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WHEELS OF INDUSTRY.

"The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughlt8SS of The roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crosier.

Covered-in Double-deckers for London.

It is stated that the Scotland Yard authorities again have under consideration the question of permitting covered. in double-deck buses on the London streets. The fitting of roofs or canopies to the upper decks of London buses is at present forbidden by police regulations, and the authorities, have consistently been opposed to the adoption of vehicles of this type, in spite of many efforts to prove that covered-in doubledeckers are perfectly safe and stable. There is little question that with a covered-in top deck the earning capacity of the average bus would be considerably augmented.

Lancashire Transport.

Although Trafford Park possesses considerable facilities • for linking-up -with the Main railways ef the country, which thua affords means for the prompt despatch of freight by rail, the development oftraffic over the high roads by petrol and steam vehicles is foreshadowed by the formation of a mechanical road transport fleet under the title of the Port of Manchester Road Service, Ltd. -It is intended that the vehicles eball provide a service for the rapid distribution of cotton, wool, meat, and othee commodities from the Port of ManchAter and from Trafford Park.

New Roads in Surrey.

The London county Council has been recommended by the special committee on unemployment to proceed with the construction of several new roads-in order

to alleviate unemployment. It is suggested that the Kingston outer by-pace with the Merton spur should be put in band, as well as the Sutton by-pass. The former extends nine miles, and is estimated to cost £500,000, and the latter is five miles in length, its provisional cost being £250,000.

The committee, in its recommendation, point out that these schemes have long been advocated by these with a knowledge of London traffic problems, and the Surrey County Council has, as long ago ae last July, decided to share with the Ministry of Transport the cost or acquiring the necessary land.

A Plea for Concrete Roads.

A deputation recently waited on Sir Henry Maybury, the Director-General of Roads, in order to urge, on behalf of the cement industry of Kent, an increased use of concrete for road construction. SirAlexander Richaccison, M.P. for Gravesend, who introduced the deputation, said that if concrete eould be used more extensively in road-making unemployment would be very largely reduced. He added that, although it might be said that concrete roads cost more' their-cost of maintenance waseless, and that about 75 per cent, of the cost of cement roads went directly to labour.

Sir Henry Maybury said, in view of the fact. that this was a Kentish industry, he should have thought that local autheriE20 ties in the county would have made applications for concrete roads, and added that to-day the Roads Department was probably the largest user of cement in the country. He claimedto have done something to assiet the industry, and promised to give the Utmost consideration to any suggestions made to his i Department n connection with the construction of concrete roads.

What Confectioners Want.

The British Federation of Confectioners' Association decided at a recent meeting in Leeds to support the efforts of the Commercial Motor Union to press upon. the authorities the urgencyfor a return to the old system of taxation of motor vehicles on petrol in place of the existing method.

, Petrol Pumps.

At the quarterly meeting of the Urban District Councils Association, a letter was received from the Finchley District Council suggesting that the time had arrived when legislation should be introduced giving local authorities power to licence petrol pumps erected on highways. The Association, however, decided to take no action in the matter.

Coupe Co.'s Profits.

The Coupe Co. and Motor Cab Co. of Great Britain, Ltd., whose activities were recently dealt with in the columns of this journal, made a profit of £2,069 for the year ended September last, after writing off £2.342 for depreciation. The company brought in £1,567, have paid a. dividend of six per cent. for the year, and have carried forward £2,542.

We are given to understand that W. B. Diek and Co., Ltd., are willing to examine and report on samples of used oil with a view to determining the extent and nature,of its dilution.

Many members of the Commercial Motor Users Association and others connected with the trade will be interested to learn that Mr. W. ViTakelam, hon. secretary of the North-Eastern division of the Association, has been appointed depot manager of the Sheffield branch of the Yorkshire Patent Steam Wagon Co.

The American Plant of the Dunlop Co.

The Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., announce that their £5,000,000 plant at Buffalo will shortly start operations with an output of 5,000 tyres per day, the full capacity' of the factory -being 13,000 a day. This bald statement does not reveal the fact that the American issue was not only oversubscribed, but was oversold on the first morning, whilst the English issue was oversubscribed in the space of a,. few minutes.

The Buffalo works, which were nearly finished two years ago, will now be finally completed. Sir Eric Geddes is chairman of the American board and Sir George Beharell is a director. With the completion of the Buffalo works the Dunlop Co. will have factoriee in England, America, France and Germany. It is intended to use the Buff abs works for a detailed series of comparisons between English 'and American productions.

No Compulsory Pneumatics.

Rhondda Rural District Council recently sent the Ministry of Transport. -a resolution in favour a the compulsory use of pneumatic tyres on heavy vehicles.' The Ministry has now replied that the matter was dealt with by the Departmental Committee, which said encouragement should be given to the use of pneu-. matic tyres by permitting higher rates of speed for vehicles fitted with such tyres.

The Ministry added that it would not appear to be practicable to prohibit the ice of all tyres other than pneumatic on heavy vehicles.

Bus Developments " Down Under."

Under the provisions of the Motor Omnibus Bill, which has been circulated among members of the Victorian Parliament, it is proposed to impose a heavy. tax on motor omnibuses when they resume running in the streets of Melbourne. It is provided that, in addition to the usual registration fees charged under the Motor Car Act, omnibuses are to pay 25s. extra for every passenger which the vehicle is licensed to carry, provided that this extra fee shall not be lees than 250b The money will be utilised for the maintenance of tramway tracks and roads used by the vehicles. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Motor Bus Co., whose advent in Melbourne prompted the tramway authorities to ask for adequate protection against the competition of the more mobile vehicle, has been registered with a capita! of £100,000. A number of services of buses introduced in Melbourne some ten years age did not pay, and were withdrawn, since when the tram and railway authorities have alone catered for Melbourne passenger traffic.

Twelve Tilling-Stevens petrol-electric motorbuses for service in Barcelona, Spain, were recently shipped from Dover on two Norwegian steamers.

A New Forth Bridge.

It is now settled that the Ministry of Transport will bear half the expense of building a bridge over the Forth at .Alloa provided the local authorities directly interested will become responsible for the other half of the cost. The Stirling County Council has already passed a resolution to support the scheme and pay its due share of the cost, and it. is expected that the other authority concerned—that of Clackmannanshire—will come to a similar decision at its first meeting_to be held in the course of a few days. The new bridge will effect a shortening of 15 miles in the east main road— from Edinburgh to Fife, Perth, and Dundee--and its estimated cost is given as £170,000. The plans have been pre pared by Sir William Arrol.

• The Taxation Inquiry.

The evidence which is being given .at the public inquiry of the Departmental Committee on the Taxation and Regulation of Road Vehicles with regard to the ;ingested reversion to a fuel tax for mechanically propelled road vehicles is being published, and copies may be obtained either directly from H.M. Stationery Office, fmporial House, Kingsway, W.C. 2, or through any bookseller.

, The evidence heard on Friday, January 26th, was on sale on Tuesday, January 50th, and the evidence given on sue. eeeding days will he published on the Friday and Saturday of each week until the inquiry is completed. The price will be approximately 6s. a copy.

A New Road to the Coast.

A further development in connection with the proposed construction of a new direct road from Newcastle to the coast, of is total length of six to seven miles, has recently taken place The Newcastle City Council. Wallsend, and Tynemouth Town Councils, and the Longbenton Urban Council, have all agreed to be parties to the scheme, but the Whitley and Monkseaton Urban Council has refused to participate in it. The new road will of course, prove of immense use to all classes of manufa,ctnrers, traders, and road users in general, for it will considerably shorten the (balance. The cost is estimated at about £500,000.

Midland Transport Board.

The first meeting of both sections of the North Midland Road Transport Joint Board for 1923 has recently been held in Nottingham. Mr. G. H. P. Dalgleish, to whom the success of organization in the area in recent years has been largely due, was appointed chairman for the ensuing year as representing the Motor Transport Employers' Federation and the Haulage Contractors' section of the Nottingham Chamber of Commerce ; Mr. J. E. Corrin, of the Federation of Transport and General Workers, being chosen as vice-chairman, with Mr. 3. H. Trease (employers' section) and Mr. W. Habgood, Transport and General Workers, joint hon. secretaries; and Mr. W. H. Shaw, of the Nottingham Corporation Works and Ways Department, treasurer.

To deal with individual cams which may arise affecting the agreed policy of the joint board, and to take any requisite action upon its behalf, an emergency 'joint sub-committee was appointed, tires obviating the danger which may be in volved in an extension of trouble through delay in dealing with particular grievances.

It was notified that no change is yet involved with regard to wages in the district, the scale of living, as indicated by the accepted index figures, having fallen to only 78 per cent. ,

Restrictions in Ireland.

Dungannon Rural Council has asked the county 'authority to limit five-ton lorriA to first-class roads and three-ton lorries to second-class roads.

Asking for Rail Car Services.

The Llandudno Urban District Council is urging the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Co. to organize a service of rail cars between Llandudno and Bangor, similar to that which is already in operation between Llandudno and Colwyn Bay, and which is said to be paying its way satisfactorily. The scheme has already been discussed with the authorities of the railway at dester and Manchester, who, it appears, are favourably disposed towards the suggesti,on.

British Fire-engines for New South Wales.

The London County Council has, on the understanding that it accepts no responsibility in the matter, acceded to two requests made by the Board of Fire Commissioners of New South Wales that officers of the London Fire Brigade may be allowed to inspect, test, and report vaion three motor fire-engines and a turntable ladder under construction in this country foi the commissioners.

Buses at Mansfield.

Mansfield Watch Committee has been asked by the Mansfield and District Tramway.ssCo., Ltd., only to grant bus licences on condition that the vehicles do not pick up passengers en route within the borough boundary, but decided to explain that the corporation has no power to comply with this request.

London's Traffic Growth.

The difficulties which beset the authorities which control and regulate London traffic can be well appreciated when one considers the number of travellers who have to be catered for by motorbus, tramcar, and Underground railway.

According to statistics which are now available, last year marked a distinct advance in travel in the Metropolis. In spite of the fact that fares were higher all round, the number of passengers carried showed a distinct increase.

On the buses of the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd. for example, no fewer than 847,000:000 passengersobof whom 26,500,000 were children, were carried, this figure representing an increase of 51,000,000 over the figure for the previous year. These figures apply wholly and solely to L.G.O. Co., and do not include the returns of the allied bus

undertakings. They comprise a record in the history of the company both as regard the number of adult passengers and number of children carried.

As indicating the popularity of the buses, one can mention that the actual increase in the total number of passen• gers carried by the London County Council was less than on the former class of vehicles, being 36,000,000 on a total of 726,000,000 passengers carried.

Saving 10 Miles.

The Criokhowell Urban District Council has called for plans and.estimates for a road between Tredegar and Llangynidr that will be about 44. miles long and will obviate the need for the present route, nearly four times as long being taken.

A deputation of farmers of the district, waited upon the council recently and complained that to take their produce by road to Tredegar, the market town, they new had to journey 15 miles, whereas if the road over the, hill were put into utable condition the distance would be

less than 'five miles. Similarly handicapped, they added, is all traffic by road between the two districts.

Midland Milk Transport.

It is a well-known fact tha4. the collec titan and distributiox of milk form a very exacting service, and that the vehicles used in the transport of this invaluable commodity must at all times be reliable , and speedy. The Warwickshire Dairy Co., of 117, College Road, Saltley, Bir

• mingharn, have recently given a repeat order for a lorry similar to Umone shown in a picture on this page, which has just been supplied to them by Henry -Garner, Ltd., Moseley Motor Works, Birmingham. The body, which is mounted on a 30-40-cwt. chassis, is designed tat carry 18 full-site churns of Milk, and theload is protected by stanchions and strong chssins. With a full lead the vehicle is capable of a speed or 20 p h.

A 'Successful Bus Undertaking.

Particulars of a number of notable improvements, addition, and vadvances made by the company axe given in the annual report just -pablished of the United Automobile Services, Ltd., who operate a very large number of motor omnibus routes in the counties of alirham, Northumberland, and Norfolk.

One of the most striking instances of the ever-increasing popularity of road travel is provided by the statement, that during the year under review the company have carried no less than 56 per (ant. more passengers in their Northum

terland district than in the previous 12 months: Besides giving a very sound example of the ready manner in which the local public appreciate the convenient and economical services placed at their disposal by this enterprising company, the figure demonstrates very thoroughly the feat that road passenger services are rapidly advancing in public favour.

. During the year drastic reductions in charges have been made, and the latest Came into operation on January 1st. On ordinary fares five penny stages are now given for 4d., and in addition cheap return tickets have been reduced, and are being used even more freely than hitherto.

The company report that they have bought 80 new vehicles. These are being fitted with new and improved labsFes, specially built at the company's factory, anci, when ready for the road, will, it is expected, enable theirs to cater 'still more fully for all the requirements of the people in the &teas whichthe vehicles SOTO.

Hull Bus Services.

At a meeting of the Hull Tramways Committee the manager suggested that the committee should be allowed to place its views before the watch committee regarding application to establish bus services. The watch committee has promised to consider anv obPervatims which the tramways committee desires to submit.

Rival Bus Services.

The Llandudno Urban District Council has, after consideration along with the Conway Town Council and the Conway Rural District Council, decided: to issue Hulse-ea to the Llandudno Coaching Co. for vehicles to ply for hire in the respective districts over which they exercise control. The company offer to run an approved service between Alexandra Road, Llandudno, and Llanrwst, via Conway. A protest against the issue of the licences was raised by the North Wales Silver Motora, Ltd,, who operate the existing bus service between Llandudno and Llanrwst, who regretted that the Llandudno Council had seen fit to grant the rival company the privilege of running services in the Llandudno district. Healthy competition under certain conditions usually redounds to the advantage of the travelling public, although the variance of local conditions has been responsible for a lack of unanimity amongst municiaai bodies on this point.

Lorries in Adelaide.

The 1922 report of the Adelaide Corporation states that for the greater part ot the year three motor lorries (two Cornsuer Cars and one Thornycroft) were in commission. Recently, however, it was decided to scrap one Commer Car, using some parts for the upkeep, as necessary, of the other Commer lorry. This was carried out, and a serviceable vehicle has resulted. The Thornycroft lorry has been fitted with a tank body for conveying hot batches of sheet asphalt from the destructor to the road. ways.

The operating costs for the year were :— No. 1 Commer Car, 10.4d. per mile, over a mileage of 7,410.

No. 2 Comaner Car (since scrapped), ,10.8d. per mile, over a mileage of3,018.

Thornycroft, 10.14. per mile, over a mileage of 6,562.

Free Passes on Cardiff's Buses.

Cardiff Education Committee is to be asked to arrangefree passes on the motorbuses and trams for children men tally or physically defective. It was stated at a committee meeting that in certain areas the municipal buses called at the homes of such children to take them to and from the special schools.

Motor Sweeper Maintenance.

Battersea Boraugh Council's Works Committee suggests an agreement with Laffly (England), Ltd., the makers of motor road sweepers and other municipal vehicles, for the maintenance of the two sweepers for a period of six years for £75 per annuni per machine. This includes overhauling, replacing when necessary parts of the machines, tyres, etc., and painting annually.

A Driving Licence Economy.

Middlesex County Council has conceived an ingenious method of economy with regard to motor drivers' licences. At present the renewals are on cardboard, Which cost 3Ad. a copy. It is found that if a gummed licence were pasted in the cardboard licence the cost would be re

&iced to 1id. per licence. As about 60,000 licences are issued in the .county every year, the annual saving will be about £500.

Slippery Roads.

At the recent annual meeting of the National Farmers' Union, Mr. hedger (Hereford) moved:— "That this meeting deploresthe large number of accidents to horsedrawn traffic attributable to the slippery condition of tarred roads, and calls upon the Ministry of . Transport to institute sonic means whereby the danger to human and animal life and property can be lessened." Mr. Hodges wanted the TUnion's help in getting better roads. Thepresent state of tarred roads was a. great anxiety to farmers, and as they were contributors to these roads more consideration should be given to them.

Mr. Griffin pointed out that the administration was in the hands of the local authorities. Farmers in many vases at on committees of these authorities, and it was up to them to see that their main roads committees and county surveyors used the best materials.

A Fine Van Body.

A fine example of the class of van bodywork turned out byT. Startin, Junr., body builder, Aston Road, Birmingham, is shown in the accompanying illustration, in which a capacious body is to be seen mounted 011 reconditioned 4-ton Leyland chassis. Of large dimensions, the van is constructed of mahogany. panels and is lined inside. A sliding partition is mounted behind the driver's seat-, and the cab may be totally enclosed by meaus of side cur

tain.; which are provided. , A special feature of the body is a detachable panel (shown in our picture just behind the driver's entrance door on the near side) on each side; this panel may be reversed,-and on both sides of it suitable advertising Matter can be displayed, which may be changed quickly at will. The Birmingham Garages, Ltd., Navigation Street, Birmingham, supplied the chassis.

A Wages Dispute Settled.

Details of the settlement, arrived at in connection with the wages dispute beI ween the Transport and General Workers' Union and the Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., of Chesterle-Street, which resulted in a complete dislocation for one week of the numerous motor omnibus routes operated by the company in the Durham County coalfields and along Tyneside, have now been announced.

• The employees, of whom there are over 400, have resolved to accept a, reduction of 3s. per week in two cuts, as applied to motor drivers, and a reduction of 2s. per week for senior conductors. There will, however, be no alteration of pay for junior conductors, and the agreement is that no further reductions in wages will apply until the October ascertainment of the cost of living, when variations may be made on a basis of is. up or down, with reference to each four points' variation in the scale.

The men, it will be remembered, returned to work after one week's stoppage pending the negotiations.

A 'Garage Heating Set.

The Wembley Heating Co., Ltd., of 'Central House, Wembley Hill, inform us that they have taken over the sole selling rights in the United Kingdom for the

Elphia garage heativg sets. One ef

these is a heating set which is designed for use in garages and motor houses up to about 425 sq. ft. of floor area. The Elphia set is a hot-water apparatus, and, as the boiler can befitted outside the main building, there is no danger of ignition as the result of contact with petrol fumes.

The apparatus requires very little attention, all that is necessary being to keep the expansion tank supplied with water (about half a gallon or sd every few days), and to feed the boiler with broken coke once every 24 hrs. The clear distance between boileand radiator is normally 3 ft., but this distance can be increased at will.

Australian .Registrations.

According to a liet issued in -Adelaide early in December by the Registrar of Motor Vehicjeof 120 registrations of new motor vehicles--44 were Dodge eels and 31-Fords.

During November 1,216 motor vehicles, comprising 73 commercial vehicles, 796 touring cars, and 347 motorcycles, were registered in Victoria. Fords easily headed the list with a total of 189, Dodge being next with 75 vehicles.

• During the week ended December 4th 43 lorries, six vans, and five buses were registered in Sydney.

Seeking New Powers.

Thornton le Fylde Urban District Council is seeking powers to establish motorbus services within and without the district.

The 14th annual concert of the Birmingham Centre of the Cycle and Motor Trades' Benevolent Fund was held at the Temperance Hall, Birminghaare a few days ago. The chair was taken by Mr, Henry A. Lamplugh, and the excellent musical programme included items by members of the local theatres. The secretary, Mr. A. 0; Huckstepp, in explaining the purpose and good work of the fund, appealed to the audience for assistance. Several influential -members of the trade were present.

Theatre Buses.

. Instances occur almost daily in which motor omnibus companies can, provided they possess the necessary enterprise and initiative, cater for the wants of the publicin unexpected directions, and, at the same time, increase theirrevenue and widen the scope of road travel by showing conclusively that meter vehicles. can supply cheap and convenient services to meet all. emergencies.

A capital instance-W-the value of keen foresight was provided at Darlingto.u. during the recentvisit of the popular D'Oyley Carte Opera Co., on a one week's' engagement. Realizing the •advantage which could be conferred on residents of outlying districts, poorly catered for by rail-services, • the -United Automobife Services, Ltd.,whO, from their • headquarters at Bishop Ariekland, operate a vast network ,of regular Motor omnibus servicesiii' the Countyof -Durham, had vehicles waiting at the doors of the Hippodrome Theatre; where the company were appearing, at the conclusion of each' evening's peiformanee, which re• ceived capital patronage.

In the_same way this go-ahead COM -pally have provided admirable facilities in Northumberland during the past few months by operating special late buses from Blythe to outlying neighbourhoods, in order to provide facilities for those travellers who desire to return to their homes after vtsiting the theatre.

An Ingenious Spanner.

An astonishingly large number of uses .nay be found for the adjustable Cee spanner, which is made by Mr. N. S. Tarr, of Pittville arage, Winchcombo Street., Cheltenham, This tool may be applied to all types .of, slotted or serrated nuts for inlet or exhaust pipes or for valve caps, Whilst the handle itself may be used as a tommy bar or a wrench for opening petrol cans. The adjustment is provided by mounting the outer jaw of the spanner on a long link, so that, although the spanners are made in various sizes, each individual tool can be used on nuts of varying diameters.

Local Proceedings.

The London County Council reports the purchase of a light motorvan for the stores department for the sum of 2198.

The Sunderland Corporation is recommended by its highways and street lighting committee to purchase ten tipping wagons.

1it order to relieve unemployment, the Cornwall County Council is suggesting the expenditure of 2128,242 for road improvements.

Wandsworth Borough Council has given permission to the Lacre Motor Car Co., Ltd., to test a street sweeper .and collector on the borough road..

The Metropolitan Water Board proposes to dispose of its present vehicles and purchase eight new Ford cars and another motor, at a total cost of 23,000.

Croydon Corporation Hospital Committee proposes the purchase of a motorcar at a cost not exceeding 2950, with inside seating capacity for not less than eight.

. The new scale of taxicab fares proposed by the Birmingham Watch Oommittee has been accepted by the members of the Birmingham Horse and Vehicle 'Owners' Association. The Southgate Urban District Council proposes to purchase a motor lorry at a cost of 2375.

Durham County Council is applying to the Ministry of Transport for an order to close to heavy "motor traffic some roads in the vicinity of Grindon.

The Corporation of Eccles invites tenders for the supply of a motor ambulance. Tenders endorsed "Motor Ambulance? have to be delivered to the town clerk by February 10th. A conferenee•of East Riding authorities recently held under the auspices of the Ministry of Transporthas decided: in favour of the 'construction of .a bridge across the River Ouse at Boothferry at. a cost of £100,000.

The Cambridge Corporation Works Committee, in recommending the ado] tion of electric vehicles for Scavenging purposes, suggests the purchase now of a second-hand electric vehicle, and provision in the estimates far the purchase of two new electric vehicles.

Ilford Council's Fire Brigade Committee reports that a Merryweather first-aid Motor vehicle has been fitted with a 250300,gallon-per-minute pump by Dennis Bros., Ltd. It has since been tested with very satisfactory results.

The Lancia Concession.

The Curtis Automobile Co., Ltd., state that there appears to be some confusion in connection with the concession fur Lancia vehicles between the names of Mr. W. L. Stewart and W. L. Stewart and Co., 'Ltd., and they mention that, since be joined the Lancia factory in Turin in 1919, Mr. W. L. Stewart has been in no way. comiected 'with the.company who beat his name, and who, are the late con. cessionnaires for Lancia chassis.

Mr. W. L. Stewart is now joint managing director, with Mr. Tim H. Curtis, of the Curtis Automobile Co., Ltd., of 18, Berkeley Street, London,.W. 1, who now bold the sole Lancia concession for this 'country, and who maintain a stock of snares for this chassis at 16, Avonmore Road, London, W. 14.

Birmingham's Trolley-buses.

The system of trolley-buses recently introduced into Birmingham has proved a great success. By substituting these vehicles for tramcars and avoiding costly reconstruction of the ordinary tracks, the corporation has saved 254,000. We recently briefly described the trolley-buses put. into operation by the corporation.