The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-02
CLYDESDALE MOTOR
TRUCKS POPULAR

The Richmond Steam Car Sales
company, 1915 West Broad, have
taken over the distribution of Clydes-
naie Motor Trucks for the city of
richmond and the adjacent counties.
the Clydesdale Truck is new to Rich
mond but Is well and favorably
known over large portion OF the
United States In Norfolk, Lynch
Durg. Roanoke and other cities In
y 1 \, ~. AK ~ * , -,
the Ciydesdaie@ Truck is in use ny
y sosfss of the largest corporations.
The London General Omnibus
company. which takes the place of
BUR subways and street car systems
10 the worlds metropolis, was the
arst company to use motor trucks on
= large scale or even to put them 20
practical use at all.
Twenty years ago. the l. @. o.
company put onto the streets of Lon
don the first feet Of motor operated
omnibuses. During the first few years
IN which trucks were used, they were
largely an experiment.
practically every make OF truck
was tried and without exception
proved failures in greater or less de-
gree.
THE L. @. 0. company conceived
The idea Of building their own trucks
Accordingly. they laid out the
plan for their first truck. An expert
mental model was built. Then sys-
tematic plan was laid out OF check
Ing and testing each part and Yea
lures in the truck. not in the factory.
but on the streets OF London, in &C
fual service.
Ten years was spent In this ex-
detrimental and testing work
AT the end of this ten year-period.
they finally decided that their truck
had reached state OF perfection
where II would be adyisab BILE to build
large fleet and put them into serv-
ice.
Accordingly. one thousand OF this
first model X were built
But still they were far from salts
aed. The results of putting these
thousand trucks onto the streets or
London showed that further improve
tmenfs were possible.
Many parts showed weaknesses
khat had never developed during the
drst ten years OF testing.
Accordingly. at the end OF two
years. the second model was put into
production. called their Model b,
Three thousand of this Model B
truck had been built and put into
service UP to the beginning OF the
war.
THE name OF the London General
truck world, although the average
motor truck user heard nothing about
Them because they were never mace
tor regular commercial use.
ITO show how far reaching were
The effects OF the work OF this corn
pany. we might cite the following ex-
ample:
THE present type OF worm gear
xle now in such general use. WAS
irst developed by this company. In
act, the designs now being usei
we're taken bodily from the l. @. o.
company's trucks
The large bore, long stroke, slower
speed motors which are now accepted
generally. as best for truck use. were
irst used by the l.. G. o, company
Rolled channel steel frame mem
oers, drop forged axles, a score OF
features could be named which are
row accepted as the best. but which
we're hrst used in this famous truck.
while most American built trucks
show the influence OF this work. only
oae has been permitted TO take ad-
sanfage OF all OF the improvements
which they effected---the Ciydesdale,
rhe Clyde Cars company of Clyde,
Ohio, manufacture the Clydesdaie
truck.
Blu, the Clyde Cars company didn'i
stop with copying the l. q. Q. truck
made in the Clyde factory
Notable among these Is the Clyde
Fdaie controller--an automatic de-
vice which has aptly been termed
The Driver Under the Hood"
This device automatically regu-
ates the truck speed at any fixed
point, regardless OF load or road con-
diuons,
THE advantage OF this controller
was emphasized during the war.
The Clydesdale company made
thousands OF trucks for military pur'
poses
Large shipments were made to tht
allies even before this country went
into the war.
THE work OF the controller was @
noint often commented on by miiitar,
experts II was found that driver
totally inexperienced In truck opera.
lions, could be put on these military
trucks and within an hour or two
could be operating them satisfac-
tor!ly, and without any danger OF In
turing the motor through over speed
Ing .,.
country on the globe that 10 not using
tylydesdaie trucks.
During the past year. the facilities
Of the Clyde Cars company have beer
greatly increased.
with the reputation which II ha,
acquired abroad, II has rapidly be.
come one OF the fastest selling ant
best known makes on the American
market
.The truck n distinguished by It,
massive copper tubed radiator ant
heavy aluminium guard bars.
'It Is made in the full Tine Of size,
- ton. Ia ton. 2. liz and ;
TAM