CYCLE AND MOTORING NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 69, 14 November 1912, Page 5

CYCLE AND MOTORING NOTES.

VACUUM CLEANER

One of the latest accesso;ies placed on the American market is an adaption of the vacuum clearer, designed specially for cleaning all parts of the car as well as the clothes of the passengers. The apparatus is ,worked by the exhaust from the motor, and a sufficient length of hose is supplied with each cleaner to enable the suction brush to be used on any part of the car, whether of th elimonsme or open type.

SYDNEY - MELBOURNE RECORD

It was reported in Melbourne last week that the coloured boxer Sartt McYea—was leaving Sydney on an attempt to beat the existing Sydney-Melbourne/motor-car record ofPJlir 17 min. McVea was to drive his 90 h.p. racing car. If he seriously uueimcd endeavouring to reduce the car record between tne two capitals, ne failed, for he did not reach Melbourne when due. In the writer’s opinion, Mc\ ea's machine is too powerful to be suitable for the Sydney-Melbourne route, for, besides being very heavy on tyres, such a car is not suitable for fast travelling over bad roads and tricky busir tracks. An up-to-date 35 h.p. car can travel just as fast as this route can carry.

•MOTOR BUS v. ELECTRIC TRAM

Despite the fact that the tramway systems of London are having a strenuous and perilous time competing uita the motor buses, it seems strange t<. hear of Australian cities entering into heavy liabilities in laying down electric tram services. From April to June the London tramways receipts dropped off £20,000. As against tnis, it is significant that during the last nine months the motor bust receipts have leaped up £300,000. The motor bus is making its appearance along every tramway route in London, and on many of them there are three buses to every car. , From the trend of things in London, the motor bus is eventually going to drive the tramways off the mad, not only on the grounds of superior handiness and general adaptability, but on account of the actual economies of the two systems. The experience of London is that the tramway system cannot compete with the motor buses, and from the look of things the latter w: 11 slowly but surely drive the street car into bankruptcy. If London, with its millions of population, favours the motor bus, there must lie very good reason for it, and Australasian fit.ee who are thinking of spending big sums in putting down permanent tramway systems will do well to hasten slowly. .

THE IDEAL ROAD. Cyclists and motorists will be pleased to hear that, scenting to reports from England, the ideal road material is within measurable distance at last, if not already an accomplished fact. A new road surface lias been discovered that is said to be better than asphalt without being slippery. The new discovery represents an ingenious combination of granite, cement, bitumen, and sand. As only 10 per cent, of bitumen is used, the cost is said to be considerably less than asphalt pavement, in which about 50 per cent, of bitumen is employed. The composition is so durable that the makers “guarantee the road surface for five years.” Holes in the surface can be quickly repaired, and at comparatively little cost. The essence of the system is that the new road has a firm foundation of asphalt with a one inch top crust of relatively softer and nonslippery composition, which sets very quickly. The whole cost in London of the new road is 4s 6d per super yard, but in the country it is said that the nfiw’material can bo laid own at 2s 7d per yard. Special machinery has been invented for the preparation of the wearing carpet. The appliances used are twofold. The sand itself is simply heated in huge bins, but a much more complex and highly interesting machine is that which heats the gravel in a Lot air chamber, and also performs the final mixing of all the ingredients. At one end of»the machine is a petrol motor, which drives hot air into a chamber containing half-a-dozen tilting trays on which the gravel rests. When this has been heated to a temperature of 600 degrees, it is emptied by means of a hand lever into a mixing trough, and is there combined with duo proportions of heated sand, bitumen. and Portland cement, and churned’ up with a revolving screw. The final outcome is a self-hardening mixture of great durability, waterproof, easily laid or repaired, arjd at the same time free from the fault of slipperiness. It Ts interesting to note that this “bituminous macadam” machine can be worked, if necessary, on the road itself, and two examples l ave already been ordered for use in Germany. It would perhaps be as well that our local authorities should get in touch with Colonel Crompton, C. 8., London, who is the consulting engineer to the English Road Board, and who is mainly responsible for the new road compound.