Back in Haulage After 22 Years
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WITH vehicles purchased from British Road Services, Sharp and Griffiths, Ltd., Hollins Hill Garage, Baildon, near Bradford, have re-entered road haulage after an interval of 22 years. During the intervening period, the company's motor-trading and engineering activities have grown greatly.
After they had founded the company in 1919, Cllr. H. 0. Griffiths and the late Mr. B. D. Sharp began in 1920 a haulage department in conjunction with the garage business, and developed it into a substantial undertaking. After Mr. Sharp died in 1931, the haulage section, which had 18 lorries and 12 trailers, was merged in 1932 with Ryburn United Transport, Ltd.
Sharp and Griffiths are now running nine ex-B.R.S. vehicles, chiefly to Liverpool, Manchester, Hull and Goole. They hope to double the size of the fleet by making further purchases from British Road Services.
The premises at Hollins Hill, which cover approximately 86,000 sq. ft., are being developed under a five-year plan. For haulage, the company recently opened an office in Northbrook Street, Bradford.
Another revival in Yorkshire is by Wheeler Road Transport, Ltd., and Woodseats Transport Co., Ltd., Sheffield.
The experience of purchasers with ex-B.R.S. vehicles continues to vary widely. An operator told The Commercial Motor this week that he was entirely satisfied. Another said that every vehicle he had bought had grit in the fuel lines. The radiator tank of one. burst and in the cylinder block of another there was a 12-in, crack, the result of a freeze-up. Another vehicle he described as ".a decrepit old wreck."
This operator further alleged that after tendering for a contract vehicle, B.R.S. approached the customer and offered a lower rate. The customers then asked the tenderer for a keener quotation. Legal advice is being sought.
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