Straight-eight Car Engine Applied to Lorry Use
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POSSIBIUTIES of future difficulties in obtaining certain engine replace. ments lend more than ordinary interest to a conversion carried out by a Lancashire motor-engineering firm, Messrs. James Weir, Bark Street Garage, Bolton. The scheme, indeed, may even represent an economy when the alternative is an exPensive engine overhaul. There may also be actual operating advantages.
In brief, the plan relates to the employment of power units from the larger types of used car (for which there is no great demand at the moment) for replacement purposes in commercial vehicles.
The chassis concerned in the initial instance is a Vulcan 50-cwt. model of 1937 vintage which had covered 90,000odd miles, almost invariably carrying heavy loads for which special helper springs had been fitted, Its owners also possessed a Buick 31 h,p. eight-cylinder 1936 car, with 39,422 miles to its credit, but which, for a while, had been standing idle. Upon the advice of Mr. Weir, the decision was taken to install the car engine in the lorry.
It was mounted in the Vulcan frame without undue difficulty, but, in view of the nature of the work to be performed, it was thought desirable to use an 11-in. clutch from a Ford 30
V8 unit, and this necessitated the preparation of a special casting for the clutch housing.
Immediately the work was completed and without any preliminary tests whatever, Mr. Weir invited The Corninercial Motor to witness the converted vehicle's performance. For the trial it was loaded with ballast (pig lead.) weighing slightly in excess of 4 tons. The engine started up quickly from cold and, as it idled, one was scarcely conscious of' its being in operation. In town streets it pulled notably smoothly. On hills the perforniance was highly satisfactory.
The first five miles of the test constituted an almost unbroken climb of varying gradients; on reaching the summit it was discovered that the cooling water had just reached boiling point, so it is proposed to carry out some improvements in the fan system. However, 'although steep main-road' slopes were tackled intermittently, there was no subsequent indication of any tendency for the power unit to overheat.
During a climb of a 1-in-20 gradient on third gear, the speedometer registered 27 m.p.h. after a, start from rest, whilst from a flying start a 1-in-16 climb was tackled without the needle falling below 30 m.p.h. It was shown that, under normal conditions, the machine, with its 4-ton load, could hold on to top gear at 30 m.p.h, with reserves in hand,
SUGAR TRAFFIC FROM BURY ST. EDMUNDS
JT will be remembered that, last year, arrangements were made for a number of members of the Eastern area of A.R.O. to carry sugar from East Anglian sugar factories to London. Criticism was evoked and it was held • that the Association should not, in any circumstances, concern itself with traffic; that was a matter which should be left for individual members to handle. An undertaking was, accordingly, given that the Association would not again take similar action.
Present circumstances, however, are forcing the hand of Mr. G. W. Irwin, secretary, Eastern Area, A.R.O., as there is a call for the handling of tonnage over and beyond that which local contractors have been able to take. The officials of the sugar factory, being unable to arrange for transport of this additional quantity, asked Mr. Irwin' s assistance.
In the face of the fact that he had given an undertaking not to handle the traffic he was put in a difficult position.
On the other hand, the national needs must take precedence and he, therefore, got into touch with the local contractor to ascertain the position and as the result of conversations with him be has now, decided that he must repudiate the undertaking he gave. He, therefore, asks us to give publicity to these facts, mention that the factory is at Bury St. Edmunds, and to ask any haulier member of A.R.O. who can take sugar from there to London to get into touch with him.
Inter-town Conveyor Belts as Rival of Road Transport
FRESH records for economy in transport are expected in America from the employment on an extended scale of the conveyor system. To the Englishman a conveyor is something that is worked inside a factory, or, perhaps, from quarry to sidings, over a distance that is measured in yards. But the most recent development is a town-to-town system, linking Redding with Comm, California, the site of the Shasta Dam, which is a matter of about 10 miles.
This belt conveyor establUes a new distance record for the system and it is planned to operate for four years, during which time 10,000,000 tons of stone, sand and gravel will be carried. Built and worked by the Columbia Construction Co. Inc., it has a capacity up to 1,100 tons per hour. Items used in the erection included 16,036 belt idlers made by the Chain Belt Co., of Milwaukee, these serving as the track for nearly 20 miles of belt.
This application of the conveyor to transport over a lengthy distance indicates that other means for haulage may have to look to their laurels, comments an American correspondent, for new uses for inter-town belts quickly spring to mind. They have, obviously, a good case for replacing contractors' light railways on some jobs. The development is one that British hauliers will watch with some interest.
• Mandalay Holds Sales Luncheon
AT a time when sales are permitted in only special circumstances and few manufacturers have new vehicles for sale anyway, a sales luncheon is distinctly a novelty. The Maudslay. Motor Co., Ltd., in entertaining a number of its friends at Coventry last Friday had in mind an ulterior pur
pose, which was .onfessed by Mr. 0. D. Smith, the company's chairman and managing director.
In proposing the toast of the company, Mr. H. J. Seed, chairman of the East'Lancashire Division of the
and of the M.A.A. Commercial-vehicle Division in the same al-ea., recalled a similar gathering a year ago at which three new Maudslays were announced. The triplets, as he said, had given a good account of themselves in the north, but unfortunately, the mother had been less productive than was hoped !
Replying, Mr. Smith remarked that the trouble was due to birth control being thrust upon them, and he proceeded to explain that the idea of the lunchbon was to bring would-be customers into contact with the suppliers of materials.
Actually, the factory is busily engaged,. and, although the order book is fatter than ever, Mr. Smith expressed little hope that more than a few of the numerous private orders would be filled in the near future.
Other speakers at the luncheon were Capt. W. F. Strickland, MC., M.P., the Mayor of Coventry (Alderman Joseph Holt, J.P.) and Mr. F. Crossley, financial director of the Maudslay Motor Co., Ltd. HAULAGE CHARGES WARNING BY MR. STIRK
REFERRING. at a luncheon held by the Institute of Transport at Nottingham on October 25 to "the vicious circle of rising costs," Mr. J. H. Stirk, Regional TransportCommissioner, warned operators against the tendency in their haulage charges. The Ministry, he said, had recently made public the fact that it was controlling increases in haulage costs, and he wished to remind operators that no unreasonable increase should occur when proposals were submitted to his office.
"In the main," Mr. Stirk added, "increased charges have been reasonable, but I am receiving complaints about furniture removals having been increased by 60 per cent., -which I am asked to consider reasonable, but I cannot agree."
The hope that the experience of this war would bring all forms of transport closer than ever was expressed by Mr. Donaldson Wright. The restriction by defence permits of the terms of the 1930 and 1933 Acts had been observed, and he hoped to see the day when the, objections of railway companies would be limited to transport services beyond 50-mile radius.
A Dual-purpose Timber Trailer A N accompanying illustration shows
.an interesting 20-ton trailer, recently built by R. A. Dyson and Co., Ltd., 76-60, Grafton Street, Liverpool, 8. It is actually two vehicles in one and is designed to carry timber, for which purpose it is provided with a telescopic reach. To convert the machine into an ordinary trailer, an auxiliary frame is employed. This is equipped with stanchions enabling the platform to be used . for sawn timber or general haulage. There are four wheels, arranged in line, at each end. They are shod with Dunlop 720 by 8 solid tyres. Springing is of the Woodbead trunnion-ended type and the brakes are of Girling manufacture. A special feature is that the braking system incorporates, a safety device, causing the brakes to be automatically applied should trailer and tractor accidentally part company.
Death of Mr. W. Patmore WE regret to announce that Mr. Patmore, the proprietor of Messrs. Patiriore's Motors, 240-244, King Street, Hammersmith, London, W.6, died on October 26, at the age of 88. He was well respected and most popular with all those in the motor industry with whom he came into contact, and was particularly well known in the salerooms; in fact, he was one of the pioneers of the spare-parts side of the motor business, especially in connection with commercial vehicles, and had been connected with the trade since. its early days.
One of our readers has bound volumes numbers 3 and 4 of this journal fordisposal at a reasonable figure. These might be useful for com pleting a set. Letters should be addressed " Volumes," care of the Editor. 3 TONS UNLADEN-30 M.P.H.
VIJRTHER to the paragraph appear
ing in our issue for last week, dealing with the Minister of Transport's intention to raise the unladenweight limit of the " motor-car " clas3 of goods vehicles to 3 tons, it should not be overlooked that, in the event of the regulation coming into force, it would be Possible for vehicles of this type to be driven by holders of litences to drive cars. It will be possible for drivers of 17 years of age and upwards to be employed in this work.
September's Export Values
D-ORING September, the value. of L./new commercial vehicles exported fromthis couatry amounted to £169,699, whilst the value of chassis built for commercial use and exported during the same period was £48,809. In the same month, ;tractors exported (excluding those of the agricultural type) had a value of £86,707.
Competition for Tractor Photographers .11UE have received from David Brown re Tractors, Ltd., Meltham, near Huddersfield, details of a photographic competition which it is running during the present ploughing season and, should the number of entries justify it, during the forthcoming year.
The subject matter must depict a David Brown tractor, working with any make of plough and under, any conditions. The closing date is December 31 next, and a prize of three guineas will be awarded for the best picture. If the competition be extended to cover subsequent seasonal operations; a further prize of 10 guineas will be given, after the close of the 1941 harvest, for the begt photograph received .during the year. Further details may be obtained from the company's publicity manager, to whom entrfiis should be addreSsed.
• Facilities for Dangerous . Loads •
'UPON. being requested to make provision for speedy transit, unimpeded by ordinary traffic regulations, of lorries carrying dangerous loads, Mr. H. Morrison, the Home Secretary, said, last week in Parliament; that he understood that it was the practice of the police, on being informed that a dangerous load was to be conveyed by road, to give all possible facilities for its unimpeded transit,
Bradford Favours A.E.C. Oilers Bradford Transport Committee recommends the acceptance of the tender of the Associated Equipment Co., Ltd., for the supply of 20 doubledeck oil-engined buses. PERSONAL PARS
BRIG.-GEN. W. 11, CADDELL, late of the R.A., who is a director of Alexander Duckham and Co., Ltd., has teen appointed a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
MR. H. E. IVIacGu..LivRAv is no
longer connected • with Sentinel Waggon Works (1936), Ltd., of Shrewsbury: He has been London manager of this concern for the past four years, but has-been absent from business for some months following a serious operation, and is not expected 'to be fit for work until the early part of next year.
MR, H. F. thabms, who is one of the best-known men in the motor trade in India and the EaSt, and who has been in England for some months, is now returning to India, where he has been appointed general manager to R. K. Dundas, Ltd., the well-known aircraft concern, the headquarters of which are at New Delhi. Mr. Higgins, who retains the representation of S. Smith and Sons (M.A.), Ltd., has his head office at Bombay (P.O. Box 767, Bombay), and has branches at Calcutta and Delhi. We understand that several other important British manufacturers will, in the near future, utilize his services as their factory representative.