Automatic Load in g of Road Tankers
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THE automatic loading of road vehicles is a feature of the Esso Petroleum Company's new oil terminal opened at Tynemouth last week, a -£2-2 m. installation planned to keep down costs by concentrating operations into a small number of large and efficient plants situated at strategic centres.
The entire control of vehicle operations is in the dispatch bay, situated at firstfloor level to give good visibility of vehicles entering the plant and the loading racks.
A vehicle entering the plant stops at the entrance to the yard area and communicates by means of a speaker with the dispatcher, who directs it to the appropriate loading stand. Loading instructions are passed to the driver by Lampson tube, and verbally if necessary over the talkback system.
The vehicle is then checked in and carthing-wires are connected. Until this is done an overriding control valve will not permit loading. The quantity to be loaded is preset on the meter and loading at a rate of 500 gal. a minute starts. The pump is automatically operated on opening the valve at the loading area by a pressure-velocity control system. In the dispatch office, duplicate meters show the dispatcher the grade being loaded and thus gives a check on quantity and grade. Should any error occur, the dispatcher has an overriding control. Customers' orders are received in this office and the routeing of vehicles is decided by the dispatcher and his staff.
Lancashire Haulier's New Premises
ANEW warehouse and office block for Parkinson's Transport Services (Wigan) Ltd. was opened on Monday by
Mr. Alan Fitch, M.P. The premises include offices for the managing director and transport manager, a board room. reception office and drivers' room. The building, which measures 117 ft. by 60 ft., represents the first phase of the company's current programme and later a garage of similar size is to be erected.
The Parkinson fleet of II articulated vehicles carries Typhoo tea on contract throughout the North West. including Westmorland, part of Cumberland, part of Yorkshire, and North Wales. Tea in bulk is transported from Manchester and Liverpool to the Midlands for blending. the fleet carrying packed tea on return for distribution.