AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

By J. D. McLintock S TANDING in the busy main street

4th October 1946, Page 35
4th October 1946
Page 35
Page 34
Page 36
Page 37
Page 35, 4th October 1946 — By J. D. McLintock S TANDING in the busy main street
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?

of ancient Canterbury city, it seems possible at all times to see one or_ more of the familiar red buses of the East Kent Road Car Co., Ltd. Singleand double-decker alike, they are as busy as ants, coming and going to and from the bus station near the historic city gate. Canterbury has for long been the headquarters of the company and the web of East Kent routes spreads out over the whole of this county of oast houses, fruit farms and coal mines.

On the site of the pre-war head office, however, hardly any recognizable part of the big building stands. Like many another structure in the city, it was destroyed by fire-bombs in the Nazi air onslaught on England. In another part of the city the company's big body-repair depot and its contents were blown to pieces. Along A32 with such local tragedies went :evere damage in coastal towns such as Dover and Deal.

To-day, the head office is in a beautiful manor on the outskirts of Canterbury, and work is now in progress on the site of the old body shop, where a new one will arise, together with a 60-vehicle garage. It would not be right to say that the whole system is coming to life again, because against all odds it was full of life throughout the war years; but, in tune, with the times, it is vigorously fighting its way back to normal and better. Before looking at the picture of .the company's present-day life, with some flashes back to the war years, let us be clear as to the whole meaning of "Et Kent." The undertaking is wide in scope, and, incidentally, is peculiar in doing the jobs of several municipalities whilst remaining true private enterprise. Registered in 1916, the company was formed to take over the East Kent business of Thomas Tilling, Ltd., the British Automobile Traction Co.'s Deal branch, the businesses of theMargate, Canterbury and District Motor Services, Ltd., the Ramsgate Motor Coaches (Griggs), Ltd., and the bus businesses of Wacher and Co., Ltd., of Herne Bay. Since 1916 many smaller concerns have been acquired: In 1937 the company began to operate buses in Dover to replace trams, and in the same year the bus and tram business of the Isle of Thanet Electric Supply Co., Ltd., was acquired. The company has a substantial holding in London Coastal Coaches, Ltd., and a working agreement with the Southern Railway Co. Relations are everywhere good, with local authorities, other concerns, and so on. In Canterbury itself, "East Kent" has the status of a municipal transport undertaking and the general manager, Mr. A. Baynton, 0.B.E., is Mayor of the city.

Just before the 1939 war, the company had regular services covering those parts of Kent and Sussex east

of Faversham, Ashford and Hastings. Services were operated between London and the Isle of Thanet, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Deal, Dover, Folkestone, Canterbury, Ashford, etc The route mileage was in the region of 1,800, and about 46,000,000 passengers were carried annually. There was a large business in connection with tours, excursions and private hire, and certain working arrangements were in force with Maidstone and District Motor Services, Ltd., which still hold good.

At the present time, when the company is getting on its feet again, with added staff, smartened buses in red and cream livery, increased services and lighter burdens in many respects, there are, nevertheless, marked differences from the situation existing in 1939. Some figures will tell the tale.

Figures are also available for the nine months ended June 30 last, when 8,733,070 miles were run and 44,191,241 passengers carried. These figures show an increase of 2,220,486 miles and 8,759,205 passengers over the corresponding period of the year before. From the foregoing information it will be at once seen that over a much-reduced mileage and with a considerably smaller fleet, the company is carrying far more passengers than ever before. With vehicle orders being fulfilled so slowly—and the company was not slow to order when the war was nearing an end—and with traffic and depreciation mounting fast, there is much to worry about. Good maintenance is three-quarters of the battle in such rehabilitations as these, and in this respect the company is in a good position.

Reference to the 4d. official time-table of the East Kent company shows that the main operational network of services is still much the same as it was before the war, from Charing Cross down to Hastings in the west, and across up the coast to Margate, and back westwards to Herne Bay, Faversham and London. Some services still show gaps, but, in the circumstances, remarkable progress has, in a year or so, been made towards attaining the normal schedules.

Although no prolonged tours are run as yet, the company has reintroduced the popular express services between London and the coast.

The total fleet, to-day, numbers 426, which is 120 fewer than in 1938. This statement calls to mind the fact. that 102, buses were sent over to the B.E.F. just

before Dunkirk and were never seen again. Many buses were destroyed or damaged in England by enemy action, and some, like old soldiers, simply faded away, with honour but unsung. The allocation of new buses. during,the war years was meagre.

It is to the credit of the heavy-vehicle manufacturers, as well as to the maintenance department of the East Kent company, that so many old buses are still running, and running well, after what they had to do in the war. A large number was requisitioned by the Services. Others were placed on contract for the transport of war • workers, and East Kent buses carried Ensa parties all over England. Evacuee transport was another large item, and a great many single-deckers were converted to ambulances for the Ministry of Health.

The 426 vehicles comprise 214 double-deckers, 144 single-deckers and 68 coaches. Of the double-deckers,

Orders have been placed for 50 Leyland oilers with Park Royal 32-seater bodies, 61) Dennis oilers with 35seater coachwork by the same bodybuilder, 50 Leyland double-deck oilers with the new Leyland all-metal bodies, and 12 Leyland chassis to take bodies from old Tilling-Stevens buses still in service.

The East Kent system of maintenance must be envisaged as one dependent upon a fair measure of decentralization. Thus, there are garages at Ashford, Canterbury, Deal, Dover, Folkestone, and Herne Bay, as well as the Thanet garage between Margate and Ramsgate, and one at Rye. These are each responsible foethe running repairs of the vehicles allocated to them. Since the body shop in Canterbury was destroyed, almost all body repairs and reconstructions have been, and still are, done at Faversham, where work has been at high pressure ever since the times when so many bodies were damaged and destroyed. Painting is done at Margate and it is notable that the standard of finish is high. For every bus there comes a time, however, when repairs are needed which cannot be done in a running shed, or even a moderately well-equipped garage. When a major overhaul becomes due, vehicles or units are sent to the main mechanical works at Kirby Lane, Canter

bury, where replacement units are available. This works is extensive, well ordered, and well equipped. It is necessary to "farm out" only rebores and regrinds, which jobs are done by the manufacturers' representatives in or near London.

The mileage basis is adopted for maintenance. There is a vehicle record card for each bus at its outlying garage and this is sent to Kirby Lane when necessary for appropriate entries and transfer of statistics to the key record for the fleet. As a general rule, major overhauls are carried out at 150,000 miles and top overhauls at 25,000 miles, although, in certain cases, these figures cannot apply. Oil changes and pump calibration are done at 5,000 miles on compression-ignition engines.

The main works is under the direction of Mr. S. H. Loxton, and the works superintendent is Mr. A. W. Spicer, who has seen 27 years of service at Kirby Lane. The labour situation is good, for many old and loyal workers have been retained and younger skilled workers have now returned, and a proportion of boy workers iscontinually being upgraded:

As any good engineer should, Mr. Spicer laments that overhead shafting for power is still used instead of self-contained motors, but he is otherwise justly proud of a comprehensive and well-laid-out depot. The usual machine tools are complemented by a crack detector, made by the Equipment and Engineering Co., [Ad., and Crypton-Hartridge testing equipment is being installed in the oil-engine pump section of the works, which adjoins the electrical shop Another interesting piece of equipment is a Bradbury brake-facing device, and there is an 1.C.I. hot degreaser.

Plans for the Future Before leaving the subject of maintenance, it may be of interest to note that chassis maintenance costs for 1945 and 1946 work out at 1.4.4d. and 1.17d. per vehiclemile respectively, whilst the figures for body upkeep are .36d. and ..47d. respectively.

By staunch effort, good team work and careful attention to financial economy, vast problems have been solved and bitter threats overcome_ For the future, the policy of the company is, as always, to serve the roadtravelling public to the best of its high ability. Plans have been conceived for a large and modern bus station at the coastal exit from the town, to put an end to congestion at the present bus station near the 566-yearold city gate. Period tours and, it is hoped. Continental tours, will be resumed next year,


comments powered by Disqus