design of the future passenger and goods motor vehicles, the increase in the vehicles employed will keep far ahead of any improvements iii our thoroughfares.
Our article on " The Six-wheeled Motor Coach " points out various ways in which road wear may be 'reduced, and gives, as the best answer to the prota lem, an increase in the number. of wheels over which the load and the weight of the vehicle ar'e divided. Different ways of utilizing more than four wheels have been developed in France in the form o fa sixwheeled omnibus with two driving wheels, and in America in the form of a six-wheeled, pneumatictyred omnibus with four rear driving wheels.
In the case of the French vehicle, this is little more than an ordinary four-wheeled vehicle with excessive overhang, the latter being supported by an auxiliary pair of steering theels at the rear which are connected to the steering of the front wheels. The resulting machine is cumbersome and dangerous owing to its tail-wagging propensities.
The American vehicle, while presenting certain features of merit, introduces two complete wormdriven rear axles, which necessarily entail considerable expenditure land increase the chassis weight as well as causing a certain amount of wheel slip, as none of the four rear wheels can be steered.
The most promising development, however, would appear to be the new six-wheeled electric trolley-bus which is about to be constructed by the Bradford Corporation Tramways Department. "British and best" is an .old phrase, and one which will probably come true in this instance. Li the Bradford trolley'. bus there are two front axles and four steering wheels of the ordinary lorry type, the drive being through a single pair of wheelgat the rear. The front wheels
are not interconnected, but are operated through a single steering gear, so that, if a steering connection fails on one set of wheels the others will still be controllable. the front axles have both been carried back so that the four front wheels darty half the total load, the -two rear wheels carrying the other half, instead of two-thirds of the weight, which is their usual portion.
The total weight of the vehicle unladen is seven tons, and laden ten tons, whilst accommodation is provided for .24 passengers on the lower deck and 33 on the Upper, which, incidentally, is covered in.
The cost of building a motor. coach or lorry chassis on this principle would certainly be very little more than the cost''' of ,an ordinary chassis, MS the only additional parts .required are the second axle and wheels.
Permission has already been granted by the Ministry of Triansport for the running of an experimental trolley-bus of this type on the Bradford streets.
The Motor Coach Creating a New Clientele.
WE HAVE never desired to associate ourselves with those who affect to foresee the doom
, of the railways because of the rapidly' growing popularity of the motor coach. Rather do we hold that the creation of a new facility will cultivate the growth of traffic—a case of supply creating demand. The provision of motor coach services between working centres and seaside and health resorts will convey its appeal to a sufficiently large class to make the coach business extremely profitable, but it is not everybody who-,will want to make his journey, in what must necessarily be a slower manner.
When one comes to consider the volume of road traffic such as wended its way to Epsom last week, one sees that, here, again, supply makes for business and, whilst, the railway service was in a large measure restricted, it had, and always will have, all the traffic with which it can cope on such a day as Derby Day. The motor coach and the converted lorry created their own clientele, and what did aaotually suffer was the horsed vehicle, largely, of course, because, as compared with the mechanicallypropelled conveyance, it was slower, involved more trouble and was somewhat unreliable. Where time permits and convenience is served, the motor coach becomes an ideal mode of travel, and; as the vehicle itself becomes improved, its use and employment must grow tremendously, for it will build up its own business without necessarily robbing the railways.
What is Wrong With the Haulage Trade ?
CONDITIONS in the Motor haulage trade are not so robust as they might be, and only a few days ago, at a meeting of motor coach proprietors, we heard one gentleman make a forceful appeal to his fellow-owners not to allow the motor coach business to go the way that haulage has gone.
What is wrong with the haulage trade? If it has developed certain unpleasant characteristics, what were the causes that brought them into being, and what are the remedies which can be applied to consolidate the position of the motor haulage contractor?
No useful purpose can be served by going over the old ground and reiterating those negative aspects to which we have constantly directed attention. 'Tis no 'use crying over spilt milk, and, if the trade is to raise its bowed head, those engaged in it must make a united endeavour at least to stop the tendency towards a drifting policy. a When we talk about haulage conditions, two factors have to be constantly uppermost in one's mind: (I) Getting the load, and (2) getting the rate. To obtain a good rate for a poor load is quite as ruinous as getting a good load at a poor rate... Rates, in many instances, are ruinous—there is not the slightest doubt about that—but would they have become so had firms owning motors insisted upon a fair and reasonable return for their service? Haulage contractors are not only competing amongst themselves, but are competing against "merchant hauliers" out for return loads. Traffic is scarce, and any freight which is put in the open market is made the subject of keen cutting.
These are the facts which have to be faced. When we come to the acquisition of loads, who can deny the hold which the clearing house movement has upon traffic? It has succeeded where haulage contractors -have fa,iled. Letthem ask themselves why. The best thing hauliers can do is to get together and discuss their problems with all the frankness of which they are capable: One fears they are rather suspicious of the "merchanthauliers." Neither section can afford to run their vehicles at less than operating costs; to each of them motor transport is a business proposition. Let them get together, work together, and organize together then, in the light of accumulated experience, they should be better in a. position to raise the status of a trade that—for the time being at any rate—seems unfortunately steeped in pessimism.
On the Way to be Registered.
T• . HERE IS a nigger in the latest registration procedure. It appears to be impossible for a _ manufacturer -to deliver a vehicle by road to a customer away from the works without being prosecuted. As many readers will know, manufacturers now have the privilege of seeming, at considerable cost, special red registration plates, embodying a special service licence. Such plates may be used, apparently, for all suitable purposes about the works and subsequently for . testing, the vehicles on the road. It is not fully established as to whether they may be employed when a vehicle is on its way to be registered. Certain magistrates in Lancashire have confessed their inability to decide—but have, ' as a matter of form, presumably, inflicted in several instances fines of 20s. and costs.
It has been generally understood hitherto that a machine, when being delivered to a. customer who would subsequently have to present it locally for the more complete registration formalities that apply nowadays, could be driven to its destination marked " For Registration," or "On the Way to be Registered." This appeared to be the only procedure available. "Trade numbers" are, it is understood, not allowed to be used for -such a. purpose. The final registration plates can only, of course, ho obtained by the ultimate owner. The manufacturer delivering to an agent or a customer is, therefore, between the devil and the 'deep sea, and that is what the Lancashire magistrates appear to think, The attention of the S.M.M. and T. has already been drawn to this anomalous position, and it is understood that they were to draw attentionto the need for revised regulations while the new (but long overdue) Motor Car Bill was being framed. As things are, however, the only way in which a maker can deliver to his customer, without being prooeeded against, is by shipping the vehicle by rail —or by air! Any -other way, in short, than by road.