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r Meeting the Needs o f a
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Rapidly Growing Borough
N the short period of five years the population of Heston and Isleworth has increased from 70,000 to 90,000
and the number of houses from 16,500 to 22,050. The area covered by the borough amounts to 11.345 square miles, and this rapid increase in hous ing and population has necessitated the reorganization and extension of necessary services.
Prior to 1930, refuse collection and street scavenging were carried out by two steam lorries, five hired platform lorries, and an electric vehicle. The last-named was used for short-distance work and was of Edison make. It is interesting to note that the borough was one of the first in the country to employ an electric vehicle, this machine having been purchased in 1913 and used continuously for over 12 years.
Early in 1930 it was decided to purchase a new fleet of vehicles and completely. to reorganize the refusecollection system. To this end eight Electricar side-loading vehicles of the• semi-dustless type were purchased, six being of 7-cubic-yd. capacity and two of 10-cubic-yd. capacity. The area was divided into four districts, and two vehicles were worked by one gang of men.
This system was used for only a short period, when, owing to the rapid development taking place in the outer areas, a fifth section was added and two Dennis 10-cubic-yd. machines were purchased for use in the new division which comprised the outlying districts.
A Big Increase in Tonnage.
In August, 1930, 16,500 premises were cleared weekly and an average of 296 tons of refuse was collected. In January this year the number of premises to be dealt with had risen to 22,050 and the weekly tonnage to 450. The number of bins cleared at the present time is 25,000 each week.
Both for refuse collection and road scavenging the system in use is the same, the five main districts being divided into a number of sub-sections covering certain specified roads. Each man is given a typed slip showing the roads that have to be covered during the day, and by reference to a chart at headquarters it is possible to determine where any vehicle or man should he at any time.
A careful costing system is used and every load is weighed before dumping. Controlled tipping has been adopted for disposal of the refuse. Weekly report sheets are compiled giving complete information as to the area covered, the hours worked, the number of premises visited, tonnage, loads, etc., records as to mileage, cost of current, petrol and oil being included.
The electric vehicles have been found to be very satisfactory for the inner districts and for mileages of 20 to 23 per day. For the outlying areas where the mileage covered is in excess c60 of that figure the petrol-driven vehicles have proved to be speedier and more efficient.
Street scavenging is carried out by a separate organization, but working on the same system as that for refuse collection. For this service 50 orderly carts, running on pneumatic tyres and equipped with two Oschner bins are used. One Dennis 10-cubic-yd. refuse vehicle is employed, and collects from the orderly carts twice each day. The daily mileage amounts ta 56 and the average daily loading is 8itons.
Gully emptying is at present carried out by horses and carts. The purchase in the near future of motor vehicles for this purpose is, howevr, under consideration.
For general-haulage and highway work, two Dennis 30-cwt. hand-tipping vehicles and two Ford 2-ton three
way tipping machines are used. The three-way tippers have proved exceptionally valuable both for delivering material on the roads and for controlled tipping, surplus from excavations, etc., being used for covering off. Rolling is effected by a 10-ton and an .8-ton steam roller, and a Wallis and Steevens 2-ton petrol-engined roller has recently been purchased and is employed extensively for consolidating footpaths prior to slab paving.'
Routine maintenance of the cleansing vehicles is carried out in a newly equipped garage by" a night greaser and fitter, An efficient charging plant is maintained for the electric vehicles, which are charged every night, and for convenience and speedy working the council has reeently. .installed a Skyhi hydraulic lift and lubricating equipment. General Maintenance and running repairs are carried out by the borough engineering department, any major repairs being sent out to specialists.
The borough has a wellequipped -fire brigade and ambulance service. Three tire-engines are in use—a Merryweather 50 h.p, combination machine, fitted with a 400-gallon reciprocating pump ; a 50-ft. wheeled escape and a first-aid pump; a similar Dennis machine;
and a new Leyland low-loading engine. The last-named, which was commissioned in 1934, is also equipped with a powerful searchlight and Phomene generator, and in order to deal _with• emergenciesthat May arise at the Heston Aerodrome special equipment is provided for aeroplane fires'.: The staff 0,t present .coniprises 14 permanent firemen and 15 retained members; who live within the Vicinity Of the statión. The • brigade is thoroughly hp to date, both in its methods TEind equipment, self-contained. breathing •.apparatus, rubber, gloves, " asbeiths suits, etc., being available when required:
An Efficient Ambulance Service. . . .
The ambulance service is maintained by two Austin dual-stretcher machines, one of these being equipped to act as a special emergency vehicle, carrying, besides the ordinary ambulance equipmeat, a complete set of surgical instrtunenti, oxy-acetylene milting plant, a 12-ft.• ladder, and two 7-ton hydraii, lie. jacks. Both machines carry Novax resuscitating apparatus as part of their standard equipment. The whole of the maintenance of the ambulances is carried out by the fire-brigade staff, Complete overhauls and, repaintingbeing undertaken when *required. 1 'It hai recently been decided to build a new central fire station in a position ideally suited to serve: the area. The station will consist of a five-bay engine house, fronting theroadway, this forming a Part of the main building, which will contain administrative offices, workshops and flats for the permanent staff.. On the Opening of the new station the entire brigade will be run on professional lines. A 60-ft. cbmbined hose-drying 'and drill tower is to be erected in the drill yard.
Heat from the boiler house, which provides central heating for the wholo of the building, will he'l used for the hose-drying tower by Utilizing its construction as a chimney. Abutting on to the tower will be a_laundry, and at the rear of the yard will be the workshops, spare garage, stores 'and' smoke chamber. The laundry Will be equipped with up-to-date electrical Washing and drying appliances. .
In addition to the new fire station, the barough has decided to install an up-to-date-fire-alarm system Which will cover the whole district; 76 alarm boxes are to be constructed, 24 of these being combined fire-aIarin and ambulance call boxes. These. will be in operation on the main roads for the free use of the public to enable them to call the ambulance by telephone or the fire brigade by automatic operation. When this scheme is completed and in operation the borough of Heston and Isleworth will undoubtedly have a brigade, static:n-1, alarm system and equipment as efficient and up to date as that to be found in any part of the country having similar risks.