Correspondence.
Page 24
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Motor Ambulance for the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
The Editor, "DIE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir,—With reference to the failure of the motor ambulance for the Metropolitan Asylums Board. You appear to think that we deliberately sold this vehicle knowing that it could not possibly have served the purpose in view; but this is very wide of the mark, as we think you must have known had you considered the matter for a little. It must be borne in mind that this ambulance was probably the first vehicle of its kind ever built and used for the purpose. We had not previously any experience of ambulance work, and never contemplated building a motor ambulance vehicle until requested to do so by the M,A.I3. We assumed, and we think fairly, that this authority should know far more about ambulance work than we, and consequently should be able to judge of the suitability of the proposed vehicle for their service. Our initial suggestion to them was to supply a steam van to carry their stores and to haul a detached ambulance behind it, which ambulance we ourselves did not propose to supply at all, The Metropolitan Asylums Board, in one of their first letters, stated explicitly that they were " wishful to make an experiment by purchasing a vehicle for the purpose," and we gave them every facility by riding on our buses and other vehicles to judge for themselves of the suitability of our motors for the purpose. It was as a result of their own observations that the Board placed their order with us, and though negotiations were protracted over some considerable time, the only subject of discussion was the design of the body and the question of getting the platform sufficiently low. We had, ourselves, considerable trouble and expense in altering our standard arrangement of springs, etc., etc., in order to meet their views and to endeavour so far as rested with us to make the ambulance a success. We urged the Board to have rubber tyres, to the expense of which they at first demurred, though they subsequently agreed to have them. We, ourselves, re-designed our springing arrangements, and, after the vehicle was delivered, fitted new and specially-constructed springs in order to further reduce vibration. We also fitted rubber pads between the body and the frame with the same object.
It is evident that the Board themselves anticipated there would be some shaking and jolting of the vehicle, since, in one of their letters referring to the proposed inclination of the floor of the van to the rear, they referred to the possibility of the patient "gradually settling down to one end of the stretcher, as the constant jolting and shaking on the road would have this effect."' Before the wagon was finally accepted it was inspected by a committee of the Asylums Board, several of whose ILICTIL. hers rode in the vehicle themselves, and no objection was then made in the matter. We, therefore, maintain that we are entirely free from blame in supplying a vehicle which we knew to be unsuitable for the purpose. The vehicle was of a special type, and had several modifications from our standard practice which were necessitated by the special requirements of the case; the body provided for the vehicle was not built by ourselves, and was a very heavy contrivance; we do not think we have any record of the actual tare of the vehicle, but we estimate, when in running order with body complete with its fittings, that it would be very little short of three tons. The vehicle was delivered in April, 1903, and was run at a speed of probably not less than ten miles an hour in general until the rubber tyres were completely worn out, after which ordinary steel tyred wheels were fitted, and the vehicle continued to run, and it was not until the middle of January of this year—that is two years after delivery—that the Board advised us that the "steam motor ambulance has unfortunately proved unsuitable for ambulance work," and that "the Board, therefore, have decided to sell it." .
In the light of the experience we have had of this vehicle we do not now attempt to maintain that it is suitable for am bulance work. and we are satisfied that we could now build a very much lighter vehicle, which would be more suitable
for the purpose; but at the same time it should be borne in. mind, as a high medical official of the Navy once remarked when inspecting this very vehicle, that if anybody designed a motor or even horsed-ambulance which should prove really satisfactory and free from vibration, it would be one of the most wonderful inventions of the age; for, as he stated, he had never yet seen an ambulance to run on the road, whether drawn by hand or by any other means, which may be considered realty satisfactory. We trust that this explanation will be sufficient to remove• all onus in this matter from ourselves.—Yours faithfully, JOHN I. THORNYCROFT AND CO., LTD.
Solid v. Pneumatic Tyres.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir,-1 have read with great interest Mr. R. E. Gibbons' reply explaining the size of tyres he used. There are one or two points, however, in which I feel it impossible to agree. with him. He would like to " point out that four or five years ago the largest size tyre advised" was 2in.; that is a very broad statement to make, and one which I for one must disagree with. Solid tyres as large as aiin. extreme width were advised and in common use more than four years. ago, and I believe tyres larger even than these were also in. use. One point we are both agreed upon is that the tyres. he tried were not big enough for the load, and one can. understand with such an admission that he does not wish. to go back to them; but it is a pity that some people, when. they are ill-advised with regard to size, etc., and adopt the wrong thing, blame the article instead of their want of knowledge. Ile says he has no wish to go back to solids, but before making that statement he asks a question with regard to a size recommended by someone who has had experience with. solid tyres. Would it not be better to wait for the answer before condemning solid tyres generally? and if Mr. Gibbons will come, as suggested, to Paddington, I shall be pleased to try his car and let him try my car which is tyred with sin. Royal Sirdar tyres; the car has only a toh.p. engine, 1.-.nd is a large wagonette with a heavy bus top and glass front capable of carrying six people comfortably or nine at a pinch, and many other cars of the same srnallt horse-power are running on the same tyres and capable of doing considerably more than the legal limit ; in fact, my car was able to travel at over 35 miles an hour before it was geared down on account of the danger and inconvenience caused to others while running at high speeds. Mr. Gibbons does not appear to be sufficiently up in the general question to know that in the Automobile Speed Contests at Bexhill, a 12h.p. solid-tyred car beat all the pneumatic-tyred' cars in Class C of the speed trials, doing over 35 miles an hour, so that his extraordinary difference iii speed is accounted for by something other than tyres.
I shall also be pleased to let Mr. Gibbons try a elep. De. Dion voiturette weighing r2lewt. unloaded, fitted with suitable solid tyres which can travel about 25 miles an hour with every comfort on a clear stretch of country road. Of course, J am not saying that pneumatic tyres are not a little more comfortable if they are inflated too soft as most people use them, but then the want of proper inflation causes the tyre to flatten on the road and gives 50 per cent. wider running surface and an equally greater risk of puncture with a. severe hinging or splitting action in the walls or sides, so. that what one gains in comfort with such an exceptionally soft partially inflated tyre, one can hardly afford to lose in time and money on tyre repairs and renewals, to say nothing of the constant anxiety.
I think it only fair to the public to know the whole facts, for it is misleading for Mr. Gibbons to suggest that solids as a class are wrong because he tried what he admits was a wrong size. I can imagine what he might say if he had tried the same small size, namely, 21n. in pneumatics instead of what he knows to be correct for his car, that is a sin. section tyre. I am afraid his experience, which he appears to have sent broadcast to the Press, would have been very short.--Yours faithfully, J. M. Maclettetcm. Shirland Road, Paddington, W.