Crush-loaders Have Mixed Reception
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IN a report to the Midland Regional I Board for Industry, the West Midland Licensing Authority has stated that the operation of crush-load single-deckers, seating 32 and providing standing room for 28 passengers, has met with a mixed reception. in some parts of the country where there were many short-distance travellers, the buses were popular, but in busy Midland areas, conductors complained of difficulties in collecting fares, and passengers objected to standing.
He considered that vehicles of this type would be advantageous on busy routes where double-deckers could not be used.
Mr. R. K. Cope, deputy traffic manager of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., admitted that a transit-type bus run by the company for nine months in various urban districts had "not taken on very well." Passengers had complained about having to stand.
A similar statement was made by Mr. W. H. Smith, general manager of Birmingham Transport Department, which has also experimented with a vehicle of this description. "We found it not too satisfactory for the type of work we have to do," he said. The entrance and exit steps were too high for elderly people, and conductors found difficulty in assessing the number of standing passengers and collecting money.
Mr. Smith added that there was no doubt that the crush-load single-decker would reduce the number of platform accidents, but loading and unloading were greatly retarded.
TWO DISPUTES FOR TRIBUNAL
NEXT Wednesday, the Industrial Disputes Tribunal will hear an application by the Transport and General Workers' Union for the enforcement of an agreement on pay and conditions of employment against
L. F. Carriers, Ltd. The agreement covers road haulage workers in the building industry and was made between the National Federation of Building Trades Employers and the Transport and General Workers' Union.
On July 10, the Tribunal will hear a dispute between the Amalgamated Engineering Union and Leyland Motors, Ltd. The question to he decided is whether hours worked outside the normal working week should be disregarded in computing payment for the 34-hour guaranteed week.
ENGINE OUT IN UNDER 8 MIN.
THREE fitters, using a screwdriver, six sizes of spanner and a miniature hoist, have removed the 90 b.h.p. oil engine from a Leyland Tiger Cub 44seat underfloor-engined bus in 7 min. 40 sec. According to Leyland Motors, Ltd., only 12 min. were required to refit the engine, connect the controls and start it.
The hoist straddles a trap door in the floor of the bus. When unbolted at its three suspension points, the engine is lowered by the hoist on to a tray equipped with castors and may then be pulled clear through a hinged valance in the sides of the body.
Timed maintenance operations were performed on several commercial vehicles by L. J. Cotton, of The Commercial Motor, who described the work in the May 1 issue.
NEW 45-TON WORKS TRACTOR A WORKS tractor capable of hauling I—Iloads up to 45-tons has been added to the Lansing Bagnall range. It can turn in a 23-ft. 4-in. circle. It is powered by a Perkins P4 oil engine developing 42 b.h.p. at 2,000 r.p.m.
An 11-in, clutch takes the drive to a four-speed gearbox with normal gear change. Layrub couplings are employed in the transmission shaft. At
the front the pressed-steel wheels are fitted with 23 by 5-in. tyres and at the rear with 25 by 6-in. equipment.
The tiactor has an overall height of 4 ft_ 6 in., is 7 ft. long and 5 ft. wide with twin rear wheels and 4 ft. wide with single wheels. Its service weight is 2 tons 4 cwt. This tractor, which is known as the AP4, can be used on the public highway. It is made by Lansing Bagnall, Ltd., Kingsclere Road, Basingstoke.