Albions Beat Weather Conditions Carrying Afghan Mails
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COB over eight years the Britisti
Legation at Kabul, Afghanistan, has been emplkying Albion 30-40-cwt. vehicles to carry mails and despatches between that capital and the important town of Peshawar in North-west India, a distance of over 200 miles. This journey involves traversing the famous Khybcr Pass and operation over some extremely rough and mountainous country between the head of the Pass and Kabul, which is situated at an altitude of close on 6,000 ft.
The service is maintained regularly, during both winter and symmer months, the temperature variations experienced between the seasons being little short of amazing. For instance, in January the thermometer may easily show 60 degrees of frost, whilst during June and July temperatures up to 120 degrees F. are commonly encountered. An accompanying illustration gives some idea of the wild nature of the country, the vehicles depicted being on a winter trip where, in addition to 60 degrees of frost, the snow was, in places, over 4 ft. deep.
Amongst the special equipment of these chassis, which has been dictated by experience in operating the first vehicle there, are included large-section, low-pressure, single pneumatic tyres with two spare wheels, Gruss air springs on the front axle, Luvax heavy-duty shock absorbers at the front and rear, special cooling arrangements, an air cleaner, a large-capacity petrol tank with a reserve section, special ventilating system for the driver's cab, a radiator muff, two pairs of non-skid chains, a radiator guard, and front and rear. towing hooks.
Since the first vehicle was delivered in 1930, the Legation has ordered a number of additional Albion machines, and these are reported to be giving every satisfaction on the frontier.