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Mr. John T. Lawton's Fleet of Fodens.

29th January 1914
Page 8
Page 8, 29th January 1914 — Mr. John T. Lawton's Fleet of Fodens.
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An Interview.—By the Editor.

When in Manchester on one of our pre-Show visits, we were pleased to make the personal acquaintance of _Mr. John T. Lawton, haulage contractor, of 29, Princess Street, manchester. miv e had known something about Mr. La-tons steady progress, from the ear.lestm days when he put his energici into steam, wagon hauiage, and we knew. him also as an old supporter of Ms COMMELCIAL Moron. His illafieileSter office i8 conveniently situated, within easy access of the principal commercial area and business streets.

We found Mr. Lawton closely engaged with his foreman, Mr. Dean, and this proved a nappy opportunity to arrange tor the taking of the photograph from which the accompanying illustration has been reproduced. It will be observed that it shows only a portion of the Lawton fleet of Eoden vehicles, but it is sufficient to convey a proper impression of their general trimness and excetlent maintenance.

Mr. Lawton informed us that his first steamer was purchased in May, 1901; it was a Foden tipping wagon, and was subsequently altered to standard. He was content with steel tires until the month of December, 1911, and he was then bold enough to fit this class of tread on a five-tonner. They were tires of a section. thinner than normal, in order to save cost, and they were not a success under the imposed loads. This user's experience tells him that tires of normal section are better for the heavier classes of vehicles ; he, in fact, regards the thin-section tire as unsuitable for such machines, although we cannot say that this experience is borne out by the latest examples of thin-section tires.

Several of his Foden wagons average 12,000 miles of running each per annum, and these particular machines have been at work for three years. His first machine, bought in 1904, has now a total close upon 100,000 miles to its credit, and, to quote Mr. Lawton's own comment, "is running at the present time equally as well as a new one."

" My work is principally the conveyance of cloth within a radius of about 20 miles from Manchester," proceeded Mr. Lawton, "but I once sent a motor to Wolverhampton. This was to convey the gas that was being used in the ill-fated airship at Barrow. Does not this strike you as being rather an unusual corn

modity to convey by steam wagon r We laughingly agreed that it did. Ail my work is done by contract, and the rates naturally depend upon time tonnage, tne distance, the nature of the goods, and the route.

" 1 have done no work with petrol lorries ; on the contrary, I am now doing a considerable amount of work with my leaden vehicles which was previously done by the petrol type. My opinion is, that for loads ot three tons and upwards, steam lorries are by far the best, quite apart from considerations of economy. They are, so far as my observation goes, much better able to stand the strains caused by rough roads and steep gradients. On tile other hand, I/ I were to undertake general carrying, instead of confining myself to heavy goods, I should certainly employ petrol vehicles for loads up to two tons or thereabouts."

lieverting to the subject of rubber, Mr. Lawton explained that he was extending the use of rubber tires on his wagons in the winter months, with consularable success, and that he also had a tipping wagon which was so shcid on all wheels. His object, in this case, was to ascertain how many miles he could get out of a set on. a wagon running daily. Mr. Lawton briefly summarized the position, before we left, thus: " I hare increased my fleet as follows, since the first Foden was bought in 19t4 : Two in 1906 ; two in 1.907 ; three in 1909 ; four in 1910 ; one in 1911 ; two in 1912 ; and five since then. I am now operating with 20—all Forlens. I do not consider that Is. 4d. per mile is a paying average rate for any contractor, for a wagon and trailer: it would leave, having regard to the exigencies of carriers' work, too small a profit to make it worth taking on. I consider ad. per ton-mile, with an average load of eight tons, and a distance of not less than 12 miles, loaded ea.ch way, is more like a proper charge. That works out at 2s. per vehicle-mile for the lorry and trailer, as revenue.'

His parting remarks to us were: 'the fact that I use no other make than Foden should be sufficient reply on the point of what I think of them. Both the wagons and I are aiways prepared to take on new work, if suitable."

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People: Dean, John T. Lawton

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