AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

IMAG INATION Spells Success

4th November 1960
Page 57
Page 58
Page 57, 4th November 1960 — IMAG INATION Spells Success
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

TEN years ago, Michael McKenna was a driver employed by Lightfoot Bros., a Liverpool haulage company. Today, in partnership with his wife, he owns a fleet of modern multiwheelers based in Liverpool and has additional transport interests in• South Wales and a garage business in Liverpool.

This remarkable achievement is the more noteworthy in that it has been accomplished virtually without borrowed capital, and the company, Michael McKenna, Ltd., remains a completely independent entity.

At the end of 1950 Mr. McKenna purchased his first vehicle, a 1939 Bedford 5-tonner on A licence, from A. J. Thomas of Liverpool, using his army gratuity and the whole of his savings in launching the business. By hard work, drive, effective maintenance and repairs, Mr. • McKenna quickly expanded the goodwill of the company, despite the 25 miles restriction then imposed by nationalization. Customers at that time included the Ministry of Food, the Shell Mex-B.P., Lever Bros. and Read companies.

Early Expansion

Nine months later he was able to purchase an ex-army G.M.C. 8-tonner from B. Carragher, Liverpool, and in 1951 Mr. McKenna successfully applied for two additional A-licensed vehicles and trailers. Second-hand vehicles, a Leyland and a Foden. were purchased, each of 8 tons capacity with 10-ton trailers.

The next addition was a B-licensed vehicle based in Wallasey, with a condition of "general goods, 10 miles." This was followed immediately after denationalization by the acquisition of . a practically new eight-wheeler from British Road Services.

On the removal of restrictions Mr. MeKenna started a London trunk service-with two vehicles, but after a few weeks was asked to carry regular loads of tinplate to Liverpool from South Wales. An additional long-distance vehicle, a Bedford articulated outfit, was acquired, and the company began to specialize on the South Wales night trunk service. Originally to Swansea, with a driver's changeover point at Skew-en, the service developed two further legs—to Cardiff and to west Wales, changing over at Carmarthen.

The next move was to modernize the fleet and four of the existing vehicles were replaced by Foden eight-wheelers. Up to this point, development had been financed out of profits, and at the end of 1954 the opportunity arose to acquire a five-vehicle B.R.S. unit at the Stadholme Street depot, Liverpool. The unit was taken over complete with drivers, and after the vehicles (A.E.C. eight-wheelers) had been given a complete overhaul they were used to supplement the South Wales trunk services, loading outwards with general goods and returning with tinplate and steel.

Some years were spent in consolidation and then, in 1958, a substitution vehicle, on B licence, was granted for use when vehicles were off the road for repair and maintenance. The current vehicle strength comprises 11 A-licensed heavy vehicles engaged on a nightly trunk service from Merseyside to Wales, Iwo special eight-wheel vans on A licence operating a nightly trunk service ro London and two similar special vans working a daily service to Birmingham. Another A licence vehicle is available to cover requirements outside the regular routes. In addition there is a compact fleet of B licence vehicles engaged in local haulage.

As early as 1952, Michael McKenna, Ltd., in association with the South Wales Haulage and Warehousing Co., Ltd., of which Mr. McKenna is a director, opened a depot at Bridgend Trading Estate, with offices, workshops and locally employed drivers and staff. This company operate two A licence eight-wheelers mainly on work for the Steel Company of Wales, for whom four additional multi-wheelers were provided on contract-A licence in 1954. Two of these vehicles are tankers engaged on a shuttle service, carrying lime slurry between Barry and Port Talbot. Two reserve tanks are available and can be carried on platform vehicles in emergencies. Six further articulated outfits are being added this year for the carriage of steel from Port Talbot to Birmingham; these will also operate under contract-A licence. This Bridgend depot is now the control point for all McKenna vehicles working into south and west Wales and also for those vehicles of another associated company, Murphy Brothers (Transport Division). Ltd., of Leicester.

The original McKenna depot in Liverpool is a yard at Luton Street, with a fitting shop and parking space for 30 heavy vehicles. Administratio`n is carried out from 28 Chapel Street, Liverpool.

New Premises

All the activities of the company will shortly be under one roof with the completion of a spacious new depot at the junction of Parliament Street and Jamaica Street, Liverpool. Built to Mr. McKenna's own design, with a floor space of 200 ft. by 75 ft., there are two storeys —the ground floor containing workshops, a garage, illuminated pits, panel greasing bays, vehicle showrooms, toilets and so on. The upper floor will contain stores, offices and a machine shop equipped with monorail electric hoists. A filling station is sited on the ground floor and McKenna's will provide a 24-hour petrol, diesel and commercial vehicle repair service in an area where these facilities are urgently required.

Continuing his policy of keeping the company completely independent, Mr. McKenna decided that the new garage would operate under the name of McKenna Garages. When fully equipped, the building and equipment will be valued at £40,000. It is Mr. McKenna's intention to devote his time to vehicle sales, service and garage activities, while the transport manager, Mr. F. G. Woods, will be responsible for the haulage side of the business.

Engine overhaul, bodywork replacement and painting formerly contracted out will, in future, be handled at the new premises and the strict system of greasing, oiling and general maintenance operating at present will continue. On an average D10 each vehicle receives a major check and overhaul every 11 months but a full inspection system is in operation prior to each vehicle leaving for a trunk journey.

A new venture, in collaboration with Kraft Foods, Ltd., has been the contribution of specially built roller-floor type eight-wheel vans for palletized traffic. Two platform vehicles were converted in 1957 to carry the varied Kraft products but, as it was unsuitable to stack loaded pallets one on top of the other, there was a loss of carrying capacity. A maximum of 10 tons could be loaded whereas the vehicles could carry 16 tons by bulk loading. But in order to encourage pailetization the difference in revenue was shared between the two companies.

In 1959, Kraft opened a new depot at East Kilbride, near Glasgow, and Michael McKenna, Ltd., demonstrated new methods of unloading in which 10-ton loads on pallets were actually discharged in 15 minutes compared with two hours if bulk loaded. Mr. Chamberlain, transport manager, then proposed two-tier loading by the erection of two sets of rollers inside vans. Original drawings made by Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. McKenna were subsequently approved. By this means the loaded pallets were kept separate and, as the upper tier rollers did not extend across the vehicles, a fork lift truck was able to operate in the gangways. Each upper tier pallet rested on its own movable platform and could be pushed into place.

The new vehicles were Foden eightwheelers, fitted with Gardner LX engines. 12-speed gearboxes, air brakes and eightfoot axles to prevent sway. The rollerfloored bodies were fitted by James Cocker (Southport), Ltd.

Extensive and successful trials then took place first to Kraft's Manchester depot, then to East Kilbride and then to all Kraft branches in the United Kingdom. Loads were found to be in perfect condition. These special vehicles are able to carry maximum loads of Kraft products and operate the nightly trunk service to London.

The McKenna company have recently consolidated their licences and tidied up normal user and B conditions by putting all the vehicles in .each group under one licence. Between 1958 and 1959 traffic increased by more than 2,000 tons and the barometer seems set fair for the continued success of this go-ahead Northern enterprise where service to the customer has always been of first importance.


comments powered by Disqus