News of the Week
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RATES FOR P.O. CHRISTMAS WORK
AT a conference arranged by A.R.O. (Metropolitan Area), the C.M.U.A. (London and Home Counties Division). the London and Home Counties Haulage Contractors Association, and the National Association of Furniture Warehouseme,n and Removers (London Centre), it was agreed that their respective members should tender for post office Christmas work on the following terms: Up to 250 cubic ft., 7s. per hour; from 251 to 350 cubic ft., 7s. 3d. per hour; over 351 cubic ft., 8s. 6d., plus 5d. per mile over 50, for the first two rates, and 6d. a mile for the third rate, and subject to a minimum daily hiring of 8i hours.
For Sunday working and Christmas Day, these rates apply plus an additional charge to cover extra wages costs involved, and to a minimum hiring period of 5i hours on either day. Tenders should be subject to an additional charge in the event of the price of petrol and/or wages being increased.
NOTES ON THE GOVERNMENT ROAD HAULAGE SCHEME
Supplied by the Ministry of War Transport and the Hauliers' National Traffic
Pool, to keep the Industry informed of
developments, but not necessarily to be regarded as official pronouncements
THE HIGHEST YET.—Traffic returns for the week ended September 18 again show a marked increase and the total, of 176,000 tons of general cargo and meat is the highest since the scheme was started. In the previous week the total was 165,767.
EXCEPTIONAL CARGOES.--OrderS for the movement of exceptional loads, requiring special routing and advance notice to chiefs of police, are all part of the day's work, so far as road haulage officers are concerned, but one that deserves special mention was the movement last week from Chatham to Liverpool of a -steam launch, weighing over 30 tons, which had to be sent by road to ensure delivery by a certain date. The dimensions of the vessel were: Length, 56 ft.; beam, 13 ft.; height, 15 ft. A 50-ton tractor, with two trailers, was used .for the purpose, and the movement was scheduled to take
about three days. .
DEFENCE LINES.—The number of vehicles enrolled in the week ended September /9 was 347. The total now stands at 43,700,
LONDON TRANSPORT'S WINTER TRAVEL PLANS " QTAGGER in time" is the keynote of an appeal which London Transport launched this week to over 2,000,000 people in the eentral London area alone. Government offices and large business establishments, in particular, are to be asked to stagger the starting and finishing times of their employees' work. Employers will have time to organize staggering schemes and get them working by the time the winter programme begins at the end of October. The winter services on the*Central buses, trams and trolleybuses and Underground railways will be introduced on October 28, but on the Country buses there will be no change. "The basic services to be provided during the rush and slack hours on all forms of transport will be much the same as at present: Black-out services for road vehicles will. begin between 7 p.m. and 7.30 p.m., as last winter. • Road vehicles will make their last' journeys from Central London at 10.30 p.m., whilst in some instances Country bus services will be earlier. Special late journeys will, howeyer, be run for workers.
PERSONAL PARS
MR, F. G. BRISTOW, C.B.E., M.Inst.T., well known as a general secretary of the C.M.U.A., was recently elected Senior Warden of the Worshipful Company of Carmen.
MESSRS. G. J. MORRIS and A. H. ROBERSON, two branch managers 'of Burrows Transport, Ltd., have, as a result of years of good service with that concern, been promoted to the board of directors, MR. H. C. DRAYTON, executive chairman of Transport Services, Ltd., has been elected a member of the Institute of Transport, as has Mn. C. A. ROBERTS, general 'traffic manager of United Glass Bottle Manufacturers, Ltd.
MR, J. W. RAMSBOTTOM, M.A., M.Com., has been appointed Educational Adviser to the Institute of Transport. He has been the director of the City of London College since 1925, and amongst other appointments he has held are H.M. Inspector of Factories (1906-1912), lecturer in applied economics at the London School of Economics (1922-1923), H.M. rnspector of Schools (Technical) (1923-1925).
, MR. W. A. MILLER, who has been the sub-district manager for the 37A/4 (Bulwell Area), Ministry of Transport, since the outbreak of war, is relinquishing his position to join the Forces. To mark the appreciation of his services, Lieut.-Col. H. Bradwell, Deputy Transport Commissioner, made a presentation to him on behalf of road operators in the area. His successor is COUN. L. MITSON, MR. W. S. BLAIKIE, A.M.I.Mech.E., retired from the service of Ferodo, Ltd., on September 30. During recent years he has been in charge of the Yorkshire depot, where he is succeeded by MR. E. J. POWER, formerly of Irp001. MR. E. TAYLOR, formerly o Dublin depot, now becomes the Liverpool manager. Mr. 131aikie has been associated for some 30 years with Ferodo, Ltd.
APOLOGY FOR REFLECTION UPON CLEARING HOUSES The following statement has been issued by Mr. F. C. G. Mills, chairman, National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses :— "
I HAVE received a good many inquiries, both by letter and in person, regarding the action that might he taken by this Conference in view of the not very complimentary remarks made at the adjourned a.g.m. of A.R.O. on August 26, by the chairman, reflecting on clearing-house interezts in general.
" I am informed by the chairman of the Clearing-house Section, A.R.O., that at a meeting of the National Council held on September 16, the chairman, Mr. T. Lawrcnson, apologized for the remarks made in the heat of the moment, and, further, that the members of ,the A.R.O. National Council formally disassociated themselves from the opinions as expressed by their chairman at that time.
" I may add that I am in agree'ment with the A.R.O. National Council in regarding the matter as now closed, and, in the circumstances, this Conference does not propose to pursue the matter, further."
REPAIRED TYRES NORMALLY SATISFACTORY
AWELL-KNOWN tyre-reconditioning concern has taken exception to a suggestioa contained in our leader, " Pointers on Tyre Economy," published on July 24. A point we put forward was that repaired or remoulded tyres should preferably be fitted to vehicles on easy work and carrying light loads, and where employed for long, heavy runs should be fitted to the off-side front wheel, or off-side trailing axle of six or eight-wheelers.
This, as a matter of fact, is the policy followed by one 'of our largest haulage combines in connection with remoulds and with repaired tyres in which sections of the structure have been cut out and replaced. We are fully cognizant of the fact that many_ reformed tyres are quite reliable and give an excellent wearing life, some even, particularly the larger sizes, standing more than one new tread. Occasionally, a faulty tyre will escape 'the inspector's eye, and it is, therefore, better to be safe than sorry. However, most vehicles will probably soon be equipped with little else than repaired tyres, so the position will then not arise.
SALVAGING PAPER FROM DRIVERS' RECORDS r1-11E period for which drivers' records must be kept by operators of goods vehicles has now been reduced from six to three months. This should release a considerable amount of paper for salvage. It will also free storage space.
NEW ADDRESS OF DIAMOND T MOTORS WE are advised that Messrs. Diamond T Motors have taken temporary premises at Grena Road,
Richmond, Surrey. The firm hold good stocks and, we learn, are receiving regular deliveries from their factory. , • . LACK OF ROAD SIGNS IS • "WASTING PETROL"
MOTTINGHAM Chamber of Corn/ 11 'tierce, at the instigation of its trade section, has appealed for the reinstatement of road signs, with a recommendation that the Ministry of War Transport be asked to consider the reinstallation of direction signs on main and secondary roads.
Mr. E. H. Lee, president of the Chamber, said it was felt that petrol, rubber and time were wasted by drivers who, lacking the .assistance of signs, often went many miles out of their way before discovering they were on the wrong road. This particularly applied to inexperienced drivers during the hours of darkness.
ANOTHER PAPER-SAVING EXHIBITION
ATHREE-DAY exhibition entitled
" Design for Economy—Paper in Battledress," which is being sponsored by the Waste Paper Recovery Association, will be held in the ballroom of the Savoy Hotel (Embankment entrance) on October 13-15 inclusive, from. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There viU be many important and wellknown exhibitors.
DUTCH SAFETY-FIRST LEADER MURDERED
ONE of the two Presidents of the first International Safety First Conference, held in Amsterdam in 1937, was Baron Schimmelpennick van der Oye. He is reported to have been executed by the Germans following an explosion in Rotterdam after being held as a hostage. In a speech during the Conference alluded to above, he paid eloquent tribute to the British safety movement for its idea of an international organization.
INST.. OF T. CHANGES NAMES OF LOCAL SECTIONS
A S from October 1, certain changes
have taken place in the local sections of the Institute of Transport. The Birmingham and District Section becomes the Midland Section; the Bristol and District, the Western Section; the Manchester-Liverpool and District ; the North-Western Section, and the Newcastle-oh-Tyne and District, the Northern Section. The names of the Scottish, East Midlands and Yorkshire Sections are to remain as they were.
COMPETITION FOR B.M.B. LIGHTTRACTOR USERS
A N interesting competition has been
organized amongst users of B.M.B. light tractors, by Shillan's Engineering Co., Ltd., Britannia Works, Crouch Street, Banbury, Oxon, It applies to operators in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The company is offering prizes of three, two and one .guinea for the best three letters received up to Octeber 31, describing their experiences with this make of tractor. In addition, writers of other letters will be paid 10s. if their contributions be judged of especial merit. Envelopes should be marked " Experiences Competition," and letters limited to 500 words. The require
raents are informatiOn of practical interest, how the machines are used, in what way they are found helpful, and so on.
The merits of the light tractor are still little known, and many who would benefit by owning them have not yet grasped their possibilities.
.R.F. GAINING STRENGTH it AEMBERSH1P of tile British Road Federation is being strengthened, and the total is now 57 national organizations. Recently the Scottish Motor Trade Association resumed its membership, the National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses has become a member, and • the National Dairymen's Association an associate. OPERATORS, SELECT YOUR SAVINGS TARGET .
assist transport companies.. in 1 selecting target values for National Savings, the following list has been furnished to the War Savings Committee of the Road Transport Industry by the MiniStry of Supply, through the M. of W.T.: A convoy of 26 6-ton Army lorries, £20,000; 20 3-ton Army lorries, £8,000; single 3-ton armoured lorry, £1,500; Tank Division workshop, £24,000; Tank Brigade workshop, £9,000; .single workshop vehicle, £1,700; 20-ton Tank Transporter, £9500; Infantry Tank, £12,000; 'Cruiser Tank, £9,500; armour for Infantry Tank, for large gun and small gun, respectively, £1,800, £350, £250.