Crow's new nest
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by lain Sherriff • As reported briefly in CM last week, Crow Carrying Co. Ltd. has moved into a new depot in East London. The site vacated at Barking will be used for house building by the local authority. In the meantime, Crow has developed a 3+-acre site at Silvertown to house its 150 home-based vehicles. The Crow fleet now has 240 tractive units and 350 tanks.
The company intends to standardize on stainless steel tanks and this in some measure ties up with its move to Silvertown. Most of its customers are in the Silvertown area and each day vehicles have been travelling empty for at least six miles on their journeys while to and from Barking. This dead mileage has now been almost eliminated.
The introduction of stainless steel tanks as standard equipment allows them to be used for the wide variety of liquids carried by Crow. The tanks, however, will still require cleaning between loads and to ensure that these facilities are readily available the company has installed in its new premises a five-point steam bay.
The fitting staff of 35 work round the clock to minimize downtime.
From its Manchester depot Crow operates 25 vehicles on Continental work under TIR. These vehicles carry chemicals and fats to France. Belgium and Sweden and bring back lard from France and plasticizer from Sweden. The French and Belgian deliveries are conducted on a door-to-door basis using the company's own drivers, but the Swedish traffic is sent unaccompanied.
Crow is part of the Transport Development Group and its facilities at Silvertown will be used by other group
members when their vehicles are in the London area.
Last week the company put another six maximum capacity artic outfits into service. The stainless steel 5,500gal tank trailers will be pulled by Scammell Handyman Mark 3 tractive units.