Motordom

Southland Times, Issue 22293, 7 April 1934, Page 13

Motordom

News & Notes

OF GENERAL INTEREST. ON THE ROAD AND ON THE WING. THE LATEST HAPPENINGS. New B.S.A. A new model of 249 c.c. capacity has been added to the range of B.S.A. motor cycles. The latest machine is known as the “O.H.V. Sports”; it sells for £4B 10/- in England. The specification includes a four-speed gearbox, seven-inch diameter brakes and 26 X 3.25 in. Dunlop tyres. Like all other B.S.A. machines, it is sold ready for the road with a six-volt lighting set and horn. The Cost of Waste. From our English motor correspondent.

Lewis Carroll’s engine driver, whose time was worth a thousand pounds a minute, would not be such a fantastic creature in a modern motor factory. If, every day, each employee at any of the vast British works were to waste five' minutes it would cost a colossal sum. In the departments of many factories there are 40 miles of belting. Should this cause a ten-minute hold up of production every day, £50,000 per annum would be lost. In many of the component shops alone 5 per cent, of waste represents a dead loss of £60,000 a year. In Alice’s wonderland, land was worth a thousand pounds an inch and smoke a thousand pounds a puff. They are worth nearly as much in the wonderland of the motor world to-day. Glorias on Tour. From our English motor correspondent. One of the surprises of last year’s Motor Show was the appearance of a new range of Triumph cars—the Glorias—which combined strikingly good looks with the promise of equally good performance. The success of this type in the light car class of the recent Monte Carlo Rally was the most complete fulfilment of that promise, and gave ample proof that Gloria beauty is emphatically more than skin deep. With the object of impressing on the public what manner of car it is that has so quickly sprung into fame, a convoy of Glorias is being sent on a prolonged tour of the country. Groups of cars in various colour schemes, representing the complete range, will operate simultaneously, and nearly 200 important centres in England and Wales will be visited in the course of their three months’ journey. It is calculated that the total distance cov-I ered by the cars will be approximately 100,000 miles. A Daimler Jubilee. Just over fifty years ago the first patent was issued for an aircooled petrol motor with spark ignition. The patentee was Gottlieb Daimler, to whom belongs the chief credit for the development of the light internal combustion engine as we know it. He was the first to realize the possibility of using the lighter part of paraffin (afterwards called petrol) as a convenient portable fuel and to design an engine which would not only use that fuel but which itself be light enough to be used in a private carriage. From the engine which he originally patented sprang directly the prototype of the modern car engine, and, incidentally, the famous British concern which acquired the right to manufacture under Daimler’s patents and to use his name. As a matter of fact, having obtained these rights the Daimler Company developed its cars quite independently of the .original designer, but its connection with the Jubilee of Gottlieb’s patent is direct enough to make the occasion an interesting one in British motoring history. Modern Salesmanship. From our English motor correspondent. Ever since the manufacture of cars became a keenly competitive business, it has been considered the salesman’s first job to persuade the prospective purchaser to read his sales literature. By this means the “prospect” is interested in the car, and eventually a trial run—and a purchase—may result. The joint efforts of a prominent company and its Sussex distributors have carried the all important matter of interesting the “prospect” a step further, by actually showing him how the cars are made. Recently nearly 300 Southerners visited the works at Birmingham and saw for themselves the thousand and one fascinating processes which go to the manufacture of the modern car. There can be little doubt that the experience aroused more interest in the product than could ever be created by the most attractive catalogue. In other words, the factory itself, became ior the time being a part of the selling organization. TRe trip proved most enjoyable to the visitors and was at the same time an interesting experiment for the manufacturers and distributors, who will in future be keeping a close watch on the results obtained by this 70-acre factory salesman. A February Number. The February issue of the “Riley Record” is well up to standard. A thrilling account of the Monte Carlo Rally, the results of which were published in this page recently, makes interesting reading. The competitors arrived in an exhausted weary condition after battling with nasty weather and still nastier roads. But, “joy cometh in the morning!” Next day under blue skies tired drivers were able to lie at ease and absorb the. magic of Monte Carlo—city of laughter and life. How general motoring had developed under the new regime in Germany is well described by George W. Feuchter. Germany has during the past few years remained far behind many other European countries as far as motoring is concerned. The Hitler Government has endeavoured to remedy this state of affairs; in the space of one year its measures of assistance have already proved fruitful. The German motor car and motor cycle industry has come back to a new life from a lethargic condition, and has gained a fresh impetus. Several photographs accompany the article. There is not a dull page in this February number. Safety Campaign Begins. The first move in the great road safety campaign has been launched by the Automobile Association. Millions of extracts from the Highway Code as it affects the motorist have been reprinted by the A.A. and are being sent to motorists all over the country. Every possible means of getting these leaflets to the motorist is being used. All letters to half a million A.A. members will contain a copy. Garages, hotels, A.A. telephone boxes, cinemas, theatres, in every place where the motorist meets, these yellow and black

leaflets will urge the need for care and consideration on the road. But this is not enough. The A.A. conteds that road safety is a national problem and requires treatment on national lines. The Government must act—the entire community must be made to realize the urgent need for a united effort. The Highway Code states that the real remedy for the problem lies in “the instruction and education of all road users as to their duties and obligations to one another and the community as a whole,” but only a minute percentage of the population have ever seen this publication. The A.A. is ensuring that the motorist receives the code, but it is imperative that everyone should be familiar with its contents. This can only be achieved by Government action. Test to Destruction. When motor car design was less advanced than it is to-day, the most obvious way of proving what an engine would stand up to was to discover the point at which it would break down. For this reason the one company some years ago instituted “destruction tests”; the unfortunate engine which w r as selected for the sacrifice was placed on an engine bed run at 3000 r.p.m. under full load for 21 hours non-stop. Similar tests are in operation to-day, but they are no longer destructive, for wear or fracture is seldom discovered. Every week of the year one of the company’s engines is subjected to special “investigation” tests. It is run all out for 21 hours, as in the old tests; of this time, three hours are spent in first gear, three in second, 14 in third and three quarters of an hour in top, the remainder being occupied by 15 minutes in reverse. The milage equivalent is over 500, of which 420 miles are done in third gear. The engine is then completely stripped and microscopic examination is made of all parts. One great advantage of the tests is that they enable any new components, such as different type sparking plugs and piston rings to be tried out more strenuously than could ever be possible on the road. In fact similar conditions could only be reproduced by a 21 hour all out non-stop run on a racing track; and as runs of this duration are not permissable at Brooklands, they would have to be carried out on the Continent. The factory tests are at least equally efficient and they have the further asset that they allow refinements and modifications to be made without delay.

IN GREAT BRITAIN. RECORD MOTORING SEASON. MILES BY THE MILLION. BY R.A.C. There are indications of a record motoring season in Britain this year. Double shifts are working in the big motor factories in the Midlands, the distributive trade is doing bigger business than ever before, and everything points to more cars being made and sold than for years past. Even at this early date the Automobile Association, anticipating a boom in road travel, is effecting a systematic reorganization of its vast road patrol service, so that it may cover a greater mileage even than before. What this means may be gathered from the fact that last year A.A. patrols covered no fewer than 30,000,000 miles. Busy Factories. The activity in the motor trade is reflected in the unemployment figures in the Bedfordshire town of Luton, which are the lowest for any industrial town in England. Here Vauxhall Motors have their factory, upon which no less than £500,000 was spent on extensions in order to produce the new 12 and 14 h.p. models last June. Such was the demand, however, that it was found necessary to produce four times as many cars in December as were originally scheduled. As even this production cannot compete with present demand, no less than £250,000 is to be applied to still further development. The London distributors, Shaw and Kilburn, are experiencing a record demand and confidently anticipate that Vauxhalls will be very popular with overseas visitors during 1934. The Standard works at Canley are now equipped for a production of 750 cars a week, and to achieve this considerable sums have been expended on new tools and assembly plant. Hundreds of component parts of a car are inspected by an army of experts before each part is hung on the overhead conveyor and passes on to the workmen for assembly. This conveyor is 2000 ft long, so that in two hours the heaps of “auxiliaries” are assembled into a complete car without once ceasing to be on the move. It is understood, by the way, that arrangements have been made for the assembly of Standard cars for the Danish market to be carried out in Copenhagen, and that the first consignments have already been shipped. In the Near East. Several outstanding British carshave recently been supplied for use in the Near East, where service conditions are likely to be strenuous. A very interesting Talbot 95, for instance, with coachwork by James Young and Co., has been delivered to a client by Pass and Joyce, and he will use it in Egypt and Arabia. The body is of the sports tourer type, with three seats arranged clover-leaf fashion beneath the hood, and a dickey seat in the tail. Beyond the dickey seat the tail extends to form a compartment for luggage and spares. , The first Rolls-Royce to be sold in Syria carries an all-weather body by Hooper and Co. It is of essentially modem design with straight waist-line and swept wings and running boards. A boot is provided for the accommodation of luggage and there is a detachable extension to cover the driver s seat. Radio on the Car. There has been considerable divergence of opinion upon the desirability of equipping cars with radio sets, but there is little doubt that such a fitting will become almost universal within the next few years. At present there are Continental countries in which radio on the car is actually barred on the grounds that it diverts the driver’s attention from his job, but it is difficult to see why he should be affected any more by radio than by the voices of passengers in the car. Car radio equipment is certainly arousing increasing interest and the latest developments are worthy of note. The latest model Rotax ML anode converters to provide H.T. current from L.T. batteries have been specially designed for car radio. Introduced by the Lucas-C.A.V.-Rotax organization, the converter is neat and compact and uses only a very small amount of current. It gives an output of 220 volts 40 m.a., and is usually housed in a waterproof container mounted under the floorboards.

NEW WOLSELEY IN LUXURY CLASS. LONG WHEELBASE CHASSIS. The 1934 range of Wolseley cars has been extended by the addition of a 21/60 h.p. long wheelbase chassis, available as a landaulette or limousine. In either case the price is £650 in England. The engine of the new car is an overhead camshaft six-cylinder. The wheelbase of lift 3in and track of 4ft Bin allow body-work of ample dimensions to be fitted. The car has been designed to provide the maximum of travel comfort. An automatic clutch, working in conjunction with a synchromesh gearbox and a free-wheel, allows genuine “onefoot control,” whilst gear-changing, of course, is absolutely simple and silent. The specification includes everything which is the last word in automobile refinement. Full accommodation for seven persons is provided in both the limousine and landaulette—three in the wide rear seat, two in the driver’s compartment and two on occasional seats facing forward. When not in use these seats fold flush into the partition behind the driver; attached to them are concealed footrests which can be pulled out when required. The rear seat is provided with a deep central arm rest which folds flush into the squab when three passengers are carried on the rear seat. An unusual amount of head, leg and elbow room is provided. The single glass panel which divides the two compartments can easily be raised or lowered by a single winder. The exterior finish and interior appointments are of the highest quality, and either model represents a most handsome and comfortable motor carriage for town or country use, at a moderate price. Various internal finishes in finest quality cloth, cord or leather are available, with black, deep blue or maroon as the main exterior colours. IRELAND TO AMERICA A TRIP BY CAR. “GOING FOREIGN” IN ENGL ART). It is possible to make such a journey as the title suggests but not, of course, in the accepted sense. Ireland m this case is a village in Bedfordshire, and America will be found in CambridgeMotorists in their travels must often have noticed the strangely foteign names to be encountered in rural England. It. is understandable that towns in the New World and the dominions should bear names associated with Britain, but that foreign places should have their counterpart in England is not so easily to be explained. Buenos Aires, apart from its Spanish interpretation, is essentially associated with the capital of Argentina. How comes a village in Kent to bear such a name? It is far cry from Panama to the West County, yet we find a Colon in the Duchy of Cornwall. Stranger still it is to find Morocco represented. Why should a small Surrey hamlet be named Mogador? What association can there be between the Tangiers near Haverfordwest and the flourishing port in North Africa?

It is not so puzzling to find Palestine represented. Wales has many place names of a Biblical character such as Bethlehem, Bethesda and Nazareth, but it is not alone in that respect, for we find Jericho in Derby, Dumfries and Lancashire. There is a Jerusalem in Lincolnshire and Jordan in West Yorks.

Wales is particularly catholic in its choice. We find Babylon in Flintshire, Canton in Glamorgan, Troy (so rich in Homeric memories) in Monmouthshire, and even the remote Caucasus is represented by Van in Glamorganshire. Doubtless the Crusades are perpetuated by Acre in Lancashire and Joppa in Ayrshire, and later feats of arms by Quebec (Durham), Quatre Bras (Northumberland) and Gibraltar (Oxfordshire). Dresden we might expect in a pottery district like Staffs, but why Etruria in the heart of Josiah Wedgewood’s country? The Roman province of Eturia had many claims to distinction but none of a ceramic nature.

Among countries Holland has pride of place. Not only is a whole Parliamentary division of Lincolnshire named thus, but there are Hollands in Lancashire and Surrey. For Bohemia we can go to Hampshire or Sussex; Canada is in Yorkshire, Norway in Sussex, and Normandy in Surrey. Picardy is rightly in the pleasant country of Kent, and for those who cannot go East there is an Egypt in Somerset. The palm must be awarded to East Anglia for going farthest afield and selecting Formosa, that delectable island off the coast of China.

Should any friend cast doubts on your travels you can direct him to Hades—in West Yorkshire !

THE WOMAN DRIVER HER LITTLE FAILINGS. DEFERENCE ON THE ROAD. This article by M. J. B. Stoker, which appeared in the “Morris Owner,” is a reply to Lady Alice Seton who recently defended the woman motorist in that paper. “Let’s forget the woman driver,” pleads Lady Alice Seton. By all means —if only she would forget her sex it would be so much easier. Let us begin by describing a little episode which occurred in a little country road between two hedges. In the centre of the stage is an obstruction of the type frequently indulged in by Rural District Councils. This consists of a hole dug at one side of the roadway and surrounded by trestles adorned with red flags; the whole occupying exactly half the width of the road. Approaching it from either side are two cars—one driven by a man, the other by a woman. The available piece of road is on the man’s left-hand side, and the “right of way” is therefore his. The woman swings to her right to take the road. The man, determined not to be deprived of his right keeps to his course. A grinding of brakes ensues and the two vehicles pull up bonnet to bonnet. The man raises his hat and says: “Madam, the road is mine. Please reverse and let me pass.” “Nonsense, you saw me coming. Why didn’t you slow down and let me get through?” “The road is on my left. The right of way is mine.” “If you were a gentleman you would have slowed down and let me through first.” Hatred in the Making. She was a very nice looking young woman, but the man held his ground. She reversed with rather bad grace and, I surmise, went home to describe the bad manners of man to-day. There lies the root cause of the “slanging” against which Lady Alice so charmingly and entertainingly protests. For generations past woman has received from man a homage amounting to—shall we say—a “right of way.” Man has stood aside for her to pass, held open doors for her, given up his seat to her in buses and trams. She has learnt to expect this deference as her right—and she sometimes trades on it. She quite unconsciously expects this same deference to be shown her on the road. Man steps into the gutter that she may enjoy the even surface of the pavement, therefore why should he not take his car through the hedge that she may enjoy the crown of the road ?—very natural. It is not that women are bad drivers —au contraire—on the average they are very good, but they instinctively do what they want tc and expect men to give them their customary “right of way.” These observations are made in the light of eighteen years’ continual driving over many roads and in many countries. It is not possible to go into statistics (by which Lady Alice warns us that she will on no account be influenced), nor is it of any value to give imaginary examples illustrating cartoon types, none of whom represent the average male. It is hardly correct to say that: “Women of to-day are . . . paying for the sins of the pioneer woman motorist.” Nor was the woman driver of twenty years ago a rarity or a freak. She was very capable and perhaps knew more about her car than does her younger sister to-day—she had to.

Eighteen years ago she drove ambulances very well indeed and with due consideration for her mangled human freights—and she quite forgot she was a woman demanding of men her customary “right of way.” Neither are somnolent males reclining on the back seats of femininely conducted cars as common a sight as Lady Alice would have us think. Assuredly let us forget the woman driver—but let her, while driving, first forget that she is a woman!

A.A. SERVICE SOME UNUSUAL DUTIES. CONUNDRUMS BY THE SCORE. If half a million motorists decided each to make one really baffling request to the Automobile Association, the annual stock of “problems” would not be much larger than it is already. Thousands of these conundrums are, of course, directly connected with touring, road and legal matters. But thousands are anything but “normal questions”— yet the A.A. in the case of something like 98 per cent, of these brain-twisters, is able to satisfy the enquirer. Information is not enough in many cases. The A.A. is asked to do all manner of queer things. A foreign visitor, for instance, applied to the A.A. for the necessary documents to enable him to tour with a limousine car fitted up to carry performing dogs, cats and monkeys. In view of the quarantine regulations affecting animals, this request proved an awkward one. | Rather similar was the problem of a •lady who contemplated a summer tour by horsedrawn caravan, with a donkeycart as luggage tender, through France and Central Europe. Police and licence regulations and customs difficulties formed of course, an important consideration, and the member wished to have all available information about camping sites in the countries toured. Yet another “animal problem”—in this case entirely unconnected with motoring or touring—was that of a member who wanted the A.A. to buy a Dartmoor pony for her at a stock sale. Unfortunately a band of gipsies got in first and bought up all the available ponies. This was one of the A.A.’s failures. People often ask the association to buy things for them. A Tipperary member enquired for a reliable florist in Lossiemouth to enable him to send flowers to a lady friend in Scotland without having to pay duty on them. A visitor from the Soudan called at Fanum House and staggered a reception clerk by asking where he could buy some baby clothes! Yet a very natural request by a stranger—and the A.A. saw him through. Requests for unusual touring information are common. The captain of a cricket club asked the association to plan a cricket tour for the coming summer. Another member wanted to know of a site for a summer camp for 100 boys. Through the A.A.’s patrol organization eight suitable sites were found, and the member was left to make his final choice.

Nobody would imagine that balloon races were very common, yet the Automobile Association is often asked by enthusiasts for distances as the crow flies and advance reports on weather conditions. The longest route for a balloon race yet planned is from Tooting to Genoa—66o miles.