Longer Platforms for Steel Traffic Granted
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THE increasing demand for long steel 1 bars caused C. I. Roper and Son, Ltd., to apply at Sheffield on Tuesday to change two of their existing vehicles. Mr. A. J. Roper, a director of the company, asked to delete one vehicle of 31 tons ffom his A licence and substitute for it one of 41 tons. He wished to modify another unit by adding an extra axle, thus changing it from a four-wheeler to a six-wheeler and increasing its weight by 1 ton. Both vehicles would be flats and the application meant that their platforms would be extended from 17 ft. in length to 22 ft. The application was granted.
The primary reason for this, continued Mr. Roper, was that their two main customers, W. T. Flather, and Cox and Danks, were now producing steel bars of 22 ft. in length. Demands were being made for these to be transported, but Ropers had not enough vehicles with sufficiently long platforms to carry them. Many of their customers would not allow sub-contracting as the hauliers often sent the wrong type of vehicle.
Mr. T. E. Warriner, transport manager of W. T. Flather, pointed out that during the past three months their output of 22-ft. steel bars had increased by 10 per cent. If these commodities were carried on vehicles with 17-ft. platforms, the ends overhung and became bent during transit. If consignments were made up of bars of different lengths, then a long platformed unit was still essential.
The application was opposed by British Railways. The Yorkshire Deputy Licensing Authority, Mr. J. H. E. Randolph. said that the reason for the application was to enable the vehicles to have longer platforms. and he did not think that Ropers were particularly interested in the extra carrying capacity. Even so, he did not think any other hauliers would be in danger.