AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Tile Transport a Factor in Potteries Operator's Success

28th August 1942, Page 32
28th August 1942
Page 32
Page 32, 28th August 1942 — Tile Transport a Factor in Potteries Operator's Success
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Growth of a Local Industry Influences the Successful Development of a Staffordshire Haulage Enterprise

AROAD-TRANSPORT business that has been built up substantially in association with the Potteries' own industry and has linked up, in particular, with the growth of the tile trade, is that of Cadman and Ridge. Ltd., of Longton, Staffordshire. A mixed fleet of 31 vehicles is run, in which A.E.C. machines predominate.

Work commenced in 1928 when two brothers-in-law joined forces and opened up by carrying cattle foods. They had one lorry, each partner driving as the occasion demanded; Fenton was the scene of their early activities. Carrying tiles to Liverpool, the vehicles brought back cattle foods, sugar, and other commodities. Their services must certainly have filled a local need, for several further units were acquired during the next few years, the first vehicles in the heavy class being of MercedesBenz make.

After the initial efforts with local operation, long-distance running was taken up and regular connections made to London, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Nottingham. This scope was further extended by the purchase of three other businesses in and near the Pot teries. In 1933, extensive buildings were acquired at Longton and ever since they have served as the focal point of the company's activities.

The fleet now consists of four A.E.C. eight-wheelers, six A.E.C. fourwheelers, two Armstrong-Saurer Samsons, three Guys (including two Vixens), two E.R.F.s (one an eight. wheeler and the other for use with a trailer), two Albions, four Reos, three Morris-Commercials, two Dennis, one International, a Bedford-Carrimore, and a Bedford four-wheeler. With the exception of an A.E.C. boxvan, all of them have platform bodies.

The A.E.C. lorries bear the brunt of • the long-distance work, despite which they hold a notably good maintenance record. For instance, one of the Matadors, which has'run over 400,000 miles in 10 years. has required only the regrinding of a crankshaft, the fitting of new pistons, rings and cylinder head, in addition to regular servicing.

The Longton workshops perform all the necessary overhaul and repair work, with the exception of rebores; they carry a useful stock of spares.

There is no fixed schedule for carrying out the various maintenance operations, because it has been found that drivers' reports provide a reliable guide to requirements in this direction. Naturally, defects that are reported receive immediate attention and greasing is carried out at frequent intervals. as is the changing of lubricating oil.

In pre-war days large quantities of roofing tiles were carried, a class of load that required some specialized knowledge, as the tiles had to be carefully straw-packed on the lorries in order to minimize the risk of damage. An eightwheeler would handle at a time about 15,000 tiles and on occasion as many as 40,000 would have to be transshipped, all, by hand during a night. , In sconnection with this traffic, the fleet regularly went as far as Lancaster, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and south and east England, whilst exhibition loads were often carried as far as Scotland. As has already been emphasized, the company set out to cater specially for long-distance tile traffic, a move that, by reason of the growth of the local

industry, ultimately proved to have been far-sighted.

The trunk service to London, which was started in the early days, is still maintained, at present being mainly concerned with traffic ex Liverpool and Manchester. The southern journey, as far as Barnet, is accomplished during the night, when a shunt driver takes over, and the return run is performed the following night. Figures taken at random from the records show that vehicles on the London service have run up to 1,200 miles a week, but 600 to 70 miles is.the average for the four. wheelers on local work.

Apart from the roofing tiles, 'that form so important a feature of the traffic, glazed tiles packed in cartons, strawzpacked tiled surrounds, and crated pottery articles have been carried in substantial quantities.

Naturally, this operator has come in for a share of various classes of Government haulage, but the essential pottery trade still continues, whilst cattle food and cement are still numbered among the 'principal commodities that are handled; stocks of both are held for redistribution. One vehicle, an E.R.F. eight-wheeler, has been accepted for the . Chartered Fleet under the Government Haulage Scheme.


comments powered by Disqus