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News of the Week

NO STATEMENT YET ON FUTURE OF THE R.H.O.

THERE has been no further development in connection with the future of the M.O.W.T. Road Haulage Organization, following the statement recently made in certain newspapers to the effect that it would be disbanded in the early part of November next, As was mentioned in last week's issue, this statement was officially denied by the Ministry, and it was said that the Minister was in touch with the Road Haulage Association and would shortly make an announcement. Inquiries made at the Ministry as we close for press have elicited the fact that these is no immediate possibility of -a pronouncement on the matter being made.

COACHING PLANS OF A CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY

THE management committee of Plymouth Co-operative Society reports that the Society has been able to resume on a small scale the organization of coach trips. It is expecting, at an early date, to open a travel-service office in Raleigh Street, and plans considerable extension of this service for 1946.

The trade of the motor-coach And private-hire departments of the Society amounted to £3,983 during the halfyear ended September last, an increase of £2,268 on the figure for the corresponding .26 weeks of 1944.

REVISION TO STANDING PASSENGERS ORDER

AVARIATION has been announced by Sir Alfred Robinson, Southwestern Regional Transport Commissioner, under the authority of the Standing Passengers (No. 2) Order, 1941. It is to the effect that standing passengers,, in excess of eight, are to be carried only at rush hours which have

been defined as 5 a.m. to 9.30 a.m , and 11.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. on all week days and on Mondays to Fridays inclusive, from 4.30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Commissioner has also generally limited to 12 the number of standing passengers allowed in " converted " single-deck buses.

This variation has been brought about as a result of representation; made by the Transport and General Workers' Union and the National Union of Railwaymen, more especially on behalf of women conductors EUROPE'S WINTER TRANSPORT PROBLEM

THE vital importance of inland transport to the welfare of millions of people in Europe this forthcoming winter, formed the subject of a B.B.C. broadcast last week. Responsible for its operation is the Provisional Organization for European Inland Transport and its work, as can be imagined, will call for the utmost speed and the most ableadministration. Efficient transport, said the broadcast, was the shield against hunger, cold and pestilence. An appeal was made for unity of effort in the interests of all concerned.

NOMINAL FINE FOR USING DEFECTIVE TYRES

AT Loughborough, last week, Fred Edlin, Ltd., the haulage concern of Blaby, was fined El for permitting the' use of 7a. lcirry with defective tyres Mr. E. H. Headley, defending, spoke of the difficulty in replacing tyres and said the company bespoke 13 on June and nine on June 23; hut it acquired only 10. The company was engaged 100 per cent, on Government work, antialthough its vehicles were urgently required it was unable to get new tyrei.

The chairman said that the case against the driver had been proved, but no penalty would be imposed. In ordinary circumstances the case against the concern would have been considered a had one, but the submission of the defence had been taken into account anti the fine fixed at a nominal figure.

STOP THE CALL UP OF YOUNG TECHNICIANS

P-1 A STRONG protest against the callup of tool-makers and other young technicians who are needed for the re-equipment of industry has been sent to the Government by the Engineering Industries Asseciation.

The memorandum states that It clear that the Government is applying without discrimination a call-up formula which will place a stranglehold on the efforts of the engineering industry to reconvert to civil production. There has been no recognition, of the fact that the other main industries of the country are in large measure dependent on the engineering industry in order to re-equip for the new production. No industry can be-got going again effectively and efficiently ,.until an urgent process of re-tooling has taken place, and it is this process which is being severely retarded by the present policy. with the widespread uncertainty and apprehension among engineering firms."

• It is urged that there should be an immediate cessation of the call-up of these technicians, and that all such men who have been taken into the Forces during the past few months under the present scheme should be released. •

AMERICA'S 1946 TYREPRODUCTION PLANS A LTHOUG1-1 the export volume has rinot yet. been finally determined; it is forecast that about 2,000,000 of the 06,000,000 tyres scheduled for production in the United States during 1946 will be exported. Of the total, 42,000,000 tyres ' are said to be ,for replacements.

POOLING AMBULANCE RESOURCES IN SCOTLAND

NEGOTIATIONS proceeding between the St. Andrew's Ambulance Association and the Scottish branch of the British Red Cross Society are for the pooling of transport resources to supplement and extend the service at present operated by the Ambulance Association, with the intention of providing better means for transport for the sick and injured throughout Rotland. The operation of the extended servicewill 6e under the control of a joint committee, giving equal repre sentation -to both organizations for 71. ambulance centre.

TRENT CO. ACQUIRES BUS BUSINESS

WE learn that the Trent Motor Traetion Co., Ltd., has acquired the business .of T. A. Lewis, Ltd., bus proprietor, Main Street, East Bridgford, Notts. The services between East Bridgford and Nottingham and East Bridgford and Newark were taken Over by the Trent concern as from Sunday last.

FOLKESTONE CONTRACTORS FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY

THIS year, C. J. Nickolls, Ltd., the 1 road-transport-contracting concern of Folkestone, Kent, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. From a small commencement with horsed transport, gradual progress has been made, transport development increased un'4t the company now owns a fleet of vehicles ranging from 1 ton to 15 tons carrying capacity

GOODRICH BUILDS 100 PER CENT. SYNTHETIC TYRE

A 100-PER-CENT, synthetic-rubber

tyre, for which striking claims are made, is announced from America by the B. F. Goodrich Co.. which says that a better standard of performance has been obtained, principally by changes in construction. The tread has been made 10 per cent. wider than the prewar tread, and a greater road-contact area is.achieved; a heavier cord is used to overcome the greater stresses resulting'from the flatter tread. It is stated that byDecember next, 75 per cent. of the company's output will consist of the new-type tyres NATIONALIZATION POLICY MUST BE DEFINED

SPEAKING at the annual general meeting of Transport Services, Ltd., Mr. H. C. Drayton, M.Inst.T., chairman, made some pointed comments on the Government's nationalization policy. He emphasized that the main two points stressed by the advocates of nationalization have been the benefit it would be to the transport industry as a whole and to the employees of that industry, but the benefits to be derived by the trader and the general public as a whole have not stood out so strongly. Moreover, any scheme of nationalization must inevitably restrict that freedom of choice which the public and the trader have had in the pa3t.

In making a reference to the method of, acquiring the transport of this country, put before the T.IJ.C. at Blackpool, he went on to say that " It is most important that we ghould know as soon as possible when we are going to be decontrolled, and, if nationalization is coming, when and on what lines, so that we know exactly where we are and can plan accordingly. I do not know a greater deterrent to progress than uncertainty, and I emphasize that the Government must speedily make up its mind and let us know which way our future lies."

A.E.C. SUCCESSES IN THE EXPORT FIELD

FURTHER contracts from overseas transport undertakings are announced by the Associated Equip

ment Co., Ltd. The largest of these is from the Bombay. Electric Supply Co., and is for the supply of 50 Regent chassis to be fitted with double-deck bodies. Urgently needed by this undertaking, which operates the bus services in the second largest city in India, these chassis will, subject to shipping facilities being available, be delivered to Bombay before the end of the present year.

The good service given by A.E.C. vehicles in South America has led to a repeat order from the Eagle Oil and Shipping Co., Ltd. This company is buying 14 Monarch chassis, powered by 7.7-litre direct-injection oil engines. The vehicles will be used for fuel transport in the Argentine, Brazil and Cuba.

Another order, founded largely on die performance and reliability of six vehicles which have been continuously in service since 1939, is that placed by the Lisbon Tramways, Portugal, for six Regal single-deckers.

A contract of special importance has been secured from the Sao Paulo Tramways, Brazil, .for the supply of four A.E.C.-English Electric trolleybuses. These vehicles will be of the post-war, two-axle, large-capacity, single-deck type, specially designed by the joint manufacturers for overseas operation. They will be used by the Sao Paulo Municipality on an experimental trolleybus route, which, if successful, will lead to the establishment of an extensive trolleybus system.

The need overseas, as at home, to carry. , out long-delayed rolliug-stock replacements has led the A.E.C, Concern to allOcatea number of chassis for early shipment to Australia and New Zealand. In the former case, 35 Monarch chassis, powered by 7.7-litre direct-injection oil engines, will go, during the present quarter, to A.E.C. (Australia) Pty., Ltd., SydneY, and a number of Regent Mark II chassis to the A.E.C. distributor in Western Australia—Flower, Davies and Johnson, Ltd., Perth. A number of chassis of the latter type will also be. shipped to A.E.C.'s agent in New Zealand— Cory, Wright and Salmon, Ltd., Wellington, MECHANIZATION WOULD SPEEDUP HOUSING.

DURLNG the war it was conclusively shown that the way to get things done quickly was to reduce manhandling to a minimum, Airfields and factories were built up at a speed that made normal peace-time working seem extremely tedious. Why cannot the same methods be employed to rehouse the people?

Aveling-Barford, Ltd., of Grantham, has recently issued a booklet which deals with mechanization as applied to the building industry and in it the concern shows the types of equipment needed, and the specific functions which each is capable of performing.

In preparing and levelling a site, a calfdozer, dump truck, power barrow and a 1-yd. dumper would be utilized. In this way other major oPerations are set out, even to the use of pre-fabricated scaffolding.

It is estimated that 50,000 men using mechanical building equipment can do the work of 300,000 employing oldfashioned methods. As an instance, it may be mentioned that a trench cutter is 25 times as speedy as unaided human labour.

The provision of the necessary equipment is dependent upon the requisite personnel being available 'to produce it, but, like so many other urgent propositions, lack of labour completely stultifies the most progressive ideas.

So enormous is the building programme in this country and on the Continent, that there need be no fear of intensive mechanization being responsible for unemployment. WAR-TIME EFFORT OF MIDLAND " RED " BUSES

THE war-time story surrounding Midland " Red " buses goes back to 1936, when local authorities con, ferred with the operator about A.R.P. procedure, and stress was laid on the decontamination of vehicles that might be involved in a poison-gas attack. In the early part of 1939 considerable time was spent in the construction of air-raid shelters at the company's 28 garages, and schemes were prepared for the conversion of single-deck buses into ambulances.

The first job tackled at the outbreak of war, was in connection with the evacuation of mothers and -children from London to the East Coast. This task was spread over a period of three weeks, during which time the traffic department worked right around the clock, contact being maintained with the M.O.W.T., vehicles allotted to meet trains arriving in the West Midland area.

When petrol rationing was inkoduced, 200 services had to be cancelled, and a drastic reduction effected in the remaining 700. The total vehicle-mileage per week was reduced from 960,000 to 640,000, despite which essential services for war-workers never failed.

Over-loading of vehicles became the rule: the number of passengers carried per mile in 1938 was approximately 4.45, and in 1944 the figure was 7.3. Whilst the mileage had decreased by 1,000,000, the number of passengers carried went from 200,000,000 to 327, 000,000.

Women employees played a proudnent part in the company's splendid effort and, of these, 70 per cent. acted in the capacity of conductresses. It is interesting to record that 30 women were trained as drivers.

As with other public-service vehicle undertakings, the Midland " Red " machines have suffered through lack of the usual meticulous maintenance and, furthermore, have been kept in service when, normally, many would have been replaced. It is estimated that the initial vehicle replacement programme will cost £1,500,000. LONG-SERVICE CERTIFICATES FOR LEYLAND EMPLOYEES AST week an . interesting cere mony took place in the main canteen of Leyland Motors, Ltd., at Leyland, Lancs. It was the presentation of long-service certificates to four men who, between them, have served the company for a total of 187 years. It has been the wish of the directors for some time past that certificates should be awarded to all members of the company who have ,Oven their service continuously for 25 years or longer. A rough estimate shows that there will be nearly 600 employees who will qualify for these certificates, of which 14 will have served more than 40 years, 48 more than 35, and 153 more than 30.

After a few words by Mr. A. A. Liardet, managing director, Mr. Nixon, governing director, handed over the certificates to the four men, who each had had over 45 years continuous service with the company. They were two pairs of brothers, Ed. Hamer and Harry Hamer (Chorley works) and Harry Waring and J. Waring (now working at the Leyland works).

MAINTENANCE ENGINEER AVAILABLE

WE know of an experienced maintenance engineer who is desirous of making a change in his employment. He is accustomed to the operation of fleets of medium to large size, comprising vehicles in the 50-cwt. to 4-ton unladen-weight class. He would' be a useful man to a progressive concern. Letters addressed " M.E.," care of the Editor, will be forwarded.

RUSSIAN FACTORY TO BUILD 3iTONNE RS

FROM Moscow comes news that an automobile factory, the first to be built in the Ukraine, is under construction at Dniepropetrovsk. It will cover an area of 200 hectares, and if the work be completed within the scheduled time, the factory should be ready for production early in 1946. It will prolice 3i-ton lorries, and it is said that a goal of 4,000 has been set for 1946.

OPENING UP TRADE WITH HOLLAND

THE Board of Trade has been advised that the NetherlandS Government is prepared to consider the issue of import licences to private traders in respect of goods for Holland.

Petroleum products and lorries will, however, for the present, be procured by the Netherlands Office for Relief and Rehabilitation. The issue of import licences will be developed.

Customers in Holland of U.K.

• exporters should apply for import licences, whilst the exporter should themselves communicate with the Export Licensing Department of the Board of Trade, 4, Fenchurch Avenue, London, E.C.3, if the goods be subject to such licensing. Similarly, the Import Licensing Department, 1-6, Tavistock Square, London, W.C.1, is prepared to consider applications for licences to import from Holland goods which do not come under an Open Genera! Licence.

OBITUARY

The death is announced of MR. ntiDERT C. FOSTER, who for 21 years was the North London representative for Romac Industries, Ltd. He was a pioneer of the Romac selling organization.

For many years manager of the Bradford branch of Messrs. Thomas Cook and Sons' travel agency, MR. THOMAS CORBETT has died after a long illness. He had been associated with the firm for 40 years.

A NEW-TYPE COLLET CHUCK KNOWN as the Marko, a neW type of

collet as has been introduced by W. H. Marley and Co., Ltd., New Southgate Works, 105, High. Road, London, Nil. It two ohtstanding features"are that it will hold positively an ordinary cutting tool against end movement, and, as it has a loose tang, its use is not restricted to a lathe where it is convenient to use a draw bolt.

The sizes normally stocked have a capacity of in. to in„ rising by 1/32 in. and are priced at 14s. 8d. each. TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATORS FORM NEW SCOTTISH CENTRE

A T a recent meeting in Glasgow. it was agreed to form a Glasgow and West of Scotland Centre of the Institute of Traffic Administration. Mr. H. 0. Fanthorpe, Ministry of Supply, Bishopton, was elected first chairman, and Mr. A. S. McKechnie, of London Scottish Transport, Ltd.. -286, Clyde Street, Glasgow, honorary secretary. A meeting will be held on the fourth Wednesday of each month for the study and discussion of administrative p-roblems in traffic operation.

The next meeting will be held on October 24, at 7 p.m., at the Christian Institute, 70, Bothwell Street, Glasgow, to arrange a programme of subjects for discussion and other -matters for future meetings.

RENAULT WORKS GETTING INTO ITS STRIDE

WE learn from Paris that the Renault ,concern is now manufacturing 2-ton and 3i-ton lorries, which are intended to ease the acute shortage of transport in France. The company's output of these vehicles is rising, for in August it produced 360 2-ton lorries, 469 3i-ton lorries, and 233 smaller commercial. vehicles, the comparable figures for the previous month being 208, 395 and 152, respectively.

PLANS FOR SERVICING VEHICLES IN MALAYA expedite the organizing of a new company, sponsored by the Colonial Office, which will service lorries, cars, and motorcycles in Malaya, Mr. E. W. Slight recently went there by air from • England. He is a director of Messrs. Wearn Bros., a firm of Malayan car importers who had to evacuate to London when the Japanese invaded. He has now been made a director of the new servicing company and expects to stay in Malaya for some time.

All classes of vehicle, for Service and civilian use, will, we understand, le repaired by this company. It will also co-operate with the Civil Affairs Section of the Army to carry out maintenance work on buses and, later, It is expected, for the civil administration, when the Army relinquishes control.

COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS IN CANADA AND TURKEY

THE Department of Overseas Trade has published two new issues in the series of Commercial Reviews begun last March. These are for Canada and Turkey and are obtainable, together with 'those previously published, from H.M. Stationery Office, York House, Kingsway, London, W.C.2, and its provincial branches at Edinburgh. Manchester, Cardiff, and Belfast, or through any 'bookseller.

The series, which has been prepared in collaboration with the Department's resident officers abroad, will cover 28 . countries. The reviews give an account of pre-war commercial conditions in each country, describe the changes ifl its economy which have occurred during the war years, with particular reference to industrialization, and discuss the opportunities which exist for the sale of United Kingdom goods.