B.R.S. Unit "Redundant"
Page 37
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COME amplification of the report b..) that Crook and Willington Carriers, Ltd., Bishop Auckland, have purchased a transport unit (see opposite page) emerged in a case heard by the Northern Licensing Authority on Monday.
Mr. E. G. Milne, manager of the Birtley depot of the Special Traffics (Pickfords) Division of British Road Services, said that only 17 out of 20 vehicles at the depot were being operated. Two were redundant and were being offered for sale as units. A 45-tonner had not been run since December, 1952, and was to be purchased by Crook and Willington. The tractor was a Scammell with chain drive.
Mr. Milne was giving evidence in a re-hearing of an application by Siddle C. Cook, Ltd., Consett, to add an articulated low-loader to their B licence to carry goods for Steels Engineering Products Co., Ltd. The licence was granted Iasi September, but on appeal by the British Transport Commission a re-hearing was ordered.
For the applicants, Mr. T. H. Campbell Wardlaw protested that whilst his clients had produced statistics of work done, the objectors had refused to do so.
Mr. SiddIe C. Cook stated that he could not meet the demand for lowloaders. Vehicles were being hired from Pickfords. "They will provide us with a vehicle from the south of England rather than admit they cannot supply us," he said.
Mr. A. W. Balne, for the objectors, said that if the application were granted, the effect would be to increase the use of Cook's A-licensed vehicles. He said that the Scammell 45-tonner referred to by Mr. Milne was clearly redundant. "It has been purchased by a local firm who is well known to us all and in our view it will be used to extract traffic from ourselves and Cook's," he stated.
The application was granted.