Sidelights on
Page 56
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Brewers' Transport Methods
The Effect of the New Regulations.
THE effect of the drivers' hours regulations on the brewing industry has caused a certain amount of reorganization of time schedules in the transport system of brewery concerns. Meux's Brewery Co., Ltd., the wellknown London brewer, has found that, on the longer hauls, it has been necessary, in some cases, to make use of two light vehicles when delivering to adjacent towns, where previously one larger machine could cover the area in a day.
In other instances, where a vehicle has completed. a short haul in the early morning and is required for a long pull later in the day, a different driver has to be employed, in order to comply with the regulations. Delay in deliveries, due to the varying times spent in loading and unloading at different houses, snakes it difficult to work to an accurate tinie schedule and, during the -busy periods of the year, additional vehicles are hired as required.
The London fleet of Meux's Brewery Co., Ltd., comprises 47 vehicles, 11 of these being G.V. battery-electrics and the remainder of Leyland, Dennis and Moths-Commercial makeS. Two of the Leylands are oilers and are used for the longer hauls. These machines have not as yet a great mileage to their credit, but are giving reliable and trouble.
free service. • The battery-driven machines have proved particularly Successful on short-distance work; the average age of these vehicles is 12 years, and they are still giving good service. The bitteries are carefully maintained and, in every instance, the life has exceeded the maker's guarantee period of three years. Despite the age of these machines, they are still fully capable of dealing with three full loads each day.
Routine oiling and greasing is carried out by the drivers, but, every 10 weeks, each vehicle is thoroughly checked over by the maintenance department and adjustments are carried out where necessary. Engines are stripped and examined every 20,000 to 30,000 miles, and the maintenance department undertakes complete overhauls.
Value of Drivers' Records.
rr'HE transport manager of the London brewery of J. Truman, Hanbury, Buxton and Co., Ltd., Mr. L. T. Fritche, has found that the drivers' hours regulations have made it more difficult to organize the running of the concern's vehicles on the most economic basis, The keeping of records has, however, proved of use to the company in providing an additional and easier check on loads and operating times. It is interesting to note that this concern compiled a driver's record sheet for deliveries of bulk and bottled beer of a special type to comply with the regulations, and; at the same time, to be of particular service in the brewing industry. This was submitted to and approved by the Brewers Society and the Ministry of Transport.
The company's London fleet comprises some 60 vehicles, these being mostly of A.E.C., Dennis, Leyland, Thorny • croft, Albion and Morris-Commercial makes. A number of International tractors is, however, used in conjunction with 10-ton trailers, primarily for transporting beer from " the railway stations to the brewery.
During quiet periods of trade, efforts are made to keep drivers fully employed on other work in the brewery, so that the full complement of drivers is always available when required. A night gang is engaged on maintaining the fleet and in washing and greasing the vehicles. Routine maintenance of-a number of machines is carried out every night, whilst the day staff undertakes all repair and overhaul work.
• Mr. Fritche favours bodies of -wood rather than those of the all-metal type, on the ground that this type is easier to repair, and the replacement of badly worn or broken c.34 parts is simplified. A well-equipped body shop is maintained at the London brewery, and, besides building :a number of its own bodies and cabs, the concern carries out repainting and the sign-writing of all its vehicles.
Guinness Fleet Controlled from Dublin.
ALL the commercial vehicles operated by Arthur GuinneSs, Son and Co., Ltd., numbering 60, which are stationed at Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, are controlled by the central traffic department in Dublin. The goods vehicles are equipped with platform bodies designed primarily for the accommodation of casks.
From Dublin 41 vehicles are operated, the numbers from the other towns being:—Belfast 6, Cork 3, Limerick 2, Manchester 4, and Liverpool and Birmingham 2 each. The fleet comprises vehicles of Latil, Leyland, Thornycroft, S.D. Freighter, Dennis, Fordson and Dodge makes, and is completed' by four International tractors which are used in conjunction with Eagle 8-ton trailers.
The Guinness concern has used road vehicles since the earlier days of mechanically propelled vehicles and has studied closely the problems of distribution. It holds the view that it is essential that a modern brewery has at its command an economical yet highly efficient transport system to deal with the distribution of its products, and this condition is fulfilled by modern commercial vehicles.
Watney's Pride in its Fleet.
HIGH importance is attached to the efficiency of its large 'fleet of motor vehicles, from the point of view of public safety, by Watney, Combe, Reid and Co., Ltd., and its chief motor engineer, Major H. C. Fuller. The company runs well over 200 vehicles, the petrol-engined machines being of Beardmore, Commer, Leyland and Thornycroft makes, whikt a few Ransomes electrics, some of them 14-15 years old, are still rendering yeoman service.
The machines range in capacity from 30 cwt. (a useful size for work in connection with urgent deliveries of bottled beer) to 6 tons, 24-tonners and 4-tonners also being employed, whilst Eagle and Harrow trailers of 6-ton and.3ton capacity figure in the fleet. Most of the company's tank wagons have copper bodies, insulated with Alfol -or cork, but stainless-steel units arc now finding favour.
Although the bodywork of brewers' vehicles must necessarily be sturdy, the Watney concern, which constructs much Of its own bodywork, has been able to reduce weight. without impairing strength, by the use of sheet aluminium ior the roofs of some of the vans.
Distribution in London is effected from four. main centres at Mortlake, Isleworth, Victoria and Chelsea, a fine new bottling plant having been constructed in the last-named district. The company has also a number of depots and agencies in various parts of the country.
Schweppes Used Steamers in 1900.
-rim old-established concern of mineral-water manufac
turers, Schweppes. Ltd., started using mechanical road vehicles as early as 1900, when it operated a Thornycroft steamer. This wagon ran for 13 years, and the concern continued using a number of steamers until last year.
Schweppes, Ltd., now has a fleet of 116 petrol vehicles, operating from 27 stations in Great Britain. These are used to give direct delivery to customers and they facilitate the collection of containers which are thus enabled to be put into operation again with the minimum of delay. The rapid expansion of business has necessitated"additions to the fleet, and the concern has nothing but praise for the British-made vehicles it employs. Urgent shipping orders are met by carrying the goods direct to the ship.