Approved Depots.—Article V.
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Parsons and Hemball, Ltd., at Town Quay, Southampton.
• The Port of Southampton is for more than one reason appropriately taken in (purl/descriptive series of " Approved Depots immediately after the northern ports of Liverpool and Manchester. The rivalry of Manchester to Liverpool, after the construction of the Ship Canal, was quickly followed by the rivalry —at least in the trans-atlantic trade —of Southampton. The southern port has, however, for reasons which are to us not a little obscure, failed to develop its cargo trade as at one time seemed probable. There has, perhaps, been too great concentration upon the passenger side, whilst other contributory causes are possibly the conservatism of the Harbour Board, the monopoly of the L. and S.W.R., and the lack of enterprise of tire Town Council.
Comparing Southampton with Other Ports.
Southampton, considered both as a city and port, has wonderful possibilities ahead of it. It may be a little too far, according to the ac
cepted views of pre-war days, from coal, lime and iron, but distances
are in many senses relative. We see no reason why there should not in the near future be a chain of manufacturing centres at a radius of not more than 80 miles from
Southampton, enabling the founders of those industries to erect their factories at only a day's run for a commercial mOtor from the docks, and at the same time at even a less distance from coal and_ lime. If we turn to the north of England and compare the distances which separate Liverpool and Hull from the corresponding sources of raw material, there is not much of which Southampton has to be afraid. Time must, of course, elapse before such developments can take place.
Southampton to be an Important Centre for Commercial Vehicle Operations.
it is in the matter of the increase of imports of commodities that Southampton should first of all make a move forward. Shipping Companies will most certainly alter their "passengers only" policy when war conditions are over, and
Southampton will become an entrepot on a considerable scale. Distributions along the south coast, and to a radius of 80 miles in all directions inland, will then naturally fall to the lot of commercial motors, ancrit is to this inevitable development that Parsons and Kemball, Ltd., of the Town Quay and Portswood Garages, undoubtedly look forward. The company has laid good foundations by its long-established policy of giving the utmost attention to the requirements of all owners of commercial motors.
Ample Premises.
It was our pleasure, on Thursday last, to meet Mr. Harry Parsons, the founder of the company, and three of his. co-directors—Captain Kemball, Mr. C. R. Swayne, and Mr. N. Weatherston. We learnt that the company's business was ,,stablished some 14 years ago at the Town Quay, and saw much to i.onfirm our earlier knowledge that from the outset. the commercial side of the business was studied. There is good head-room at the entrance and, inside the building, substan __ • tial flooring .of concrete, room for Internal manceuvring, and ample Yard space all round the premises,as well as easy approaches. All the axoinrnodation is on the ground floor at the Town Quay and also at Portswood, the latter premises having been added when Captain Kemball linked his private hire. undertaking with Mr. Parsons's earlier activities on the heavier Sides. As one of our illustrations. Shows, the Portswood depot, which lies slightly to the, east of the main road f.rom London, on the, tram route towards Eastleigh, has a range of lock-up boxes. These lioxes, although intended primarily
for private vehicles, are already used in some instances for motorvans ; each will take any vehicle which is not of greater length than 17 ft. over all.
Town Quay Premises Have the More Important Location.
It is the Town Quay premises, adjoining the Southampton Docks, and within a few minutes walk of the South Western Hotel, that appeal to us more at the moment than the Portswood premises. It is at this depot that the London-Southampton mail vans were accommodated every night until they ceased running last year in conformity with the Government's plan for petrol and other economies, and in part, no doubt, because the Government no longer paid the railway companies 55 per cent. of the receipts in respect of parcel post. These premises have frequently accommodated between 30 and 40 motor ambulances at one time, while the vehicles were on the way for shipment overseas. The repair facili
ties depend for power on a 10 h.p. electric motor ; they are suitable for running and general repeirs, and the company has the undoubted advantage of access to the adjoin ing work § of the Parsons Motor Co., Ltd., where a complete manufacturing plant exists for the output of Parsons marine and stationary engines. These latter works, of course, are now fully occupied upon Government orders, but they can none the less deal with certain classes of work under the " A ".
certificate. In the future, when peace Comes, their proximity to the Town Quay depot will at all times be of great commercial value to Parsons and Kemball, Ltd., and will again offer a, facility of the utmost convenience to all users of commercial motors.
Agriinotor Schemes.
We found, in.. conversation with Mr.. Parsons and • his co-directors, that. all of them had been greatly
interested by our series of January and February concerning the place of the agent in future -developments. They have the greatest belief in the strength of that place, and are firmly resolved to take a leading part themselves. They expect that the use of commercial vehicles in the country will be multiplied many times over during the first few years after peace, and their programmes, both immediate and prospective, are laid with a view to handling both the sale and repair of ,commercial motors, and ID ore particularly of approved types of petrol vehicles. They are also already closely in touch with agrimotor schemes, and in this branch will take a prominent part before long.
Extensions Probable.
Considerations affecting new outlay have been taken into -account by Parsons and,Keinball,.Ltd., and the company is prepared to extend its premises a-s may . prove to be necessary, and to incur expense under any essential heads. It has for a long time past had a tire pres.4 (Hollings and Guest). installed at the Town Quay depot. The pre-
sent rate of service to commercialmotor owners may be gauged by the fact that upwards of 50 tires are pressed off and new ones put in place of them each month. It is found that this 150-ton press is of the greatest value, from the repairing and maintenance point of view, in many other directions, such as for straightening axles and crankshafts. This method has proved to be of real moment when dealing with heat-treated steels. Open Day or Night.
The Town Quay depot is electrically lighted throughout, and is open day and night. Whilst no sleeping accommodation for men is provided on the premises, the foreman can invariably put them on to accommodation quickly, notwithstanding the demand for billets for troops at the Present time.
We had hoped to include a sketch map Of SouthaMpton with this article, but pressure on our space prevents our doing so. The location of the Town Quay depot has been made clear ; approaching from London one continues down the High Street, through the Bar, and turns to the left on reaching the waterside ; coming into South. ampton from the west, on strikingthe High Street, the driver should turn to the right ; entering from the, east, across the Itchen. Ferry, after leaving the floating bridge, the route is to the left, along Canute Road, past the Hotel and Custom House.
Outside Accommodation Only for Steam Wagons.
Drivers of steam wagons can be supplied with water and referred to a neighbouring coal depot, but there is only outside storage space for this class of vehicle.
The representative character of the contracting, maintaining and supplying work, with which Parsons and Kenaball,. Ltd., is entrusted by local commercial-motor users, may be gathered from its services to the following owners, amongst others : A. Brown, Ltd., Hill Farm; Messrs. Page and Sons, provision merchants ; Misselbrook and -Weston, Ltd. provision merchants; Messrs. Edney Bros., millers, Fareham ; Mr. J. R. Hallett, Park Farm, Beaulieu .; Southampton Co-operative Society ; Chaplin and Sons, Ltd., provision merchants; Southampton Corporation (Health and Engineers Departments); Lankester and Crook, Ltd., provision merchants and bakers, Woolston ; Chivers and Sons, contractors, Government rolling mills, Woolston ; Downer and Co., Ltd., haulage contractors.