"Unknown"
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Railway Service Surprise AN " unknown " road service by railway companies was revealed in Manchester, last week, when Mr. W. Chamberlain, North-Western Licensing Authority, informed the railway representatives that he would have some questions to ask when they came along for their vehicle licences.
Customers of Manchester Light Transport, Ltd., were cross-examined by counsel for the railways, Mr. P. Kershaw, on whether they had asked the railway vanmen to carry out the kind of delivery service now rendered by the applicant's vehicles. They replied in the negative.
Mr. Kershaw: "Would it surprise you to know that they are doing that sort of cross-town work? " Mr. H. Backhouse (for the applicant) : " I should think it would surprise the Licensing Authority. Had my clients known, they would have objected to the 220 vehicles being allowed to the railways for collection and deliveries in Manchester."
Mr. Chamberlain (to Mr. Kershaw) : "You will have to describe to me, some time, this internal traffic, of which I was not aware. I am not alarmed, but interested, as to this non-rail borne traffic. I was told, when licensing the vehicles, that they were all required for collection and delivery of rail-borne traffic."
Mr. Kershaw said that road work comprised not more than 1 per cent. of the total volume of railway cartage.