Runs on Brewers' Petrol and Steam Wagons.
Page 19
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Comparative Extracts From Two Recent " C.M." Service Articles.
.Observed service trips with all kinds of motor vehicles in all classes of industrial service have for a number of years, formed a much-appreciated feature of the editorial pages of this journal. We have made extracts from two of such articles which have recently appeared in our latest series—we have chosen the articles describing a day with a steamer and another with a petrol wagon, both in brewer's service.
"One Day's Work" with a 5-ton Steamer.
One of the representatives of this journal accompanied a five-ton Tasker steam wagon, belonging to Mr. Eiger Brett, during one of its daily service runs under contract with Messrs. Ash and Co., the wellknown Canterbury brewers. The complete day's work consisted of a run from Canterbury to Folkestone, a distance of about 15 miles, with a load consisting of 6 hogsheads, 13 barrels, 6 firkins, and 2 kils., in addition to 118 dozen one-pint bottles and 79 crates, each containing four one-quart bottles. This load was distributed on arrival at Folkestone amongst 12 licensed premises in that town. The return journey was then made to Canterbury with a full load of " empties " on the wagon and trailer.
The day's work included a number of remarkable deliveries, but perhaps the most noteworthy was one to a small publichouse in the vicinity of the harbour which is in a most unget-at-able position so far as the delivery of heavy barrels is concerned. As the result of persistent attempts to get near these premises, it had finally been found to be the most satisfactory solution to run up to the higher part of Folkestone town and there to leave the trailer and then to proceed with the wagon alone and to back down a very steep declivity with the necessary barrels on the wagon. In this way the delivery can be made at a reasonable distance from the licensed premises.
This particular wagon, we learned during a conversation with Mr. Brett, senr., the contractor. delivers very often just over 93 tons of beer from Canterbury throughout Folkestone during a month. Over and above this work, there is, of course, the regular return of between two and three tons of empty barrels and bottles on each journey. The total mileage for the out-andhome journey was 35. and for this distance, in addition to the many deliveries in Folkestone. a consumption of 4 cwt. of coal was recorded, whilst 388 gallors of water were used. The whole trip yielded strong evidence of the easy-steaming capabilities of the Tasker steam wagon, to which result certain features of the design particularly contribute, notably, the large compound engine and the big tubes in the boiler. We extract frorn the original article as follows in conclusion:— " It is difficult to draw comparisons with competitive forms of delivery in this instance. No horsed plant could tackle the long journey out as well as the town deliveries. This wagon was doing the railway's work, and doing it vastly better. One publican voluntarily broke into praise of the wagon's utility. 'We used, when the beer came by rail, frequently to get it just when we were very busy at 6, 7, or 8 o'clock at night ; we were never sure. Now it's here just after breakfast punctual as a clock.' In conclusion, it should be noted that a petrol wagon would have to do two journeys to Folkestone to cover this Tasker's 'one day's work.'" "One Day's Work' with a 5-ton Petrol Wagon.
An interesting contrast to the "One day's work," which was carried out by a " CM." representative on a steam wagon, and of which some mention is made on this page, was that afforded when we accompanied a five-ton Perna belonging to the X.Y.Z. Transport. Ltd.. an enterprising haulage contractor which already does much business for some of the principal London brewers. On the occasion when we observed the amount of work which one of these machines could get through during a day, l'Co. 9 of the fleet, which was the vehicle to which we were temporarily attached, was putting in its regular day's work for Charrington's Brewery.
We left the brewery at Mile End Road at 6 a.m. with a load consisting of 8 hogsheads of ale, 7 barrels of bitter, 15 kils. of porter, 10 firkins of stout and porter, and two " joeys " of finings. These were delivered in Highgate, and a return load of 9 hogsheads. 12 kilderkins. 10 firkins, two "joeys," all empties. was brought back to the works. At 10.40 a.m. we left for the second journey, which was to Sydenham and the South-Eastern outlying suburbs of London. A short cut out to the South over, or rather under. the Thames, was made via Rotherhithe Tunnel.
The big four-cylinder engine, rated at 25-10 h.p.. purred away with a heavy load behind it over the hillv route from the Southern suburbs as if it were the high-class engine of a modern pleasure car. It has to be remembered that, for a 20-mile journey, a brewer's dray is expected to occupy not less than. 12 hours, and, indeed, the average speed of a brewer's dray-horse should not exceed 3 m.p.h., if the animal is to suffer no lasting strain. Three Bernas, similar to that upon which we did our tun, have displaced four three-horse dray teams already for Charrington's Brewery. and it is found that they do, as a matter of fact, a great deal more work than the horses which they have superseded. This particular machine, with a mileage of 300 per week, can be run on rubber tires at 11.18d. per car-mile all told, and this is assuming petrol at 13d. per gallon and tires at not more than 2.5d. per mile. Charrington's are likely, in the future, we understand, to employ motor-vehicle transport on a greatly increased scale.
We may usefully extract the following paragraph from the article which dealt with the original trial, which was published in the issue of TRE COMMERCIAL MOTOR dated the 13th March :—
"At the end of the day's work, we definitely confirmed our previous opinion that the brewer is bound to adopt motor haulage, at any rate for all but his shortest deliveries, solely on the question of ecenomy and efficiency of service. There need be no question for him of the finer arguments which are often of so potent a nature when dealing with the question of the supercession of the horse in connection with other trades. A brewer is not generally concerned to adopt motor haulage because some rival firm has done so, and the advertisement value of the motorvan is perhaps of little more value to him than is the possession of a fine, well-turnedout, if cumbersome. team of dray horses: but when it comes to the question of the length of mileage possible in one day, the number of deliveries which can be effected, n d the general all-round beating that the big motorvan can give to the steady-going horsed dray, then the brewer, conservative though he be, has no alternative but to be convinced of sheer hard necessity. From the simple point of view of business economy, the brewer has to admit, immediately 110 hils put it to the test, that motor haulage is a 'mach better proposition thee the hest. corresnonding hersed delivery for most of his work."
The foregoing e-stract we consider epitomizes somewhat aptly the attitude which the up-to-date brewer must necessarily ..riont when considering the possibiifiv of increasing the efficiency of his deliveries.