The Road Distribution of Granite
Page 55
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Interesting Sidelights on the Transport Activities of an Important Leicester Company which, so far as Road Motors are Concerned, Relies Upon the Services of Haulage Contractors
A CCORDING to the latest report CI.of the Secretary of Mines, the quarries of Leicestershire produced, in the year 1929, no fewer than 1,039,708 tons of granite. Part of the annual output is consumed in the county in which it is quarried, but a major portion is dispatched as far as Yorkshire in the north and Kent and Sussex in the south.
To deal successfully with thisvast quantity of granite, special attention has to be given to distributive organization and, in this
connection, the transport arranemeats of the Mountsorrel Grantte Co., Ltd., Welford House, Welford Place, Leicester, throw itht upon s the work which is involved.
The main quarries of this company are located seven miles north of Leicester, on the main road linking this city and Nottingham. Singular though it may appear, the company owns no transport vehicle of its own and, although at first sight this might appear to be a disadvantage, it has been found by experience that itoris cheaper, from the customer's point of view, to hire road motors from the many haulage contractors in the district than to own and operate a fleet
All deliveries which are made by road are, in fact, executed in vehicles which are hired from local contractors. As many as 28 lorries, each making from four to five journeys per day, have, on occasion; been requisitioned, petrol lorries and steam wagons with capacities ranging from 30 cwt, to 15 tons being called into use each day to transport thelarge amount of road metal which leaves the quarries.
Until recently the company was not prepared to deliver by road any quantity less than five tons, but as this embargo has now been removed 1-ton lots are frequently to be seen leaving Mountsorrel for various destinations. The vehicles mainly employed by 'the company include those of A.E.C., Chevrolet, Mandslay and Sentinel makes ; there are, of course, several others.
It has been found that, for destinations up, to 30 miles from Mountsorrel, delivery by road motors cannot be excelled and, as a side-light on this fact, it can be mentioned that the demand for road-delivered granite has increased in the past five years to such an extent that there are days when practically 50 per cent. of the company's output is distributed by motor vehicle.
To avoid any possibility of delay in loading the company has recently constructed five hoppers, each having a capacity of approximately 30 tons. It is estimated that these hoppers, which deliver direct into the lorry bodies, can be filled to capacity in less than 10 minutes. The method of filling the hoppers is from 5-ton side-tipping railway wagons and from 10-ton bottomdoor-typa rail wagons, of which the
company owns a considerable number. Situated between the storage hoppers and the main road, the company has lately installed a new 30-ton weighbridge.
This is an important new adjunct in view of the large-capacity vehicles which are now obtainable; it is, of course, easily able to cope with the large multi-wheeled steamers which are commonly favoured for this ,class of heavy haulage duty.
From what we have said it will be gathered that the road motor plays an important part in the activities of the company, but there are other interesting transport phases. The company owns close upon 400 railway wagons, all of which are available for the dispatch of dry and tarred stone, most Of them having a capacity of 12 tons. It also possesses standard-gauge railway lines which, in one direction, run from Mountsorrel to Barrow Junction (2,175 yds.) and, in the other, to Swithland sidings (3,340 yds.). For hauling the wagons to and from the main-line junctions 12 powerful locomotives are employed.
The company also relies upon inland water transport for certain distribution services, the location of the quarries enabling use to be made of the canal owned by the Leicester Navigation Co. which runs alongside its property.