Producer-gas Coach Puts Up Good Show
Page 32
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Demonstration of A .E.0 32-seater with Enness Trailer Producer Creates Favourable Impression in
the North
AGOOD impression of producer gas as a fuel for passenger vehicles was formed by those members of the Northern Section of the C.M.U.A. who took part in a demonstration of an A.E.C. 32-seater, equipped with an Enness trailer plant, recently given on a route from Manchester to Rhyl via Southport and Liverpool and back. The Association and the Lancashire and Cheshire distributors of Enness apparatus (Lookers. Ltd., and J. Blake and Co., Ltd., respectively) were responsible for the organization.
Powered by a 110 b.h.p. engine, the coach, despite its age of seven years, averaged over 25 m.p.h. during the run, and it was admitted by the passengers that there was nothing about its performance to draw attention to the fact that it was running on solid fuel.
After a stop of two hours at the ter
rninal point, the engine was restarted, without relighting the fire, and was run fling wholly on gas in 4i miles. A total distance of 228 miles was covered, of which 45 miles (the first section) were traversed on petrol and the remaining 183 on solid fuel, Progasite being used.
The amount consumed was 380 lb. Thus the average was 2.09 lb. per mile. The gross weight of the coach was 6 tons 19 cwt., whilst the trailer scaled 12 cwt. This gives a figure for gross
ton-miles per lb. of about 3.65. The maximum speed attained on gas was 50 m.p.h., whilst 45 m.p.h. was sustained on the level for two miles.
During the run; numerous stops were made, including two for crossing by the Birkenhead Ferry because permission to use the Mersey Tunnel was refused. No doubt a better fuel consumption would have been recorded had the journey included fewer inter-. ruptions. Moreover, the brief stops were not allowed for in reckoning the average speed. Certainly the demonstration appears to evidence the practicability of producer gas for coach operation, and criticisms of the fuel based on starting difficulties seem to be effectively dispelled.
The Enness plant is made by Enness das Producers, Ltd., 19, Old Queen Street, London, S.W.I.