More Lessons from the Coal Strike.
Page 7
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Emergency Transport of all Kinds Promptly Inaugurated. Amongst the Special Loads were: 25 cwt. of Bullion; Cylinders of Compressed Hydrogen; Antique Furniture; Aeroplanes; Lawn Turf; Football Teams, etc.
We continue to receive information from our correspondents in various parts of the country regarding special services in connection with the recent coal strike.
Strike Pay by Motorvan.
Bridge Garage Ltd., of Briggate, Leeds, informs us that it had occasion to convey 25 cwt. of bullion from one of the Leeds banks to a branch at Barnsley by motor-wagon. ft is understood that this freight was intended for use as strike pay.
Sonic trouble was caused in the Leeds district, we understand, by the attempts of owners of large motor wagons to fetch coal from the pit heads direct.
A Good Barrier Round.
A correspondent sends a good report to us of the impressions created round Birmingham by Karrier-car performances during the recent coal strike. One of these did the following round between 6 p.m, on a Saturday and 1 p.m. on the following Wednesday : Northampton to Studley, near Redditch (55 miles); Studley to London Docks and back (220 miles); Studley to Liverpool Docks and back (101 miles). It was "the only way." The Birmingham branch of Clayton and Co. (Huddersfield), Ltd., of 75, New Street., arranged the service.
A Gas Truck. Linotypes Held Up.
From Yorkshire we hear a tale of an emergency service which was carried out by a, lorry last week during part of the time that the supply of gas had been severely restrcted in various towns and cities in the north. Certain large printers, who employ linotype machines, were unable to keep these going on account of the fact that the gas. which normally heats the metal melting pots, had been cut
off. It was not found possible to keep the metal in a molten state by means of such blow pipes or lamps as were available, so it was decided to endeavour to procure cylinders of hydrogen, such as are used, for instance, in connection with limelight lantern lectures. The printers in question were under contract with one of the large northern newspapers, and therefore. expense was not allowed to interfere in this emergency. Promptly, therefore. a messenger was sent off to Leeds to try to bring back the desired cylinders, whilst a motor lorry was sent to Manchester by road on a similar errand. Now Leeds, as a matter of fact, is only about a
quarter of the distance flom the town in question that Manchester is, nevertheless the lorry returned almost al the same minute as the messenger who had travelled by rail came along the street with a cartload of cylinders from the station. The motor-lorry had no terminal delays due to the transshipment. of the special load, A Record by a B. rna. A five-ton Barna lorry took a full load of machinery, for Arthur U. hnock and Co., Lid., Engineers and Contractors, Thane Works, fountayne Road, Tottenham, N., to Birmingham, in nine hours. The company who wanted the service wrote to Berna Commercial Motors, Ltd., of Avonmore Road, W., as under :--
" In regard to the transport of plant and machinery to Birmingham the other day, we must say that we are very pleased with the prompt manner in which you dealt with the case. You were booked out from our works at Tottenham at 6.15 a.m. on the Friday, and arrived at Birmingham at 3.20 on the same day. " We might point out that we are surprised at the journey having been made so rapidly with the fiveton load of machinery. With regard to the return journey with empty lorry, you were hooked out from Birmingham at 7 p.m. on the Friday night, and we understand your man put up in Toweester during the night, arriving at your garage in London at 1.20 p.m. on Saturday.
"As far as our experience goes, this appears, to be a record trip, and we shall hope to avail ourselves of this mode of transport wherever possible."
Bristol Uses its Road Motors.
The reduced train service to and from Bristol has led to an increased use of commercial vehicles in that part of the country. Record distane::s have been covered by motorvans, and a great variety of goods, including aeroplanes, special lawn turf, antique furniture and refreshments, has been carried. One fourton lorry, in a period of five days, ran a total distance of 761 miles, while other vehicles have been pressed into service for the transport of passengers, luggage and theatrical scenery. Eight chars-a,banes went on tours to Wells and Cheddar.
Wolverhampton Wanderers.
On this page we reproduce a photograph of a two-ton commercial chassis manufactured by the Star Engineering Co. Ltd., of Wolverhampton. In this instance it will be admitted that the model does not appear at its best. Nevertheless, the illustration is interesting as showing one of the multitudinous uses to which commercial motors of all claws have been put during the recent period of dislocated travelling facilities. Upon the occasion on which our. photograph was secured, a rough body had been fitted to a Star twotonner chassis which had just come off test, and on this somewhat comfortless accommodation the Star Works football team was conveyed to Tyseley on a recent Saturday.