Railways Fail on Test Loads
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THE results of test loads sent by rail were given by an applicant before the North-Western Deputy Licensing Authority at Liverpool, when R. Gregory and Co., Walton Hall Avenue, Liverpool, applied for B licences for four vehicles of 121 tons total unladen weight, to carry return loads for customers from whom supplies were purchased.
Mr. R. H. Gregory, a director, said the company had lour vehicles at present on C licences and now wished to have those replaced by B licences so that return loacii for customers could be carried. The company delivered goods to places like Glasgow and, occasionally, customers had tried to persuade the drivers to bring back goods. The company had no desire to enter into this class of business, but merely wished to oblige its customers.
The second point was that the company desired to extend its delivery system throughout Great Britain, and it would not be possible for it to do so unless it had return loads. The railways seemed to be incapable of carrying out its requirements, and when they approached the company to carry its traffic it had recently given them one or two test consignments.
When challenged by Mr. C. R. Haigson, for the railways, to detail the consignments, witness said the company did practically the whole of the icecream wrapper trade of the city. At the height of the summer wrappers were required urgently, and they were dispatched on Monday and Tuesday, The goods were definitely promised by the railway company for delivery on the Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. They were mislaid somewhere near Willesden, and, in consequence, the company lost this contract for next year. All the consignments to which he referred were sent by the " Green Arrow" service.
In another case a consignment dispatched on a Tuesday was not delivered ' until the following Saturday. The company suffered a machinery breakdown at its works and some gears were put on a train at West Bromwich, but they were not received until six days later. He contended that the railways were inefficient and his drivers could give a better and more reliable service.
When Mr. Hodgson suggested these were isolated cases, witness replied that that was not so. It was known to the railways that they were test consignments and /that the decision to give a contract to the railways depended upon the results.
In refusing the application, Sir William Hart pointed out -that under the Barratt appeal, he could not grant a licence in order to subsidize a business.