Beavers Work SydneyMelbourne Shuttle
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A 24-HOUR shuttle service between in, Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, a distance of 560 miles, is being operated by six Leyland Beavers of K. W. Thomas Transport i'ty., Ltd. The vehicles average 9,000-9,500 miles a month hauling 14-ton. loads, and the company expect that they will cover 200,000 miles before major overhauls are necessary.
The Beavers operate with 13 semitrailers, and 12 drivers are employed, mechanics being available at all times. Drivers earn from £34-37 a week. Sleeping bunks and radio sets are provided in the cabs of the vehicles.
Loaded outfits leave the Sydney and Melbourne depots at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day with a 28-hour schedule for the journey. Drivers are replaced by nev crews during a half-hour halt at Tumblong, halfway between the two cities. On arrival at the destination, the semi-trailers are released from the prime movers by a 20-ton gantry and coupled to other vehicles for work on local deliveries.
The Beavers then undergo routine maintenance and inspection in the workshops before their next trip. Each tractor has a six-hour break between hauls on weekdays and 36 hours at week-ends.' Exhaust brakes fitted to the vehicles have increased brake-maintenance mileage from a round trip of 1,120 miles to six round trips totalling 6,720 miles.