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MUNICIPAL VEHICLES AT THE SEASIDE.

22nd November 1921
Page 20
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Page 20, 22nd November 1921 — MUNICIPAL VEHICLES AT THE SEASIDE.
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Some Interesting Facts Concerning the Operation of the Fleet of the Blackpool Corporation.

T"populations of some of the seaside towns, during the summer months, are often trebled and quadrupled, and this,brings into being a set of circumstances which municipal engineers and others are compelled to take into consideration in the organization of such essential services as the removal of house refuse, etc. There could be no greater contrast than in Blackpool—the Queen of the Lancashire watering places--which, in summer, teems with a huge floating population, and in winter

is deserted by all but what are modestly termed "the residents."

The Corporation of this progressive municipality has a fleet of just over 30 mechanically propelled vehicles, 10 of which are in the service of the Cleans ing Department. Eight of these are eiectrics two being ton G.V.s and six 2 ton ilectromobiles. The two-tonners have 1M V7 Chloride batteries with 42 cells, whilst the larger vehicles have 44 cell 1M V8 batteries, giving an amperehour capacity of 226 and 258 respectively. Owing to the utilization of gas stoves for cooking purposes, the amount of house refuse at any time of the year— and especially in summer—is very light, and in an interview with Mr. J. Bee, Cleansing Superintendent., we were informed that, whilst in summer they handled. double the bulk, the weight averaged only a little over 10 per cent. more than in winter. For every 85 tons in winter they would have 95 in summer.

How are the excess loads dealt with in summer time? Of the eight mechanically propelled vehicles which can be used for general transport purposes, only the two-tormers are employed in the collection of house refuse; the 31-termers during "the season" being utilized as water sprinklers by the substitution of 750 gallon tanks for the wagon bodies Theday before our visit the tanks had been lifted off the chassis and the wagon bodies substituted, to enable the vehicles to fulfil their winter role as refuse collectors. During During the summer months, horse wagons are employed to supple D20 merit the service of the electric in the removal of house refuse.

The Cleansing Superintendent has no doubts about the matter of the superiority of the electric vehicle for this particular service, and some time ago, comparative figures were compiled of the cost of the refuse removal by electric motors and horse carts for one week. Here are the figures for the eleetrics:— The cost by horse .wagons was as follows:— Cost of drivers, 5261 hrs., £26 6s. 6d. ; cost of leading loaders, 279 hrs., £13 7s. 5d. ; cost of ordinary loaders, 2741 hrs., £12 us. 7d. •' horse hire, £26 6s. 6d.; total, £78 12s. Refuse removed during week, loads, 151; refuse removed during week, weight, 217 tons 19 cwt.; cost per ton, 74. 21d.

2 ton Eleetramobile. Total.

57 211 26 70 56t. 15e. 183t. 4c.

£3 2 6 £9 7 6 12 8 3 37 3 9.

15 10 9 46 11 3 1130 4 19 0 .... 0 4 9 0177 1 20 317 0 0 3 4 ... 0 10 0 18 13 10 ... 56 14 10 Ci 6 4.i4 average 6 2t4

"We find," said Mr. Bee, "the best and most profitable way of collecting house refuse is with an electric motor, and to have four men working on the ground, one in the van receiving the bins, etc., and another man driving. Whilst the vehicle is journeying to and from the destructor the men are-bringing the bins from the houses and getting another load ready. One remarkable thing we have found, and that is, unlike many other towns, our men are putting more work into the shorter hours they are working than they did when longer hours were worked!'

Here ia a summary of, a recent week's work of the six Electromobiles :-204 loads of 370,tons, giving an average for each vehicle of 34 loads and nearly 62 tons. During the last municipal year the record of work done by six of eight eleetries (the other two had not conipIeted a full year of service) was:—

The oldest vehicle of the department is LafIly sweeping Machine, which works in conjunction with a recently delivered Harrier patent sprinkler, road sweeper and refuse collector. The Laffly motor sweeping machine is utilized for sweeping, the centre of the road, this

allowing the new .machine to sweep and

collect along the sides. By means of these two machines Working together it is poseible to sweep the main streets early each day. During the last completed year, the Laffly machine has been at, work on 117 days for a period of 302 hours. The revolving brushes used on these machines give about 50 hours' wear.

Reference has already been made to the uses of the G.V. electrics as water eorinklers. These vehicles are so adapted as to be used for flushing sewers, and a greater volume of water can be discharged into the manholes than is possible with horse vans. Of the 775 manholes flushed during the year, 685 were flushed by electric sprink. ler, 100,450 gallons of salt water being used for the purpose. Another machine employed on street watering was at work for 652 hours, in which time 2,054 miles of streets were watered, the load consisting of 1,141,000 gallons of salt water.

In our interview with Mr. Bee it was learned that two new vehicles were likely to be required, one for collecting and •removing figt offal and the other for

the emptying and the cleansing of The meehanical. transport services of the electricity department are comparatively slight. For the heavier transport, i.e., ash removal and the conveyance of cables and materials to and from the works, a Garrett 4 ton electric vehicle is utilized, whilst for lighter transport of meters, etc., to consumers' premises, two Ford 1 tanners are used.

At the' electricity works there are two motor. generators—onc of 30 kilowatts and the other of 50 kilowatts—of sufficient capacity to .charge • 12 vehicles simultaneously. The Corporation operates two TillingStevens buses, and it is in the lap of the gods whether these services shall be extended (a) by the Corporation, or (b) 'by private enterprise.

The Tramways Department has one very cesmopolitan vehicle, a lorry used by the engineering works for the conveyance of material to different parts of the town. It has a German chassis' with a 'French engine, and an English body. For overhead wire and equipment repairs, two Halley tower wagons, one with four cylinders and the other with six, give useful service. Two Ford cars are also in commission, one running between the tramway offices and the depots, and the other is for the town use of the engineering department

Tags

Organisations: Tramways Department
People: J. Bee

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