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Eastern bodybuilders fight the flab

3rd July 1982, Page 32
3rd July 1982
Page 32
Page 33
Page 32, 3rd July 1982 — Eastern bodybuilders fight the flab
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

CM's new technical editor Bill Brock looks in on Wilcox of Peterborough and Seadyke of Wisbech

INFLATION and rising costs continue to eat into hauliers' profits, and the need to make every cubic yard of payload count is a major factor in the fight for economic survival.

The development in the design if bulk carriers in recent years has seen bodybuilders battle with the problem of keeping down overall weight without reducing either body strength or durability. The growth in dualpurpose bulk carriers and the rising popularity of stepframes are just two examples of how an East Anglian bodybuilder has risen to the challenge of meeting the changing needs of industry.

The experience of E. M. Wilcox, of Peterborough, and Seadyke Freight Systems, of Wisbech — part of the Wilcox Group — is typical of the way the probJems of bulk haulage are being solved by design innovation.

For example, the Miln Marsters Group, of King's Lynn and Docking, needed a bulk grain carrier small enough to gain access to farms to deliver 50 kilo bags of seed, but with a capacity to carry bulk loads of grain up to 21 tonnes.

Wilcox solved the problem with its versatile fold-in-side tipper. Designed primarily as a bulk carrier, its sides can be made to fold flat to the deck and provide a flat platform suitable for bagged or palletised loads.

Mounted on a rigid vehicle chassis, the 5.8m (19ft)-long aluminium alloy body proved to be a good size for farm collection and, coupled to a 7'3m (24ft) drawbar trailer, the payload of the total unit as a bulk carrier reached a cost-effective 21 tonnes.

Dorchester Transport, of Dorset, also improved the costeffectivemess of its bulk grain operation with a version of the Wilcox fold-in-side tipper. As a bulk carrier, it is operated to haul grain to the Midlands and the North. On the return journey the flat platform is used to carry bagged and palletised loads of fertiliser from ICI plants, thus earning its keep on both trips.

High payload capacities within a low overall height is the main reason for the growing popularity of stepframe semi-trailer design.

For owner operators Keith Platt, of Carlisle, and John Clarkson, of Bedale, Yorks, it provides an extra five cubic yards of payload per trip over previous units used.

Both Wilcox stepframe tippers built in Crane Freuhauf chassis are 91m (30ft) long with a maximum body height of 1.9m (6ft 3in), stepping down to 1.6m (5ft 3in) and giving a capacity of 38.2cum (50cuyd).

The body for Keith Platt is equipped with a watertight tailgate fitted with a grain hatch while the stepframe for John Clarkson has a standard tophung tailgate with grain hatch and dust sock.

Quick turn-round often depends on a rapid discharge of the load which is essential if bulk carriers are to keep on the move and generate profit.

Seadyke Freight Systems, of Wisbech, has recently built six aluminium alloy hopper bodies for Nigeria — each 11.5m (38ft) long with sides of 2.2m (7ft 3in). Four of the hoppers have discharge solely by gravity feed through three bottom hatches, two in front of the bogie and one behind. Two hoppers, however, have an additional discharge capability at the rear in the form of an hydraulically powered 220mm (9in) worm conveyor running the full length of the body.

Both a diesel unit and an electric motor have been coupled into the system to provide alternative power sources.

Versatility of body design here also adds a further dimension to its use. Seadyke has developed a lightweight bulk blower specially for the animal feed industry. The aluminium alloy tipper can be built with up to four removable compartments so that it is suitable for carrying different commodities.

Nitrovit, of Malehurst Mill, Salop, has introduced the new Seadyke bulker into its operation with great success.

On many occasions bulk carriers had complained of difficulty in gaining access to stores both for loading and unloading. Seadyke claims to have solved this problem by developing the Loadveyor.

This is a portable unit which can be used to transfer grain from floors and bins through a blowing line. The Loadveyor operates through a tipper's hydraulic and pneumatic systems and acts as a roving unit picking up grain through its nozzle. A second line from the Loadveyor conveys the grain to where it is needed.

Body design plays a big part of the vehicle's ability to earn its keep. Every cubic in. and ounce of payload counts.

Solving individual operational problems is a part of many of Britain's leading bodybuilders' everyday life.

The development of the total Wilcox tipper range is an example of how the needs of industry are being recognised and catered for.

A capacity to restrict?

ROAD HAULAGE capacity control is in the news again. The Labour Party's transport policy document, recently leaked to CM (April 3) maintains that the industry suffers from overcapacity and that the Government ought to remedy this.

It is not clear from what has so far been published whether the proposed "elimination" of operators with "one or a few" vehicles would be thought sufficient to achieve this, or whether the re-introduction of some form of capacity licensing system is also envisaged.

The Licensing Authorities' annual reports for 1980-81 show that one-vehicle licences represent over half the total of 0-licensed vehicles. If "a few" were interpreted as no more than three, the proportion rises to 80 per cent. Elimination on this scale would undoubtedly remove any problem of overcapacity, though few would regard the resulting situation as an improvement.

Universally, capacity control originated as a means of protecting railway and canal traffic. It is often forgotten that the 1968 Act had similar intentions and was not intended to be a totally liberal measure. Capacity control was relaxed, especially by the exclusion of all vehicles under 30cwt unladen, but was not to be abandoned. Carriers' licensing was to be retained, in waffle' with 0 licensing, until the former was replaced by the new special authorisation system. In the event, this never happened. The Conservatives simply abolished carriers' licensing at the end of 1970. But present Labour Party objectives are entirely consistent with those of the 1968 Act. Against that background British hauliers' reservations about the idea are not surprising.

Yet in most countries which operate such a system — and that means most developed countries — hauliers regard it as a safeguard. This applies just as much in rail-fanatical Germany as in road-oriented Netherlands.

It would be strange if there were no advantages at all for British hauliers, and a pity if their minds were closed even to an examination of the idea because something similar had been advanced, for quite different reasons, from hostile quarters.

Even if total freedom were acceptable in normal times, there must surely be room for doubt in present circumstances. The South Eastern LA's latest report says of new 0-licence applications: "Many of these were made by drivers who, having been made redundant by their previous employers, were given the opportunity of buying a vehicle and setting up in business on their own."

Romantics will see this as a revival of the entrepreneurial spirit. Realists, on the other hand, will recall the recent forecast that nearly half of Britain's hauliers will incur losses in 1982. They will wonder how many of these budding entrepreneurs, with little or no commercial experience, will be able to make a profit where their previous employers failed to do so. Is it not likely that most of them, after an agonised period of rate-cutting, with everdiminishing resistance to cutting corners on maintenance and other illegal methods of saving cash, will go the same way as their erstwhile bosses?

Many would argue, however, that that is no reason to restrict entry. The freedom to go bust is an important one, and limiting it is liable to stifle enterprise. However, few freedoms are absolute. They must often be modified where their operation would damage innocent parties.

It is not necessarily the newcomer who goes to the wall first. His rate-cutting may drive out an established competitor before the novice has discovered the hard way that making a profit means more than taking in more money than is paid out over a few months.

Some would argue that at least the consignor benefits from lower prices. But even if this were true — and it is by no means certain — does the consignor really benefit in the long run from the lack of professionalism which the present system permits?

The RHA might therefore consider whether their members would not benefit from the existence of a long-stop power in the hands of the Minister. This might enable him to declare a "State of Exigency". Such a declaration would introduce a requirement for applicants for new Standard licences, or for additional vehicles on existing licences, to establish a proof of need. Additional grounds of objection would be needed, related to the new criterion.

Clearly nothing could be done to change the law in time to have any effect during the current recession, even if it lasts longer than the optimists are now predicting. But there will be further recessions, and before the next one the industry should have examined seriously whether it would not benefit from some sort of capacity control on entry, at least of the "last resort" type. Above all it should not be put off examining the idea because others are advocating more drastic forms of control for totally different, and unacceptable reasons.

Nor should it be deterred by the prospect of political opposition to the necessary legislation. Certainly no Government is going to introduce a measure simply because the industry wants it, if that proves to be the case.

But any competent Minister could soon construct a case demonstrating that such controls were in the public interest. The public has recently become increasingly aware, above all from the Laker collapse, that bankruptcies hurt many more people than the owners and employees of the failed company. Their creditors and customers also suffer.

In addition, no doubt, such measures would be presented as part of whatever plans were current for "civilising the lorry", an expression which most hauliers find offensive. But if it prevented the present absurdity of a steady flow of new entrants coming into a rapidly contracting industry it would surely be worth gritting their teeth and bearing it.

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