1950-03-04 — Page 8

Page B.

CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1950,

MADE IN BRITAIN

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MOTORING

UK report:

THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN

NEWS AND VIEWS NEW YORK CITY

A year of hopes disappointed

Not even the desire to be encouraging con permit

the truthful summariser of the past year to say that 1949 was a good motoring year for Britain unless, that is, he recalls the beneficent sun of summer that made his scanty miles enjoyablo.

Year after year since the war British motorists have looked forward to more petrol-their greatest need--and more cars, their second greatest. Neither has materialised in any considerable quantity.

4

And now It would be false Interceptor and the Mille Miglia optimism to imagine that either Frazer-Nash. cars or petrol will be plentiful in Three manufacturers installed this year, Only motorists who bigger engines in existing chasals went abroad-

record number and bodies-Armstrong Siddeley over twice as many as last 1991 Cc to 2,389-c.c);-Triumph

able to

to get as much yeur) wore

c.c...to 2,008 c.c.), and petrol as they wanted.

inx (1.185 cc. to 1,285 chassis was in

mir

One thing, a change of econo- c.c.). One new

these troduced as policy, might alter forebodings, and as 1950 is elec-bodies-the

a basis for sports

ER.A.-Javelin,

tion your this may materialise, combination of names to inspire! even If the Government does not the enthusiast driver, change.

The great need of the year was Dirigisme, after four years, has increased

and uninterrupted рго- no signs of real success, duction at as low ត cost or pos and R is possible that a slacken-sible, and the industry was well ing off of the strings that tie the backed up in this aim by the economy of the country muy next steel industry, its chief supplier, be tried. The picture might then which went from record to re- be. brighter.

cord in its monthly figures. new

Indred, halfway through the British Iron and Steel the year

average

Last year opened with regulations concerned with mounting height of auxillary Federation discussed the possi- front lamps and based on dazzle bilities of a steel surplus in the statistics revealing that the "pass near future and everything

direction. lamp" was a bad dazzler, as set now pointing in that and adjusted by the

Nationalisation of such a success- motorist.

ful industry has been the biggest Their centres were to be not cause

political ill-feeling of less than 2ft above the ground throughout the country, and the unless they were used solely in position is still undecided. Indeed, fog or snow. So for there has been the con

election will be very coming little sign that the regulation is much a steel election. being enforced. Additional] Biggest financial event of the regulations for pedestrian cross-year was the devaluation of the ing usage

were foreshadow- pound, which

formed å fitting ed several Umes during the year, comment on the economie mis-

to now they have not but up

fortunes of the country. Loss of materialised,

confidence forced- the measure In March motorists learned that on the Government and the

caused

No confidence

Yet con@dance has returned, .because the crnment has shown

it up with

not Gov- every

Mesure. Ralph Bleigh and Peter Jopling, in a British 2.1ltra Austin A.70 saloon established a new record for the England-Cape Town car route with a time of 24 days, 2 confirmation). They left hours and 55 minutes (subject to Dover on the 10,300-mile route on November 20, 1949 pro ceeding via Boulogne to Marsellies, morose to Aiglers. From thereafter being fuelled to capacity by Shell, they traversed the 2,500 miles to Kano (Nigeria) with-the-ald-of-the chain of fully-equipped Shell refuelling posts which extend through out this section. The normal stocke in underground, tanks were used across the Sahara desert. Picture shows Interest- ad Bouth Africans watching the arrival of the Austin salcon as Mesars. Bielgh and Jopling complete their record-breaking run at Shell House, Cape Town on December 14, last year.

British car

car captures England to Cape

distance record

Town

One

to

the stock

By John Jarrett

have travelled by the Glasgow subway from St. George's Cross to Parkhead on a Saturday whon Rangers were visiting Celtic; 1 have boon in the last train from Nowcastle to Wall- send on the August Bank Holiday night after the fair.

I have clung to the outside of a dock tram in Colom- bo's rush-hour, to the inside of a Lancastrian caught in a storm off the Cocos Islands, and all over an LCT wallowing in a China Sea

monsoon.

But I have never been so con-1 take a tax instead. This als alstently scared and uncomfortable partly explains why the transport as I have been in almost any form system makes no improvements of New York transport you like to as it loses money yearly,

Irritable fatalists

name,

If you draw a rectangle, and inside insert 14 lines up and down its length, one hundred across its breadth, all at right angles there you have the street plan of cen- tru! Manhattan.

one

The taxis are driven by men who by trade become irritable fatalista. They blow their horns incessantly day and night, despite continual pious reminders from officialdǝm that "it is not legal to use horns to express anger or im- patience.**

Their two pet hates are "cope" and all emergency services,

In all of that space there is only

one cross-road,

Irregular diagonal, the famous Broadway. Because of this, getting from any one point to another on a diagonal,

| except in Broadway, will in the Ambulances, fire engines, und lunch hour take you at least twice police cars all use sirens here and 25 long as in any other city they have not yet seen why they should not use their alarm status know.

The blocks are on an averago to get home as quickly as they 100 yards long. There are traffle went out, despite the havoc it lights at least every two blocks. causes.

At the end of every other block |

told me that 'al- One driver there is a bus stop.

though he had heard London bus The transport system, to save drivers were good "yuh have to paying conductor, has also de- drive in Noo Yolk to be tops. It creed that the driver must collect your fare as you enter..

Resultant picture

yuh

can drive here, yuh drive anywhere."

I asked him whether he was as confident when, off duty, he went

not

al-

The resultant picture is as fol-out as a pedestrian. Taking his lows:-

eyes completely off the road, he The lights are red. A bus stops. turned round and said: "What Immediately, a stream of traille me, I never go out after wolk. behind it, being too tightly packed Traffic makes me noivous." for backing is also immobilised. On

the whole, most taxi-dri- As soon as the bus stops, the vers are careful and free from lights change to green. The bus accidents. That this is edges forward a few inches, and ways so is proved by the fact comes to the bus stop under the that the cabby whọ was respon- lights, and takes on passengers. sible for the senseless killing of If there are more than hak "Gone With the Wind" author dozen, collecting the fare takes Margaret Mitchell, In

In Atlanta, Just long enough for the lights Georgia, last August, had had 21 to turn red again (remember, the convictions against him in the driver has to answer queries, give lost four years, including ones change, issue tickets, chivvy the

still waits.

All of

Bay

arolands, to amber lights

traffic

and

this has been seriously

whenever possible to take a taxi. it explains why so many Gls took to taxis in England to the amaze (3)

suggested, the banning of all cars For short distances they are within Manhattan. ment of us frugal Britons. really not to dear, as both buses In this case, the public trans and subways charge a flat fare, port system would collapse, and which loses them money on long then for once, a Mayor would be an election ahor faced with keeping runs and cheats you on ons, so that you get mad and promise.

✓

4

of the most remarkable long-distance journeys in the history of motoring ended triumphantly on December 14, 1949, when two Englishman, R.H. Steigh and P. Jopling, drove their Austin saloon up to Shell House, Cape Town. This was the final check-point in an officially timed record drive from Dover, England, which they had left 24 days 2 hours 55 minutes previously

reck- (a time which is subject to confirmation),

passengers along there is no limit for speeding, fighting and

It is merely a gloss on this to The Austin was the A 70, or and put into working trim, 97 on numbers and try to shut his less driving involving accidents.

folding doors on the bus). repaired and 2-litre fuel tanks boing saloon of

that traffic police are need----- for the summer months, only their pound was brought down to the "Humpshire".

By the time the Ughts are greened to replace overworked traffic slundard ration WOR to be very low, figúre of $2.80..

capacity, and was quite standard four new ones Installed.

The fastest road journey from again, a truck that wishes to turn on

at rush hours; that pedes- lights at doubled. This was at a time when

apart from extra fuel tanks

alongside England the Cape in pre-war right has come from

trians got foolish and stampede, the world petrol demand and

the roof and at the rear, and a

the bus's nose until the

ronda on which supply situation had crystallsed

sleeper-type seat to enable the days was that of 11. Symons and across

H.B. Browning in a Wolseley stream of pedestrians scampering especially crossing road

different streams of traffic to such an extent that it could

co-driver to obtain rest.

that there are no 10,300 (February 1939). Their time was to get aboard a bus pulled up in over be seen that world oll shortage sign

The route was

Shell the intersecting street stops it, of regarding devalu- miles, but so trouble-free was 31 days 22 hours, using

By the time it has blasted was over. Indeed, the Americanation as an end in itself instead the run that in the later stages fuel and lubricant throug

(taken away because nobody petroleum industry was hard put of a means to an end, and has Sleigh and Jopling were able to including

them, the lights change to provided through to it to And places to store petrol. failed to back

-

than two traffic the exceed comfortably the planned along of the main Trans-Sahara red again, and a nervous Mexican, paid any heed to them)

in Surplus remains

1 car eight blocks, back who is never more necessary economis measures schedule, and averaged 450 routes,

Eight years later, Sleigh and trying to catch a train back to lights per four-corner crossing, Something of that surplus has Devaluation did, however, restore miles drivers were the first to Jopling made their first attempt sanity, gets out and stabs himself and occasionally only one-often

per day. remained throughout the year, the competitiveness of the Br- The

in completely blocked by a truck. death happily. The bus assist on the England-Cape record in to but Britain's deliar dimculties tigh car overseas, particularly in acknowledge the expert

The situation seems to be it- have successfully screwed the tap the doliar countries, although it aure of Shell throughout their # Chevrolet truck, and, although front steeds the New Yorker remediable. The alternatives are

falling

full distance over the up tight against British motorists, meant that many more cara had drive. At Algiers, for example, and the latest words at the Chan-to-be-exported even-to-bring in the Shell-representatives not owing to a delay in handling at

(1) a city built on different Hines

and cellor of the Exchequer on dollar the same amount of foreign cur- only fuelled the Austin to capa- the Marseilles decks, they set up

(2) a set of inhabitants ditto; or problems--he said that one big rency. It is still too early to say city, ready for the first section of the fastest time then on the re- way in which it was hoped to whether it has proved to be the the 2,500 miles across the Sahara cord books for the drive from eave dollars in the sterling area success that was hopod.

Kano (Nigeria), but they ob- Algiers to the Cape. was through oll economies-have The Chancelor's stop was taken tained clearance for the drivere prevall again atmosphere on the eve of the London Show, papers to such good effect that within the car was on its again. One home ald to exports In-Earls Court and attracted huge

three hours of disembarkation, as stituted during the year was the crowds, though not record num-

compared with the normal Lindley proving ground, which bers as had happened in 1949. hours,

Normal fuci stocka were opened for trial and test pur- However, the Show was adjudged drawn on throughout and com

to have been a great success. It plete oil changes poses on April 28.

This ground, near Nuneaton, was followed a few weeks later out at Kano and again at Hal- enables

manufacturers to test by the Scottish Show the first

robi, after further 3,500 miles.. under conditions post-war version and this, too, closely

to those was very successful

Looking back found overseas, and they share!

The disgruntlement of the Looking back to the years a battery of testing Instruments home motorist remains centred, immediately following the First which have not previously been as it has been since the war, I World War, the ploneers of mo-

A mechanical diagnostician Letrol and so conveniently assembled.

Sahara, the car supply. Or the toring across the

for the ills of a car has been had desert, Outstanding now models of the former it may be said that there world's greatest

fuel with introduced to the National Au- year were undoubtedly the Rover is hope of small but steady im either to take their

Britain has a wonderful! After flying over most of Aus- 75 and the Triumph Mayflower, provement over

them or to arrange for supplies tomobile Dealers Association. a long period, to be laid down at suitable inter- | - The device was one of 250 dis- chance to do big business with tralia's main Inter-State The Rover was largely rede chiefly owing to increases

roules I feel that the best aval!-- signed, and the Triumph was a latter the position

British refining capacity, of the vals In either case, this was a plays at the Association's equip Australia in the realm of air able aircraft for ANA I the

is most un-costly and cumbersome business, ment exhibition at Convention

Vickers Shell Sahara

day transport. This great Com- 40-seat version of the The certain. As long as overseas sales

Service, Hall. The exhibition opened 20 year

continue to keep up

a program in advance of the Association's monwealth country will soon Viscount..

! and even however, undertook

A lot of successful test ying me of installing permanent All- aimual convention. need lots of new airliners of

has been done with market will be short

ment along three productos as sales drop off while and the first Shell: Sahara ex-diais, sold it can tell instantly being thrown up in the renale would be a fine thing if it could ly introduced for 1940, plus an which it now stands something Algiers in February

of its trials. 1929 to contains, in one unit, all of the dustry,

in A demonstration tour the All Risks Insurance. World occasional new body style, as the must be done with the cars. Jewellery:" wide in cover.

only alterations to production.

plan into testing equipment; used to check Either they must Other new models were, how-to the home

Australia is more than inter-course of the next few months the functions of vilal car units.

jet-propelled do might help considerably to Jet- ever, the Healey Silverstone, an duction must be cut, with inevit inks were installed, more than having trouble, the manufacturer Haviland come

Pumps and underground. fuel If your car shows signs of ested in the

the propjet propel towards British factories

the an order

millions of Allerd.competition model with auble unemployment. This is the 100 tons of aerial being tran- says, foring it in to your repair engined Vickers Viscont

Worth bigger engine, and the Jensen

(Continued at foot of next Col,): sported to the heart of the de- department. There will bo ne piston-engined Airspeed Ambas pounds.

It the propjetengined would be more difficult to sert, and within five years the guesswork. The device will locate andor, and

sell Viscounts to Trans-Austra- syrtem was in full operation the trouble with scientific ac Handley Page Hermes

British solemen may be work- la Afriners. with posts) at 400-600km, inter- | curney, he says, "ek

ing-behind the scenes, in the FTAA has invested a lot of vals. v, som

Oil level check

good old modest British way, but money in a fleet of twin-engined. during a visit to Australia from 40-senter "American) * Conval- returned | liners. - - which I have recently

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was

their eating

"real" new model.

"Tick-over

For most of the other

| year in design, with modlications

manu-

once again held

which war on

24

were carried

MechanicalTM "doctor"

de ravataillo- The

for cars

Atlantic City, March

TO

Boat the jet men

must not miss

BY COURTENAY EDWARDS

the

mir

Aret,

facturers this was a "Uck-over" crease, supplies to the home ing posts ("postes main routes. I diagnosticlanı, n.device with main, just the types that are now smaller Viscount, and I think it to improve existing models, new-production stays at the level at pedition, under Mr, Bardot, loft what is wrong with any car. Isance of Britain's aircraft in. / be sent to Australia; soon as part

be released market or. pro-

carry this grandiose effect...

Britain exports road safety

Probably the greatest:s[øgle santribution:

In: the pinet: 80 years has been the Inventlan. oyan reflecting fondstudi" More than 3,000,000)

Kingdam, in addition to several hundr tinental reds, The "Oat's sys

pad which is slipped Into: 8 cart |

the

Tanks repaired During the World War, the For the fellow who likes push did not got the impression that system naturally fell into abey-buttons there is a new one placed Britons are fully alive to the

I anco but, when peace returned, on the dashboard, that tumis on

--- He's interested "the", transport companies were a light and shows the driver the

tremendous possibilities of scross the Sahara, and in Decent oil level, eliminating the need to air transport situation out there. But Arthur Coles dynamic ber: 1948 Shell sent out a mobile open the bonnet and check in the How tragle it would be if Bri chairman of both TAA and Bri- workshop, again; under M. Bar conventional waysiga tain missed the boat","through | Ush Commonwealth Paclie. Air- det. On this expedition 6,000 Another device locks or unlocks being so proud of its latest ar Tacs, a very interested in the mics were covered and 81 re the rear doors from a control on

liners, so cocksure of their world Comet fuelling stations were inspected the dashboard. A new gadget supremacy that it made the He is in favour of Jumping

mistake of leaving them to "sell straight, from piston-engined alr alignment proge restores proper, wheel,

themselves'

Liners to jot-propelled. Comets dilemma in which the Govern-instantly, DE ment, finds itself, and upon which convention discussed how to dis

Delegates to the Association's

vices ity hanno unetul Augsto pood: of (0,000,000 new cars and

to

Two reasons

for TAAL fans! inter-Blate T-

No doubt the money laid out. Australian National Airways, on this new Convairliners has But it dilemma Uat will ruck this year. They expect that have to be faced sooner or later,mber of vehicles to be deliver one of the country's two big air some bearing on this outlook,

production equals 1948 line organisations, badly neodan By the time these piston for it cannot be bgood that quar" ngur

lot of snow stars and Comet will have had opera

243Fgland planer becaine worn out have RISUS.-bullt

pertaine other

onra Dakotas are wearing, out, tionist experience on other routes. CORSION BANENdy, Australlan sibiminess SWII WHY ANA!ls turnin" gilalas men are speculation on how even

Jandino); Comet fetider will: mitted: Fährlüking: