Makers Blamed for Black Smoke
Page 53
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NI R. E. H. ROBINSON'S letter (July 25) gives the
impression that regular maintenance of fuel-injection equipment would virtually end the black-smoke problem of oil-engined vehicles. Whilst I agree that regular maintainance of this equipment is essential if exhaust smoke is to be eliminated, .I would also point out that many modern fuel pumps and governor systems are too easily interfered with by drivers and unauthorized persons. A recent survey of a well-known commercial-vehicle fleet showed that 75 per cent. of the public complaints of excessive exhaust smoke were traced to unauthorized interference with either the fuel pump or governor settings.
Most fleet engineers are extremely careful with the maintenance of fuel-injection equipment and governors, for reasons of economy and engine life, but a glance at some of the excess-fuel devices and -governors, even on 1958 vehicles, will reveal how easy it is for a driver to defeat the precise adjustments made by the fleet engineer and his staff.
If the manufacturers of both vehicles and fuel-injection equipment would make greater efforts to produce equipment which is virtually tamper-proof, a large reduction in the number of complaints of blaek smoke would automatically follow.
Dundee. JAMES R. MEEK, A.I.R.T.E.
Yield Not to Temptation
,nNE of the features of increasing enforcement of the
law is the number of prosecutions and licence revocations resulting from breaches of Section 19 of the 1933 Road Traffic Act, which relates to drivers' hours of work. This disturbing rise is not the prerogative of hauliers alone, but appears to be distributed proportionally amongst all classes of licence holder. The total, which may continue to increase, is fortunately a minute percentage of the whole. Nevertheless, the law-breaking minority is providing the theoretical planners of transport and exponents of nationalization with sound propaganda.
No one can condone the breaking of a law, good or bad, and those who do so in a wilful or ignorant manner must bear the consequences. But in part there are extenuating circumstances, perhaps a phenomenon of the times, which have a bearing on the rise in prosecutions. One result of the credit squeeze and high bank rate—both policy measures of the Government—was that retailers, wholesalers, and even producers, reduced their normal stocks to dangerously low levels. This was accentuated by the drop in customer buying as the result of a slight recession.
Any subsequent rise in sales, seasonal or otherwise, then meant a panic demand to the source of supply for immediate replacement, in which transport became a pawn in the game. If quick delivery, or delivery within a stated time, was not forthcoming, the order went elsewhere.
In many cases the time element allowed was not capable of accomplishment within the regulation hours. In some businesses, transport departments come a poor second to the sales side, and are left to hold the baby at all times. Again, in some instances, rather than risk their own licences, the " hot " deliveries would be offeredto the haulier, if he were foolish enough to accept the traffic on that basis. _ All this may be a passing phase and there is every possibility that an anticipated easing of the general financial situation may encourage a return to the holding of reason able buffer stocks by the trader, thus permitting them to be replenished in the normal manner according to the up and down level of selling.
On the other hand, road transport may have created a noose for its own neck, during the period of financial stringency, by its very attributes of flexibility and speed. The trader, having found that there is no need to carry large stocks, which represent tied-up capital or cost money in interest and storage, will be more likely to expect that service of fast delivery to continue. Habits once ingrained are difficult to break. The problem is not one which can be " cured " by further nationalization or even by the " control " of C licences. •The real solution appears to lie in more motorways permitting higher road speeds.
Glasgow, W.4. ARTHUR R. WILSON, M.I.R.T.E.
Are these Conditions . Normal?
rOULD I, through your widely read journal, raise the
question of the conditions under which work some coach drivers engaged on purely private hire? It seems that few of us are included in any sort of wage agreement or holiday scheme.
During the season it is nothing unusual for us to be on the road for up to 17 hours, and after returning have to spend an hour or more washing down and otherwise cleaning the vehicles so that they can be on the road again at 8.a.m. next day.
One of the difficulties is the way that meals for the coach parties are booked for certain times. A start may be made at 8 a.m. and the luncheon place, say 130 miles away, must be reached in 4-,1 hours, which includes a half-hour break for coffee. As regards holidays, some of our chiefs say that they are not bound by any agreement, and that any we get are out of the goodness of their hearts.
No doubt the obvious answer for men in these circumstances is to get out, but, at least in this area, jobs of this type are few. It seems that we are nobody's baby, and even the unions do nothing about it. Seven days a week with never less than 12 hours a day for 1:9 10s., including cleaning our vehicles, cannot be considered as satisfactory. So far as many of us are concerned there is no question of overtime, just a flat wage.
Curiously enough, when we have some staunch unionists out on a day's trip they are the ones who hang on to the last minute at some inn, perhaps 60 miles from home, caring little that the driver has exceeded his legal hours.
Portsmouth. "1-Ima ENOUGH."
Was There a " Rolls " Bus?
A REFERENCE to a Rolls-Royce bus of 1905 was made -r-k under " Passing Comments " in your issue dated June 27. It seems that Rolls-Royce denied making a bus
• chassis in ,the 1904-06 period. However, looking through some old records I found information that a bus chassis was apparently sold in this country towards the latter end of 1905 by C. S. Rolls, Ltd., 15 Conduit Street, London, W.
According to the illustrated specification it was of a conventional type and suitable for the double deck body of the period: it seemed, however, to be of French make.
London, S.E.25. L. REYNOLDS, A.I.R.T.E.