LANCASHIRE HAULIER PROV )ES "TAILOR-MADE" SERVICE
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LIKE many another young man who had been in the Services during the 1914-18 war, Mr. J. W. Morris looked forward to taking up something different from his pre-war occupation after he was demobilized. However, after leaving the Navy he returned to his old job in a bank where he was employed for another 12 months, but meanwhile he watched motor haulage finding its feet.
Convinced that there was a big future for the industry, he worked out a scheme for setting up in business. He had a family connection with the firm of Messrs. B. Evans, coal factors, of Ashton-under-Lyne, who had commenced, operations nearly half a century previously, and the upshot was that Mr. Morris soon became head of B. Evans and Co., the haulage business which is associated with, but operated as a separate concern from the older establishment.
When Haulage Operations Were Started Transport operations commenced in 1919 and for a while Mr. Morris gave only part of his time to the business, but before long it was necessary for him to take over the haulage side as his own special concern, by reason of the developments which were taking place.
At this juncture it should be explained that the operations of the two enterprises have always been kept separate, and it is in only times of emergency that B. Evans and Co. carries the coal of its associated business.
In the early 'twenties conditions offered every encouragement to those who set up in the transport business and Mr. Morris relates that the cornpany's first rate for cotton carried between Ashton-under-Lyne and Liverpool was 30s. 6d. per ton. Both the cotton trade and road transport suffered some hard knocks during the following years, so that charges were gradually forced down until the general level for the journey mentioned was 6s. 6d. to 7s. per ton. Toward g the end of the 'thirties agreements between the cotton carriers and the spinners brought more economic returns. However, B. Evans and Co. preferred to drop out of cotton carrying when rates , showed signs of dipping towards their lowest level.
Way back in 1919 work was commenced with a Pagefield lorry, and after a time this was changed for a reconditioned W.D. Maudslay, which proved excellent in every way. Later on an F.W.D. tipper was added, also a Leyland, and in this manner a small fleet composed of mixed units was built up.
Whilst a considerable amount of running was and is still done between
Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester and Liverpool, this operator does not provide anything in the nature of a trunk service, most of the jobs being, as it were, " -tailor-made " to meet the individual requirements of customers.
A speciality has been made of providing good service for the manufacturers of Ashton-under-Lyne, Stalybridge and district. Typical loads include machinery, engines, fuel economizers, ropes and cables, oxides, fibre for brush making, and salvage metal.
Handling machinery is not every transport operator's job. Some of the staff have the benefit of many years' experience with this class of work and they have evolved their own system for off-loading in conjunction with manufacturers' fitters. In peace-time it was often possible to balance exports going to the ports with imports that were being collected so that, even in the past, a high percentage of loading in both directions was always maintained. Naturally, the war has involved a considerable amount of replanning and, instead of working largely within a 100-mile radius of Manchester, the vehicles have now often to go farther afield to fulfill the urgent transport needs engendered by the intensive National efforts of manufacturers engaged in a variety of war-time production tasks.
The fleet was still of a mixed character in 1936 when a sinall' Foden of the OG type, with a Gardner four-cylindered oil engine was -acquired. This machine gave very good results, its fuel-consumption records showing that, on certain duties, it achieved a return equal to 34 m.p.g. When this experience had been. noted, it was decided to purchase a Foden six-cylindered eightspeed mbdel of the DG 6/7 type, for use with trailers.
Following further purchases, the fleet now consists of five Gardnerengined Foden platform lorries and a Bedford with a Perkins oil engine. The last-mentioned machine is equipped with a special rubber-lined -tank and its most important duty is the conveyance of spent hydrochloric acid.
Altogether, the fleet covers about 160,000 miles a year, and records show that the heavy four-cylinder oilers give an average fuel return
equal to 16 to 18 m.p.g. on ordinary work, whilst, similarly, the six-cylinder machines average 14 to 16 m.p.g, The garage is provided with power equipment for washing and greasing, has facilities. for all necessary maintenance and for most repair work. Major overhauls are invariably left to the care of the Foden works at Sandbach, a procedure which is often favotired by operators running relatively small fleets, for the reason that it avoids the need for extensive capital outlay or expensive plant.
Maintenance Work Closely Supervised
In ordinary times the machines had a general inspection on most Saturday mornings and a more drastic examination at monthly intervals. Under war-time conditions it is not always practicable to carry out the full routine operations, but the maintenance of the vehicles is closely supervised by the foreman, who sees that they are given frequent cleaning and greasing, together with a reguiar check-over on the accuracy of the various adjustments.
In general, it may be said that the endeavour is to anticipate possible difficulties, but mechanics will work at night or through the week-end if necessary in order to keep the machines at their tasks. Servis recorders are used throughout the fleet.
At all times care is taken to maintain an harmonious relationship between the management and staff. The longest service among the employees is that of the foreman, who has been with the company for over 20 years, although he is run close by a driver, formerly a mate, who commenced work shortly after him.
Traders, too, have long records with the business, and several important manufacturers from the locality have been sending their goods by the Evans fleet for upwards of 20 years.