WHERE THE MOTORCYCLE CARRIER PAYS.
Page 17
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A Unit which is Becoming Increasingly Popular.
THE. observant, will probably have noticed that during the last 12 months. or 90 small tradesmen have been showing a rather marked preference fey the Motorcycle and carrier outfit, and it is evident., when large stores operating big fleets of 'lorries and vans find it to
• their advantage to provide a place for such combinations, that they can be employed on certain services with good 'results.
There is a tendency amongst Shopkeepers to go all out for a four-wheeler -or nothing_ at all, and whilst there is much to be said for this policy, it most • be admitted that the tradesman doing a steady business, giving employment to, say, one or two horsevans, would find
-the nimble little inotorcycle and carrier a very handy turnout.
Take, for instance, the 6 lap.
owned by Ma. Alex. Lewis, baker and confectioner, of Granby Street, Liverpool, shown in one of liaur illustrations. Mr. Lewis recently informed a representative of The Commt.rcial Motor that the upkeep and running 'cost of a horse and cart worked out at approximately 30s. per week, plus, of course, a youth's wages, say, altogether about £3 10s. per week.
"Now, with my present outfit, and 'the sidecar body was built to my own desigra" this user said, "I can do • a inneh greater mileage at less than half the. cost. To get down to bard facts,
the-motorcycle, which has a goad potentiality of speed add is easy to negotiate through traffic, can be operated and maintained at about 15s. per week,, inclusive of 3 gallons of petrol and pints of oil. I drive it myself and do a weekly mileage of about 120, the impig: being about 45 on ordinary townrunning, or 55 m.p.g. on a non-stop run."
Mr. Lewis's box carrier, which is of novel design, carries about six dozen 2-lb. loaves, and has a special fitting at the rear to take five trays of coofeca tionery. The front part of the body is fitted with a sliding top to facilitate the handling of bread, whilst the rear compartment has binged doors. •
The ice-cream merchant who-generally dispenses his summertime blessings from a handbarrow or a horse shanty, .noted fee its extravagwit decorations in colours reminiscent of the bright hues of Italian_ climes, is also modernizing his "coIling stock." At Liverpool, Preaton and Blackpool, merchants are to be found who have adopted the ice-cream motor. van, a vehicle which is never missing where there are big crowds of people congregated in the summer months. The motor carrying ice-cream fellows thie crowds, and, consequently, is not so much seen in the towns during the season, the venue generally being the seaside. During a recent visit to the Lake District, the Writer noticed that at Windermere the only mechanically propelled
units were motorcycle outfits, with appropriately embellished carriers—that is, carriers of a design a-nd colour quite in conformity with the style that finds universal acceptance amongst ice-cream merchants. Some of these turnouts travelled from towns 20 miles away. Other northern owners of this type of vehicle are Messrs, Bernie Bras., of Wrexham, who have an 8 h.p. Williamson machine with horizontal water. cooled engine, .and fitted will a beat. shaped sidecar, made to carry the usual paraphernalia.--churn of ice-cream, boxes of biscuits, " tools," water, etc. The sidecar carrier is painted in yellow and red, and has a light sunshade fitted above it. This outfit averages at least 40 m:p.g..
Messrs. Lewis's, the proprietors of huge emporiums at Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, who operate a big fleet of 30-cwt. Garfords, have recently put into service a Beardmore box carrier, finished in green and black, with gold lettering, for their valeting service.
Customers of their Liverpool stores are invited to send a postcard to their tailoring department whe.n they have garments they wish to have repaired or cleaned, when the motorcycle calls, collects the goods, and delivers same in a few days' time in the best. of condition. This collectioii. and delivery service is provided without any extra coat for the work clone.