A TRIAL RUN ON A NEW 4-TONNER,
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A Fully-loaded Palladium Demonstrates its Pulling Powers and Remarkable Fuel Economy.
NOT LONG AGO we inspected and described the new Palladium 44on chassis, and in -doing-so we stated that this vehicle is a well-designed, stronglybuilt chassis suitable for all classes of work within its loading capacity, and also that with its long wheelbase of 14ft. 8 ins., arid long front springs which bring the front axle back to a certain extent, better distribution of weight is permissible on the front and back axles. . As our previous inspection did not include a trial run, we were pleased to accept the invitation which Was recently extended to us by -Palladium A-utocars, Ltd., to try out a 4-ton chassis which was due for delivery to a purchaser on the following day. As we were informed that the vehicle was at our disposal to give it whatever tests we desired, this implied implicit trust by the manufacturers in its capability to withstand these tests without Being late for delivery the following day.,64-s-...= We took. over the vehicle, with its driver,-it the company's works at Putney. The chassis carried a load of large cases containing rear axles, with a total weight of 4 tons4 cwt. The Stale weights were Rear axle, 5 tons 1. cwt. ; front,
2 tons/5 ; which weights show well the influence of the long wheelbase. The vehicle was provided with air auxiliary petrol measuring tank, and the main tank was entirely disconnected from the carburetter.
Our course lay over Barnes Common and through the pictureauo old river town of Richmond. Advantage was taken of a long free stretch of road to test the capabilities of the loaded chassis as regards speed, and -without any .apparent difficulty 30 m.p.h. was attained on the level and 25 m.p.h. up slight inclinics. Even at these speeds the springing and steering proved particularly effective; there was no sign of rolling or undue vibration.
The engine, which, incidentally, is aContinental specially designed for the company, was "revving at close on 2,000 per minute, but without signs of abnormal or period vibrations, proving that its design and balance must be wellnigh perfect.
Passing through Richmond, we took the Lower Road, and then a very sharp and fairly long hill with several bends, known as Nightingale Lane. This, has a gradient which increases near the top to as much as one in three and we stopped the Palladium several-times on this hill to secure photographs. The last stop was made on theone-it'd:three portion,
and we reproduce the photograph vvlikh was obtained, though we fear that this does not give a really adequate impression of the actual gradient. We carefully . observed the vehicle whilst the driver restarted on this gradient. and we quite expected him to stop his engine at the first attempt. This was not the case, however ; the efficient steel and Ferodo dry-plate clutch took up the drive quite sweetly, and the engine responded gallantly.
An interesting point about the construction of the Palladium is that the four brake; shoes of theTimken axle which operate on each rear wheel drum, two being intended-by the ananufaetnrers to be connected up to the foot brake and two to the hand brake-, are all operated by the hand. brake in the Palladium c.hassis, and an additional foot brake of the external contracting type is situated behind the gearbox, thus the hand brake is of extreme strength, and was strung enough to prevent the slightest signof slipping backwards when the vehicle was held by it alone on the one-in-three gradient.
That the foot brakeis also powerful is shown by an observation made by one of the three passengers when. the driver was asked to stop quickty, using the foot
brake only. The passen or said that "it was as if we had hit something." • After an attempt to get through Richmond Park, in which we were baulked by one of the gatekeepers, we took the Kingston Road and the sharp hend to the left in that town which leads to Kingston Rill. -Owing to the fact that long strings of war-worn vehicles were being convoyed down this hill, and that we had to follow at slow-moving vehicle, our speed was necessarily restricted, but we came up well -on the third speed, with no sign of labouring. After stopping for another photograph in Kingston Vale, we returned to the works at Putney in order to measure up the petrol. In this connection we must point out that daring this
first run the consumption of petrol was not a consideration; our course included many severe hills, and the average speed as not an efficient one, hot, in spite of this, the mileage worked out at 6.84 per gallon, which, considering the load and numerous stops, was certainly very good..
In order to ascertain the petrol consumption during a fair run, we tested the vehicle, carrying the same load, flora Putney to Piccadilly Circus. It was not our intention to stop the test exactly in tho middle of the Circus, hut, -as chance would have it, our testing tank ran out at that point, somewhat to the annoyance of the policeman on point duty. For a. part of this min the traffic was fairly conoested, so•that the test was not
a freak one ; also the roads were rather gticky, as rasin was falling all the time-. In these circumstances, the petrol con-gumption of six pints for a distance of 7.6-niiles, which works out at 1013 Miles per gallon, was certainly extraordinarily good, particularly as engine.' power had not been sacrificed to economy, and we came away greatly impressed with the splendid and efficient running of this certainly high-class ehicle..
Palladium vehicles are now being fitted with the NT,L. impulse starter, which makes starting, even from_cold, a matter of but little trouble. There is no necessity to swing the engine, as had to be done previously. In our opinion the days of hand starting are numbered.