WHEELS of INDUSTRY "The whecle of wealth will be slowed
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by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—.John Beattie Crozier.
Names on Motor Vehicles : The Source of Our Information.
THE HIGHWAYS ACT, 1835. Section 76. "The owner of every waggon, cart or other such carriage shall paint . . . upon some conspicuous part of the right or off side of his . . . . carriage . . . . his christian name and surname or the style and title by which he is commonly designated, and the place of his trade or abode . . in large legible letters in white upon black, or black upon white, not less than one inch in height . . . ."
THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACT, 1930. FIFTH SCHEDULE. Enactments Repealed.
T.S. Motors Report.
The report of T.S. Motors, Ltd., for the year ended December 31st last, shows a profit of £25,706, to which has to be added the sum of £19,211 brought forward from the previous year. Of the total of £44,917, an interim dividend on the 7i per cent, preference shares has , absorbed 18,434. It is now proposed to write down special items of stock to the extent of £12,994, to carry £3,500 to the reserve for taxation and £5,000 to the depreciation reserve, -leaving a balance to be carried forward of £14,988.
In the report mention is made of the fact that the business of the company during the first part of 1930 was satisfactory, but the usual autumn orders from regular customers were delayed and, in some cases, not placed owing to the uncertainty of the new Road Traffic Act and the results of it. The company has in course of production a new six-cylindered gear-driven vehicle.
It has been decided not to recommend the payment of a final dividend on the preference shares until the directors are able to form a conclusive opinion of the current year's trade.
Street-accident RaltrIls for 1930.
The Home Office has recently issued a statistical return giving full details of street accidents in Great Britain during the year 1930 which were caused by vehicles and horses. The total number of casualties was 185,200, as compared with 177,613 in the year 1929, and an analysis reveals that in connection with the total of 177,895 persons injured the accidents were attributed to the following :—Private cars, 55,458; motorcycles, 49,064; pedal cycles, 27,576; motorvans, lorries, etc., 21,547; motorbuses and coaches, 11,332; tramcars and trolley-buses, 6,171; horse-drawn vehicles, 3,773; cabs, 267l; horses ridden and led, 303. The total number of persons killed in the past year was 7,305, as against 6,696 in 1929. In England and Wales the c20 number of persons killed was 6,522 and injured 161,980, whilst in Scotland the number killed was 783 and injured 15,915. In London (Metropolitan Police District) 1,398 persons were killed and 55,827 injured.
The figures contained in the report call for the closest analysis by traffic authorities and appearing now should give added impetus to the forthcoming National "Safety Week" campaign.
. The Use of the Name Edison.
In a case recently concluded in the Chancery Division of the High Courts the Edison Storage Battery Co., New Jersey, U.S.A., brought an action against several concerns manufacturing nickel-alkaline batteries under the name Edison. It was contended by the defendants that any alkaline battery was an Edison, because for years the Edison was the best known of its type. The last Edison patent expired in 1923, and it is now open to other makers to use his .construction. It was stated by the plaintiff that any niCkebalkaline cell other than those made by the Edison Storage Battery Co. and having the Edison, " framework " could not be called an Edison. because the inventor had always preserved the formulte and processes of refining the active materials used.
The defendants had arranged to make a cell in England and had advertised it as the British Edison.
Mr. Justice Bennett gave judgment for the plaintiff, with costs, and ordered that nickel-alkaline cells sold by the defendants must not be described as Edison batteries or accumulators.
The original Edison battery can be obtained only from New Distributors of Edison Storage Batteries, Ltd., Victoria House, Southampton Row, London, W.C.1.
Amended Public service vehicle Regulations.
On February 9th the Minister of Transport issued Provisional Rules and Orders regarding licences and certificates for 'public-service vehicles. On March 31st he issued an amendment, copies,of which, priced at 1d. each, can be obtained from H.M. Stationery Office, the title being "Provisional Rules' and Orders. Public Service Vehicles. The Public Service Vehicles (Licences and Certificates) (Amendment) Provisional Regulations, 1933." The modifications effected embody the following points:—
If during the currency of` a licence a vehicle be let on hire to another operator for use by him as a public-service vehicle, the Commissioners' may, on application without fee, declare that person to be the licence holder for such specified period, within the currency of the licence, as they may determine.
With regard to approval as a type vehicle, it is now possible to obtain acceptance of a vehicle comprising a chas,sis of an already approved pattern and a body, also officially sanctioned, the two having formerly been passed as components of separate combinations.
Schedules A and B have been revised in detail, and the declaration of conformity, with an approved type vehicle, also the certificate of. conformity with a type vehicle, now include separate items with ,regard to the seating capacities of the upper and lower decks.
An Appeal for Unity.
A strong appeal for unity and organization in the road-transport industry was made at the.first annual dinner of the Swansea and District Road Transport Association, which was held a'few days ago at Swansea.
Mr. Frank,. Taylor, the chairman of the association, presided, whilst the principal guest'was Mr. R. P. Bailey, of London, the general secretary of the Confederation of Road Transport Associations and secretary of the London Road Transport Employee's Association.
Mr. Bailey spoke of the effect of the Road Traffic Act upon the roadtransport industry and he remarked that Part I of the Act had many shortcomings and failed to meet the requiremeats of the industry. He thought that the maximum speeds permitted to vehicles weighing over 2i tons were inadequate.
Henley's Happy Function.
A remarkable gathering Oa place at the Wharncliffe Rooms, London, recently, -when just on 600 members of the management and clerical staff of W. T. Henley's Telegraph Works, Co., Ltd., dined and danced. With the cable concern is associated the Henley Tyre and Rubber Co., Ltd., and it was recorded that it had passed through another very successful year. Mr. J. Traxler, the head' of the tyre section, was one Of the few speakers, and he made a cheery contribution, which was well punctuated with laughter.
Records of Licences.
On April 2nd the Minister of Transport made the Public-service Vehicles (Records of Licences) Provisional Regulations, 1931, which provide that the licence records to be kept by the Traffic Commissioners shall take the form of a duplicate copy of every licence granted by them and of every backing of a roadservice licence backed by them. The regulations also provide that the fee for inspecting, copying or taking extracts from these duplicates shall be is. in respect of each copy inspected or from which extracts are taken.
" Midland Red" BusProfits.
The report of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., for the year 1930 shows that traffic receipts, together with other revenues, amounted to £397,313. After deducting administration and general expenses and other items chargeable to the profit-and-loss account, and adding the sum of £28,556 brought forward, there is a balance of £213,053. The reserve receives an allotment of £51,263, and
the employees' assistance fund 5,5,000, whilst a dividend of 10 per cent, on the ordinary shares for the year, of which 5 per cent. has been paid, accounts for £80,000, and a bonus of 5 per cent. on those shares for a further £40,000. The amount being carried forward is 128,789.
Carlisle's Bus Plans.
A further step towards the establishment of a municipal bus system at Carlisle is the decision of the generalpurposes committee, subject to confirmation by the city council, to seek sanction to borrow 186,500. The money will be spent upon acquiring the assets of the town's tramways system owned by the Carlisle and District Transport Co., Ltd., and those of the Carlisle and District Motor Services, Ltd., a busoperating concern. The tramways ere to be abandoned and a fleet of buses will be put into commission.
A Complete Radiator-repair Service.
For some time, Serck Radiators, Ltd., has been organizing a series of branch factories which should enable it to deal adequately with repairs to components
in any part of the country. With the acquisition of the business of J. C. Urie and Co.. of 399, Parliamentary Road, Glasgow, and 11, Sturrook Street, Kilmarnock, the circle has been completed, and branch factories are now
in operation in London, Maidstone, Brighton, Southampton; Cardiff, Sudbury, Chester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Carlisle, Glasgow, Kilmarnock, Belfast and Dublin.
In addition, there is a number of service stations and a widespread system of collection and delivery to connect up these depots. A feature of :Serek service which is of particular value to commercial-vehicle operators is that in many cases a sound radiator can be obtained on loan while a defective one is being repaired.
Manufacturing Industries of South Africa.
Erlanger's, Ltd., 4, Moorgate, London, E.0,2, the well-known banking concern, has just published, at 2s. 6d., the third of its series of reviews of the manufacturing industries of the British Empire overseas. The first, relating to Canada, was published in December last, and the second, relating to Australia, in January.
The third relates to the Union of South Africa and embodies a short history of the manufacturing industry in South Africa, graphs and diagrams showing essentials of the manufacturing position, labour, wages, mining industry, etc., detailed analyses' of the various industries, information regarding the new Pretoria iron and steel industry, also concerning preferential rebates.
A section. running into several pages and embodying a large amount of statistics, is devoted to vehicles, especially motor vehicles, and includes valuable figures relating to commercial motors and chassis.
South Africa's industrial economics are dealt with in an extremely thorough and commendable manner.
Railway Requests Tramways Abandonment.
The transport comrnittee of York Corporation has considered a suggestion made by the London and North Eastern Railway Co., on behalf of itself and the associated bus companies, that the corporation should discontinue its tramways system and appoint, one of the bus companies associated with the railway undertaking as the sole transport authority within the city. The municipality has, however, decided not to enter into negotiations.
The authority is to seek power to operate buses to points outside the city.
America's Huge Exports.
The total value of all motor exports from the United States during 1930 was $298,814,608. Regarding this figure as an index of 100, the export of petrol-driven commercial vehicles (value $55,821,343) may be put at 18.7; trailers (value $648,329) at 0.22; electric vehicles (value $62.066) at 0,02; fire-engines (value $45,291) at 0.01; parts for lorry assembly (value about $20,430,000) at 6.84; accessories• and parts for replacement (value about $20,000,000) at 6.69; lorry and bus outer tyre covers (value 00,443,839) at 3.42; inner tubes (value about $960,000) at 0.31; and solid tyres (value $960,505) at 0.31.
The Highway Code Now Out.
The Highway Code prepared by the Minister of Transport under the Road Traffic Act, 1930, and recently approved by both Houses of Parliament, is now available through any bookseller or through ELM. Stationery Office at the following addresses : Adastral House, Kingsway, London, W.C.2 ; 120, George Street, Edinburgh; York Street, Manchester; 1, St. Andrew's Crescent, Cardiff; 15, Donegal Square West, Belfast The price is 1d. net, or by post 2d.
"Western Transpoat" Earnings.
The Western Transport. Co., Ltd., formerly known as the Wrexham and District Transport Co., Ltd., in which the Great Western Railway Co. and Tilling and British 'Automobile Traction
So many stray dogs are found in Birmingham that it has been deemed desirable in the interests of road users to collect them and take them to a depository. This Morris. Commercial 15-cwt. van has been supplied for this purpose to the police authorities in the city ; it has compartments on each side of a central gangway and a deep hinged tailboard serving as a ramp.
Co,, Ltd., have a joint interest, reports higher earnings for the past year, the actual revenue for 1930 being £134,436, as against £97,183 in 1929. After setting aside £17,200 for renewals, the sum available is .£12,371.
A dividend of 4 per cent, is to be paid on the ordinary shares, as against 2i per cent. in the previous year, and the amonut to be carried forward is £7,371. During the year the capital was increased from £125,000 to £175,000, and the company took over the bus activities in the district of the Great Western Railway Co.
The company was originally registered in August, 1901, as the Wrexham and District Electric Tramways, Ltd., its tile being changed in March, 1914, after the commencement of motor services in the previous September.
London Fire-brigade Competition.
The annual motor-escape competition of the L.C.C. Fire Brigade was held recently at the Southwark headquarters, when the challenge cup presented by the late Sir Lionel Wells was again won by the crew of the Manchester Square Station, who also secured the trophy in 1930, 1928, and 1027, the Dockhead (Bermondsey) Station being the winners in 1929. A Road-air Parcels Service.
Imperial Airways, Ltd., has just commenced a service of frequent daily collections by van at the chief London railway termini in connection with a widespread scheme for expediting the transport of urgent freight. This has been made possible through an arrangement between the company and the British railways.
Consigners of parcels which have to be sent urgently to destinations in Europe, Egypt, Iraq, India or Central Africa can now hand in these consignments for " air-rail " dispatch at any of approximately 140 railway stations throughout the country. The parcels are forwarded to London by the next express train, being collected on arrival by one of the Imperial Airways' vans and taken direct to the London air-stations, where they are put on to airliners.
' The Ford Convoy in Devonshire.
Last week the demonstration convoy of Ford commercial vehicles and cars was operating in the south-west of England, and a convincing exhibition of bill-climbing ability was given in North Devonshire, The power of the various types of Ford commercial vehicle to tackle really serious hills was shown on Porlock (1 in 4), Lynton (1 in 4-1), and Beggars' Roost (1 in 3). Amongst the spectators were many Ford dealers from the county.
• Next week we hope to give further details of the performances.
"Western Welsh" Progress.
Last year the Western Welsh Omnibus Co., Ltd., which incorporates the former South Wales Commercial Motors, Ltd., and the South Wales bus _services of the Great Western Railway Co., carried over 16,000,000 passengers, the buses traversing more than 9,000,000 miles.
The new headquarters of the company at Ely, Cardiff, are nearing completion and are now occupied ; the site covers an area of eight acres. The new garage will accommodate 100 buses.
An arrangement has been made with Messrs. A. Cambell, who own the crossChannel pleasure steamers operating between South Wales and resorts in the south-western counties, whereby the Western Welsh Co. issues tickets to include the steamer fare.
Regals on East Anglian Service.
Messrs. Bush and Twiddy, the wellknown operators of daily passenger services between Norwich and London, have bought another three A.E.C. Regal saloon vehicles to deal with the expan sion in their traffic. The firm was established in the latter half of the last centiirv, and at one time owned 60
horse-drawn wagonettes. The all-theyear-round long-distance services were started last Whitsun. During last summer the firm's services attracted so many passengers that on some days eight coaches were employed on the route, and a record was achieved one Saturday when no fewer than 900 people were carried each way between London and East Anglian towns.
The principal vehicles used on the route are A.E.C. Regal chassis, carrying 30-seater sunshine saloon bodies constructed by the operators. Bodybuilding forms an active part of the firm's activities, and in the workshops, C22 covering about two acres, all phases of this work are undertaken.
In the A.E.C. vehicles referred to the seats are moquette-covered and have arm-rests, ash-trays, rug-rails and Parcels nets being affixed to the backs. Foot-rests have been adopted both for comfort and their draught-resisting properties. Five windows on each side can be raised or lowered and glass louvres are carried above them. Parcels racks run the full length on each side of the interior, and the equipment ineludes an illuminated clock, a mirror in the front bulkhead and pillar lamps.
Big Prospects in the Argentine.
That the British motor trade has a great opportunity in the Argentine is the opinion of Mr. R. C. Rootes, who, in connection with a visit to the British Empire Trade Exhibition at Buenos Aires, has made a thorough survey of the country, with the result that it has been decided to establish in Buenos Aires a new company under the title of Rootes (Argentina), Ltd., to deal with the distribution and servicing of products of the Humber-HillmanCommer group. The company already has a resident representative and service engineer in the Argentine.
Willys Price Reductions.
Certain price reductions have been made in the range of commercial chassis marketed by Willys Overland Crossley, Ltd., Heaton Chapel, Stockport. The Manchester 30-35-cwt. chassis now sells at £230, as against £260; the 2-ton chassis for £285, as against £298; and the 2-ton long-wheelbase model for £315, whereas it was formerly 1330.
in the advertisement of the Harrow Industrial Co., Ltd., Green Lane Works, Stanley Road, South Harrow, appearing in our issue for last week, the trailers which were illustrated were a 1-1.-i-ton four-wheeled model with a hinge-sided body and a 15-cwt. two-wheeler with a neat box body, and not as described in the captions which were published.
New I.A.E. President.
For the session 1921-32, Mr. W. A. Tookey will be president of the Institu tion of Automobile Engineers. It is particularly appropriate that he should have been elected at this time, because he is recognized as one of the authorities upon the compression-ignition engine. Vice-presidents will be Mr. C. R. F. Engelbach, Major C. G. NeYatt, Mr. L. H. Pomeroy and Mr. W..1. Tennant.
A Revolving-head Vice.
The Equipment and Engineering Co., Ltd., Norfolk Street, London, W.C.2, is marketing a range of revolving-head vices, made under Swinden's patent. These vices are unique in that they embody in a single tool a standard parallel vice, with full-width pipe jaws on an adjustable head, which enables the work to be set in a position best suited to the mechanic. Moreover, the position can be changed as often as necessary
without removing the work from the jaws. In addition, the vice will accommodate work for which the usual fixedhead vice is not suitable.
The vices are British made from high tensile steel and the hardened-steel jaw liners are renewable. The smallest size is 2 ins, and the largest 8 ins., the former weighing 8 lb. and the latter 150 lb. The 2-in, model sells at £3 15s. and the 8-in, model at £12 Ss.
New Capital for the S.M.T. Co.
An announcement is "made to the effect that the Scottish Motor Traction Co., Ltd., is raising additional capital for the expansion of its business as well as a controlling interest in an undertaking being formed to combine certain passenger-carrying undertakings in the Lanarkshire, Dumbartonshire and Glasgow areas. The company is offering to ordinary shareholders 300,000 of the unissued balance of 400,000 £1 ordinary shares, whilst an offer of 175,924 64+ per cent. £1 cumulative preference shares at par is being made to holders of preferred and ordinary shares. Tetalemit's Rapid Progress.
In 1925 Tecalemit, Ltd., the office of which is at Mitre House, Scrubbs Lane, London, N.W.10, found it necessary to enlarge its factory. A. larger one was purchased in 1927, and the latest building is nearing completion at the Chiswick end of the Great West Road ; it is actually in operation now Set back from the road is a works having 80,000 sq. ft. of floor space, and it is equipped with the most modern machinery for the production of the many items of Tecalemit equipment. The imposing building houses the offices, board-room and a fully equipped service station, with ramps and hoists capable of dealing with almost any type of vehicle. The factory is laid out for flow production.
The service station is a model of upto-d ate layout and, by reason of its time-saving features, enables vehicles to be dealt with promptly and efficiently. Pressure grease guns delivering Tecalemit chassis lubricant are installed, and Penetrating Gil sprays form part of the equipment.
The full range of Tecalemit products is being made in this factory, including the new engine-oil filter which is designed for incorporation in the crankcase of engines in process of making.
An Ingenious Coupling for Trailer Brakes.
Considerable difficulty is experienced by those who use trailers in arranging for quick-acting couplings for the brake rope between the towing vehicle and the trailer. Recently we have noticed several instances in which the Shepherd's Slip-hook has been employed. This novel device, which is marketed by Thomas Tingley, Ltd., 92, Brandon Street; Walworth, London, S.E.17, sells at 4s. 6d. for the small size or 5s. Bd. for the large one.
The link consists of a built-up body having a shackle at one end, whilst the other end consists of a pivoted member which, when closed, continues the outline of the body and serves positively to close the opening.
As will be seen from the accompanying illustration, the pivoted member is normally held in the dosed position by a spring-loaded slider, which engages with a notch in the free end ot the pivoted member. The last-named, when released, flies open under the influence of a leaf spring. The loop of the trailer-brake rope takes its bearing solely in the pivoted member, which cannot possibly fly open unless the slider be pulled backwards. To do this, no tools are necessary.
Box-carriers for a Motoring Organization.
In order to cope with the continued expansion of its activities connected with the erection of road signs approved by the Ministry of Transport, and to facilitate the rapid erection of detour signs, etc., the R.A.C. has recently placed into service a new type of motorcycle box-carrier. The body, which is carried on a standard sidecar chassis, is composed of steel panels lined internally with three-ply and is mounted on an ash frame, the lid being of three-ply faced with fabric.
The equipment which is carried consists of a three-piece ladder, measur log 9 ft. when extended, a special rack in which a number of enamelled road signs can be carried without the risk of damaging the surfaces, and a supply of paint pots, brushes, etc., carried in a separate compartment.
A French Reliability Trial.
The annual French commercialvehicle reliability trial, which is known as the Meeting des Routes Payees, is to be held in northern France from September 12th-20th next, over routes emanating from Lille or Roubaix. The competing vehicles are to placed on exhibition at Boulogne, Lille, Roubaix, Valenciennes, Arras and Carnbrai. Particulars of the trial can be c■btained from M. Leon Manaud, 3, Cite BerOre, Paris.
An Automatic Tyre Inflator.
B.E.N. Patents, Ltd., 92, Tottenham Court Road, London, W.1, has recently introduced a new and improved model of its automatic tyre inflator. It is British made and is an improvement on the old type, which sold at £2 17s. 6d., whereas the price of the new inflator is £2 5s.
It consists of a combined gauge, air control and universal chuck for attaching to any compressed-air line. The exact pressure reading of air in a tyre is obtained immediately the chuck is placed over the valve. Air is admitted by compressing the lever and is released by pressing a button. The spring-return gauge is graduated from 20 lb., to 130 lb., and the tool is, therefore, suitable for use with all classes of lowpressure and high-pressure tyre.
A.E.C. Service Facilities.
In View of the large number of passenger and goods vehicles now running into London from long distances, at all hours of the day and night, the Assocated Equipment Co., Ltd., has decided to increase its existing service facilities at the North Road depot, Caledonian Road, N.7, so that a 24-hour service is given. There will be available at all times a fast breakdown lorry, the services of expert mechanics, a complete range of spare parts and complete units. A.E.C. users travelling to London should make a note of the telephone numbers, which are North 1075 and 3500.