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Previous Commercial Motor Trials (V).

8th August 1907, Page 14
8th August 1907
Page 14
Page 15
Page 14, 8th August 1907 — Previous Commercial Motor Trials (V).
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The only additional figures in regard to the Liverpool hill-climbing tests of 1901, which we are able to give, are those which concern the starting curves published on page 53O of last week's issue. The two accompanying tables, together with the foot-notes, were unavoidably held over from our previous issue : the testing of the vehicles unladen was carried out in order to safeguard the makers of the vehicles against the criticism that some of their machines could not get away from a works at the foot of a hill in the absence of a return load.

Two additional sets of curves, which illustrate the behaviour of the vehicles before and after the signal for the stoppage down hill, on a gradient of i in 9 kon granite setts), must be considered in relation to the two tables of figures published in the previous article (page _536), and they are the curves which show the peculiar variations already .named, as regards the intermittent application of the brakes by the drivers when they were anticipating the signal to stop.

Two of the vehicles, thus early in the trials, were eliminated, these being the two Musker lorries (Nos. C2 and C3). The remaining nine machines, imme-diately after the unladen portion of the hill-climbing tests, were put through a series of manoeuvringtrials, under the direction of Dr. H. S. Hele-Shaw, F.R.S. Each vehicleran from a certain point in the shed, and Look up its position

• in an improvised embayment, the length of this embayment being adjusted to i length of each vehicle, and the time -occupied being noted on the driver's declaring that he had finished the manceuvre. The best performance was that of the Mann lorry (No. D4), which got into position with-out reversing once the average time occupied, for all the vehicles, was less than 45 seconds, and the absence of laborious " backing and filling " was very noticeable. The handiness of the short wheel-base was conclusively proved here, as well as the importance of large angles of fuck. Distance Trials.

Stringent regulations were in force at the various depots, and no attendants were allowed access to the vehicles until a fixed hour. The 1898 and 1899 trials having proved that it was possible to raise steam in a little more than half an hour, this test was not repeated, and drivers were allowed to raise pressure without special observation of the fuel consumption or time occupied. Loads were checked, and each passenger was required to show his official weight-card; all tanks were filled as the vehicles left the depOts, and, in the case of each vehicle using solid fuel, the height of the fire was measured, all loose fuel being removed, and only the sealed bags of fuel taken out on the road. Water was measured by means of graduated, unheaded casks, and one gallon and five-gallon cans, there being 11-) necessity for the competitors to find

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.7s1 their own water supplies on the road. Each vehicle carried its official number, and placards announcing the ap e/ ----• proximate load, whilst many visitors

— elected to ride on the wagons instead of

on the various motorcars which fol lowed the course of the tests. Some of the loads were exceptionally high, one or two, of cloth goods from Manchester, being as much as 17 feet 6 inches from the ground, in which cases it was impossible to accommodate more than the two observers. A number of labourers, provided by the Liverpool SelfPropelled Traffic Association, assisted in the loading and unloading of the merchandise, and these men were taken round the routes in a Daimler van which was kindly lent by the Diamond Match Company, Limited.

The presence of a large number of motorcars provided a convenient means of enabling visitors to observe the com

peting vehicles, as these light cars left the first depOt immediately after dm last of the competingvehicles, then overtook the cavalcade on. the road, and waited at the first intermediate depa this process being repeated. The over. taking powers of the high-speed vehicles allowed their passengers to ob.

tam n a better view of the trials than was possible for any who rode upon a heavy wagon.

The liveliest interest was shown all along the routes of the trials, particularly in the manufacturing towns, and special stands were erected in a number of instances-, general holiday being made in the majority of cases. The police maintained excellent order, and assisted the organisers by placing constables at awkward turnings. There was not a single accident of any nature or kind to any person or property on the highway.

The first day's run, from Liverpool to Manchester, gave the trials a good send-off. A banquet had been held, the previous evening, at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, when the Earl of Derby, K.G., President of the Association, took the chair : it was found that the reports of this function wakened up the whole countryside to the imminence of the arrival of the vehicles. The Lord Mayor of Manchester, and the Manchester Local Committee, gave a reception at the ManchesterTown Hall, and many thousands of spectators, variously estimated from so,000 to iso,000, lined the streets through Salford and Manchester to Albert Square. The two German Daimler petrol vehicles were the first to arrive in Manchester, some of the heavier machines being delayed through their sinking in " at a point where a disused drain gave way while they were watering in the yard of the Warrington Town Hall. The Simpson and and Bibby lorry (No. D5) was unable to proceed more than the first seven miles of the route, owing to the bending of the rear axle. This failure was attributed to the strain of unequal loading for the bill trials.

Manchester to Liverpool.

The second day of the I9OT trials provided the only instance of bad weather in connection with the three series of tests that were organised in Lancashire, the condition of the Manchester streets, on the morning of the 5th June, being exceptionally greasy. There was a little delay in the loading_ up of the vehicles, and this process was not completed with sufficient dispatch to permit of their leaving until after to o'clock ; in fact, the Mann cart (No. D3) was delayed as late as 11.17 a.m., owing to the fact that the packages that were first of all offered as a load proved to be too big for its platform area. As might have been expected, over 6o per cent. of the return loads from Manchester were cotton goods, the

other vehicles being provided with blocks and pulleys, machinery, and soap, as freight.

The Button committee had expressed the desire that the competing and visiting vehicles should enter that town in processional order, and a halt was made outside Moses Gate Station in order to give effect to this wish.

At St. Helens, members and visitors were received at the Town Hall, and the concourse of spectators in this town was exceptionally large. As on the previous day, the first lorry to complete the day's stage was one of the German Daimlers, and some of the heavier vehicles repeated their performances of the outward trip to Manchester, by finding out weak spots in the roadway, and " sinking in " for depths varying from six to eighteen inches. Several of the drivers, at the conclusion of the second day's run, showed indications of fatigue, and the judges authorised a later start for the following days of the trial, and gave permission that two of the vehicles might keep their existing loads upon the platforms.

An interesting feature in connection with the loads from Manchester was the fact that three consignments were for shipment at Birkenhead. One of these was transported across the river Mersey, by the goods ferry, and delivered on the quay-side, at the Great Float, within 7 hours of its dispatch from the warehouse in Manchester ; but others, owing to the limitation of the weight per wheel upon the swing-bridges from the landing-stages, had to be taken across the river in horse-drawn carts.

The not inconsiderable delays which were experienced over the completion of the several processes of collection, conveyance, and delivery, within a 12-hour working day, came directly under the notice of the judges during the first two days of the trials, and, as will be seen in our continuation of this article, they formed the subject of reference in one of the conclusions in their report. In preparation fot the third day's run, to Blackburn, an invitation to luncheon at the Wigan Town Hall was received from the Mayor an local committee, whilst Mr. William Birtwistle, j.P., whc is now President of the North-East Lancashire A.C., and thE owner of numerous motors, both for business and privatE use, intimated his desire to entertain at Blackburn.


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