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OPINIONS

7th October 1938, Page 49
7th October 1938
Page 49
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Page 49, 7th October 1938 — OPINIONS
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QUERIES

SINGLE-SLEEVE-VALVE POSSIBILITIES.

[5462]. The question of the possibility of the return of the single-sleeve-valve engine, raised in "Passing Comments" in your issue of September 23, seems to call for a reply from one who is intimately connected with this type of engine.

Being as keenly interested as ever, Mr. Peter Burt, the inventor of the original single-sleeve-valve engine, has of recent years been working to improve and perfect, so far as possible, the design of engines of this type, and patents have been granted for the improvements.

In collaboration with Mr. Burt, William Beardmore and Co., Ltd., designed, built and tested a singlecylindered oil engine incorporating the new patents, the results of the tests being extremely satisfactory.

In addition to the claims mentioned in the paragraph referred to, the new patents provide: redisposing of the valve ports to ensure even heat distribution and simplicity of manufacture together with accessibility for cleaning; driving the sleeve in a more satisfactory way, which, in addition to reducing the loading on the sleeve, allows an easy access to the drive and removal of the sleeve with a minimum of stripping; simple means for reducing lubricating-oil consumption.

After some 18 months of testing, all the points mentioned have been proved and William Beardmore and Co., Ltd., has taken over the patents for all types of engine, whether petrol or oil, and has felt every confidence in offering a manufacturing licence to engine builders.

It is hoped that these few remarks will show that there is every possibility, and justification, for the revival of that very excellent type of engine, the single-sleeve valve. R. W. COLLINS, Chief Designer, Dalmuir. For William Beardmore and Co. Ltd.

RUNNING RECORDERS AS A CHECK ON DRIVERS' RECORDS.

154631 In your issue of September 30, in reporting an inquiry by the West Midland Licensing Authority concerning an A licence, you ask the question : "Can drivers' record sheets be properly checked by mechanical recorders ?"

This question arose apparently from evidence given at the inquiry and we think in fairness to vehicle time recorders generally that we should point out that instruments of this type were recommended by a Licensing Authority as a means for checking drivers' records and work, and that so far as our own instruments are concerned, the Servis Recorder charts have been 'accepted as evidence on these points as well as on a number of others in police courts in different parts of the country and by traffic examiners.

A large number of users of Servis Recorders has specially commented on this valuable feature of the instruments when writing to us, among them being A. J. Gupwell, Ltd. We have reason to believe that that company, like many others, finds that these instruments give it a reliable check on the accuracy of its drivers' log sheets.

In a recent inquiry, a Licensing Authority accepted the evidence of Servis Recorders that a particular journey of approximately 150 miles could be done withi.) the permitted hours and without excessive speed. The evidence of the instruments was that the journey was done at an average speed of 1511 m.p.h. and that no section of the journey was done at excessive speed. For your information, we enclose a copy of a letter from the haulier concerned in this particular instance. [We have not reproduced this.—ED.1

T. V. REDSTON.

London, W.C.1. For Servis Recorders, Ltd.

INCREASING COST OF TRAFFIC COURTS.

[5404] I notice that in the current issue of the C.M.U.A. Journal, Area secretaries are warning members that the Licensing Authorities have issued the information that, coincident with the lengthening of the licence period the Authorities will require much more satisfaction regarding the necessity of the licence, to the extent that public inquiries will be held much more frequently, whether or not objections are filed.

One wonders from this news just what path the Ministry of Transport is pursuing. On the one hand we have this information, which inevitably will mean a vast increase in the work and costs of the Traffic Courts. whilst on the other hand the Minister is acquainting the transport organizations that the fees for licences are quite inadequate to meet the present-day costs of 'administration. He is, therefore, compelled to increase the fees by, in some cases, almost 100 per cent.

What must be assumed ? Is this proposed increase in fees merely a taste of something more to come, whilst at the same time the Minister holds the opinion that at the present time licences are obtained far too easily, despite the truth that licences for thousands of vehicles have been taken away from operators ? What the ultimate costs of the Traffic Courts will become one prefers not to think, for at the present time the Courts have enveloped themselves in such a cocoon of case law that one must employ the best specialist lawyers to hope to succeed in applications.

The whole matter will, no doubt, give transport organizations food for thought in their pressure on the Minister for the automatic re-grant of licences.

Manchester, 8. GEO. ROUNDFfILL.

ENCOURAGING THE SMALLER OIL ENGINE.

154651 We feel that we ought to congratulate your contributor, " S.T.R." on the excellent manner in which he has described our "Perpetuity Plan." We consider it to be a brilliant exposition of the pin.

If we may mention one or two criticisms in this letter we would like to do so, and if you can see your way al5 to publish these remarks, for the benefit of your readers, we would be very glad.

(1) According to our users there is definite evidence that maintenance and lubricating-oil costs are less with the " P " series engines than they are with petrol engines. In many cases the reports show that these charges are considerably less.

(2) In many cases our owners report that their fuel consumption is over-the 2:1 ratio normally adopted as

an approximate basis for comparison. " " figures are slightly under the 2:1 ratio. Fuel consumption, of course, depends so much on load conditions and the manner in which the engine is driven.

(3) On figures supplied to us by users, and allowing normal depreciation on a " P6 " engine, it is possible to justify a " P6 " engine at 16,000 m.p.y. without the "Perpetuity Plan" advantages. The 30,000 miles figure mentioned by " S.T.R." and always hitherto adopted by him as the figure at which oil engines *become economical in the 30 m.p.h. class, is high. As he points out, however, the "Perpetuity Plan" has produced a totally different story in regard to " Dieselization " and its advantages from the point of view of the operator. The -operator has the additional advantage of knowing that with " S.T.R.'s " very conservative figures, in truth the presentation of facts and figures should be, again according to users' reports, even better than stated in " S.T.R.'s " article.

The "Perpetuity Plan," as Mr. Scott Hall says, should advance the rate of " Dieselization " in 30-m.p.h.

vehicles very rapidly. It represents news of vital importance to the road-transport industry, and you are to be congratulated on your enterprise in publishing

the article. L. W. J. HaNcocx, Peterborough. For F. Perkins. Ltd. [5466] I was interested to read "S,T.R.'s" article on the Perkins Perpetuity Plan, which adds to the satisfaction that I have felt since installing a "P6/'

We operate a night market service, and have found the " P6 " more reliable and cheaper to maintain than a petrol engine.

Further, we obtain from 22-25 m.p.g. according to load and other conditions, which well offsets the slightly higher cost of lubricating oil.

I feel sure that there are many other operators who will be glad to know that there is an oiler that works well in a 50-cwt. chassis. J. H. ATKINS. Sandy.

[5487] We were very interested to read " S.T.R.'s " article on the new "Perpetuity Plan" which would appear to solve many of the problems of oil engines for operators of vehicles on small annual mileages. The plan justifies very well the use of oilers in 80-m,ph. vehicles, when used on haulage contract work.

You. may like to Rnow that we put our first " P6 " engine into service on December 31, 1937, and since then we have added three to our fleet. We, therefore, speak from practical experience when we say what a remarkable engine the " P6 " is.

We must, however, question "S.T.R.'s" remarks about maintenance and lubricating-oil costs. We would mention that the maintenance and lubricating-oil costs on our " P6 " engines are approximately 40 per cent. lower than they were with petrol engines in the same class of work.

In other words, the "Perpetuity Plan" is a much better plan from the users point of view than " S.T.R."

has mentioned. E. R. COWEN,

Manchester, 12. For L. M. Dean Transport.


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