Vauxhall Building £320,000 Test Centre
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A COMPREHENSIVE engineering r-k research and test centre is being constructed in four phases by Vauxhall Motors, Ltd., on a 57-acre site at Chaul End, three miles south-east of the Bedford plant at Dunstable. When completed in 1959 at a cost of 020,000, it will provide facilities for almost every form of vehicle testing, except prolonged high-speed driving. Part of the centre will come into use next month. It will provide a 1,030-ft. length of extremely uneven Belgian pave surface, 15 ft. wide, a "rough track" 855 ft. long and a large workshop for vehicle maintenance. The second stage will include the provision of a 30-ft. road, more than a inile long, round the site, including a 1,400-ft. " straight" to be used for brake-testing. To allow adequate speeds to be achieved at the start of this straight, the western periphery of the outer circuit will be banked to 23°. A dust tunnel, a large concrete area for testing vehicle handling, a 700-ft. length of washboard road, a watersplash 400 ft. long, and a tunnel under the outer circuit to allow uninterrupted access to the centre of the track will also he constructed during the second stage. A 13,500-sq.-ft. workshop is planned for the third phase of construction, together with a circular concrete skid pad, a second washboard surface of different wavelength from the first, and five different gradients, varying from 1 in 13.9 to I in 2.5. A number of gravel roads and special surfaces will be constructed during the fourth phase. The total length of road and special tracks at the centre will be 4.6 miles.
More Special A Refusals
'FOUR more operators have had
applications for special A licences refused by the North Western Licensing Authority. They are Mr. S. Anton, 24 Annick Road, Irvine, Ayrshire, who applied for a licence for a lorry (41 tons) based in AudIern; Mr. E. Sanderson, Milburn Road, Glasgow, one (1 ton) based at Astley Bridge, Bolton; K. and L. Transport, Ltd., 66 Clarendon Road, Morecambe, one (7+ tons); and Mr. J .J. Potts, 30 Withers Avenue, Orford. Warrington, one (41 tons).
REGISTRATIONS 2,630 UP
D EG1STR ATI ONS of new vehicles, excluding cars and motorcycles, in January this year, at 20,975, showed an increase of 2,630 over those for the corresponding period last year. "Other goods" were mainly responsible, with a jump of 2,928. Registrations declined slightly in most other categories.
"Authorities Not Keeping to 1930 Act"
CONCERN at the confusing policy of certain Licensing Authorities in "always granting licences for new services to the larger operator," despite proof of public need provided with his application by the smaller operator, is expressed by the chairman, Mr. F. Broomfield, in a message accompanying the annual report of the national council of the Passenger Vehicle Operators Association. "How else can the smaller operator get ' larger ' if his initiative and enterprise is to be stifled in this manner? " asks Mr. Broomfield. "Must he always remain a small operator in certain fields of operation simply because of lack of capital to purchase other companies?" If the Licensing Authorities concerned were intent on pursuing that policy, it must be clear to the Minister of Transport that the duty imposed on them under the Road Traffic Act, 1930, was not being carried out. Mr. Broomfield goes on to say that generally, he is impressed by the impartiality and fairness of Licensing Authorities. And on many occasions their help in expediting the hearing of fares applications was commendable. The report states that membership has not improved during the year. Reasons given include the continued depression caused by high taxation and increased costs, and that in spite of good weather and higher loadings operators experienced a "somewhat disappointing season financially."
Al ROAD WORKS
ROAD works are to take place on a section of Al between Morpeth market place and Pottery Bank, Morpeth. For about six months single-line traffic will be worked and vehicles and loads over 9 ft. wide will be diverted as follows: Al Telford Bridge, Morpeth, via A197-B1337 and C130 via Hebron, rejoining Al north of Morpeth.