Benefits of Fleet Standardization and Replacement Units
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An Interview By S.T.R.
Factors Which Have Brought About Economy and Aided the Progress of a North Country Haulier. Some Interesting Stories of Haulage Achievements in Peace and War
IT was as a boy that Mr. H. L. Walker, a transport contractor of St. Ann's Hill Garage, Portrack, Stockton-on-Tees, began to take an interest in road transport, when employed on his father's farm at Longnewton, near Stockton. That was sometime in 1900. To-day he operates 26 of his own vehicles and employs many sub-contractors on goods haulage. He also has an interest in a fleet of buses and coaches and takes an active part in road haulage politics, in addition to which he still finds time to be a farmer.
His transport was, however, all horse drawn until 1922, when he decided to experiment with mechanical transport. As a means to that end he purchased 15 used Ford Model T trucks, paying, he says, no more than a nominal price for them.
His " experiment " continued for about seven years, during which time he was mainly engaged in the shortdistance haulage of sand, gravel and allied materials.
The traffic was mostly into and out of quarries and around building sites, and the class of vehicle he was using created many anxieties, as may well be imagined. However, he decided that the experiment was, on the whole, a successful one, and in 1929 he purchased two new Fordson BB models. These, he says, gave exceptionally good service, and he decided to develop his transport activities accordingly, gradually replacing the original Model T Fords and his horses and carts as opportunity offered.
Concurrently, as might be expected, he extended the scope of his operations, both in respect of the distances traversed and the nature of the goods carried. Besides sand and ballast, he now commenced to carry coal and coke, finished joinery, road materials, etc. He was called upon to haul farm produce by road for distances greater than had ever been attempted before.
Enterprise such as this brings its own reward. By the time the Road and Rail Traffic Act came into force, Mr. Walker had built up a fairly substantial fleet of vehicles, and after the implementation of the Act he was still able to expand. Even so, he was unable to keep pace with the demand, which continued to grow because buyers of transport appreciated the efficiency of his service.
He then commenced to enlist the aid of small hauliers as sub-contractors. He selected these with considerable care, so that he could be assured that his standard of reliability in deliveries would be upheld. The situation now is that he operates 26 vehicles of his own, and employs a number of sub-contractors selected from small hauliers within a radius of 30 miles from Stockton.
The value and economy of standard ization in a growing fleet occurred to Mr. Walker quite early in his career. He had such good service from his Fords and Fordsons that he concluded that he could not do better than adhere to this make. Of his 26 vehicles, 21 are of that make, and include—besides the BB models already mentioned—several 1938 V8 short-wheelbase and longwheelbase vehicles, some V8 Thames trucks, also tippers, flats, articulated Fordsons, and a Fordson 1-ton van, which is mainly utilized as a service vehicle.
Mr. Walker expressed himself as highly appreciative of the unit-exchange system operated by the Ford Motor Co. He has found it conducive to economy of maintenance and of operational time lost by vehicles. He referred particularly, in this connection, to the engine-exchange scheme, which he has found to be a great boon.
He is proud to relate some stories of the achievements of his fleet of vehicles. On one occasion, in 1938, when the building boom was at its height, the entire output of the local brick factory was cleared in the early hours of the morning. The fleet was then diverted
to the local goods yard and, in a day, cleared a consignment of 67,000 bricks from the London Brick Co.
On another occasion, with the assistance of a number of sub-contractors, 1,000 tons of road materials were moved daily during a period of two months; 25 lorries were employed on the job, each making eight journeys per day. The route followed passed through the centre of Stockton-on-Tees, and there is some authority for the statement that the policemen on point duty in that town were very glad when the contract was completed.
Bigger Sphere of Operations One effect of the war was to increase greatly the distances over which goods were hauled by this fleet. The terrain covered extended from Cornwall to the Moray Firth, Scotland. As a typical journey this may be quoted; Some aircraft parts were loaded on Tees-side for Gloucester, where the lorries were • reloaded for Perth, at which deliveries were made and the vehicles again reloaded for Tees-side. This round journey, involving 936 miles of running, was regularly accomplished, week after week, for a year.
The value of the goods was considerable, averaging no less than £6,000 per load. For a lengthy period of the war, vehicles belonging to this operator averaged six similar loads per week, and a total of over £7,000,000 worth of goods was carried on this one contract alone.
It is equally important to place on record the fact that, although there were occasions when a few hours' delay occurred in delivery, due to breakdowns, there was never a time when the load was 12 hours late in arriving at its destination. In no instance did any claim for loss or damage arise—a remarkable feat in view of the value of the loads carried.
The following is a story of a series of mishaps—fortunately with a happy ending—which it would be hard to parallel. The occurrence arose in connection with a consignment of goods being conveyed on behalf of the Ministry's R.H.O. A vehicle was requisitioned in Leeds to take a load from a lorry that belonged to another operator, which had, unfortunately, broken down. The second vehicle, Mr. Walker's also broke down. The driver
attempted, unsuccessfully, to contact a Unit Controller, with the object of informing him of the circumstances. The load was an important one, and delivery on time was essential as it had to be put on board ship. As there was no sign of it being due within a specified time of its arrival, the shipping agent contacted Stockton-on-Tees, and yet another vehicle was dispatched to find the second one. It was located a few miles north of Leeds, and as a quick roadside repair was out of the question, the load was once more transferred.
By this time it had become apparent that the vehicle would miss the boat. Nevertheless, all speed was made in the hope that it might still be in time. That hope was in vain, for when the lorry arrived at the docks the vessel had been gone for two hours. However, the ship developed engine trouble before it reached the mouth of the River Tyne and had to put back into dock. Advantage was taken of this circumstance to put the load aboard, so that, after all, it went in the vessel.
Some Awkward Loads The conveyance of unusual or outsize loads is almost a commonplace. However, there are three such loads which are sufficiently exceptional to merit mention in this article.
One comprised a marine-engine casting, in one piece, measuring 9 ft. 6 ins. wide by 10 ft. long and 9 ft. high; it weighed 9 tons 16 cwt. This was successfully conveyed on a Thames art cu • lated lorry.
On another occasion a Thames-Sussex truck was used to carry some erecting tackle from Tees-side to a Radar Station in Bucks. The load included some poles 76 ft. long, and, as can well be imagined, they caused plenty of trouble en route, especially when negotiating the narrow streets of some villages which had to be passed through in order to reach the site.
The third of these jobs was the transference of four . complete aircraft hangars across the north of England, over the Pennine Range. The total weight of steelwork was 450 tons, and the job was completed well inside the stipulated period of three weeks by a number of Fordson and Thames trucks and a trailer without a single mishap.
Mr. Walker has, for many years, built and painted the bodies for his. vehicles. In fact, he controls a small coachbuilding works in the district—the Bora Body Service, Ltd., of Middlesbrough. In the course of his years of experience he has devised, a number of improvements in body construction. One, in particular, is of special interest. It relates to a detail of the construction of tipping trucks with drop sides. .
Improving a Body Detail
Ali operators of experience will agree that the fastenings of the gudgeons which support the side-boards soon become loose, as a result of the continual vibration and swinging of the side-boards. Moreover, any slight accident or bump which the body receives reacts upon these fastenings and aggravates the trouble, which is almost insurmountable, because, once they have come loose, it is difficult to secure them again.
Mr. Walker's cure is to replace the usual timber chock-rail by one of steel channel, to which the gudgeons are directly fixed in such a way that, if damage or excessive wear occurs, it is a simple matter to replace the gudgeon and attain the same security as before.
The Layfield Bus Services, Ltd., is another concern in which this operator has an interest. It runs stage carriages between Stockton and Northallerton, and Stockton and Stokesley, as well as a number of contract services. The private-hire side of this business, too, is important, and it is expected to expand considerably during next 'year.
Mr. Walker is an active member of R.H.A., and for a year was chairman of the area committee. He represented the hired-vehicle operators and was coopted on to the Hired Vehicle Operators Panel of the S.J.C. In that capacity he claims that he was instrumental in obtaining increases in the rates paid to those operators. He is a member of the National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses, and has been chairman of the northern area of that body since its inception.
His most recent step has been to take part in the formation of A.R.T.C., Ltd., with which the readers of this journal are sufficiently acquainted. He is an active member of that concern and has a high regard for its objective.