'Ten minute defect' poor consolation
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• Suspending three of a Workington firm's vehicles for a period of three months, Mr J. A. T. Hanlon, the Northern LA, commented at Cockermouth last week: "It would be poor consolation to anyone injured in an accident to be told that the defect causing it could have been rectified in 10 minutes."
The company, J. R. Graham and partners, was appearing under Section 69. A vehicle examiner, Mr J. M. Cant, told the LA that of 19 vehicles being operated by the company from an opencast site near Workington, four had had immediate prohibitions placed on them and delayed GV9s had been placed on six others.
Mr Cant said that the firm had its own maintenance staff and with effort its garage could be first class for haulage maintenance. But he suggested to Mr Graham that as opencast work was very rough, inspection should be more thorough, and that monthly inspections were totally inadequate.
Serious brake defects could have been rectified by adjustment in 10 minutes. Mr Cant said.
Mr J. R. Graham, one of three brother partners, said he needed all his 23 vehicles on the contract. Producing figures showing expenditure of £14,225 on spares, excluding tyres, he said he agreed organization in the garage could be better, and it had now been tidied up and maintenance was now conducted on a fortnightly basis.