A RUNNING COMMEN1 \RY ON THE ROYAL
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TIIE machinery section of the implements section of this year's Royal Show, although bigger than last year's, was not so big as that for the year before, or even prior to that. The increase noted is, however, worthy of more than passing mention. It is symptomatic, and chimes well with the optimistic feeling which prevailed amongst the exhibitors.
There is little at the Show that is really new. Of road vehicles, the Petter-Shefflex comes to mind as being the only novelty. There are several new tractors, the Bristol, Allis-Chalmers and a new model International. The new Dunlop pneumatic tyre for tractors is shown for the first time.
Any logically planned tour of an exhibition such as this inevitably takes the stands in numerical order and, in that way, touching only those which are items of interest to our readers, we come first to the Karrier stand, where the rapid development of road vehicles to a point where they adequately meet the exig-uous needs of the farmer is particularly well exemplified.
Perhaps the Cob Major, coupled to a specially designed trailer for the transport of sheep and pigs, is the best instance. It is equipped with a ramp -which folds right up against the hack of the vehicle, and provision is made to ensure that there are no loose parts,
such as fastenings or other impedimenta, to be lost or mislaid. The complete outfit weighs less than 24 tons.
A point about the Latil forestry tractor, which comes next in the itinerary, is the arrangement of the ground anchor, by which the tractor is held stationary while the winch is in use. It embodies provision for the use of snatch blocks in such a way that, while the hauling pull is multiplied as desired, no extra load is imposed on the tractor itself.
The most attractive stand, from the purely msthetic point of view, is that occupied by the Ford Motor Co., Ltd. It is probably one of the largest stands, too, as is necessary in order to find
2,40 room for the display of all the principal products of that company. There are actually eight Fordsou tractors on view, four Fordson 2-tonners, in various forms, including, of course, a generalutility lorry for the farmer, a 12-cwt. van and one of the new 5-cwt. vans.
The next stand to attract attention is that on which the two Allis-Chalmers tractors are shown. One of these is a wheeled machine, the other a "crawler." The wheeled machine has pneumatic tyres, those on the rear being 11.25-in. on 24-in. wheels. Provision is made (a) for fitting chains to the rear wheels when the ground is soft, and (b) for affixing weights to the rear wheels to afford additional adhesion.
The Dunlop farm-tractor wheel, with low-pressure pneumatic tyre, is the next item of interest. Cast wheels, with longitudinally split rims to facilitate mounting the tyres, and designed with lugs for the attachment of strakes, are available in sizes to suit the most popular types of tractor, and can he supplied for all makes of wheeled tractor. The tyres are of 11.25-in. section, and the wheels 24-in. diameter. They are to be inflated to 10-15-lb. pressure, the former for field work, the latter when used on the roads.
On the Ruston and Hornsby stand are two exhibits of interest, a road roller and a light locomotive, both oilengined. The locomotive is a new model, having a 22-28 h.p. engine, and a three-speed gearbox. It is offered either as a fast-speed model, with a normal speed of 8 m.p.h., or a slowspeed model having a normal speed of 64 m.p.h. The drawbar pull, of course, varies approximately, inversely, as the speed.
Aveling and Porter Ltd., and Barford and Perkins, Ltd., show a newmodel motor roller, the Victor, weighing 124-cwt. or 15 cwt., according to model. It is petrol-engined, the power unit being a single-cylindered water cooled 3 h.p. engine. The transmission includes a quick-reversing gear, and the roller is hand-guided, the operator walking behind. It is an admirable machine for garden paths, school playgrounds, tennis courts and the like.
The Foden stand was crowded, as can he realized from a description of the exhibits. They comprised one 2-13-ton Cherub oil-engine lorry, two Forturmers (for 4-6-ton loads) and a Sickstunner for 8 tons. In addition, a pneumatic-tyred 6-ton trailer is placed at the back of the stand and alongside is a Foden steam tractor driving a threshing machine.
The Fetter stand is a most interesting one. On it are a couple of new machines. The Petter truck and tractor are novel machines, comprising a tfiree-wheeled outfit with a twin-cylin dered air-cooled petrol engine. This drives through a single roller-chain from engine to gearbox. There are, in the latter component three forward speeds and one reverse. The final drive is also by chain, to a differential gear.
The other novel exhibit on this stand is the Shefflex 3-ton lorry with a Petter oil engine.
The International Harvester tractor display is a fine one, embodying 13 tree3341 tors, of half a dozen different types, including one Dunlop-tyred machine, several wheeled tractors and tracklayer types as well.
One of the exhibits is a new model, the Baby-Farmall tractor. The capacity is stated to be one single-furrow digging plough or a two-furrow generalpurpose plough.
Its normal governed speed is 1,400 r.p.m., but the governor can be handcontrolled down to 900 r.p.m. An im portant feature is the provision for adjustment of the track of the rear wheels from 44 ins. to 78 ins. • •
The Marshall tractor is also shown with creeper tracks. The engine is the same as that introduced in the Marshall wheeled tractor, a siugle-cylindered, two-stroke, cold-starting unit which, with a bore and stroke of 8 ins.. arid 10i ins, respectively, develops 30 b.h.p, at 550 r.p.m.
The Gyrotiller, shown in a variety of models by John Fowler and Co. (Leeds), Ltd., is a purely agricultural machine. It is, nevertheless, interesting, inasmuch as the Norman Box concern, a well-known haulage contractor, has placed an order for six of these machines, at £6,000 each.
The Massey-Harris four-wheel-drive tractor, not a new machine, is, nevertheless, well worth investigation, on account of its unique features. It is a particularly useful appliance for the tillage of crops which grow in rows.
We come now to another particularly fine show of commercial vehicles, that of Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd., which is. exhibiting in conjunction with Ken.. slings, Ltd., of Derby and elsewhere. The range of Morris-Commercial pro
ducts is representative, particularly of the reCently introduced C models. These, it may be recalled, are available in capacities of 30 cwt. to 3 tons, with either four or six-cylindered engines The outstanding exhibit, so far as goods vehicles are concerned, is the general-utility farm and estate lorry incorporating a 2-ton chassis.
The ramp on this lorry is complete with 'hinged side rails, is not merely detachable, but is supplementary to the equipment of the vehicle as previously described. That is to say, the lorry is complete, as such, without the ramp ; with it, it is converted into an efficient cattle truck.
Another outstanding exhibit on the same stand, and the only passengercarrying vehicle in the show, is a 31seater coach embodying a Morris-Commercial Dictator chassis. The body is a particularly fine example of the coachbuilders' art by Cravens Railway Carriage and Wagon Co., Ltd., Sheffield. The internal decoration and equipment are most attractive and complete, including racks for light luggage, neat interior lighting, a Clayton heater, Philco Transitone radio set and a sliding roof.
Another comprehensive commercial motor exhibit is that of Bedford commercial vehicles on the stand of G. S. Oscroft and Co., Ltd., of Nottingham. Two exhibits attract particular attention. One is the new Bedford 8-cwt.
van, now shown for the first time. The other is a van which, on one side, appears to be destined for use by a butcher but which, on the other side, lends colour to the idea that it is meant for a fishmonger.
Inquiry into the reason for this apparent duplicity elicited the information that it demonstrates a new sale scheme which is being operated in connection with Bedford vans whereby special artistic schemes of decoration are offered to those discriminating purchasers who appreciate the fact that a van has an advertising value. The designs are expressly for the trader concerned.
The next step brings us back to tractors again, to the stand on which is the Bristol, another new machine of the creeper-track type. This has a small engine, air cooled, developing 18 b.h.p. The tractor, however, is able to haul a two-furrow plough, and it is claimed that its design, embodying a drive to the front chain sprocket instead of to the rear one, makes for better utilization of the available power and improved mechanical efficiency. A feature of the track is the entire absence of pin joints.
On the next stand is the Raleigh three-wheeler, recently described in these columns. It is shown as a chassis, and with a variety of types of bodywork. Examination Of the' stripped chassis reveals an interesting point about the suspension, which is by four quarter-elliptic springs. These are inverted and secured, at their butts, to the frame of the chassis. The outer ends are pin-jointed to brackets which bolt to the underside of the body.
Finally, to complete this pleasant pilgrimage, visit three stands clustered together—Nos. 885, 336 and 337— where may be seen some particularly good examples of the application of the commercial motor manufacturers' art to the vbusiness of the farmer and horsebreeder. These stands are those of Vincents of Reading,. makers of horseboxes, the Low Loading Trailer Co., which is showing examples of its excellent lowloading trailers, one of them designed as a horsebox, and 3. H. Jenninge and Son, Ltd., particularly well known as a maker of cattle trucks.