1930-08-23 — Page 17

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, MOTORING SUPPLEMENT. SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 1930.

ENGLISH RAILWAYS "AS" TRUCK OPERATORS.

The Danger of Potential Monopoly.

CO-ORDINATING RAILWAYS AND PUBLIC HIGHWAYS.

NEW MOTOR BILL.

Some Dazzle Palliatives.

[By. John Priolean.]

Although most of the provisions of the new motor Bill, now de- Anitely if deliberately approach ing its conversion into an Act, are based on commensense lines, ! and, presumably, drawn up by people who have had long and

experience of the numerous problems it is designed to settle, it must inevitably be a considerable time before the im provement in conditions it pro- mises is established. We, for example, shall have to wait long for practical and universal relief from one of the most acute of all our trials, the blinding effect of efficient driving lights. It is com- mon report, whether inspired or not I am unwilling to guess, that the new Bill will make the fitting swivelling of dipping and/or devices compulsory. As I sug- gested in a recent article in the Observer, nobody will complain of this provided it applies only to new cars. It is probably the only solution that has a working chance of success, to standardise a sealed pattern of either headlight itself. or dazzle-preventing device, but, unless the new regulations are en-) forced in an arbitrary anu quite indefensible manner by compel vehicle already in use to spend a considerable sum of money, it will be long before the trouble is finally abolished.

The country in its wisdom as

The reason for the railway com-practical expressed through Parliament has panies' concern to secure road given the railways, power to operate transport powers is obvious enough, on the roads. Let us hope that we but it is by no means so clear that shall not live to regret it. The the granting to them of this con- danger lies in the potential, it may cession is the best way of solving even be said the prospective, mono- the transport problem with which poly which would ensue, If the England is confronted the pro- railway companies were to acquire blem of co-ordinating the rail and by purchase the principal road the road in an interlocking and services already existing. At pre-highly efficient system. There are, sent they have only made a begin- of course, those who consider that ning, but it has been a sufficient the only way to solve this kind of indication of their policy; and there problem is to put it under one hat; is no present reason to suppose that to smother it, in fact. But there they will not pursue this policy to are also those who think that if the its logical conclusion. The pro-railways have to compete for cus- cess may take some years, but at tom they will better appreciate the the end of that time it seems likely class of service which industry and that the railways will be in posses-the travelling public, really require, sion of all the public road services and become more concerned to solve for passenger and goods transport the very real technical problems which are effectively competing with which it involves. There is reason them at present. What is then to believe that these problems are going to be the situation, and it is sufficient in themselves to engaging every owner of a motor one which was visualized by Parlia-the whole attention of every one in ment, and intended by the public, the railway service, and that while when these powers were granted?jan education in the problems of It is safe to say, in answer to these road transport may provide a wel- questions, that the publie did not come diversion it will do little in foresee a virtual monopoly of its itself to facilitate the solution of public road services, and would be the major issue. strongly opposed to any such con- sequence of the exercise of these

powers.

fatal to

Until every car is equipped with some device which, whatever its method of working, produces, a given result-or better-in pro- tecting the eyes of the oncoming safety of everyone on the road, driver and absolutely ensuring the

we must look for. relief to such palliatives as are from time to time put on the market. Not all of the large number we have been useless, in spite of the fact that offered since the war have proved in some of the most promising cases their manufacture has been given up, and one or two, of widely different design, have proved so ance that it seems a pity they wore successful at their first appear-

My own experi-

Whatever may be the future of some branch lines which conceivably might be better used as roads, the Private Enterprise.

fact remains that the rail and the a definite Cheap and efficient transport in train must remain as England is not only essential te method of transport for certain public convenience but vital to purposes. The question is, "What industrial prosperity, and it will be is its real field?" and a true answer both if the competitive to this question can only be given element is deliberately eradicated when the railway companies have by bureaucratic control. There 18 another and exceedingly pertinent successfully applied themselves, as aspect of this issue which also con-railway companies, to the problem cerns the general public, although of traffic. Little good will come to of competing for the various classes its immediate bearing and reaction the community at large, and indus- not developed. will be upon the manufacturing side try in particular, if the only solu-ence, which has been considerable of the road transport industry. Astion they have to offer is that which in all types, goes to show that the

well known, the railway come papies are pledged not to engage in comes automatically from a virtual most practical sort is either the the manufacture of road vehicles; monopoly of both systems.

is

detachable glare-guard for fixing un the windscreen, от the spectacles, or the eye-shield in various forms.

Lave been quite good, but in every case their price has been, from the general public's point of view, prohibitive. It may be that those responsible for the new Bill have some special form of lamp in mind which will take the place of the ordinary type on new cars with- cut adding too much to the catal que price: but, as a general con- clusion, it may be taken for granted that such lamps are dearer than the cost of fitting a dipping device. This is not in any way to disparage the lamps them- selves. As I say, I have tried- and, incidentally, I am again asked to try another-patent headlights which really offer a working solu tion of the difficulty, They do not dazzle so much as plain lampa, and they give light enough for driving at moderate speeda.

but it is not difficult to foresee that

The Middle Haul. they may easily have a depressing

Railways as well as roads are a eflect upon technical progress in this industry if they get to the national possession of immense im- point of placing out

I use the word practical advised- to tender portance, and no one can doubt that

One or two. their co-ordinated ufficiency is a ly. to connote cost, specifications of their own which they will then only be concerned to matter of first-class concern. Broad-special headlights I have tried get built at the lowest price. Ally speaking, the rail is incapable of ready signs of confusion in the completing the journey, the road market are apparent,, and it will be being, in general, the only route for final delivery. As such it is, and in the highest degree unfortunate

an integral for this industry and for the public must always remain, which it serves if free development part of all complete transport is restrained. The evolution of systems, but it is by no means so public service transport vehicles, certain that its unlimited develop both passenger carrying and goods, ment for the middle haul would be is too unfinished and too promising the right course to adopt. to be thus nipped in the bud. Im- Technically, rail transport has the mense technical stride have been immense potential advantage of achieved during the few post-War requiring a tractive effort which is years in this field of transport, and a mere fraction of that necessary this development may be said to on roads, and from this point of be due, fundamentally, to the com- view it is a sheer waste of energy petition for public favour which to transport by road between dis- Lists under present conditions. tant points that are rail connected, Private enterprise in road transport On the other hand, this potential has been made to pay by-studying technical advantage is neutralized public convenience and comfort. No by the enormous dead weight of the opportunity is missed of providing rolling-stock in relation to the the public with facilities suitable to lighter classes of freight. Again, the occasion and of building up there is the great convenience which goodwill which brings custom to the is associated in many cases with a individual service. No operator has through journey by road; and this The glare-guard, or the eye- long survived under existing condi- perhaps more than anything else shield in spectacle form, is usually tions any inclination to atrophy, let has been a determining factor in comparatively cheap.

Here are alone negligence. It is pertinent to the modern expansion of road trans ask whether this healthy state of port, for it has expressed itself, things would continue under a rail-among other ways, in reduced risk, way monopoly. At any rate those saving of time; and the decrease of who have any reason to doubt it cost. These are among the points are well advised to press for such to which the railway companies safeguards in the interests of fu- must successfully apply them- ture competition, as the existing aclves if they are to provide circumstances. still permit.

But,

to be really successful they would have to be universally fitted.

two I have recently tested which have given me good results. The first is a pair of special spectacles, fitted with the "Grautint" lens, Type "T." made by Raphaels, Ltd., Hatton Garden. These lenses are fairly heavily tinted at the top. becoming gradually clearer, until

3 real solution to the Co below the half-way line they are ordinated use of rail and Freight Transport.

road- white, The tint is of a green- throughout England. No on yellow colour, which is said to give That the railway companies can save the railways but the rail-the maximum protection against should want to get control of the way engineers, and it is certainly ultra-violet and infrared rays.į roads is not surprising. They not not within the province of this My experience with them shows only see passengers making cross-article to discuss the technology of that, while they do not always country journeys in comfort which this problem. It is sufficient to render the wearer completely would involve the height of, incon-emphasize its existence and its immune from the effect of venience by rail, but they are con- bearing upon the general policy of oncoming rays (traffic conditions, fronted with the fact that operators transport development.

sharp turnings, and so on, are apt are making a success of regular It can be said with some assur- to handicap them), they certainly services between main-line stations. ance that it ought not so often to eliminate that dreaded "blind" at balf the railway fares. In freight be cheaper and quicker to use the sensation after passing a pair o transport the changed situation is road rather than the rail for the look straight at such lights with- brilliant lights. It is possible to equally striking, for the railways, middle haul, but just in what way out pain, but it require practice which graduate their charges on the the railway engineers will succeed toenable one to dror, one's head rateable value of the goods trans in solving this problem remains to ported, have been accustomed to be seen. One thing at least is clear at the right moment and to the derive something like half their that it would serve no useful pur-right extent to dodge the direct freight revenue from the highest grade loads which account for bare pose to mask a failure to solve it rays, and, at the same time,

under a virtual monopoly of road what is beside them on the road. transport.

ly more than one-fifth of' the total: weight and it is precisely this lighter class of high rated goods

that is now increasingly transport- ed by road.

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In this respect the daylight Podel, type "O," offers an in- left, instead of for as well as}] The Britannia gire-shield was better, in my opinion, it is de- teresting alternative. Here the lowering it-theit design may be originally sold as the "Perspectus cidedly helpful. Again, practice lenses are clear in the centre, but adaptable for lamp-dazzle. 1 Anti-dazzle," the output of the la needed to determine the exact

Ban "One-eyed” Cars."

Highway police of Illinois hare.

Not only are freight valued at £90,167 were imported, in gradually darkened outwards to found the clear centre too small firm having now been bought by position of the shield, so that transport companies operating suc to the United Kingdom, as compared the rims. They are very restful to be really practical at night; Paul Marti and Co., Ltd. It is of while the eyes are protected from (been instructed to stop drivers of S cessfully in this field, on contract with 2,162, valued at £95,166 dur. | for driving in bright sunlight, and indeed, both types might be con- the familiar opaque celluloid, the lamp-rays, it la possible to see automobiles having only one light" and chance loads, but many of the Ing the corresponding" month of owing to the fact that they can siderably enlarged, with success- yellowish in colour, and is fitted to the near side of them; but land, direct them to the usarseh aust Important businesses in the 1929. Exports of cars numbered be used at night as "swivellers" but it seemed; to me that there by rubber suckers to the wind once that is found, there is no country have established their own 1,885, valued at £295,008, "as com-that is, you miss the glare by were excellent possibilities in the screen, Provided the screen is at question but that driving at night garage for repaira. If the light M: transport service to deal with their pared with 2,114 of a value of turning your herald slightly to the idea. The price is from about the right distance from the loses some of its terrora and dis- not fized, the motorist faces an

own distribution problems:

£868,146 during May, 1929.

76. 63. a pair.

| driver's eyes, the nearer the comfort-Observer.