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25 Years of Road Transport

28th January 1930
Page 63
Page 63, 28th January 1930 — 25 Years of Road Transport
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Mr. R. Barr, of Leeds,_ Surveys the Growth of His Passenger and Goods Conveyance Business APROMINENT figure in the roadtransport business in Yorkshire, Mr. Robert Barr, is, during January, celebrating the passing of 25 years in the industry. At the age of 40, he is at the head of a flourishing road-transport business employing 50 people and running 34 vehicles, built up by his own efforts.

'Born in Scotland, Mr. Barr did not receive much encouragement to go forward with -his ambition to be a motor engineer. His enthusiasm was such, however, that 25 years ago he was apprenticed for seven years to the -Bridge Garage Co., Ltd., of Leeds. Here he spent his time repairing the early motorcars and motorcycles, until the business developed from repairing to general transport. The Bridge Garage Company managed to persuade a Leeds newspaperto take up a contract for the transport of newspapers, and this was, in fact, the first, use of motor vehicles for such commercial purposes in Leeds. The contractor supplied the vehiclesa2De Pion and later a Vulcan—and the

drivers, Mr. Barr often acting as such.

Other firms followed suit arid a contract Was secured for conveying the Royal Mail between Leeds ind 'Manchester, Bradford and Harrogate.

At the conclusion of hi apprenticeship Mr. Barr went to the Wolseley Motor Co., Ltd., at Birmingham, for a short period, then returning for a year to his previous employer. For the next two years he was manager of anothez Leeds transport undertaking, and then he decided to strike out on his own. At the age of 25 he set up as a haulage contractor with one vehicle.

Business gradually developed and he acquired more vehicles. After the war the growth was rapid. In 1926 the

company was changed to FL Barr (Leeds), Ltd., and in the same year Mr. Barr absorbed Wallace Arnold Tours, of Leeds.

To-day Mr. Barr runs regular daily goods services between Leeds and Hull-, Manchester, Goole, Birmingham, London, Stockton, Middlesbrough and Newcastle. In addition, he operates passenger services between Leeds and London, Blackpool and (in the summer) Scarborough and Bridlingtan, as well as the Wallace Arnold Tours to many parts of England, Scotland and Wales.

The future of road transport, he believes, depends upon c5-operation. "There has, in the past few years, been competition of a most wasteful character," he said. "There will have to be more combined effort in order to eliminate waste and overlapping. The passenger business will grow, provided that there be not too much Government interference. The crude-oil engine is bound to revolutionize road transport. We have experimented with this type of engine and we are well satisfied."


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