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Is a Passenger ExecA LTHOUGH it is obvious utive the Best Way 1-1 that the Road Transport Out ? . . . . . . Executive could not continue
to -deal effectively with both goods and passenger transport, opinion among senior officers of the Executive on the best means for separating the two interests is not unanimous. Those who favoured the setting up of a separate Executive have, of course, had their way, for the Road Passenger Executive has been formed. In the view of some, a better method would have been to have retained the former, Road Transport Executive and to have set up two branches under it, one for haulage and the other for passenger transport. In any event, Sir Cyril Hurcomb, chairman of the British Transport Commission, last week gave an assurance that there would be no needless multiplication of bodies or posts. He emphasized that the immediate function of the new Executive would be advisory and that it would not engage, for the moment, in operation.
The Interesting Stor) A GREAT many people of a Famous Broadknow Mr. Kenneth Home caster in his capacity as a well-.
known broadcaster in connection with that popular feature "Much-Binding-in-the Marsh." Many of his friends in the motor industry.. however, know him in another guise—that of sales director of the Triplex Safety Glass Co., Ltd. His first appearance on the B.B.C. was a matter of chance. Shortly after he joined the.R.A.F. at the outbreak of war he was asked to broadcast in one of the
" Ack-Ack Beer-Beer" programmes. Despite his inexperience the programme was a success, and he
appeared in another 50 or so. Later, at the Air Ministry, he encountered an old 'friend, Mr .Richard Murdoch, and it was in their off-duty hours that they prepared the original script of the Present feature. A26 Following demobilization, Mr. Horne was offered £250 a week to go on the halls, but he preferred to rejoin the Triplex concern, particularly as Sir Graham Cunningham, the chairman and managing dirctor, permitted him to continue his broadcasts, provided that-they did not interfere with business, and his regular hours at this are still 8.45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mr. Horne, whose age is 41, is the son of a well-known Congregationalist minister and grandson of Lord Cozens-Hardy, a Lord Justice of Appeal. He finished his education at Magdalene College, Cambridge, joining Triplex immediately from there.
What Constitutes a IS grasswaste land at the side Road in The Legal of a road part of the high Sense ? way? This was a matter upon which the magistrates had to decide in a case heard a little while ago at Hitchin. It seems that it had become a practice amongst some vehicle operators and contractors to park lorries and cars at night, without lights, on what they considered to be waste ground at the sides of the road at Rush Green. On this ground had been dumped lorry loads of sand at 5-yd. intervals, and contractor's plant, including a steam roller and vehicles, were often kept on the same spot. However, a policeman on motor patrol duty took action, and one of the defendants was fined, the magistrates taking the view that the ground constituted part of the highway, although a witness stated that parking had been going on there for at least 10 years, and that the waste ground was part of the old Green in Rush Green. Four similar cases were adjourned sine die. This will constitute a warning to other road users against adopting a similar procedure. Presumably, the land in question is the property of the .road authority concerned, as in the case.of grass verges sometimes left for safety, widening or the building of another track.
Non-Static Tyres Kelp SOME interesting tests, fnade To Improve Vehicle with a view to 'improving
Radio radio for motor vehicles, have been conducted at Fort Dunlop. They were carriedout on a car, but despite the restrictions imposed on .radio for coaches under the new regulations, no doubt many. of the latter vehicles will still be equipped with sets, therefore the tests will be of interest to many of our readers. They were conducted in dry weather with special non-static tyres, which discharge to earth any electricity which Jectimulates on them or on the vehicle. Comparisons were made between these and standard tyres. Instead of using the road the tyres were run on a moving-roller machine at the equivalent of'30 m.p.h. The results showed that with the special tyres there was a decrease of electric potential from 3,000 to 200 volts, -whilst the background noise on the radio was lessened by six decibels. In another trial, during normal running with non-static tyres, it was found that on a mobile police car in the Midlands there was
a notable reduction in the background noise, whieb improvement is, of course, particularly" important in the case of a vehicle of this type. Clear reception will facilitate urgent calls.
Bus Concern's Gesture CHATTING recently with To Its I.R.T.E, the chief engineer of an
Members important concern operating many public service vehicles, he told us what a favourable impression he had received of the work and value Of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers. Several 'Of his assistants were members, and he had, hitherto, been pleased to give them leave to attend visits to works, etc., with parties from that body. They had, however, been able to learn so much that he had now decided also to pay their expenses. Other companies, and even the Road Haulage and Road Passenger Executives, which may be somewhat niggardly in this respect,
Might make a note of this appreciated gesture. .