The Experience of Messrs. Pickford, Ltd.
Page 10
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Interview with one of the Managing Directors.
" Beginning with a single tractor in November, 1903, we have increased the number to 20, in addition to to motor wagons," said one of the managing directors of Messrs. Pickford, the well-known carriers, in response to the first .question addressed to hihi by a representative of "Tue 'COMMERCIAL MOTOR." " We have more machines on order, .and shall be placing fresh orders during the autumn of the ipresent year. All are steam, because we reckon the fire .risk too great to handle petrol at present. Yes, we find depot-to-depot work the best for motors ; and heavy work generally yields nearly as great a saving if delays are small. We do not consider it economical to employ motors in distributing work, or with small loads, so far as we can judge, though we have not yet experimented with the light van for our class of deliveries. We may give that type of commercial motor a trial later. As to distances covered, our pair-horse vans take from 3 to 3i tons, and average about 16 miles a day, whereas we find that the motors can take 5 tons a trip and do two trips in place of one. We own between 2,000 and 3,000 horses, and over 1,600 vehicles, within the metropolitan area, and we look for our future increase of business by means of mechanical traction. We have found a central repair shop a most desirable adjunct; all the necessary work can be done by a small number of fitters, and one is always travelling round to inspect the motors which are working from one or other of our 30 principal depots. Our tractors generally haul four or five tons, but their advantage over self-contained motor wagons is less than we anticipated, as regards the use of horse-type trailers of all varieties, on account of the various regulations and the expense of fitting suitable brakes to comply with the law. It means, in practice, the altering of a very large number of vans, otherwise the risk of picking up one without brakes on the two wheels is too great. Our vans, as is London practice, were built to brake on one wheel only. When these are properly converted, and when the brake gear is adapted to independent operation from the motor lorry or tractor, we shall save the expense of the boy who now rides on the trailer. We have not found it advantageous to train our carmen to drive, since they too soon look upon themselves as competent to draw the full pay of an experienced road locomotive driver. We have
VERY LITTLE DIFFICULTY IN SECURING GOOD DRIVERS
who have gained sufficient experience elsewhere ; but we are now arranging a scheme to allow others of our employas to work themselves up by degrees. Our practical difficulty with the drivers is that they seem wedded to dirt and grime." The prospects of new motor carrying companies were then discussed. " They will have a harder task before them than firms already in existence as horse haulage contractors, whose organisation is widely spread with a corresponding degree of elasticity in working ; but they should, I feel sure, do well on selected work which can be undertaken to contract in preference to general carrying. It is all a question of business care and proper supervision to lay the work out and to see it done. We have had
HARDLY ANY TROUBLE FROM CLAIMS
arising out of alleged damage to goods by the motors, and I see no reason why there should be more than with horses. We have had the usual small roadside incidents and accidents, but these are covered by insurance. Our main structural difficulty has been with the wheels, which are of the all-metal type, with plates bolted on the inner tyre, but we believe them to be unsuitable for regular running on setts."
" But, surely, that fault is peculiar to the type of wheel you are using? Their being all-metal, with plates bolted to the false tyre, is the cause," It was agreed that wheels with steel centres, wooden felloes, and endless steel tyres, would probably have given better results.
" Skidding and excessive noise have occasioned a certain amount of trouble, too," he complained, " in consequence of which we have tested some wooden wheels which are built up with slabs of rubber behind the blocks, these latter forming the treads. They have stood a six months' test, and are being adopted by us on a portion of our plane" " Do you consider," was the next query, " that the commercial motor will largely replace horse haulage: " " We are sure," quietly came the reply, " that the heavier types of motor lorries and the small tractors such as we have used
SHOULD TAKE THE PLACE OF HORSES in the longer journeys between the depots; but there will be at least a corresponuing increase in the number ot our onehorse vans. That will be a natural corollary to the greater volume of traffic which improved facilities and greater rapidity of despatch bring. We do not see, at present, that the one-horse van can be displaced in London for our tedious city and suburban rounds of street delivery." " Are you encouraged or discouraged by the results of your 16 months' experimental service, and do you mean to stop or to go on?" There was no pause over the answer. It fell, sharply this tune, from the lips of one whose experience of commercial haulage is wide enough to command universal respect. "Commercial motors should do better than horses in a very large portion of our work, and we shall gradually make steady additions to our plant and equipment. We are findmg an enquiry, too, for definite contracts to tell off one or more motors to a particular firm, and that development may grow very rapidly." Deeming it unfair to Messrs. Pickford to dive too deeply into such personal matters as profits, economies, etc., our representative withdrew, satisfied with the knowledge that praise from a firm of such high standing is praise indeed.
One of our staff was present when the typical line of vehicles was grouped at one of Messrs. Picktord's depots. The photograph on the next page was taken at short notice in the middle of the day, otherwise many more would have been included. The large van on the extreme left was built by Messrs. Hindley, of Bourton, Dorset, whilst the tractors are the production of Messrs. Wallis and Steevens of Basingstoke. One of these is fitted with the" Gate "patent wheels, and are those which are referred to in our interview. The lads on the tractors are those who usually work the foot brakes on the trailers, but, of course, it will be understood that their help is not required for driving. Upon the occasion of our visit we were particularly impressed with the keen interest taken by both driver and van lad in the care of their particular engine, so different from the casual indifference of horse drivers, hut, unfortunately, the photographic reproduction does not do justice to the polished metal work. The progressive method of traction seems to imbue them all with a greater sense of importance, and to quicken their actions generally, with benefit to their employers and themselves. At the particular depot visited there are also a number of horsed vehicles stabled, and it will be interestingto go into the same place 12 or 18 months hence and take stock of the changes which have occurred in the interval. All the horsed van lads (and we might include the drivers also) are anxious to go out with the up-to-date vans or tractors, as they consider it is a big step in promotion. Londoners have seen some of Messrs. Pickford's commercial tractors running about for many months past, doing all sorts of haulage work, from furniture vans to brewers' drays, and we cannot remember having seen one stranded by the kerbside. This speaks volumes for the engineering staff, and, from what we saw on our visit, the fine organisation which has made " Pickford's " known everywhere in Great Britain is being fully applied to the newest department of the business.
A quick delivery of parcels, on an American . system, will, says a daily paper, shortly be established in London. Briefly, the idea is to erect parcel boxes (after tht. style of pillar letter boxes) at various points, and to clear them periodically by a service of motor vans. Parcels up to mlbs. in weight may be posted, and the inclusive charge for any parcel will be 2d. The promoter • of the scheme calculates that a parcel will be deliveredwithin 3 hours of being posted.