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S. Depot Bridge Gap Between the Sea

22nd December 1961
Page 38
Page 38, 22nd December 1961 — S. Depot Bridge Gap Between the Sea
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

New Grangemouth base "an island suspended over thousands of feet of mud"

By Norman H. Tilsley

AT precisely five minutes past noon on Wednesday, December 13, the Provost of Grangemouth, Mr. Robert Brown, pressed a large electric button. To the whir of electric motors, several "up and over" steel slatted doors rolled open; an immaculate B.R.S. vehicle was driven into the. traffic shed (breaking a white tape in the process) and Scotland's newest road link with the sea, and with the Common Market if it comes about, was forged.

The importance which B.R.S. place upon the event can be gauged by the fact that not only did their general manager, Mr. T. G. Gibb, travel from London to be present, but he was accompanied by the Transport Commission's docks chief, Sir Robert Letch, and several members of the Board.

Conveltiently situated within a few hundred yards of the vastly expanding docks at Grangemouth (which is fast becoming Scotland's second port), the depot was no easy task to build.

Construction in the shore area is always difficult—tide from the Firth of Forth affects the water level in the soil from a depth of two feet down. Thus. the substratum consists of silty clay to a fair depth which, of course, is unreliable for conventional building purposes.

To combat this, a system of piling and edge beaming to support the main buildings was decided upon by the architeets c2 and the work, which began in May of this year, was finished in record time, taking into account wet weather conditions, which necessitated continual pumping in order to lay the foundations. The depot is virtually suspended, like an island in a sea of mud. No wonder that the completed site cost the B.T.C. something in the region of £90,000.

The depot will eventually replace two existing B.R.S. bases at Grangemouth and Falkirk. There is ample room for 46 vehicles, and several Pickforcls tankers, carrying petrol and oil from the vast refineries close by, will use the site as a base.

There are three main buildings, the largest of which is the traffic shed (200 ft. long by 90 ft. wide). The 18,000 sq. ft. area provides ample warehousing. Along the west side is a large raised loading bay, which allows for through working from outside to inside, the vehicles themselves being adequately protected from the elements by a• large canopy. The roof, consisting of asbestos sheeting interspersed with translucent "windows," allowing for ample lighting, is supported on a portal frame; auxiliary lighting is provided by 30 pairs of fluorescent Strips. A mess for the driverS, and a toilet and washing facilities, is situated on one side of the main doors, a storeroom on the other.

The service station, where normal running maintenance and repair carried out (major overhauls, still be carried out at the main L maintenance base), has three pit standing bay. There are faci pressurized lubrication.

The general office block—a tary prefabricated unit—is alongside the main entrance. It a large office for the depot man W. H. Mack (he was appointe post at the beginning of the yea 61ephone exchange and inqui The general office, which has a dation for a staff of 12, has a running along the whole lengt1 wall, a.nd giving a view of ti depot.

Beneath the fuelling island for 2,500 gal. of fuel. The Co have still to build a weighbridge of carrying a 50-ton load, and t eventually to build a road thr perimeter fencing leading dire the docks, which will have the keeping the main dock road heavily laden traffic.

After the official opening of t the guests—there were about 1' including B.R.S. officials an important at this "showing ft flag ceremony, representativ customer firms wereconveyet Leapark Hotel in Grangemout a fine luncheon and to drink respectively, "the Queen," " of Grangemouth," and " Briti Services."

The lunch was presided ovei I. P. Young, the Scottish I Manager, who afterwards summ whole project to me in these fe "It was an ordinary railway dc customers were demanding a r and B.R.S. just stepped in."


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