DESERT TRANSPORT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18257, 28 November 1933, Page 5

DESERT TRANSPORT

FAMOUS MOTOR SERVICE DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME OWNER REVISITS N.X. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. An arrival by the Makura yesterday was Mr. G. Nairn, a New Zealander, who, with his brother, owns the famous 550-mile transport service across the Iraq desert, between Damascus and Bagdad. The two Nairn brothers were born in Blenheim. They served in Palestine during the war, deciding to remain there afterwards. They started on their transport- business in 1919, and in 1921 set up a service between Beyruth and Haifa. Later they gave it up because of the competition. Two years later they started their desert service between Damascus and Bagdad. The greatest difficulties were experienced in establishing their service, and although £2OOO a year was given to the Bedouin troops along the route to keep them quiet, trouble occurred, and (hiP-' ing tile Druse rising in 1925 some cars were so badly shot up that the route had to he changed, and a 950-mile detour through Palestine and Tratisjordania made. More serious, however, than the danger of marauding tribes, are the dangers and difficulties of natural and climatic obstacles. “It’s all dust in summer, and inna in winter,” Mr. Nairn told an interviewer. “The desert is not sand, but either dry, baked, or slushy t.arth. Sometimes the temperature is over 120 degrees in the shade,, and sometimes there are. heavy fioods. ENORMOUS NEW VEHICLES “We have continual troubles with tyres that burst in the heat or break away into lumps of canvas and melting rubber, and at other times the cars have to be pulled with winch and cable across roaring torrents, along the beds of wadis that were bone div the day liefore. "It is not uncommon to have to drive through- desert dust storms so heavy that the man at the wheel lias to have someone, standing on the front mudguard to see where the road is. Also 1 have known times when a ear has 'had lo be pounded along in second gear continuously for 60 miles because of the deep mud.”

Modern six-wheel cars, carrying 15 passengers, are now used. The brothers have recently designed what will be the largest bus in the world, and one specially built for the unusual conditions of travelling. It will arrive at Beyruth in a few weeks. The bus will have 18 wheels, and will be driven on three axles by a Diesel engine of 190 horse power. If will carry 34 passengers, with provision for sleeping. If this enormous vehicle turns out a success, and the brothers are staking their whole concern on it, they will put oil a 50-pas-senger bus.

Accompanying Mr. Naim is Mrs. Nairn, also a New Zealvnder, and their two sons, aged eight and live years, who were both born in Beyruth. The two hoys, who are both expert Arabic linguists, will be put to school in Christchurch, and Mr. and Mrs. Nairn will return to Beyruth in February.