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New Heating System for Workshop
A TTENTION has been drawn by the Midlands r-l• Electricity Board to an interesting heating installation for a garage. . It has been installed in a 98-ft. x 74-ft. extension to the premises of Kidderminster Motors, Ltd. The problem was to provide comfortable winter working conditions in a large building, open at one end to an existing garage and closed at the other with sheet-steel doors of various sizes, frequently opened for the passage of vehicles.
The walls are 9 in. brick and the roof is of asbestos with roof lights, no insulation being contemplated. With high heat losses expected, normal space heating seemed inadequate and floor heating was suggested, the aim being to achieve maximum effect with reasonable economy.
The heating was confined to two 13-ft.-wide strips of the concrete floor by the walls, one, 90 ft. long, covering five bays in which mechanics work, and another two bays for electricians.
On the first screed of 21 in. of concrete, on a base of ashes, was laid about 600 yd. of Pyrotenax cable buried in the second screed of 2 in. of concrete, with a final oil-resistant granolithic surface in which was laid a 1-in, wire mesh to prevent surface cracking.
This insulation is loaded to 27.5 kW., controlled by thermostats and time clocks, the electricity being separately metered and charged at the special night storage heating rate. To improve working comfort, seven 750-w. Heatray infra-red reflectors were fitted over the work benches.
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An amusing sequel is that whereas mechanics who work under the vehicles ricrmalpT lie on crawlers, they now prefer to lie direct on the warm floor.
Touring by Coach Abroad
COACHING holidays in other cbuntries are proving increasingly popular amongst our people and despite, or possibly because of, weather conditions here, the demand has been well maintained. The possible exception, however, concerns the more expensive tours, which may cost £100 or so. These are, of course, on a luxury basis with first-class hotels everywhere and are completely inclusive; even of gratuities, the only additional expense being purely personal, in the way of local purchases and incidental refreshments.
Some of these tours are being carried out with under a dozen persons, which cannot be expected to make them paying propositions. It is difficult to adduce reasons for this tendency. They may, however, include the general restrictions imposed on credit, or even possibly the fact that the status of some of those who might otherwise participate makes them feel a little out of place in luxury establishments.
Whatever the cause, some of the operators have under consideration a reduction in the number of such tours, or their omission from the itineraries, replacing them by others less expensive and making use of hotels, still comfortable, but not in the highest
grade.
Midlands Positton Affects the South
SOME coach and bus operators, such as Southdown,
who cater mainly for holiday resorts, have been feeling the effects of the employment position in the Midlands. This particular company have recently been building up a fairly big flow of traffic as a result of through-running with the South Midlands concern and "Midland Red," but. even the bare possibility of unemployment or diversion of employment has considerably reduced the demand for seats, although possibly more local venues may have benefited. .
New Law Which Saves Lives
PENNSYLVANIA has adopted a new range of • penalties for those•convicted of exceeding speed limits. Formerly, there was an automatic suspension of 90 days in cases where such offences were proved. The new scheme, which was instituted last February, Comprises a graduated penalty ranging from severe warnings to licence suspensions of up to 180 days.
There had been a 35 per cent. rise in road fatalities in this State for the first two months of this year as
compared with-those occurring in the similar period of 1955. The result of the new law was that, during the following three months, the rise in the mortality rate was reduced to only one per cent. over that in, the previous year, and is now well below the national average.
On the Spot
WHEN a haulier approached one of the staff of " William Collett and Sons (Gloucester), Ltd., Melbourne Street, Gloucester, with the request that a cab-roof repair should be treated as "extremely urgent," he estimated he would be lucky if the vehicle was returned to him within two days. He was in the middle of a job and he foresaw that he might lose a valuable customer by the enforced delay. The roof was so badly damaged that continued running was impossible.
He was told to wait while the repair Was completed. and four hOurs later he was on the road again wit); a glass-fibre roof in place of the standard one. A mould of correct shape was found in stock and a new roof was made on the spot.