TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE; BRITISH WEST AFRICA.
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The Kind of Work Imposed Upon LOT of Service There and the Type he Gold Coast Colony, the Conditions e Most Suited to the Country,
WHEN considering the design and production of. mechanical road transport vehicles for use over
seas, it is essential that the greatest possible attention be paid to the actual conditions under which such vehicles will be operating and, unfortunately, this information is apparently not always available. Many of the men concerned in road transport in the Dominions and elsewhere realize that certain features of design do not prove satisfactory, but few are sufficiently technical to he able to state exactly what alterations and improvements are necessary and, perhaps, vital if our foreign trade is to be expected to. expand to any considerable degree in the near future.
In this connection we have been fortunate enough to secure the following valuable article from Mr. Meeson, an engineer who has been intimately connected for some years with road transport in Turkey, some of the French colonial possessions, the Gold Coast and Ashanti, serving in West Africa as a transport manager for the African and Eastern Trade Corporation. Quite a number of British vehicles of various makes have been in his charge, together with certain of foreign production, and he has also been able to observe the conditions of service and the running of many vehicles operated independently by native owners.
We will now give Mr. Meeson's impressions and experiences, and we will leave our readers to judge the value of the various suggestions which he. makes.
Reason for Increasing, Use of Road Motors.
Mechanical road transport in the Gold Coast Colony has made big strides since the war. This is mainly due to the enormous export of cocoa from that country, which now amounts to half the world's supply each year, and to what is really a very efficient system of roads, considering the shortage of labour and lack of proper road metal. Most of the main roads have been constructed for the Government by Italian contractors, and are maintained by the Permanent Works Department personnel.' Roughly Speaking, the main roads between the larger towns and those which tap the most productive cocoa districts will carry the heaviest lorries in operation and are known as P.W.D. roads. The less important roads come under the supervision of the District Commissioners, who look to the various native chiefs for their upkeep ; these are known as political or chiefs' roads, and as a rule only the lighter lorries are allowed to circulate on them, as the culverts and bridges are not of very strong construction.
Practically all roads are made from what is called laterite, which is a special kind of earth found within the colony. These laterite roads can be, and generally are, very good indeed, but if not looked after they soon become spoilt by pot-holes caused by the everincreasing motor traffic. Naturally, these earth roads, although having quite a hard surface when dry, are very dusty. Unfortunately, during the rainy season, when rain falls sometimes for many days at a stretch, the road surfaces become as soft as putty, and consequently the P.W.D. closes them to all lorry traffic. If one heavy lorry were to traverse one of these roads, loaded, after a heavy fall of rain, it might do enormous damage, besides getting bogged itself. Fortunately, the laterite has the quality of drying very quickly, which greatly helps everything and everyone concerned; but on 'occasions the roads are closed for a week or more at a .time, and much more frequently frir periods of a day or several days.
Where roads are really bad it is often due to the fact that the P.W.D. has exhausted its funds, as the Government allots to each province and sector a certain amount for the year. however, in one case in particular between Nsawarn and Accra, a distance of about 25 miles, most of the road surface is in an appalling condition and the Government apparently declines to spend money in putting it into good shape, as the railway, which is Government owned, runs practically parallel to the road, and a large amount of goods and cocoa has been diverted from the railway to road transport. The Condition of this section of road is a well-worn topic of coaversation amongst transport owners and motorists in the colony and is the cause Of Much adverse comment of the Government policy.
A Sun-resisting Road Covering.
In recent years the p.w.b. has covered many miles of roads with a bituminous substance known as tarrnet, which withstands the heat of the sun extraordinarily well, and although it is very expensive it is undoubtedly a great preserver of the roads, as it renders them waterproof and enables them to be kept Open during tha rains without harm being done by the lorries. The excellent main road from Kumasi, in Ashanti, to Tamale, in the Northern Territories, which is approximately 235 miles long, has so far been tarmeteil for about 25 miles out of Kumasi and the surface is almost perfect. and high speeds can be reached in a motorcar on this and many other roads. As a rule, roads in tho Gold Coast and Ashanti are rather winding, but in the Northern Territories they are straight.
On certain sections the roads are composed of macadam, but this is only where granite quarries aro to be found near the roadside, which is rather rare.
The railway connects Sekontli with Kumasi and Kumasi with Accra. There is no road suitable for lorry traffic between the former towns, but there is one between the latter, 190 miles apart, but it is bad in parts, and although convoys of lorries have been run between these places they have been discontinued and the railway carries practically all merchandise in this case. If the road can be made sound throughout its length doubtless convoys will start again, but it is doubtful, as here again a. large amount of goods, cocoa, etc., now being carried by the railways would be diVerted.to.the road. There is no railway along the coast between Sekondi and Acera and the intermediate Ora% although there is a recently constructed line running across the Central Province 50 to 60 miles north of the coastline. However, there is quite a good road between the chief commercial port (Sekondi, and the capital (Accra), and this touches all the places along the coast.
For road-making the Govern ment owns quite a number of the smaller type of road roller propelled by internal-combustion engines, amongst which are the Barford and Perkins and other makes, fitted with Albion engines.
In French Morocco, where the writer spent two years connected with mechanical transport, the main roads are all of macadam and it is a great tribute to the French that they are of such construction. Many miles were laid down by German prisoners during the war.
With regard to the types of lorry used in the Gold Coast Colony these might be divided into three. First, the light American lorry, or rather delivery van, such as the flee, Dodge, International and Stewart. These are favoured by the African natives and the Syrian traders (of whom there are many) and are used extensively throughout the colony; there must be several thousands of these small lorries now licensed. Many of their owners would prefer a larger British vehicle and it is only the question of expense that prevents them from buying one. Secondly, there are the small Guy, Earlier and Thornycroft ; and, thirdly, the 25-cwt. and 2-ion Albion and Karrier. There are one or two other makes that have been imported for experimental purposes, and almost every lorry is used in conjunction with some form of trailer. Practically all sales of lorries to the African natives are made on the hire-purchase system.
The number of European private individuals who own lorries is almost negligible, but there are two English companies, the African and Eastern Trade Corporation and Elders Road Transport, which own large fleets of vehicles. The former company uses its fleet, of more than 200 vehicles, primarily for its own use, as it is the largest trading company in the colony. The system of the African and Eastern Trade Corporation is to have various tranftort stations throughout the country, each of these being selfcontained and administered by Europeans. In each station all the spare parts necessary are n34. kept for repairs and complete overhauls, and a staff of native fitters, and sometimes one European mechanic, form the personnel under the European manager ; thus each station is hidependent, although it can help any other when necessary.
On the other hand, Elders Road Transport, which is a transport company pure and simple, adopts the system of one large repair depot which is situated at Nsawarn, where it has some very up-to-date machinery, and all lorries must proceed to that place for overhaul and repairs unless the latter are very small ones.
At Kumasi the company is able to carry out certain larger repairs, as it is a long way down to Nsawam. Most of its stations, therefore, are run by African natives, as there is not se much responsibility as in the transport stations of the A.E.T.C. The writer prefers the former system and considers it makes for increased efficiency, as European supervision is very necessary on account of the lack of care and maintenance shown by the average native driver.
The British Lorry Proves Its Worth.
During recent years the Government and large fleet owners have found a good British lorry a better paying proposition than the cheap foreign lorries in use previously, although a word of praise must be said in favour of the American Autocar two-cylindered lorry with its short wheelbase (but these were by no means cheap when they were bought) ; there are, roughly, 75 of these vehicles still running, each with a large two-wheeled trailer carrying a load far in excess of that for which it was designed. However, these lorries entail a very heavy repair bill every year for new parts, and their capacity for devouring oil is almost unbelievable—an average of only 50 miles to the gallon being by no means unusual. This is mainly due to the very primitive system of splash lubrication, combined with,high crankcase compression, caused by a small crankcase and large pistons, horizontally opposed, with the result that most of the oil escapes through the joints (of which there are many) and the exhaust.
The writer devised and demonstrated an improved system of lubrication for these vehicles which, tested for over 5,000 miles, gave 200 m.p.g., decreasing the oil consumption by 75 per cent. The system consisted briefly of a gear-type pump driven off the crankshaft. To this pump was fitted an ordinary inlet and outlet pipe, the latter leading to the crankcase above the normal oil level and the former to a tank immediately underneath the crankcase. Two brass tubes were then screed into the crankcase underneath and these protruded inside to the oil level desired ; the other ends -were fitted into the tank already referred to. This allowed constant circulation of the oil and the drivers could not fill up the crankcase higher than the correct level, as it immediately drained away into the tank below by way of the two tubes. From the tank the oil was led to the pump, from which It was forced into the crankcase again.
Almost as startling in the other extreme of oil consumption is the fact that the writer tested very carefully a 25-cwt. Albion lorry carrying 3 tons. tb 3-i tons regularly with a large two-wheeled trailer ; this outfit recorded a mileage of 1,500 to the gallon!
Some of the Makes of Lorry in Use.
Amongst British makes of lorry now operating in the Gad Coast are Albion, Guy, Thornycroft, Earlier and Morris. There is also a number of Fiats. but apart from these there are very few European lorries other, than British. There is, of course, a considerable number of Ford banners. The well-known French make of Delahaye is confined to a French firm of traders which. has a number of these, and although they are small they are soundly built and have stood up very well. The Government has recently purchased sonic Morris lorries, including the 30-cwt. model. These are giving satisfaction and the smaller ones are used for the postal service.
Trailers are used extensively and this is almost entirely due to the fact that the Government limits the loads per• axle. As a result of this there are no heavy lorries of 4-5-tons capacity to be seen, and so the load is spread over a trailer to get over the difficulty. This is where the rigid-frame six-wheeler may have a future, as by using this type the trailer can be relinquished and a longer body fitted to the lorry itself.
Two Types of Trailer Favoured.
The trailers may be divided into two types, the two-wheeled and four-wheeled. Where two-wheeled trailers are used in conjunction with the heavier lorries, they are mounted on_ a turntable on the lorry chassis and so form a flexible six-wheeled combination. Even the Reos, Dodges, etc., generally haul trailers, but these are small affairs hooked on at the back and each carrying about 10 cwt.
The average loads carried by the heavier lorries vary from two tons to five tons according to whether a two-wheeled or four-wheeled trailer is employed the governed road speed of the vehicle and the type of road travelled on. With regard to the two-wheeled trailer, the position of its axle must be such that the weight on the back axle of the lorry comes within the Government's axle-weight regulation when lorry and trailer are fully loaded. Where large. two-wheeled trailers are used, as with those employed by the African and Eastern Trade Corporation, the standard lorry chassis is used ; this enables a short 'body to be inounted on the lorry itself, as shown in certain of time illustrations Which we. publish. The Government only uses the one loading platform forthed by the body of the trailer itself.
There are two Guy rigid-frame six-wheelers in use and these are spoken of very highly. They constitute exceptions to the statement that no 4-5-ton vehicles are in use.
A Few Words on Tyre Equipment.
No motor vehicles or appliances of any description, except road rollers, are allowed to operate without pneumatic tyres. This, a. course, is obviously necessary when the type of road construction is taken into consideration. Lorry owners should really appreciate this ruling, as it saves a great amount of wear and
tear to various chassis parts by absorbing the smaller vibrations. On the heavier vehicles, such as the Albion and Karrier, 34-in. by 7-in. tyres are used, and these do a creditably big mileage as a rule. The Guys and the smaller model Karrier and Thornycroft are fitted with 35-in. by 5-in. pneumatics. The trailers usually have the same size of tyre as the lorry to which they are attached. The Autocar lorries were originally equipped with 35-in. by 5-in. tyres all round, but they now use 34-in. by 7-in, on the back wheels and -retain the 354n. by 5-in, on those at the front.
The two-wheeled trailers used by the African and Eastern Trade Corporation were originally sent out with 35-in.-by 5-in. tyres, but in the writer's opinion these were of insufficient section successfully to carry the loads imposed upon them. He therefore devised quite a cheap and satisfactory means for adapting these trailers to take 34-in. by .7-in. tyres without doing away with the existing wheel hubs. When this Conversion was made no further trouble was experienced with tyres bursting and frequent punctures, as had been the case previously. New trailers of the same type now being sent out are equipped with the 34-in. by 74n. tyre. A six-wheeled combination carry ing tons and equipped with this large size of tyre can do 10,000 to 15,000 miles, provided correct pressures are kept and the tyres are changed about when necessary ; it is also assumed that the roads travelled on are reasonably good.
A' Popular Makeof Tyre.
The Guy lorries and trailers are equipped with 35-in.
• by 5-in. tyres all round, as they are lighter and do not carry such heavy loads as the other vehicles. The Delahayes of the French company have 354n. by 5-in. . on the lorry front wheels' and trailer wheels (this is the small trailer which hooks on behind the lorry) and 34-in. by 7-in. on the rear lorry wheels. In the" large sizes, at any rate, more Dunlop tyres are used than any other make, even the French company's vehicles 'having them in the 34-in. by 7-in, size, although it uses 35-in. by 5-in. Michelins.
As a general rule, it can be safely said that tyres are run under-inflated, partly because there is notihing that an African driver dislikes so much as pumping up a large tyre by hand; this is where European supervision is particularly important.
To prevent theft of tyres, more particularly the smaller sizes, it would be a good thing if tyre manufacturers could arrange, at the request of the customer, to mould the name of the company into the tyre during manufacture. Naturally, this could not be done except in the case of a large order.
The new American light lorries, such as the Bei), Dodge and International, are now being imported with 32-in. by 6-in. tyres to enable them to carry more passengers or a heavier load as the case may be; the vehicles themselves are also made larger. The Government will not allow twin wheels and tyres to be used.
Insisting Upon Engine Governors.
The question of the governing of engine speed is very important indeed, as the Government will not now permit any lorry, British or foreign, carrying over a ton or thereabouts, to be imported without a governor. A schedule is laid down in the ,Motor Traffic. Ordinance giving the maximum axle load allowed according to the governed road speed of the lorry, size of tyre and type of road travelled on. Before a vehicle can be licensed the road speed is tested by a Government transport officer. Even the new American light lorries are now required to have a governor and are only allowed to run at a certain maximum speed. There are, however, lorries such as the Guys and Autocars without governors, but these were imported before the new regulations.