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"News from Down Under."

27th November 1913
Page 18
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Page 18, 27th November 1913 — "News from Down Under."
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Improper Usage of Commercial Models in Australia. Successful Up-country Mail Services. Melbourne's Meat-van Fleet.

From our Resident Correspondent in Sydney.* Wherever I go I am struck again and again with the enormous speed at which people expect to drive their commercial motor vehicles in Australia. Only a few days ago I had on my table before me two references to speeds which were absolutely ridiculous. One was an advertisement for a 3-4-ton lorry, in which a comparison was made between haulage by this means and by the use of teams. In the former case it was claimed that the goods could be hauled to the nearest railway station at a speed of 15 miles an hour, whilst the teams had only been capable of doing it formerly at 2. As to exactly why a rubber-tired vehicle, carrying three or four tons of bales of wool over an Australian country road, should be expected to do it at 15 miles an hour, whilst people had formerly been content with 2-i, it is difficult to conceive.

Nine m.p.h. with Five Tons of Bricks.

The other case which came under my observation was one on which I was asked to give an opinion respecting certain renewals for a 5-ton rubber-tired lorry which was used for hauling bricks. In support of their contention the owners calmly assured me that the machine was run very slowly, in fact its speed did not average more than nine miles an hour. Just imagine 5-ton loads of bricks as a paying proposition at nine

miles an hour. Apart from the fact that such a speed as a maximum would be illegal in England, can anyone imagine it as a paying proposition even there, where running costs are about one-third less than here?

Australia Yet to Learn.

After reading the above can one wonder that one hears a great deal on the subject locally that commercial motors do not pay, and also of two or three liquidations of carrying concerns ? There are times that one has to take the universal grumble respecting the cost of running motors with a grain of salt, but when one finds firms that one would usually expect to be increasing their fleets abandoning motor haulage, and others owning goods-carrying contracts winding up because they cannot make both ends meet, it makes one feel there i3 something radically wrong that would take not a little correcting. If one dwells on this side of the picture one feel-, convinced that the entire motor-carrying industry, from the light delivery via passenger and mail services to heavy haulage, will have to go through the same period of development in Australia that it did in England.

Increasing Fleets.

Fortunately, there is another side to the question ; big brewers and cordial manufacturers are steadily adding to their fleets, and within the last few weeks one or two substantial orders have been placed. That the municipal wagons owned by the Sydney City Council arc a success is beyond all question. They have already paid for themselves, arid if more wagons are needed there can be little doubt that further purchases will be made ; in fact, rumour has it that additions are under contemplation. Messrs. Anthony Ilordern, of Sydney, have increased the size of their fleet from 10 to 12 vehicles, whilst Messrs. Tooth and Co., big brewers of the same town, are adding quite a number of 2-ton Commercars to a fleet already comprising 16 vehicles.

Foolish Operation.

It is quite obvious from the above that motor vehicles are being made to pay without exception, where they are being handled in fleets intelligently, but where they are palpably not paying is where they are being practically left to look

after themselves and are being over-driven or improperly selected. In one case of a large store that came under my notice recently, two 2-ton vehicles were employed for deliveries ranging from 5 cwt. to 15 cwt. For over two years these wagons were steadily employed and have now been sold, as the owners have ascertained definitely that they were too expensive to run when compared with horses and shook the goods about to an excessive extent, to which one might reply—just what was to be expected. It must not be thought from all this that small fleets are not paying here, as some are. I know of one or two quite small services that are proving a little gold mine to their owners. One run under the title of the Albion Motor Bus Co. has, for over three years now, maintained a regular service between two towns in the country of New South Wales 50 miles apart, and axe still going strong. Another service with which I was brought into personal contact quite recently is the comparatively new motor mail service between Grafton and Glenn lanes.

An Interesting Up-country Service.

When in Grafton recently Mr. Lynn pressed me to take the trip across to Glen Innes on the car, and I had much pleasure in doing so. The car was a 1-ton Albion fitted with a comfortably upholstered seat on which the driver and two other people can be accommodated, and this was covered

by a Cape-cart hood. Immediately at the back, two other comfortably upholstered seats running longitudinally could he arranged to accommodate more passengers if necessary, whilst, otherwise, the back part of the body was in the shape of a small well into which the mail bags were placed. The distance between the two towns is 108 miles, and in the course, of the run only three townships exist. I may say here, that I use the term " township" in the Australian sense, as I had to ask from time to time to make sure that we had not. passed them without my knowing. During the course of the 108 miles the total rise is some 3500 ft., although the maximum rise must be some 4500 ft., as the last 15 miles into Glen Limes is on the whole a descent. One cannot pretend that the road is good, although a very general effort is now being made by the local authorities to metal it and keep it in a passable condition under all weathers. During the course of the run between 10 and 20 streams have to be crossed, and some of them have as much as 2 ft. and 3 ft. of water in them, whilst in flood times they are, of course, virtually impassable. The service, which was started on 1st January, runs six days a week, each of two cars doing the single trip through each day.

The two Albion cars, which are standard one-tonners and have been used on the run steadily from the commencement, are fitted with 32 in. wheels on the front and 33 in. on the back. These diameters made the travelling rather rough over the bad road surfaces, and also in times of heavy rain it was found very difficult to cross some of the streams. The result is that the third car, which has just been bought, has been fitted with 38. in. wheels on the front and 40 in. on the back, and it is intended to have the others altered to these diameters as soon as practicable.

At the time of writing I have only just come from inspecting the ear on its leaving Sydney, and two or three weeks must elapse before I hear how it is found in service, but I have no doubt that it will he a great improvement from every point of view. The time allowed for the trip up is from 7.30 in the morning until 7 o'clock at night, although it is usually done a little quicker, in that the mails are rarely ready for a punctual start at 7.30, it usually being nearly 8 o'clock before the ear gets away. On the downward journey, which is of less importance than the upward, the mails have to be sorted and ready in time for the train which leaves Glen Innes for Sydney at quarter to nine in the evening.

Notwithstanding the difficulties under which the service is run, there has not been a single failure to connect owing to mechanical reasons, the only two failures that there have been having been due entirely to stress of weather.

Motorbuses in Melbourne.

Valiant attempts are being made in Melbourne successfully to establish motor-omnibus services, and three firms are busy at it, but it is early days to make much comment. There will be more to tell in the course of a month or two. The buses employed comprise Cov entry Daimlers, second hand L. G. 0. 0., Bernas and Ma.udslays. It might interest some of your readers to know that Mr. Burnside, late of the Daimler Motor Co., Coventry, has joined the Melbourne Motor Omnibus Co. as manager, The Abattoir Comtners at Melbourne,

I am informed that the delivery of Commercars which has lately been made to the Metropolitan Abattors Board of 17 lorries, by Messrs. Eyes and Crowle, Ltd., is the largest order to date which has been placed in the Southern Hemisphere. The lorries are required to cart the meat which will be killed at the abattoirs a distance of approximately six miles from Adelaide to supply the City of Adelaide and suburbs. The killing capacity of the abattoirs will be 500 head of cattle, 4600 head of sheep, 280 pigs per day. The area covered by the buildings, etc., is 10.+ acres. The area. of the sheep market is 10 acres, with a capacity for 50,000 sheep, that of the cattle market is 6 acres, with a capacity for 3000 head ; that of the pig market 1 acre ad a capacity of 2000 head, whilst the calf market is

acre in extent and has a capacity for 300 head. The cost of construction of the abattoirs is estimated at £353,000 and the annual revenue at £76,000.

Handling of the meat is reduced to a minimum, the carcases being ran from the building direct into the lorries by means of a connecting rod on to the hangers in the lorry and. again from the lorries into the butchers' shops.

The garage for storing the lorries and the necessary workshops have been erected, the size of the building being 63 ft. by 112 ft. It is fitted up with the following plant :—Two lathes, one milling machine, one drilling machine, one grinder, one case-hardening furnace, one forge, and storekeeping outfit, the approximate value of the plant being £5000. The approximate total cost of the Cornmer lorries supplied is £20,000 Each is of 40 h.p.

The interior of each body is 12 ft. by 6 ft. 3 ins. wide. The framing throughout is of Blue Gum, ICa.uri pine and American ash, lined inside with in. Kauri and on the outside with in. Jarrah.

The bodies are stayed and strengthened with three T irons, which are 24 ft. long and bent around from one side of the chassis, inside of the body, to the opposite side, and securely fastened. From these irons are bolted the hooks that carry the seven bars from which four tons of meat are suspended. The cross rails are fixed so as to prevent the excessive swaying of the beef. The bars and hooks were specially made so as to register with the bars in the butchers' shops. The sides, roof and door of a van are packed; between the linings and outside boards, with 6 cwt. of silicate of cotton for insulation. The door shuts on I in. rubber, which is fastened to the pillars and cant

rails, the van being absolutely airlight in every particular. The roof and canopy are covered with thick canvas, which is thoroughly glued

and fastened so that no water can enter the body.


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