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MEAT DISTRIBUTION SE

20th April 1926, Page 16
20th April 1926
Page 16
Page 17
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Page 16, 20th April 1926 — MEAT DISTRIBUTION SE
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Important Transport Activities at Traf Industrial Estates in the Country.

FROM MANCHESTER.

, one of the Most Intensely Developed I-working Fleet of Steam Wagons.

TRANSPORTATION, transformation and distribution—these are the "big three" of Trafford Park, Manchester, one of the most intensely developed industrial estates in the country. Here are concentrated close on 130 workshops and factories, warehouses, cold storages and all the equipment auxiliary to the distribution of foodstuffs and raw materials over a wide area, whilst unique facilities exist for the clearance of inward cargoes from steamers using the Manchester Ship Canal. Although an artificially created port, Manchester is making a bold bid for traffic to and from all parts of the world, and is thus in vigorous competition with the neighbouring port of Liverpool, with its geographical advantages.

..-1` With the development of Trafford Park as an industrial estate, there has also grown up as an associated company of Trafford Park Estates, Port of Manchester Warehouses, Ltd., and Trafford Park Cold Storage, Ltd., the well-known motor distribution services of the Port

of Manchester Road Service, Ltd. Although specialists in meat transport, the company undertake the movement of all classes of goods and serve an area covered by a radius of, roughly, 100 miles of Trafford Park, within which, by the way, is Concentrated one-half the population of England and Wales. Their fleet consists of nine Sentinel steam wagons and trailers, Ford runabout lorries and four Peerless petrol machines. The last-named and the Sentinel wagons were built to accommodate insulated lift-van bodies, some 18 of which are in regular commission, those for the Sentinel wagons being 17 ft. long, 1 ft. wide and 7 ft. high, and those used on the trailers 14 ft. 6 ins. long, 7 ft. wide and 7 ft. high. Although most of these van bodies are built with rear doors, some of the most recent additions have doors at the sides, as well as at the rear, so as to facilitate loading and unloading at the meat markets.

When loading up, say, at the ship's side or at the cold storages, the rear entrances are used and the vehicles, of which there is always a number in attendance when a meat steamer is in course of being discharged, are required to draw up in a semicircle, so as to economize in dock shed space.

Were vehicles to draw up end to end, not only would it be impossible for them to be parked in the usual confined space, but the quay porters would be compelled to travel rather long distances, thereby delaying the loading of the waiting motor units. Now, at the provincial meat markets quite a different set of circumstances is encountered. At Liverpool, for instance, when insulated vans unload from the rear the street is blocked whilst meat is being carried into the imported meat market, At other markets similar conditions prevail. Hence the employment of vans with three sets of doors.

The Port of Manchester Road Service, Ltd., inau gurated their motor delivery services five years ago, primarily for the transport of foodstuffs, and particularly in connection with the Port of Manchester Warehouses and the Trafford Park Cold Storage. Roughly, 50 per cent, of the total volume of commodities transported by the company's vehicles consists of meat, and the average weekly tonnage works out at about 300, reckoned on the basis of a year's working. The average fleet mileage is about 200,000 per annum. The average load dealt with per journey is from 6i tons to 7i tons.

The company are specializing on the use of Sentinel wagons, and, owing to the frequency' with which heavy loads up to 10 tons are presented, it is considered that steam vehicles are best able to meet existing conditions of operation. In an interview with the manager_of the company, Mr. F. Norman, we were informed that some of the Sentinels, although now in their fifth year of service, are being fitted with balance weights and an improved type of piston ring, actually giving as much mileage per cwt. of coal used as the manufacturers declared they would when the machines were first bought. Needless to say, this result is viewed as the outward and visible sign of the efficiency of the operating and maintenance sides of the company's transport system.

It is no uncommon circumstance at Trafford Park for an urgent call for meat to be received at mid-day from Birmingham, which is 80 miles away, for the vehicles to be loaded up and leave the cold stores at 2 p.m. and for them to reach the Midland centre at It p.m. the same day. This, of course, permits the meat to be placed on sale in excellent condition at five o'clock on the following morning. This is only one instance of the expedition with which meat is cleared.

Liverpool meat importers have informed the writer that nowadays they find it much more to their interests to send their produce forward by road rather than by rail. Apart from the certainty that the goods will be delivered in the shortest possible time and the limitation of the handling processes, there is the factor of economy (transport by road being actually cheaper than by railway). Not so, however, with the Port of Manchester Road Service, Ltd., who invariably charge railway rates, to which they consider they are justly entitled.

As an instance of the mobility of the company's fleet, it may be mentioned that some time ago a big consignment of meat was required for export from Trafford Park, via Liverpool, to the Continent. It involved the conveyance of 4,362 forequarters of beef—in all, 324 tons. Every package was shipped from Liverpool by four o'clock in the afternoon of the second atty.—quite a remarkable performance.

With regard to the general despatch of meat, when consignments are to go forward, transport is usually indented for before mid-day, and this means that the company must arrange for the loads to be delivered in plenty of time for the early morning meat market in the distant town—that is, before six o'clock. Unless this guarantee of delivery can be given, the meat is of no use to the trader, who would be reduced to either selling it at a loss or putting it into cold store.

Port of Manchester Road Service, Ltd., claim that, barring mishaps, they can always deliver to within a quarter of an hour of the time when actual delivery will be effected.

The company have regular meat services to Stoke-onTrent, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Derby, Burton, Leeds, Sheffield and Bradford. Generally, the vehicles from the Midlands bring back return loads, consisting mainly of foodstuffs, whilst vehicles running from Manchester to Liverpool are also often successful in being able to secure consignments of meat of general produce for the return journey.

The cotton and wool industries make frequent demands on the organization of the Port of Manchester Road Service, Ltd. The company undertake to deliver cotton on the doorstep of the spinning mill at Oldham within an hour of leaving the warehouse in Trafford Park, and of wool in Bradford, 40 miles away, within three hours. Thus it will be seen that the spinner is able to regard the Trafford Park warehouse as his own store ; he could scarcely draw supplies from his own warehouse near the mill in less time.

One of the most irritating difficulties encountered,in the operation of the fleet is that caused by the frequent and serious congestion and delays at the dock sheds at Liverpool. When a meat steamer is due, notification is sent to the haulage contractor, with the request that he will provide transport for certain quantities of meat of a specific mark. The vehicle stands by whilst the goods are unshipped and as the particular parcels he Is awaiting become available they are conveyed by trucks to the waiting steam wagon.

There is always a big element of uncertainty and delay in the vase of some steamers, particularly those from Australia, and waiting time might involve not merely hours, but days. This has actually happened. One instance was mentioned to our representative where a motor vehicle stood by for over a week before the load became available, no clue being provided in


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