Full Grant to Russell Will Add 200 tons
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FROM G. DUNCAN JEWELL
• FOUR applications by Russell of Bathgate Ltd., Bathgate, which, if
granted in full, would increase the unladen capacity of the fleet by more than 200 tons, were heard by Mr. W. F. Quin, Scottish Licensing Authority. at Edinburgh, this week. Three applications were granted as applied for, and the remaining one was granted in principle. Decision was reserved as to quantum in this case. This followed the withdrawal and non-appearance of objectors, the British Transport Commission and J. and A. Smith of Maddiston, Ltd.
The three applications which were granted were; (a) to add six vehicles, totalling 36 tons unladen, to their A licence at Glasgow, with a normal user to carry crushed bones between Glasgow and London; (b) to vary the A licence at Bathgate by substituting 19 vehicles of 95 tons, for 18 vehicles of 721 tons, and surrender a special-A licence for one vehicle; (c) a new Glasgow A licence for four rigids of 22 tons, four articulated units of 241 tons and two drawbar trailers of 4 tons, to take over vehicles from Annicsland Motor Transport.
The remaining application was to add 12 articulated outfits to the A licence at Bathgate, with a normal user: " firebrick for United Fireclay products, Ltd., Armadale, to England and Wales, as required."
Extra 200 Tons a Week In the firebrick application, Mr. W. Russell, managing director of the applicant company, said that since the opening of a new kiln at Armadale they were being asked to carry an additional 200 tons of bricks weekly to Wales and southern England. Each vehicle journey took 6-7 days and, at 15 tons per vehicle, 12 units would barely suffice. More than 70 per cent, of the work was palletized and the remainder had to be carefully packed, which meant that semi-trailers had to be left overnight for loading.
Questioned by Mr. A. B. Wilkinson, for the B.T.C., Mr. Russell said that the charge for the return of empty pallets was included in the rate, which to South Wales was £3 17s. 6d. per ton. Contract-A licences had not been considered because at that rate back-loads were essential. He agreed that since 1956 his company had obtained increases amounting to 30 tons unladen, substituted 12 vehicles of 471 tons for 10 articulated units of 65 tons, and added four tippers of 314 tons to their A licences. •
Mr. M. Cooper, works manager, United Fireclay Products, said that their original capacity was 600 tons a week. The new kiln was producing an extra 300 tons which would soon rise to 400. About 70 per cent, of the traffic had been railborne but this was decreasing because customers specified carriage by road.
Brick traffic was being palletized, but there was a shortage of the special rail • wagons required. Russell had been asked to carry 50 per cent. of the increase because a local haulier was more satisfactory.
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Mr. 3. Fleming, transport manager of the East Coast division of British Railways, said that after discussion with the Brick Trade Association, 840 special pallet wagons had been allocated to Scotland. Normally rail transport was more economical and their rate to South Wales was approximately £3 1 1 s. 3d. In 1959 bricks worth £63,000 were transported by rail from Armadale, and usually there was a surplus of available wagons. Recently there had been only one period of three days where there had been a shortage.
The depot of British Road Services at
• Bathgate had 25 vehicles all suitable for this traffic, said Mr. J. D. 0, Walker, depot manager. Six of these vehicles, with a carrying capacity of 78 tons, had been delicensed since May because of lack of work.
Questioned by Mr. J. Loudon, for the applicants, regarding the normal user, Mr. Walker replied that he could not give this information off-hand. He agreed that instructions not to make vehicles available to Russell had been received in the past, but there had been a change of management and they were now willing to do so.
Capacity Could be Doubted
Mr. Wilkinson submitted that by employing a different system and using more than one driver for vehicles on this work, Russell could almost double their carrying capacity without any increase. The demand would be better met by contract-A licence, he claimed.
Referring to objections by B.R.S., Mr. Loudon said it was remarkable that the manager who had controlled a 25vehicle depot for eight years did not know details of his normal user.
Reserving decision on the fourth application, Mr. Quin said that the question of the six delicensed B.R.S. vehicles called for some action. Under Section 10 (3) of the Act the Licensing Authority could remove them from the licence, unless it could be proved that the idleness was due to fluctuation of trade.
The B.T.C. withdrew their objection to the six-vehicle application after an alteration of the normal user to " crushed bones for British Glues and Chemicals, Ltd." In the absence of witnesses from J. and A. Smith of Maddiston, Mr. W. Buchanan, their advocate, did not pursue the objection.