THE MOTOR WITH THE MILK.
Page 24
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Big Range of Service for All Types of Commercial Vehicles in Milk and Dairy Trade.
THE distribution of milk and dairy produce provides scope for the employment of multiple types of motor vehicle—from the motorcycle and box carrier to the heavy four-ton petrol lorry.
In some of the agricultural districts of the Midlands, far-removed from a railway station, it is the practice of the dairy farmers to leave their churns of milk outside their farms, to be picked up at an appointed time by a co-operatively owned motor lorry, which, at the time it loads up, also unloads empty churns which have been brought back from the railway station. This is the first stage in milk transport.
The next is when the milk arrives at the railway station of, say, a main distributing centre like Liverpool or Manchester, where, at the Rtrttioils, in the early morning hours, there is guite a long queue of motor vehicles of the light, as well as of the heavy, species awaiting their supplies. The lighter units are generally employed by the retailing concerns, and the larger ones by the wholesale distributors or by the owners of the multiple shops, who, according to the exigencies of their business, employ both types. There are, of course, some con corns which undertake their own transport of milk direct from the farms.
• Whereas the retailer, when he loads up at the railway Station, may commence the distribution on his rounds right away, the wholesalers' vehicles immediately proceed to the dairy, or depot, where a portion of the supplies is probably earmarked for making confec
tionery, etc After which the churns would he labelled and the driver advised as to their distribution amongst the shops.
MuItiple-shop owners making their own confectionery as a rule send out churns of milk and other delicacies—like cream, pasties, butter, etc.—separately, reserving the heavy vehicles for the churns,and utilizing specially. fitted vans for the other produce. The cost of transport is an integral part of business expenses.'
At the retailers' end, where milk is distributed by the pint. or by the quart., whilst a bigger round can be covered than with a horse float, close attention has been given the 'operating costs of the motor in relation to the selling price of the commodity, and probably this accounts for the reason -why, in Liverpool, milk is sold from the dairies at one penny a quart less than when it is delivered. The delivery of milk under contract to public institutions, to cafes, hotels, etc., provides a big sphere of employment for the motor lorry.
One Liverpool dairyman, Mr. G, H. Grundy, uses 4 B.S.A. 'motorcycle with box carrier as an adjunct to his business, Mr. Grundy is very enthusiastic concerning the service capacity of his turnout.
"For instance," be said, "with a horse-drawn trap it would take me a half an hour to get to my town customers, whereas now I can do the journey in a quarter of the time.
"My load frequently consists of two churns of milk, weighing about 4 cwt.., and then I carry a pillion rider for the delivering of milk to customers.
" In the time I save by using this turnout, I have the opportunity for pleasure riding."
One of our iilustrations is of a Ford, which might be appropriately described as "a travelling milk shop." Behind the driver's seat there is a door that leads to the " shop," which has three serving counters.