Strong objection to coal by road
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BRITISH RAILWAYS strongly objected in Macclesfield last week to applications by three Cheshire hauliers to add to the conditions of their B licences—solid fuel for delivery to destinations not conveniently rail connected. Deputy North Western LA, Mr. A. H. Jolliffe, reserved his decision.
All the applications were supported by W. H. Brad Ltd. and Bulk Tippers (Cheshire) Ltd., the Stockport tipper group.
D. J. Barrett, of Nantwich, and D. Wilcox, Sanbach, who were applying for a 50-mile radius, are both members of a small group, three members of which recently had solid fuel added to their conditions in the West Midland traffic area, without objection.
Angus Bros. (Sales) Ltd. was applying for a new 10-vehicle B licence and surrendering licences with 11 vehicles authorized on them. In addition to other changes, Angus was asking for solid fuel within 40 miles to be added to its normal user.
In support of Angus' application, Mr. C. H. Gibson, sales representative, Thorpe and Slater, said his firm required 50 tons of coal a week from Chesterfield to be delivered direct to its boiler house. He agreed that BR had discharge facilities within three miles of his firm's premises at Glossop, known as the Hadfield Drops, but added that following negotiations two years previously, BR could only offer shared premises.
All facilities had now been converted for domestic coal and were not suitable for industrial fuel since men were needed to shovel it and this raised the cost, said Mr. Gibson. Rather than use this method his firm would convert this last mill to oil heating.
Mr. A. Bradley, secretary, John Heaton Ltd., said that although it used the Manchester rail concentration depot it did not want the coal for its three main customers to be handled by this method because of the long delays caused by "chaotic organization" at the depot. It was already paying very heavy demurrage because of this.
For BR, Mr. G. Clayton said the evidence given by Mr. J. H. Bratt on behalf of Bulk Tippers and W. H. Bratt could not be considered that of a customer as they were hauliers acting as agents.
For the applicants, Mr. J. A. Backhouse said customers would not revert to carriage by rail but would find other means of road transport or convert to oil heating.