OPINIONS and QUERIES
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Value of Blended Oils and Lead Oleate. How to Obtain Overseas Orders. Registering a Haulage Firm Refuse Collection by Electrics. Rates which Do Not Pay. Nonpaying Passengers in a Goods Motor
The Use of Lead OIeate Lubricants.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3840] Sir,—In your issue dated Aug-ust 2nd there appears a note to the effect that research into the lubrication of ball and roller bearings shows the value of a combination of blended oils and lead oleate. It is further' remarked that lead oleate lubricants are said to withstand pressures up to six times as great as will ordinary mineral oil.
We think it should be made clear that it is not ball and roller bearings which call for the use of these extreme-pressure lubricants, but certain types of gearing, particularly hypoid gears, in which there is sliding friction under exceptionally heavy load.
With ball and roller bearings the problem is not so much to provide a lubricant which will prevent destructive friction as to protect the steel from the corrosion which inevitably takes place when such a bearing is left exposed to the atmosphere. The new extremepressure lubricants are not always well suited for this
purpose. S. E. BOWREY, Chief Chemist, For Alexander Duckham and Co., Ltd.
Hints on Obtaining Overseas Orders.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL 'MOTOR.
[3841] Sir,—In many places abroad and in our Dominions and Colonies the allowable gross axle weights differ from those permitted in Great Britain. It would, therefore, be to the advantage of British manufacturers of motor vehicles, especially of lorries, if their catalogues, or descriptive literature, clearly stated the actual tare weights on each axle of the r340
chassis. A further useful piece of information would be an outline drawing showing how an evenly distribu4d load would bear respectively on each axle,_ assuming an ordinary standard type of platform body.
uch time and correspondence would be saved if thi information was available in the first instance, and it might very possibly swing the balance in favour of giving an order to any particular maker.
Nowadays there is very little difference in the perfornaance of most makes of motor vehicle of reputable established firms, and, therefore,, a potential buyer might well be influenced by the up-to-date salesmanship displayed by a concern of makers which gives all possible information straightway.
Another point which some makers omit is the turning circle, a most important factor in hilly countries where the roads often include series of hairpin corners on Steep grades. T. G. Tutzocn. Jerusalem.
The Value of the Tractor-trailer Conversion.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
0842] Sir,—We notice in your issue dated August 9th; on page 850, under the heading "Passing Comments," the following :—" You cannot put large shoes on 4 Shetland pony and make a draught horse ; neither can you expect a 30-cwt. vehicle to carry 10 tons."
As this is in connection with tractor-trailer conversions, we can only think that the person from whom the !remark originated has missed the main advantage of trailers, which is that much more can be hauled than carried. This being the case, we would reply to the i comment in the following way :—" If the pony was put into the shafts of a cart it would haul as much as the horse wouldcarry."
Whilst we do not claim that a 30-cwt. vehicle will haul as much as 10 tons, we do maintain that with a properly designed semi-trailer, loads of 4-5 tons can be handled both efficiently and economically.
TRUCE AND TRACTOR APPLIANCE CO, London, S.W.1. (MANCHESTER), LTD.
Registering a New Haulage Firm—Association Membership Considered at Once.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL 3/10TOR.
i3843] Sir,—My brother and I are thinking of starting in the haulage business, and would like your information on the following subjects:—(1) The
charge for registration of a firm titled Bros. (2) The charge for membership a the R.H.A. and the C.M.U.A.
Will you also send me your Tables of Operating Costs. BROTHERS. Halifax.
[The charge for registration varies. You should communicate with the Registrar of Public Companies, Somerset House, ,Strand, London, W.C.2.
There is, I believe, no absolute necessity to register so long as you trade under your own name as Illingworth Brothers. On your notepaper you should also specify, in small type if you like, the Christian names of your brother and yourself.
For full particulars of membership to the two associations you name you should apply to the Secretaries at Commercial Motor Users Association, 50 Pall Mall, London, S.W.1, and the Road Haulage Association, Grand Buildings, Trafalgar Square, London, W.0.2.
A copy of our Tables of Operating Costs has been sent to you.—S.T.R.]
Carrying Non-paying Passengers in a Goods Vehicle.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3844] Sir,—I was recently conveying free a party of three campers, friends of mine, and all their camping and other holiday equipment, from Southall to Yarmouth. At Saxmundham I pulled up at a teashop for refreshments, and a policeman, noticing my friends with me, requested to see my driving licence and insurance certificate.
Upon completion of his examination, he held that I was committing an offence under the Road Traffic Act, as my certificate covered me only for the conveyance of goods, and that my camping party were passengers. Could you advise me whether the police have a case against me under this Act?
It is true that my certificate is a purely commercial one, but I was under the impression that I could take my friends with me along with the equipment and other luggage, as in the case of a furniture removal, when we usually take along the owner of the furniture. TRAPPED. Southall.
[We assume that no question arises as to the rate of licence duty which you have paid for your vehicle ; that is to say, that the duty which you paid for the vehicle as a commercial goods vehicle was at least as great as the duty would have been if it had been licensed as a private vehicle on the horse-power basis?
The difficulty which you and, incidentally, many other users, appear to be up against is that in all probability when you insured the vehicle you stated that it would be used only for the conveyance of goods, but on the occasion in question you used it for the conveyance of your friends as passengers. Where an owner of a motor vehicle states on the proposal form that the vehicle will be used only for a specified purpose, the insurance company is, as a rule, entitled to deny liability for any accident which occurs while the vehicle is being used for any other purpose, and, consequently, it is probable that if an accident had occurred on the day in question your insurance coin
pany would have been entitled to deny liability. This means, in effect, that on that occasion you had not in force a policy against third-party claims, and it appears, therefore, that you might be convicted if the police take proceedings against you. We advise that you should communicate with your insurance company, telling them the facts and asking whether, under the circumstances, they would have denied liability if an accident had occurred.
With regard to the conveyance of the owners of the furniture which you carry, we advise that you should ask your insurance company to endorse your policy with a statement to the effect that the policy covers you when the owners of furniture and other goods are carried on your vehicle with their goods.—En.1 More Absurd Rates—This Time in the Lancashire Piecegoods Business.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3845] Sir,—A job has been offered to me. It is for five days per week, collecting greys in town, delivering to the mill 12 miles out, and bringing finished goods back. The work is to be done with a 2-ton lorry and two men, the daily mileage being about 35.
I have quoted £10 per week and have been offered £7. If you could let me have your opinioh on these rates I should be greatly obliged. RITES. Manchester.
[I calculate that the bare operating cost of your lorry will be 1.7 14s. per week, and that without any allowance for wages of the extra man. Ten pounds per week is insufficient revenue for the work.--S.T.R.]
More Burdening of Road Transport will Throw Thousands Out of Work.
• The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[3846] Sir,—The B.B.C., on August 15th, gave the returns for motors licensed in June, and reported 700 fewer commercial vehicles than for the corresponding period of last year.
Making an allowance, however large, for had trade cannot account for this great drop.
One can only conclude that the official attitude is having the desired effect I can see thousands of men, who ought to be engaged in the making of new lorries, out of work.
I can see thousands, who ought to be driving new lorries, out of work. I can see—but why go on? Those who have authority won't see, so I have to sign myself WANTINGWORIK. Northampton.
Efficient Refuse Collection by Battery-electric Vehicles.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[38471 Sir,—On page 854 of your issue dated August 9th you published a paragraph under the heading of " Successful Refuse Vehicles at Norwich," which we feel may be misleading so far as the electric vehicles mentioned are concerned.
Although these were not of our manufacture, they were undoubtedly successful in their work, and we contend that electric vehicles do the service of refuse collection more efficiently and at less cost to the ratepayers than other types of machine.
In the case of Norwich, we should be very glad to learn the working costs of the new petrol vehicles, as against the costs of the electrics, taking into consideration that the latter were probably more than 10 years old when they were thrown out. Would it be possible to obtain these?
In many places lately a change to a different type of fleet has been made, but comparison costs between old and new vehicles are rarely forthconiing, and it is simply taken for granted by the ratepayers that the new machines are working at lower costs, but often the reverse is the case.
Birmingham. W. TREECE, Director.
For Electricars, Ltd."