1898 Motor Show (National)

Report of additional exhibitors -

• Hecnum Cycle Components
• Southam, Mathias and Co
• Wilkinson Sword Co
• Perry and Co
• James Rickard
• Oliver Lindley

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THE AUTOCARS AT THE NATIONAL SHOW.

At the National Show at the Crystal Palace the motor carriage exhibits are comparatively scarce.

Of the manufacturers exhibiting, -

THE INTERNATIONAL MOTOR CAR of High Road, Kilburn, make the largest display. Entering the Palace from the High Level Station by the subway, the visitor at once comes across this large stand on which are staged four vehicles. One of them is a phaetonette, two are "Modele de Luxe" carriages, and one is an express delivery van.

The phaetonette, which comes first on the stand, has seating accommodation for two people. It is fitted with a three horse-power International motor with speeds capable of regulation from two to eight miles an hour for low speed, and from eight to twenty miles an hour for high speed. The motors are on the lines of the well-known Benz motors, having electric ignition, and are driven on to the countershaft by a roller chain of good section capable of conveying the power from the driving a heel. Suspension wheels and ball bearings are used throughout. The car is nicely finished and upholstered in dark blue. The steering and driving gear are fixed in the centre of the foot-noard, and the throttle and mixture valves are handily placed on the left hand side below the seat. The price of this car is £160.

The two examples of the "Modele de Luxe" have accommodation for three passengers each. The motor is of the same type as that driving the phaetonette, but three and a half horse-power. In the mechanical details the car follows the lines of the phaetonette, with the exception that a reserve oil tank is carried in front of the splash board. This, with the internal oil tank suffices for running one hundred and eighty miles, the water tank with one charge will suffice for seven hours. These cars are finished in better style than the phaetonette. They are upholstered, one in blue pegamoid and the other in leather. The price is £180.

The express delivery van is built for the Bon Marche of Liverpool, and is designed for the carrying of light goods up to four hundredweight. It is fitted with a three and a half horse-power motor of the same type as those of the cars already referred to. It has two brakes, one a band brake brake, the other applied to the tyre. The weight of the van is given as seven hundredweight, and it has the appearance of a very handy vehicle for the purpose for which it is intended. The wheels of all the vehicles are shod with large diameter rubber tyres.

The firm also exhibits it one and a half horse-power horizontal Endurance motor, built specially for cycles, and a three horse-power vertical motor for cars.

THE BEESTON MOTOR CO., LTD., of Coventry, have the largest exhibit of motor-propelled cycles in the exhibition, and undoubtedly make a great impression. All the machines shown are of a thoroughly workmanlike design, and the general appearance of the exhibit gives one an idea, of practicability, progress, and commercial production.

The Beeston motor tricycle for a single rider, with De Dion patent motor, built by the Beeston Co,, is now well known, and the machines shown have undergone considerable improvement in detail since their introduction last year at the Stanley Show. In addition to the four tricycles shown, two examples of the latest production of the firm are to be seen, this being a type of vehicle, the construction of a which we strongly advocated a couple of years since, viz., a two-track four-wheeler, practically a De Dion tricycle with Olympia pattern front, and we are pleased to see provided with it a front seat - the machine carries two — with it very comfortable series of coiled springs. This pattern looks essentially strong and stable, and we fancy a large trade will be done with it.

Like the singles, the quadricycles are fitted with tube ignition. All the machines are of a very nice workmanship, and the gearing and all working parts are now properly covered in.

A neat-looking motor tricycle is also shown by ALLARD AND CO., LTD., of Coventry, who use a one horse-power De Dion motor, driving direct on to a compensating gear on the axle. All the working parts save the chain are covered in.

BAMBER AND LEWIS, of Meopham, Kent, have, at the last moment, brought up a little vehicle they call the "Vesta" motor car. It is built in light wood, which entirely conceals the mechanism. A three horse-power petrol motor is used with friction gear. The speed is stated to be from four to twelve miles per hour. We hope to say more of this machine in a subsequent issue.

THE ROVER CYCLE Co., LTD., of Coventry, exhibit a vehicle called the "Coventry Chair," which is a bath chair fitted to a tubular frame, the driver sitting behind. Use is made of a petrol motor with one speed of six miles an hour. The machine is a motor-driven edition of the famous man-propelled "Coventry Chair."

We also noticed a motor tricycle, the "New Courier," manufactured by Messrs. CHILTON BROS. of Wolverhampton. This machine is provided with a one and a half horsepower petrol motor with electric ignition. The oil charge will last fifty miles. What is practically a Starley differential axle is used, which performs the triple duties of bearing case, axle bridge, and gear box, and the frame arrangement as a whole is very neat indeed.

Last, but not least, for the public flock to the stand, is a "Pennington" Victoria carriage shown by MESSRS. PENNINGTON AND BAINES, of London. It is propelled by a 3.5 B.H.P. horizontal single cylinder motor, giving eight hundred revolutions a minute; a 32in. horizontal fly-wheel is so arranged under the platform that the driver can easily turn it for starting the motor. The car is front driving and rear steering. Its speed may be varied from six to eighteen miles an hour. Rope transmission is made use of, and a ratchet-held lever enables the tension of the ropes to be cried by pulling the countershaft further away from the driving shaft. This is worked by a pedal and may be described as an adaptation of the Bollee belt-tightening method, though instead of moving the back wheel the Pennington shifts its countershaft - a preferable arrangement. This vehicle is simple in construction, and its appearance is already known to our readers. Like all the Pennington designs, its outline is original and business-like.

As will be seen from this brief description of the exhibits, there is not much variety in the matter of self-propelled vehicles at the National Show, but the exhibits which are to be seen are most interesting. We have no doubt, too, that, when the National Show of 1899 comes round, it will be found to contain many more motor machines than does the present exhibition.

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The National Show (Crystal Palace, November 18th to 26th) for the first time admitted motors, but met with a very chilling response. There was one car!

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