THE FIRST OF OUR READERS' LOG SHEETS.
Page 25
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A Real Application of this Series of Articles.
NOTHING is so gratifying to a writer or author as to have definite evidence that his articles
. are being read. Nothing is so confounding as to continue week after week, trying to help, but meeting with no response. I have myself, many a time, been perfectly delighted to reeeive a. fiercely critical reply from some reader, .blaming Me for everything under the sun, and directing attention to my abysmal ignorance of the matters concerning which I write. The more energetically a correspondent words his letter, whether that letter be commendatory or otherwise, the more sure am I that my own articles are going right home.
Readers will therefore understand -how pleased I _ was to get, the other day, almost the first attempt by a reader at using our vehicle logs. It has been sent me, as a matter of fact, because the reader wants help, and, as he says, he is willing to accept that help in the form of criticism of what he has done, as set out in the log sheet. He is the owner of two wagons, and his logs are set out below, after having been judiciously altered as regards the unesaential details of name, address, etc., of the sender, so that no one can possibly trace its origin. This is an important point, and.one on which I know many readers would like to have ' my assurance-that nothing which they may communicate to me or the Editor will ever be used in such a manner that it might operate to their -disadvantage. .
Both the vehicles, it will be observed, are fourtonners. One, according to our log, is operating between Wood Green and St. Pancras Station, hauling a full load in one direction only. The owner s depot is at Finsbury Park, which is most conveniently situated for the job. The owner, whom I am going to call Mr. Haulier, accompanies his loglay an explanatory letter to me in which he tells me that the working day starts at eight o'clock. It takes ten minutes for the man to grease up and start outa willing driver this, evidently I-and he arrives ht Wood Green for the commencement of 1-iis day's work as 25 minutes past 8 for the first time on the Monday morning. Loading there occupies three-quarters of an hour. The journey each way is through a trafficinfested area and takes 40 minutes for its6A miles. Unloading at St. Pancras takes half an hour. The net result is three and a half journeys a day, and, as the garage is situated midway between the two termini, the net result is, as will be,seen iby reference to the log, 45 miles per day, out of which precisely half, or 221 miles, are loaded, the load on each occasion beingthe .equiValent of the full capacity of the vehicle, viz., four tons.
In his covering letter, Mr. Haulier tells me that on Monday morning he started with three gallons of petrol in the tank, and that he added another ten. Other additions from day to day during the week are recorded on 'the log in proper sequence: similarly with oil and grease, according to the instructions which I laid down in these -columns a few weeks ago. The column for maintenance is not completed because, as he states, he did not understand exactly how to fill it up. He asks for information onqhis point. I am referring him, in the first place, to the article which appeared in the Issue of The Commercial Motor for June 21st of this year, in which I dealt very fully with this matter. I shall explain it again next week when analysing this log.
The other lorry owned by this oorrespenient is engaged on a series of long trips which I shall decribe as being between London and Birmingham. It will be noticed that it sets out on Monday with a full load and returns on Tuesday-empty. On the Thursday and Saturday, however; a half-load was obtained for the return journey. A close examination of the jogs, which are given below, will reveal to the reader certain errors. Next week I propose to deal with.. these errors, but, in the meantime, shall be glad of criticisms. THE SKOTCH.