One Lorry Per 100 Acres
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THERE was a time when the question was asked: Does a farmer need lorries of his own? That era is long past. Now the question is: How many vehicles does a farmer need, bearing in mind the size
of his farm? It is generally agreed that no farmer whose holding verges on 100 acres can afford to be without at least one vehicle.
Cooper Bros. (Butterwick), Ltd., Butterwick, Boston. Lines, farms 1,300 acres and runs a fleet of 13 lorries, plus a couple of light vans, or about one vehicle per 100 acres. It is not so long, however, since 1. met a man who was farming 8,000 acres and he had only 17 vehicles,
The truth is, of course, that no specific ratio can be laid down. Each case must be judged on its merits, taking into consideration the circumstances, the kind of farming and the methods of the individual farmer. In this article 1 am specially concerned with the road transport side of the activities of Mr. R. Cooper and his fellow directors, and particularly with the way in which Mr. R. D. Tait, the transport manager, organizes the work of the fleet used in connection with the farm.
Cooper Bros. (Butterwick), Ltd., merchandises vegetables and farm including foodstuffs and fertilizers, that obviously calls for the use of a greater number of vehicles than would be required for the cartage of the is a company that products generally, as well as farming; products from the company's direct farming activities.
Of the 1,300 acres, 1,000 is arable and the rest grazing land. The crops are mainly potatoes and vegetables, and some corn. Pig breeding is a speciality and there are 2,000 pigs on the farm, as well as 130 head of cattle. Mr. Cooper tells me that in future fewer vegetables will be cultivated on his farm as, under present conditions, the cost of production is too high, considered as a commercial proposition. Next year he proposes to double the number of pigs.
Another point that has a bearing on the need for transport and the number of vehicles required is that there are four farms, one at Butterwick, another at Tattersall, one at Great Hale, and another at Belchport; these places are within 15-16 miles of the Butterwick farm, which is the headquarters.
Some information as to the 13 lorries employed is given in the schedule overleaf. The Seddon and Vulcans all have Perkins oil engines. The Dodges are all petrol-engined; one is a 7-ton tipper, the other three are 2-tonners, with sided bodies. The Dodge 7-tonner is used for general-purpose work; the three Dodge 2-tonners are engaged on collection and delivery between farms and on the carriage of small loads locally.
The large oil-engined vehicles cover great annual mileages. They are used by day and night and there are two drivers for each vehicle. In the daytime they are employed, in conjunction with the Dodges, for collection from and delivery to farms, the station, docks and the headquarters farm at Butterwick, which also serves as a store. They carry produce, foodstuffs, fertilizers, and implements and tractors from farm to farm, and from farm to field.
The day drivers load the lorries for the night men, and trans-shipping of loads is often necessary at Butterwick. Potatoes, cauliflower, cabbages, carrots, and so .on, collected from the several farms, have to be sorted into full-load consignments to be conveyed during the night to market. Besides taking loads to the three principal London markets (Borough, Spitalfields and Covent Garden), the night drivers also serve markets in the Midlands, at Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh. There are five night journeys per week for most of the vehicles.
For journeys to some of the markets, such as those at Leeds, Manchester and York, 11 hours is sufficient, but on runs to other destinations, including Glasgow, Newcastle and Edinburgh, the drivers stay the night and pick up return loads for conveyance to Butterwick the
next night. Return loads comprise principally foodstuffs, fertilizers and, in the season, seed potatoes from Scotland.
The company operated its own transport as far back as in 1927, although the oldest vehicle in the present fleet was purchased in 1941. Haulage contractors were also employed right up to the early days of the war, when dissatisfaction came of the service rendered. The produce arrived late at market and, in consequence, it did not fetch the proper price. That is a most important factor in the haulage of farm and market-garden produce. Time is predominant, and this should be borne in mind by all hauliers engaged in agricultural transport. From 1941, the fleet was built up as fast as possible.
A Champion of the Vulcan I was not told how the company came to buy its first Vulcan. I suspect the influence of Mr. Tom Slater, of Ford and Slater, Ltd., Leicester. Mr. Cooper claims to have been influential in bringing about the popularity of that make of vehicle in Lincolnshire. That he was satisfied with his first purchase is sufficiently indicated by the fact that he has since bought seven more Vulcans and is likely to place orders for others.
Mr. Tait told me the story of an interview with the representative of a concern making a vehicle which embodied another type of oil engine. This representative, thinking to impress him, said that it was usual for oil engines of his make to cover 100,000 miles before reconditioning became necessary. This amused Mr. Tait, who had at that time one Perkins P6 engine which had covered 212,265 miles before it needed that atten tion. Moreover, he expects, and gets, upwards of 100,000 miles from his Perkins engines before reconditioned units are needed.
Mr. Tait laid some of the credit for this on his drivers, who, he says, are careful and good. They are encouraged by being paid wages in excess of the statutory figure; the night drivers are paid per trip, and the payment varies according to the distance.
The day drivers are responsible for running maintenance, such as cleaning, oiling, greasing, tyre inflation and minor adjustments. They do this work each Saturday, when, irrespective of the mileage covered during the week, the crankcase is emptied of oil and replenished and all filters are cleaned. Detergent oils are used and give satisfaction.
For the more important work, the company has a special maintenance depot at Tattersalthorpe. Here the transport depot of a disused aerodrome has been acquired for the purpose. It is spacious, has three pits and is admirable for the work. It is used for the maintenance of farm tractors, bulldozers, farm implements, including combine harvesters and other miscellaneous farming machinery, as well as vehicles.
At the depot there are a service foreman, two mechanics, a boy for mechanical work, and a carpenter. -All maintenance, except reboring cylinders and crankshaft regrinding, is carried out there. Mr. Tait makes full use of the Perkins reconditioned-engine scheme.
An interesting feature of the maintenance system is the driver's report. In addition to seeking information about mileage run and fuel used, the following questions are asked: When greased every part? When greased partly? When oil changed? Oil used on journey? There is a chart relating to tyre inflation, in which each wheel and tyre is shown diagrammatically: the spare is included in the chart, and at the bottom are the words:
Test tyres every day. O.K. Signed
Another diagram shows by dots the cells in the battery. The driver is expected to test the battery weekly and to mark on the chart any cell which is faulty.
Finally, there is this paragraph: "State if any trouble on your journey, and see the trouble is pointed out to someone and get his signature at bottom. Nothing will be done to your lorry without your complaint, so fill in complaint." At the bottom of this form is space, first, for the signature of the mechanic who presumably has put the complaint right, and another for the driver, who appends his signature and says he is satisfied that all is well.
Make Fuel
Oil Oil Oil Oil Petrol Oil
Thus, without the need for an excessive amount of paper work, all the required records of condition are compiled, and the completion of repairs can be checked.