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ROAD MOTOR BEATS RI FOR BEER TRANSPORT

15th March 1921, Page 12
15th March 1921
Page 12
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Page 12, 15th March 1921 — ROAD MOTOR BEATS RI FOR BEER TRANSPORT
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Recounting an Interview with Messrs. Watn into Many Million Gallons Annually, Mon eid and Co., whose Output of Beer Runs Which is Delivered by Motor Vehicles.

THERE cannot be many commercial undertakings throughout the kingdom who employ as many as 75 motor vehicles, but such is the position of Watney, Combe, Reid and Co., Ltd., the wellestablished London brewers. It will be readily appreciated that a fleet of this magnitude presents a great problem in the matter of control, and that, if every unit is to be an efficient link in the transport chain, it is absolutely necessary for it to be backed by a well-founded system.

Brewers are in a unique position as regards their transport, for, in but very few cases, the radius at which their commodities are 'distributed is usually restricted, the reason being that, practically, every populous centre throughout the kingdom boasts of at least one or more breweries, each of which eaters more especially for local needs. In the case of Messrs. Watney, Combo, Reid and Co., Ltd., several places beyond the ordinary delivery, radius receive their supplies from London (we shall have mere to say about these deliveries later on), although the greater proportion of the company's trade is confined to an area with a radius of about 20 miles from Mortlake and the Stag Brewery, Pimlico. The whole fleet of petrol and steam vehicles is maintained in mechanical efficiency from the Mortlake depot, although by far the greater part of it, in. so far as the running operations are concerned, is controlled from the Stag Brewery. "We suppose," we asked Mr. W. L. E. Gordon, of Mortlake Brewery, in a

recent interview, " that, with 7-5 motor vehicles in your service, each type of power unit is represented?

"Yes. We have 46 petrol vehicles, 24

steamers, and 5 electrics. The former class is made up -of afour-tonners and two-tonners, the heavier models being of Leyland,

Hallford, and Peerless manafacture, whilst the

smaller vehicles are Cornmer Cars. Of the steamers, we have eleven CS. 5-6 ton Sentinels, four four-tonners of the same make, the remainder being Fodens. The electric are 31 ton Orw ells."

" Does it follow that because your petrol vehicles are in the majority that you find this type of vehicle best suited to your needs? " we inquired. "Not at all. We have considerably more horses . (60, in fact) at Mortlake than is represented by the number of petrol vehicles. Each —." "Yes; but that is making a comparison between.. mechanical and equine power. It's —"

"It's pursuing your line of argument to a just conclusion. Each type of vehicle fulfils a particular need, and comparisons between types, when those types are engaged on varying duties, is bound to produce conflicting and divergent results. In our case, horse drays are used in what is termed. the 'economical horse delivery area,' which, naturally is closest to the brewery. We have a number of depots situated at 5 to 10 miles' radius from Mortlake, and bottling is done at all of them. Deliveries frbm these depots of bottled beer are carried out by 2-ton Con-liner Cars in conjunction with horses."

"Do you get many breakages on this work?" " What few we get are negligible."

Continuing, our informant said that the heavy petrol vehicles .and the steamers carry out very similar work, although one or two special deliveries are undertaken by steamers. Vehicles from Mortlake operate as far as Weybridge Farnham, Sevenoaks' Uxbridge, Southall, Couisden, Kingswood, Croydon, etc., whilst from the Stag Brewery journeys to Gravesend, Bexley Heath, St. Mary Cray, Eltharn, Sideup, Ponder's End, Muswell Hill and. Hackney are underaken.

"What are the special journeys undertaken bY the steamers? "

"Well, we have depots at Farnham and Sevenoaks' and beer is supplied, as I have already said, to each of these places from Mortlake. The Sentinel , 5-6 tonners do this work, and they deliver to each place three times a week. If there is a heavier demand for local supplies than is usual and additional stocks are needed, then this service is augmented by the use of four-ton petrol machines.

T w o vehicles are garaged at Farnham, a a d they execrate extended deliveries in the districts of which this Surrey town is the eentre." Turning . over some running cost sheets, Mr. Gordon continued: " Look at these figures. They will interest you. You will gather that we now run a daily service to Hastings and that 5-6 ton Sentinel steamers are used for this work. The system —."

"Was this work previously undertaken by the railway, or is it new ground only recently opened up?.'

" We formerly relied upon the railway, but what with delay in transporting the beer and greater delay in returning the empties, we decided, after careful consideration of the pros and cons of the matter, to utilize road vehicles for this service—and let me tell you we have done so with considerable success. Delay is an all-important factor, not merely with full casks, but also in the case of empties, which soon become sour, whilst they are often urgently needed at the breweries."

" We interrupted just now when you were ,about to describe the system of working for this service."

" Oh, yes. It's quite simple. One vehicle leaves Hastings with a full load of empties (about 35 casks of all sizes) as another with beer aboard leaves the brewery at Mortlake, and they meet a:t Ye Olde Vauxhall Inn," approximately half a mile from Ton-. • bridge Station and 'about midway between London • and Hastings: Here the drivers change over machines, the one from Hastings taking the fresh supplies for the seaport, and vice versa. This changing over was conceived in order that the drivers should not be called away from their respective homes."

" Of course, you overcome the delay by the utilization of road motors; but what about the question of cost? "

"That is a point I was coming to. From figures which have been very carefully' kept, it has been ascertained that, on this work, a saving of 1s.'61.1. per barrel is effected by the use of motor vehicles as against the railway, the latter method including the collection from, and the delivery to, depots at

either end. Seeing that a full load on a 5-6 ton steamer is equivalent to 27-1 barrels, the saving of

money, quite apart from delay, is considerable,. amounting as it does to 22 is. 3d. per journey. In the case of the deliveries to Farnham and Sevenoaks a saving of 1s. 6d. and is. per barrel respectively is effected." "You have stated the saving per barrel. Now what is the all-in cost per mile for the Hastings journey?" Mr. Gordon produced a carefully-kept dossier from which he was able immediately to answer the question put to him. A moment's perusal of this dossier, and then came the quick reply, " 16.6d." The promptness of this answer led us to inquire as to the system which enables cost figures to be extracted so quickly. " It appears to you to be exceedingly simple ; but, let. me tell you, it was evolved with considerable difficulty, and although its efficiency can possibly be improved, it provides valuable and accurate statistics which enable the company to learn whether or not their vehicles are being economically operated. Its extent may be gathered from the fact that one clerk is employed on nothing else but the collection and collation of figures dealing with transport. Would it interest you to know the headings under which this system is divided? " We nodded assent, whilst making notes. •

"It is divided into four main headings, these being: (1) Weekly return of working costs for horses and motors ; (2) the same return for steamers, 'with and without 'trailers; (3) work done by motors per, hour (distance and bulk); and (4) ditto for horses. Certain other figures are collated, but these are chiefly inter-departmental."

"Mention of trailers suggests a comparison b etween,---."

" I will presume the rest of your question. There is little difference in the cost of running steamers with and without trailers, except under special conditions, where time does not permit of an equivalent number of journeys. The restricted speed of 5 m.p.h. for vehicles with trailers, of course, somewhat offsets their advantage in the matter of carrying capacity."

Do you nob deliver beer in tank wagons? "

"Yes. I believe we originated this method of transport, at least for beer. Certain of the electric and petrol vehicles are fitted with tank bodies which hold 700 gallons of beer This method of transport possesses advantages over the more usual method in so far as that barrels are saved and less labour is required."

We were told that the four-ton petrol machines cover -about 200 miles each per • week, the twotonners 180 over the same period; the steamers 170 miles per week, and the electrios about 100 miles. the four-ton petrol machines average 6 m.p.g., and the two-tonners 9 m.p.g. "We do not use pure petrol,' continued Mr. Gordon, reopening the conversation, "but a mixture of this fuel and benzole in the proportion of 53 per cent. of petrol and 47 per cent. of benzole. We get loss carbonization in the cylinder heads and more pulling power from the engines with this mixture."

" The 5-6 ton Sentinels," continued our informant, "give 9i miles to the cwt. of coal consumed, but, ' he added, "if we were able to obtain Welshcoal instead of the present indifferent qualities, I say without hesitation that we could obtain 12 miles to the cwt, of coal used."

"You have given us very few details about the electrics."

"Yes. You will have to get further details of these vehicles from the Stag Bi ewery, Pimlico, because these vehicles are run and maintained there. Before going, I should like you to run over our workshops. I will get the motor engineer to show you round if you are interested."

Before proceeding to follow the motor engineer we took the opportunity of expressing our thanks to Mr. Gordon for the information he had imparted and for the ready and courteous manner in which he supplied detailed answers to our questions. Much of the information re comparative costs made instructive reading and after perusal of these closely-guarded facts and figures, we are more than ever convinced that there is ample room for the employment, each in its particular sphere or usefulness, of those three forms of mechanical transport— petrol, steam and electric. In the case of Messrs. 1Vatney, Conibe, Reid and Co., Ltd., each is a necessary part of a. complete entity. The staff of the motor engineering shop at Mortlake consists of a foreman, six mechanics, four mates, two learners, a works clerk, and one steam and one petrol driver. The two drivers undertake certain work In the shops, although they are primarily held in readiness for any emergency which may arise in connection with the vehicles out on the road. The machine tool equipment of this shop comprises the usual plant. The stores adjoin the repair shop, what is known as the " A " stores housing all spare parts and replacements for petrol vehicles, bright bolts, etc., whilst in the "B " stores close by, steam wagon parts and black bolts are accommodated. The company possess their own spacious bodybuilding, painting, and sign-writing shops. There are 20 men in the coachbuidding department. In the brewery yard there are three storage bins for coal, holding a combined total of 350 tons. One fuel in is held as a spare, the second is held for use when the first is emptied and being filled, whilst the third is in use. The Amount of coal issued to each driver is very carefully checked, and in thisway the company are able to ascertain the mechanical efficiency of each unit of the fleet.

Three 500-gallon underground tanks are also installed on the Bowser principle, two being set aside for petrol, a third being used for benzoic-. Petrol and benzoic are issued to the drivers in exactly the same way as the coal is apportioned to the steam wagon drivers, and at the end of a day's work each driver makes out a return sheet giving mileage covered, places visited, and also coal or petrol used.

The rubber tyres on the vehicles are of Shrewsbury and Challiner make .and are supplied under contract. They have given excellent service and in most cases have outlived, by many miles, the 12,000 mile guarantee given by the makers.

We were able to inspect the foundations of a new and spacious garage and repair shop for 40 vehicles, which the company are proceeding to build hard by the brewery at Mortlake, as well as a new bodybuilding and wheelwright shop (which is well in hand), which abuts on to it. So soon as the construction is more advanced, we hope to be able to publish plans and particulars of this modern and well-equipped shop—for such it Nvi71 undoubtedly be. We were successful in securing s few details of the eleetrics from Mr. Taylor at the Stag Brewery. He told us that these vehicles work on a radius of about four miles from Victoria. The company have five

ton Orwell electrics ; but, as they are largely experimental machines, having only been in use for less than a year, it is difficult yet to define their actual sphere of usefulness. "Will they eventually oust horses from your transport system?" we inquired. "They may oust them and all other forms of transport," came the unpremeditated retort.

" Buttheir limited radius of action is against this possibility/ "

"Not at .all. For the moment the electric is limited (our vehicles do 25 miles on one charge);

that I concede. But, 10 years ago, the batterypropelled vehicle wa,s considered by many a child's toy, with little or no potential commercial value; but a 10 years' interval—aye and much less than that—has witnessed astonishing developments in battery design, and he is a bold prophet who would say, with any degree of certainty, that, 10 years hence, the radius of operation of the electric will not be 200 miles out and home."

"I suppose it is too early to ask if you have

formed any idp, of the length of life of your batteries."

" Well, our Orwells are fitted with chloride batteries, which are guaranteed by the makers Jor two years ; but, judging from the present rate of depreciation, they appear to be good for at least three years." Our readers will have obtained a good idea of the magnitude of the company's operations from this article, and it says much for the efficient control which is exercised over the running and maintenance of a fleet of such dimensions, when we state that more than one-half the total production of beer, from the premises of one of the largest brewers in the country, which runs into many millions of gallons annually—the exact figure we are not permitted to divulge—is now conveyed by road.

Tags

People: Taylor, E. Gordon
Locations: Victoria, London, Surrey

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