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BIRD'S EYE VIEW

20th November 1964
Page 65
Page 65, 20th November 1964 — BIRD'S EYE VIEW
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Keywords : Brighouse, Columbidae

By The Hawk

Parts Complex . With the motor transport

industry as highly geared as it is today the need to get spare parts in a hurry is often of vital importance. I had, this very much in mind when I recently went along to Shepherds Bush to take a look at the modern parts warehouse opened by Stewart and Ardern in Bloemfontein Avenue. I understand that more than half a million pounds has been spent on equipping and stocking this building, which was designed solely for the wholesaling of B.M.C. parts and spares. More than 25,000 different types of parts are stocked here but-with an eye to future demand—bin locations have been designed to take a capacity of 40,000 varied items.

Computor Control? You could hardly have an efficient warehouse without a reliable stock control system —and S. and A. have gone to some lengths to ensure that they have this. They have introduced a central stock register, which is used by all members of the organization —all prices changes and amendments to parts numbers are amended as soon as they occur so that up to the minute information is available to all branches. The register is operated on the Kalamazoo system: when an entry is altered on any one page the page is photographed using the Rank Xerox reproduction system and a copy sent to each of Stewart and Ardern's branches. With an eye to even better service this company is now studying the possi bility of introducing computer control to the parts and accessories field.

Seen on the back of an Edinburgh Corporation bus: two posters. One said: " Board a bus and relax -. The other (a safety poster) asked: " Is it worth it?

Take Your Pick Which reminds me. followed a Southern National coach through London the other day, intrigued by a scruffy notice in the rear window, behind the seat backs, which read: "Boys Wanted ". What could Southern National want with boys? They didn't. The coach was full of teenage schoolgirls: or Your Partners

Steamers Galore When 1. called in at Taskers' new factory in Andover recently, I managed (at last) to find time for a really good browse round their very fine

" museum " of steamers and farm vehicles. L. A. C. Fuller, Taskers' assistant managing director (who showed me round), told me they believe it to be the largest collection of a single make of steamers in the country. Some of the exhibits, incidentally, date back 150 years.

I can well understand the small dilemma facing Taskers over this museum. It is so successful that more and more parties want to visit it; now they are wondering whether to open this splendid collection to the public. 1 say the should—it is worth seeing.

Preserved Tiger Another old bus has been added to the ever growing list of motor vehicles of historical interest to be preserved. This latest example, I am told, is a 1937 Leyland Tiger TS7, which the Board of Directors of its owners, the Maidstone and District Motor Services Ltd., recently donated to the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club. A new Harrington body was fitted to the bus in 1950, but the chassis is the original. " The Leyland TS7 was a particularly pleasant vehicle to ride in possessing a very smooth diesel engine and a gearbox which, although not quiet, emitted a most attractive sound. This old-stager will be repainted in its original livery, and will take part in the H.C.V.C. London-toBrighton run next year.

Pigeons and Petrol There seems little obvious

connection between pigeons and petrol—but a garage director from Ripponden, nr. Brighouse recently discovered one. Mr. George Stevens, director of the "Go Total Service Garage (Brighouse) Ltd. was asked to build a pigeon transporter for the West Riding Pigeon Federation. Though the firm are experienced coachbuiiders nobody could quite remember an order of this kind before—but the result was greeted enthusiastically by the pigeon people.

The transporter takes the form of a specially designed Luton van built on a Morris EFK 7-ton chassis and cab. Apart from a maximum of 3,500 birds it, also carries its own supply of food and water. Each of the 192 cages has a spring-loaded door and all the birds can be simultaneously released by means of a single lever.

Unladen weight of this vehicle, by the way, is 6., tons— with a load of 3,500 birds the gross weight is II tons 6 cwt. Among the many long journeys it has completed is one from Halifax-Niort, in the south of France (1,931 miles)


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