People Stop and Stare at the Cream of the Woodhead Transport Fleet Which is Outwardly Handsome and Inwardly Healthy
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By J. D. McLintock
" OZENS of lorries may pass, but very few are seen by the average person. Our object was to produce something that everyone would have to see, talk about and remember."
The speaker was Capt. S. T. Kent. A.M.I.Mech.E., a soldier of two world wars and transport manager of Woodhead's Brewery, Ltd., St. Paul's Road, London, N.1, and its associated companies. the subject was the now well-known type of red and gold " air-flow " bodied brewery lorry used by Woodhead's and the South London Brewery to transport Jenners Golden Ale.
Capt. Kent is a man who realizes to the full the value of publicity to a concern such as his, and he planned successfully to attract attention and enhance goodwill by operating vehicles which are a joy to see. Bodies were built to his own
design by J. Whitson and Co., Ltd., Sipson Road, West Drayton, and were mounted on modern chassis well suited to the job. In their bright livery, painstakingly polished and with gleaming chromium plate, they never pass unnoticed.
Corning under Capt. Kent's control are 68 vehicles in all. Based on Woodhead's Brewery at Islington are five Fordson 2-tonners, one Fordson 10 cwt., one Commer 3-tonner, one Albion 3-tonner. three MorrisCommercial up to 5 tons, one Scammell mechanical horse, an Austin 10 cwt. and a Karrier Bantam.
At the South London Brewery, Southwark Bridge Road, S.E.lt there are four Fordson up to 10 cwt., seven Maudslay up to 6 tons, one Atkinson 15-tonner, six Commer up to 5 tons, one Morris-Commercial 5-tonner, two Scammell mechanical horses, two Planet and an Electruk.
Another associated company is Hooper Struve and Co., Ltd., 26, Charlotte Street, London, W.1, which has eight Albion up to 5 tons, six Fordson up to 5 tons, one Commer 4-tonner and two small Fords. Vallance's Brewery, at Sidmouth, has one Seddon oiler, two Fordson 4-tonners, one Fordson 5-cwt. and a Morris-Commercial 30-cwt. machine.
Repairs and maintenance are, as far as possible, centralized at St. Paul's Road, where work is comprehensive in spite of limited facilities