In a paper presented to the Automobile Division of The Institution of Mechanical Engineers, in London, on January 10th, J. Whittle, B.Sc., A.M.I.Mech.E. (Shell Research Ltd.) dealt with work done at Thorn-ton to produce a lubricant for automotive worm axle gears which would stand up to modern conditions. Mr. Whittle said that the number of new vehicles in Great Britain being fitted with worm-gear axles is decreasing, and this was partly due to the problems arising from pitting and wear of the bronze worm-wheel, together with thickening due to oxidation of conventional mineral oils. Castor oil, whilst having many advantages, is not very susceptible to oxidation inhibitors. More recently the performance in worm-gears of poly-alkylene oxide derivatives has been studied at Thornton, and this paper describes this work in the laboratory as well as in field tests.