1934-12-11 — Page 2

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HONG KONG - DAILY

PRESS, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1934.

BY-WAYS ROUND THE

RODINGS

Villages Of Charm Near London

In a forgotten corner of Bisex," within twenty-five miles of Lon- don and only a few miles from noisy arteries carrying ceaseless- traffic to the north and east, lea a most delightful tract of "real country," It is so remote and "unsophisticated, and so far from railways, that It is almost im- possible to realise the Metropoils is within such a close distance.

There the River Roding, wind- Ing through a low vale, and pick- ed out by lines of feathery trees, gives name to a whole cluster of villages the Roothings or Rod- ings as they are known--which are particularly appealing to the car wanderer in search of pasto- ral country and quiet places. You must go by side-roads, and you must travel slowly, constant- ly retracing your wheel-tracks, and as constantly turning off to right and left us something calls your attention. forgetful of time, If you would miss none of their charms.

A Run for Autumn Days Here is a leisurely drive for a short autumn day, one I have al- ways found exceedingly attrac- tive more so, perhaps in the mellow sunshine than at

other time of the year.

Take the road to Woodford and on through Eppite as far as Har- low, where you turn right for Hatfield Heath; after crossing the broad open common with its plc-. turesque church, turn again on to the Chelmsford road. In a few miles you come to the first of the

White Roding, Rodings. which incorporates Morells Rod- Ing in its parish. And here be- gins the pecullar loveliness of the Rodings.

Turn right at the Whalebone Inn for Abbess. Roding, passing on the way White Roding Mil), a fine example.of mill in an excel-

of preservation. lent state

and later Mascalls Bury, a moated farm with some

magnificent! barris. The farm buildings of Essex are usually well built and of large capacity, especially the great barns constructed, before the days of the agricultural de- pression. for the "tall Essex wheat" which used to cover many acres in this county renowned for its corn.

few sights There are more lovely than a tract of coun- try .thus cultivated just before harvest-time.

Near Abbess Roding is Rook- Wood Hall, ine old manorhouse from which it is said a subter- ranean passage runs to Colville Hall, near White Roding. Tum off left in Abbess Roding, then for Bird's right and left again Green. Neatly, at Moreton, is another fine old windmill, bor- dered by thatched cottages, and it is well worth a visit. It can be reached by way of Fyfeld Just after Bird's Green it is worth while branching off to the right for about a mile to the twin villages of Willingale, Spain and

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Willingale Doe, where you will see the rare sight of two churches in one churchyard. ·

If you retrace your tracks and cross the River Roding. Beauc- hamp Roding church will be seen standing alone on a small "ll, the few scattered cottages below, comprising the village. · Across the Belds, and through the trees on the right, you may catch a glimpse of another church, that of Berners Roding.

For a short way the road fol- lows the windings of the River Roding and then bears off right to Margaret Roding, on a main road which is almost as quiet as the lanes you have just left. The beautiful little Norman church of Margaret Roding can easily be missed as it stands well back from the road almost hidden by a tiny wood. On the south door of the church you can still see the sanctuary ring on which "people in the historic past used to claim

The interior contains an refuge.

iron-bound enormous

parish chest, claimed to be the largest of its kind in the country.

The first church of the, Rodings to be roofed with lead was that of Leaden Roding, which you reach next. Hence the name. Leave the main road here, quiet 25 it is turning right at the cross-roads down a road which is little more than a lane, and gives you charm in miniature. little views, little hills. It leads you at length past the ruined chell of an ancient windmill to High Easter. a village of half- timbered houses and thatched cotttages. with

Imposing church tucked away behind an inn.

11.

Retrace your tracks again to the outskirts of the village and turn right down a beautiful old road to Aythorpe Roding. whose cottages are scattered over a wide radius. At Aythorpe Roding cross-roads stands the Axe, and Compasses, a thatched inn, of a type which is fast disappearing from our roadsides. The timber- ed interior, with its harging oll lamps, produces an authentic old- world atmosphere. Electric light- ing has yet to find its way to "these parts...

S

It is but a short way now to the last but not the least of the Rodings. High Roding is the largest of all, and its long main street is lined with thatched white cottages and old houses. many of which have stood for hundreds of years. At the end of the village you begin your home ward way by turning left for Great Canfield, where you cross the River Roding for the last tline.

More winding and wooded lanes lead you to Takely, and Bishop's Stortford, whence you may strike across the map to Ware and Hert- ford. Dr in another direction quickly cover the twenty-old miles back to noisy London Tix Harlow and Epping.

ON FIRST STARTING THE STREAMLINING DEVELOP-

ENGINE

There is considerable difference of opinion among motorists as to "warming up” an engine when. first starting up. Some motorista start their engines and leave them running for several minutes be- fore taking the car out on the road. There something to be said for this practice in cold' wes- ther, for a cold engine should not be put immediately under load but in warm weather it is un- necessary, to keep an engine run- ning for any length of time be- fore-driving away.

Recent investigations in regard to cylinder and piston, wear.re vealed that cylinder 'wear occurs much more rapidly at low tem peratures than at a normal run- ning temperature. It may, there fore, be assumed that prolonged

MENTS

Considerable advance is appar- ent in the new coach-work at Olympia (says the well-known motoring correspondent, James T. Skinner," in "Modern Travel"). Contours have been, greatly. 1m- proved in every way. There are more artistic curves and sweeping effects, while most of the excre scénces common to earlier came have been eliminated. One.no- table example of the streamline trend is seen in the new 3-litre- Airline Talbot model,

น

From the pocket point of view there is much to be said for streamlining. It is a proved fact that a great part of the effective engine, power of a car is used up in overcoming air resistance. Above 30 m.ph. air resistance is formidable as a consumer of" po wer. A more scientific body means.

running with an enging "Idling"-- more power available for accelera-

Induces cylinder weer. As a ge- “neral guide, si soon as an engine is running evenly after first start Ing up, the car can be driven on although this does not imply that a high weed should immediately be attempted. Insect, the

warming up" period, shoul completed on the road, and perfod naturally varies ac COTT

tion, speed, and hill climbing, less stress on the engine for a stated speed, and therefore a longer working life, and, with a smaller call for power output,

COLLEO:

quent lower petrol consumption.

to the season of the year, and the

teralling temperatuu

MOTOR JOTTINGS

ENDURANCE TESTING

Endurance testing, where all types of automobile electrical esuipment are run under the most arduous conditions to destructian,... has been brought to. anne art At the works of Joseph Lucas, Ltd., at Birmingham. The tests carried out enable observations to be made on what is equivalent to strenuous road service in

the course of days. Observations are made, systematically, and the cause of breakdown carefully an- alysed.

Take, for instance, a test on starting motors. Two starters aré mounted SO that their pinions engage with the flywheel of an engine. Automatic switch- ing is arranged

so that each starter operates about 4 times a minute. This means in B 24- hour day, more than 5,000 starts -pasuibly more than

a year's ordinary road service. Even 80, the conditions are made much more strenuous than would be experienced in road service. For example, the voltage at which 8. starter motor operates is higher than is obtained on a car! so that the rapid acceleration of the pinion makes the "engagement with the flywheel more than is obtained in service.

Another example is the horn endurance test. Samples are mounted in sound-proof boxes

to give and are arranged

24 blasts of 1 second duration per minute

Theat continuously.

severe

tests are recorded graphically.

and the time of fallure is auto- matically recorded on a chart.

RULE OF THE ROAD

Although a new law in Austrin making it compulsory for motor- ists to drive on the right-hand side of the road was to come into force on December 1, it now stems prabable that it will have to be postponed. In Vienna alone the technical changes would take a year to put through,

As things stand now, there is a complete muddle. Thus, in the Tirol and Vorarlberg one has" to drive on the right-hand side of the road, while in nearly all the other provinces motorists have to drive on the left side. In Sualzburg the problem is even more com- plicated, in some parts the right being used and in others the left. But perhaps the worst muddle of all is on the Glockner Road, where, after "starting, of the left side of the road, the motorist has later to change to the right, and “ then back again to the left. This is clearly an impossible situation, and since motorista in Germany.. Italy, and Switzerland (Austria's' neighbours) have to drive on the right side, and "Czedho-Slovakia (Austria's fourth neighbour) is going to change from left to right, there is a general demand that Austria should come into line and choose the right side, too.

3,000 BUMPS A MINUTE!

Such Important parts of the electrical equipment of a car as the instrument panel, switch boxes, ammeter, cut-outs, regula- tors, electric horns, etc., are very susceptible to vibration, which is Pt to throw the settings out of adjustment.

TRAFFIC LIGHT SIGNALS

the

The two systems of controlling traffic signal lights, which are now most widely employed. are fixed-time that operating on a cycle and that, working on a cycle, elements the length of whose depends on the flow of the traffic in and direction across the inter- sections controlled Both have' their advantages and disadvanta- ges, and attempts have been made to combine the former and to eliminate the latter, as, for instance, in Piccadily. Londen. verdcle- where the signals are actuated until the tragic attains a certain volume, after which fixed- they are operated on a time cycle. It is announced, by the Minister of Transport that what, it is hoped, will be a still further improvement is to be In- troduced into a very comprehen- sive scheme of trame signals that is to be installed in St. Maryle- bone. This schema comprises 55 road Junctions situated in quadrilateral, which is bounded an the north by Marylebone-road and on the south by Seymour- and Wigmore-street-the street eastern and western limits being Cleveland, street and Edgware, road, respectively, The signals will be vehicle-actuated, but will also be linked up on the flexible progressive principle, while co- ordination will be obtained by the use of two master controllers. at Marylebone-circus and the other at the junction of Mary- lebone-road and Edgware road Each controller will be fitted with a trafic integrator, which will ad just the time cycles of the mas- ter controller, in accordance with the traffic flow, A certain nun- ber of the signals in the vicinity of Oxford-street, will, however, be controlled by the master con- troller at Oxford-circus, which controls the fixed-time signals in " Oxford-street "In addition, there vehicle-actuated be ave signals at independent junctiona outside the area proper. It is stated that the work of erection will start immediately and will occupy "overs' months The estimated cost is 40,000, of which 60 per cent, will be drawn from the Road Fund,

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will

OSIRA LAMPS

Accident-Proof"

Lighting

In corinection with the British Association Conference - held at Aberdeen in September, the Ge- neral Electric' Go, of England, staged a number of demonstra- tions of food-lighting and street lighting by means of Osira elect- ric discharge lamps in special ft- tings.

"

Examples of this lighting were -- shown in Union Street, which was Cluminated by 400 watt | Osira lamps housed in Lewisham lant- erus. These units were 'mounted' on existing posts, and were, 22 ft. above, the roadway, being spaded about 125 ft. apart, in staggered formation. The lampe and lant--- eras, which greatly impressed the delegates to the Conference, were of the same type as those recently installed for lighting sore. 8t miles, of Lewisham; by the way, similar units are also being sup- In order to obtain data to en-plied for the lighting of the main able them to design and manufac-` ture equipment whose perior- trance' will be unaffected by the most severe vibration, Joseph #Laicas, Ltd, employ a vibration test. Equipment is clamped tài s hinged piąte which, can be sub- jected to from -1,000 to 3,000 bumps per minute-far more. severe treatment than could poss sibly be obtained in service on the worst- roads, or even travelling across rough country.

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NEW BUSES ARRIVE

Kwelhus, Dec

Bź omnibuses on the Sinklang- Bulyuan Highway arrived here seaterday from Kanchow, north western Kansu. Besides a tige consignment of fur, wool ind other skins, there were 14 passen- Beza, including Mt. Yạng Haing- chung of the Furasis: Aviation Corporation. The next bound trip will be made from here on the 10th inst-

streets of Greenwich and Dept-- ford.

There was also a démonstra- tion at Aberdeen of road interses-"; Hon "Ughting at the junction de Bridge Street, between the Palace Hotel and the King Edward Sta- tie. This was carried out by Osira lamps housed in specially design---- ed difficing lanterns glazed with 3-ply Aashed opal glassware, This, was the first appearance of thème units for public lighting purposes, and their intensity of tlumination was the subject of general sp- proval

British Marine Diesel Engines For Overseas,"

Among recent orders received

by Thornycrofts for their Dies engines are three of the G-cylin der type, each developing BHP, which are to be shipped to Shanghai, and others 18 and 45 BHP types, destined for Bingapo affendy a large f units in operation

the

ANTI - NOISE CAMPAIGN

It was only the logical sequence. of events that, after there had been so much controversy about 'the new Slient Zones in London and built-up areas all over Brl- tain, some effort should be made to reduce the noise of cars gener ally. The move made by the Min- ister of Transport, Mr. Hore Bells- ha, to set up a committee, presid- ed over by Air Henry Fowler, con- *sisting of scientists and motor and motor cycle manufacturers, to consider and report upon

the -principal causes of noise in me- chanically-propelled vehicles, and the steps which can exectively be taken to limit nalse, is, there- fore, to be heartily welcomed.

Motor car manufacturers have, of course, for years been endeav- ouring to reduce noise and to. make their models as silent and smooth running as possible, but undoubtedly a great deal can still be done. It is interesting to learn, therefore, that the Bestobell Ang at Slough have for some time past been conducting experiments in order to ascertain whether as- bestos can be used to counter noise in motor vehicles. Asbestos possesses remarkable sound-resist- ing ni well as fire-resisting qualit- les, and is, of course, extensively used in modern buildings for these purposes.

One suggestion was that asbes- 1 toe might be used in the form of s bonnet lining for second-hand cars. Engines with a long life of service behind them are naturally. inclined to get noisler and nøisfer, and it is thought that the asbes- tos lining would at least aasist in keeping the sound confined within the bonnet.

4

The Wrong Slant

"My husband had a job design- ing modernistic furniture, but he has been let out." ""What happened?"

1!

"Oh he had, the wrong alant on things,”

The Importance

Efficiency

Of Brake

Both in the United States of 'America and in England increas- ing attention is being paid to the question of brake efficiency. The obvious importance of the satis- factory braking power of a motor, vehicle is such as to provide ample Justification for the attention which is being given to this sub-! ject.

Defective" brakes undoubt- edly contribute to a very large extent to accidents, and anything which can be done to reduce the risk of accidents merits every en- couragement,

In certain countries the pro- blem has become so acute that special legislation has been in-... troduced, making it compulsory for all motorists to have their Brakes tested at regular intervals, Statistics are available which prove conclusively that the num- following the introduction of such ber of accidents has been reduced legislation.

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Considerable attention is being devoted to this problem in Eng- land, and one firm in particular. Rotax, Ltd., a constituent com- pany of the Lucas-C), A, V.- Rotax organisation, is taking special in- terest in the subject, for it has taken over the distribution of the Well-known Bendix-Cowdrey.

Brake Tester, a machine for the scientific measurement of brake efficiency,

The function of the Bendrix- Cowdrey machine is to test un-. der scientific conditions the actual braking power of each wheel in- dependently and,

concurrently,

the total braking power of the

car.

It has been proved time and time again that the majority of cars on the road are running with defective brakes. A typical, ex- ample is a car which, when tested. had a maximum brake power of 1,950 1b.

This car, after being tested and adjusted on the Ben- dix-Cowdrey Brake Tester gave a total brake power of 4,500 lb. In one cake, 90 cars were serviced in one week, and the results, showed that no Isss than 78 of these had defective brakes, 10 had danger. ous brakes, and only two cars had efficient braking.

The usual basis of brake service in England is a fat rate charge y for brake testing and simple ad- Justment. The average charge in. English currency works out at xp-" proximately 5 shillings. Consider- ing that, in retum for this- small outlay, the motorist has the as- surance, that his brakes have been sclentically tested and adjusted their maximum efficiency, It is obvious that, when the facilities for brake testing Can..

to

be "provided, the demand will be sufficient to Justify the expense of the equipment from the Service Station point of view.

Although, scientific in its ap plication the Bendix-Cowdrey Brake Tester is a simple machine, both to instal and operate, and ́although it is comparatively ex-

pensive, the fimportance of the", service it renders and the extent. to which it will increase trade makes its installation economic- ally possible by medium and large-sized service stations.

A HANDY FIRE-FIGHTER

The only really reliable method." of dealing with an off or petrol blaze is by smothering, either by the use of sand or some closely woven textile material. In the event of an outbreak of fire on a. car or commerical vehicle the ob- jection to the use of sand, even If it is available, is the consider- able damage it usually leaves in its trail. Agath, unless the textile material is of asbestos cloth it will Itself catch alight in dus courze.

An extremely compact outat consisting of an asbestos blanket about a yard square, contained in & quick-release casing, has been: evolved by the Bestobell concern, whose works are at Slough, "This can very easily be fitted on thể steering column of a car or in a handy"position under the dash- -board, where it is ready for in- stant use in the event of; dre. Among the advantages of this type of fre-fighter is the fact that it does not deteriorate with e are

TRUST A THORNYCROFT WITH YOUD. Í RA

DEAL DIRECT

THORNYCROFT

SIX-CYLINDERED

COACHES @ OMNIBUSES

MOTOR VEHICLES

DIESEL

OR PETROL

Pioneer Mamifacturers of Gammerslät Mutor

Full Range of Spares carried in Hong Kong and Shanghal

4 or 6 Wheels

4 or 6 Cylinders

30 Cwt to 10 Ton Loads

20 to 70 Passengers

JOHN L THORNYGROIT & 60, LIMITED,

Pioneer Building Nathan Road Kowloon

TEL 56754

TRUST A Tror WCPOET WITH YOUR TRANS