Passing Comments
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Inspiring Confidence in Used Vehicles
DESPITE the fact that the British motor industry as a whole is producing nearly a million vehicles a year, of which of course, a large proportion goes overseas, it is, according to Mr. Walter E. Hill managing director of Vauxhall Motors, Ltd., ten to one that the man who buys a van or truck for the first time, invests in a used machine and the chances are that even his next vehicle will be in the same category. In fact, there are many operators who buy nothing else.
It is important, therefore, to increase the confidence in, and improve the quality of, used vehicles sold by dealers. The more satisfactory they are, the greater will become the eventual market for new models.
For many years, some dealers have offered a guarantee with the used vehicles they supply, but this has been done only on an individual basis. Now the Vauxhall company have introduced a scheme for what is termed "Quality Tested" used vehicles, which is not confined to Vauxhall or Bedford products, but it can be operated only by their dealers. There is to be no age limit if a dealer is satisfied that a vehicle is, or can be made, thoroughly sound.
There will be full co-operation with the dealers and the company is confident that the latter will try A26 to surpass each other in interpreting the warranty, which will be for at least three months.
There are also several improvements in the warranty for new Bedford and Vauxhall vehicles, this is now extended to cover those bought on the Continent and used here. The period is six months. Defects in materials and labour charges are covered.
Legitimate claims under warranty made for the company's vehicles taken to the Continent will also be met by any General Motors dealer in Europe.
Each vehicle selected as "Quality Tested," will bear a red and green seal with those words on it.
100 'Years to Build a Bridge
NIOW that pressure is being brought to bear for the " improvement of communications in the northwest, it may be chastening to recall that the time that elapsed between the original proposal to build a bridge across the Mersey and the opening of the Widnes-Runcorn transporter bridge was approximately 100 years.
At the beginning of the 19th century, a select committee of "Liverpool merchants, noblemen and gentlemen" was formed to consider the proposal to build a bridge. The famous engineer, Thomas Telford, constructed a model which established the practicability of a bridge of the transporter type and submitted a report to the committee in 1817. The estimated cost was £90,490 for the structure alone.
No practical steps were taken until 1900, when a company was formed and applications were made to Parliament to construct the bridge. There was strong opposition-11 petitions against the proposal were presented—but the Bill was finally passed. The bridge was opened to traffic in June, 1905.
Horse-sense
1HE days of horsed transport are rich in reminis
cences. One tale concerns a Devonian carter who took a wagon across the ferry to the Isle of Wight from Lymington to Yarmouth. The sea was rough, and on his return the man was asked how he had fared.
" Terrible, m'dear," he said, shaking his head. "Horses were rain' on the deck foaming at the mouth. One co' the wheels came off the axle. I was hanging over rail, sea was that rough."
He cocked his head to one side and wagged an emphatic finger. "Next time I 'ave to go to Isle of Wight, I'm going the long way round by road if it takes two weeks."
Show Pigs by Bus
A T the present time there is considerable contra
versy concerning the transport of livestock and as to who shall carry out this work. One farmer in the Canterbury area thinks that he has solved the problem for himself. He has bought an old singledeck bus and has converted this to accommodate his pedigree pigs. Behind the pig compartment is another comfortably furnished for the crew in which all the necessary equipment for preparing meals is installed.
The purpose of the vehicle is not so much to carry pigs to market as to convey them to agricultural shows and the owner's accommodation problem is solved by sleeping in the vehicle—presumably the animals are then in their show pens.
Fireman Who Was too Keen
iT is to be hoped that none of our firemen will I follow the example of one whose exploits in Germany were recently reported. This man was so keen on his own engine and its performance that he himself is said to have raised at least eight fires, at which, incidentally, his appliance was always the first to arrive!