Nine More Stearn-wagon Letters.
Page 12
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High Up in Peru.
Messrs. C. Weiss and Co., Lima, Peru, write:--" The Yorkshire steam wagon ordered for us by our Hamburg friends has now been delivered, and the trials completed at an altitude of 11,000 to 14,000 ft., burning our local anthracite as fuel, and we have pleasure in informing you that everything has turned out to our satisfaction."
Still Working Splendidly.
Mr. H. 13. Napier, the Ashton Court Estate Office, Long Ashton, Bristol, to
Mann's The steam wagon purchased from you for the Ashton Court Estate in 1903 is still working splendidly, and has cost very little for repairs. When the time comes for renewing it, I shall certainly come to you with the greatest confidence."
£1 12s. 6d. Gain Daily.
The Aldridge Coal Co., Ltd., Aldridge, near Walsall, finds the daily working of a " Sentinel " steamer to come out thus:— Running cost (including deprecia tion) 4s. 6d.
Earning capacity of wagon (three journeys daily, carrying 4 tons each time—one way), cost by horse haulage at 4s. 9d per ton, £2 17s. Net profit through having wagon, £1 12s. 6d. per day.
First Overhaul After 21 Months.
Robert Deuchar, Ltd., of Sandyford Road, Newcastle-on-Tyne, writes under date 26th February, 1910 :— " Re three-tonner. —We find that this wagon has been in continual daily use since 18th May, 1908, and not yet had a valve taken out for examination. Although the wagon is working splendidly, we cannot but think it would be • to our interest to have a general overhaul of the engine.
Can Rely on the Works.
Mr. C. L. Gosselin, a director of H. Viney and Co., Ltd., Motor Transport Engineers, Strand Road, Preston, writing on the 9th inst. to the
Leyland Works, states After some experimental work, we started in business with four modern Leyland wagons, rather over four years ago. We gradually built up a business in the Lancashire district, and we have added, as you know, three other Leyland wagons to our fleet ; also, we ordered another one from you some weeks ago. We have had to work hard to get our business together, but the reliability and sound workmanship of the Leyland wagon has materially assisted us, especially, too, the care you have taken with our repairs, and tho prompt manner in which they have been carried out. Wishing you every success at. the Manchester Show."
Eight Years of Use.
Bellamy Bros., Ltd., Mineral Water Manufacturers, of Hamilton Street, Grimsby, writing to us under date the 13th inst., states :—" The Yorkshire Steam Wagon Co. ask us to-day if we can confirm the re-marks we made about their wagons in 1906, and if so, they would esteem it a favour if we would drop you a line to that effect. We may say that we still use the wagons, and they are doing good work. The one obtained in May, 1903, has travelled 46,000 miles, and the second, obtained in May, 1904, 42,000 miles loaded both ways. The cost of repairs for the past year has not at present been got out, but they will run at about the same as when we last wrote you."—[About £40.—En.]
Incessant Work.
From Messrs. R. Powley and Sons, Mineral Water Manufacturers, Handel Street, Millfield, Sunderland, to
Mann's We have pleasure in stating that we have -been very pleased indeed with the steam wagons you have supplied us with up to the present. We purchased our first wagon in 1902, and the wagon you are now delivering will make the third we have had from you. We have found them very suitable for our heavy work, and have considerably reduced our expenditure on horses. The two-ton wagon supplied about three years ago has done remarkably well. It has worked incessantly during that time, and has never been laid up only through bad weather, and re-tubing the boiler about three months ago. We-believe for reliability your wagons are bad to beat."
Praise from Spain.
Hijos de Mirat, Salamanca, Spain, writing to the Yorkshire Co., say:.
We have for three months been using our Yorkshire steam wagon with 50 h.p. and trailing wagon, and we are pleased to write to you that we have been fully satisfied with the work they have been doing, and that its qualities are really superior to those you had mentioned in your tender. Up-to this, we have carried with the vehicle and the trailing wagon more than 200 wagonloads of goods, most of them weighing 10 tons and some up to 14 tons— always drawing a trailer at each journey; not the slightest repair has been needed, and the machine has always worked very well. In spite of the vehicle carrying weights superior to 10 tons, no slackening in the speed has been noticed ; moreover, the vehicle has drawn the said weights on slopes having a much greater inclination than the one mentioned in your catalogue as being the steepest.
" With regard to the quantity of coal and grease to be used, we have used less than the quantity mentioned to us in your contract, and we are more delighted every day at the good results obtained. Consequently, we are glad to praise the good working of your vehicle, and we hope to be able in a short time to send you an offer for another vehicle of the same kind."
A Warrington View.
Mr. D. E. Watson, Greenall, Whitley and Co., Ltd., of Wilderspool Brewery, Warrington, under date 31st January, 1911, writes :—" Our oldest wagon was purchased in November, 1907, the second in May, 1909, and the latest in June, 1910. They are all six-ton tiers, of the ' Sentinel ' make, and take a trailer when the roads are in good condition. As the trade of a brewery enables us to load the wagons both ways (i.e., full casks out and empty casks in), a considerable saving in costs is effected, and, as the slack season is at a time when roads are heavy, the results and working costs should be a fair average. We find that, for the past three years, the cost per ton-mile worked out at 1.90d. first year, 2.45d. second year, and 2.42d. third year : the equation includes interest and depreciation in each case, but excludes management expenses and rent. These figures may appear rather high to sonic, but it must be pointed out that depreciation is calculated at 20 per rent, per annum, and all repairs and spare parts are charged up currently.
"The wagons are almost solely working in competition with the railway companythe towns visited being 20 to 30 miles from the brewery. One journey each way, of only five miles, is usually done weekly, Saturday being the cleaning day—a very necessary precaution.
" The total saving to date, after allowing for interest and depreciation on the three wagons, is £730, and this will increase proportionately as the depreciation is written off, seeing that we consider the oldest wagon as good as new at the present time. Our average cost per ton-mile qver three years is 2.25d., and it is an exceptionally-low railway rate that, including collection and delivery, is less than 3d. or 3.25d. To date, the wagons hate carried 10,310 tons and worked 202,508 tonmiles. We think the type of engine used in the Sentinel wagon is an improvement on the compound. All working parts are enclosed, -the parts are fewer, the engine speed is low, and the repairs are less. The consumption of coke varies considerably, according to the roads and weather, there, being as much difference in two days as between four bags and eight .bags for the same journey. ton miles used in the miles was 460 tons, at a cost of £276 5s. 4d., or .32d. per ton-mile."