Light Oilers Prove the Critics Were Wrong
Page 47
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QPENCAST coal haulage is heavy work for men and machines, but questions of capital outlay often restrict the purchase of vehicles to the lightly built models.
A successful fleet of this type is that•of J. Heslop (Haulage), Ltd., Newcastle
upon Tyne, who operate 18 Perkinspowered Bedfords on contract-A licence to Derek Crouch (Contractors), Ltd., Birtley.
The Heslops have been in the haulage business in the north-east since horsedrawn days, and their vehicles arc now based at Byers Green, Co. Durham. Mr. 1. Heslop, the present managing director, started opencast work in 1948 with petrolengined light tippers but these proved unsatisfactory.
Despite the advice of haulier friends who considered heavier vehicles essential for this exacting work, he switched to Bedfords, powered by Perkins R6 engines. The site in operation, at Long Lane, near Byers Green, requires vehicles entering or leaving to negotiate a 1-in-17 gradient on a makeshift road, where, after heavy rain, mud is over the wheel rims.
Mr. Heslop is well satisfied with the performance of the Perkins engines. Seventeen of his vehicles are 7-ton tippers with R6 engines, and one a P6 5-tonner. They handle on average about 1,400 tons of coal a day between Long Lane and screening plants at Broom Park and Auckland Park, respectively nine and If miles away. Loaded by mechanical navvies in three minutes, they average six to eight loads daily over the longer distance, and 13 to 14 on the shorter journey.
The average fuel-consumption rate for the 7-tonners is 10 m.p.g., including the operation of the tipping gear from the engine. The 5-tonner working under similar conditions yields about 13 m.p.g.
The first oiler purchased in 1954, had a new engine fitted in February this year, and is good for another four years, says Mr. Heslop. Chassis have been strengthened with fishplates and the tipper bodies with 4-in, channel bars, as the original wooden supports were subject to breakage. Bodies are lined with sheet iron.
Firestone 14-ply heavy-duty tyres are used on the rear wheels, and have given better service than other makes tried, averaging up to 25,000 miles before a
remould. . • '
The company employ their own fitters for general maintenance and weekly -service, and their policy is one driver to one vehicle, each being responsible for the condition of hiS own tipper.