A chat with Mr. E. Gascoine, of Armstrong-Whitworth, last week,
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revealed the facts : (1) that on the pleasurevehicle side they have had a first-rate year ; (2) that, although they are lying dormant at present in the matter of commercial vehicles, they will have to be reckoned with shortly—there is a new model coming along, suitable for the light trades, and for the " ambassa.dor of commerce " as the commercial traveller is sometimes grandiloquently termed. For Light Trades.
On Tuesday, the 28th ult., I was one of a large party of Pressmen invited to bear witness to a Reinforced Tube rigorous test of the Test. Challenge Reinforced inner tube. Twenty-eight cars made, on that day, a journey to Brighton and back, and, of these, 15 had at least one wheel fitted with a Reinforced tube, and, over it, an outer cover which was bought at "scrap " price, that is, the average price given was under 10s. per cover. In addition to the wear these covers had already undergone, they were gashed with knives, and in some cases pieces were cut out, leaving the inner tube exposed. The run to Brighton then took place under the supervision of an observer from the R.A.C., and his official report states that only two of these 15 ears met with any tire trouble. The report says : "Of the above cars, 13 reached Brighton without incident in respect to the tires in which the Challenge tubes had been fitted. Of the remaining two, Car No. 7 burst the cover in which the tube under test had been fitted, and was brought to Brighton on a spare wheel, while the tube under teat on Car No. 10 split in the bed of the rim of the wheel. This happened five miles from London and a new Reinforced tube was fitted to the same cover, which then ran to Brighton without further incident."
In consequence of the shocking weather, Mr. Yarworth Jones, with much consideration, decided, at the eleventh hour, to use covered vehicles, and the tubes, in consequence had to be fitted very hurriedly, and in the case of one of the failures the tube had been nipped. That being so, it is a marvellous testimony to the efficiency of this reinforcement, which consists of layers of specially-woven Sea-Island or Egyptian fabric that extends nearly round the tube, the portion nearest the rim being rubber only and specially strengthened. It is claimed that an extra 1,000 miles wear can be got out of each outer cover by the use of these tubes, and that it is unnecessary to carry spare wheels. This is, therefore, of great importance to the motorcah industry, and it was interesting, at Brighton, to know that a challenge of the company was taken up by Mr. Edgar Cohen, of the General Motor Cab Co., Ltd. The conditions of the challenge are as follow
"1. Fit one back wheel heavy car with new Dunlop, Michelin or Continental covers and a Challenge for5200.standard all-rubber tube. 2. Fit corresponding wheel with a scrapped cover of similar make and a Reinforced tube. 3. Run both tyres absolutely to destruction ; each competitor to be allowed to repair tube and cover, but neither to reconstruct cover, but retreading permissible. The Challenge Reinforced tube to lose if it fails to obtain more mileage from its scrapped cover than is obtained from the new one. This test to be conducted by the Royal Automobile Club—who will select the 'Junk ' shop from which the Reinforced Co. will select the cover to be used—and no previous notice of the size of cover or place from which it is to be purchased need be given, and the R.A.C. representative will take the Reinforced Co.'s representative to the place chosen, and be present when the cover is acquired.
In competitions the Challenge Reinforced Tube, to be tested by the R.A.C., must not show less than 5 per cent. in resilience or be one-third heavier than the competing tube." It will be instructive to watch the result of this. It was understood at Brighton that Mr. Edgar Cohen hoped he would lose, the reason being obvious.
I gather from Mr. Stanley Williams, the managing director of Berne, Motors, Ltd., that they have withdrawn
Austria. their vehicle from the French Heavy Motor Trials, and have entered for the Austrian Industrial Vehicle Trials—a wise move, I should think. There can be very little encouragement to an English company to compete in French trials. Jacques bonhomme is severely, unlike John Bull in at least one respect : he will buy the motors of French origin, no matter what happens! I shall not forget, some years ago, trying to sell first-class English motor engines amongst other commodities in Paris. I was successful with my other machinery, but the look of amazement when I presented my coals at Newcastle, so to speak, was unforgettable. Berna Prefers "Trade is decidedly improving," said Mr. Clayton to me, at Huddersfield, one day last ‘• 'carrier "Works week. There is cer Revisited. tainly every sign at this place that things are moving. As I stepped out of the station, the first vehicle of any kind I saw HOB a Clayton two-tanner, well loaded with fruit, belonging to Mr. G. H. Howarth, a local jam manufacturer and fruit merchant. This lorry was fitted with a glass windscreen, and a cover for the driver with side curtains, too; a very good job. Down at the Clayton works, I found photographs of other two-tonners just delivered to W. J. Ingle, Ltd., Tanners, of Churwel, and to the Whitefield Velvet and Cord Dyeing Co., Ltd., also a new model, a three-tanner built on similar lines to the lighter vehicle, just off to Reed, Holiday and Co., Ltd., Aniline Dye Manufacturers. Clayton's of Huddersfield only started a little more than 12 months ago, but they are well established in the movement now.