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Road Trc

5th December 1947
Page 40
Page 41
Page 40, 5th December 1947 — Road Trc
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HE CHILDREN'S WAITER

TO-DAY, if little Tommy lives any great distance from his school, there is often a special bus to transport him. Furthermore, the authorities now frequently ensure that he and his friends who are similarly placed get a substantial hot midday meal at the school.

As regards providing meals, the ideal would be to have everything cooked on the spot, but many schools, particularly in country areas, are far too small for anything like that, and once again road transport has provided the answer to the problem. All over the country there are vehicles which daily provide that essential link between "pot and plate."

An important example of this work can be seen in the operation of the Cheshire County Council school meals service, which was developed from the war-time emergency feeding schemes in which this particular authority had an outstanding record. The emergency feeding plan was started in 1941, when large-scale evacuation was ,expected, and something like 100,000 hot cooked meals were served every 24 hours,

13 Central Kitchens To carry out this work 13 central kitchens were established and, later, to meet the need for school meals, the county was requested by the Ministry of Food and the Board of Education to bring these depots into day-to-day operation. From these central kitchens the county catering organization now serves approximately 27,000 meals a day, distributed over about 400 different schools.

All this is done at a cost to the parents of only 5d. per meal, or 2s. per child per week. This figure, it should be explained, was established some years ago and even then covered only the cost of the uncooked food. To-day prices have increased and the charges do not provide for the purchase price of the bulk supplies but, nevertheless, the parents still pay the old figure. The average number of meals served at each school is 70.

Food is prepared at the central c2 kitchens already mentioned, which are situated at Bromborough, Mottrarn, Hale, Frodsham, Nantwich, Middlewich, Hoole, Macclesfield, Willaston, Wilmslow, Greasby, Halton and Crewe, Naturally there are many schools within easy reach of these points but, despite the manner in which they are spread over the county area, it is still necessary in some cases for deliveries to extend over a radius of 25 miles.

Meals must be delivered at the various schools not later than 11.50 a.m. in order that they can be ready for serving at noon, and the fleet's working is so arranged that the minimum time elapses between the conclusion of cooking and the consumption of the meal. In the case of the longer distances preparation has to be completed by 10.15 a.m., but it is more usual for the cooking to be finished by about 11 a.m.

A fleet of 41 vehicles is used on this work, the present situation being that 26 units of the removal-van type are hired from contractors and the remainder are owned by the county. The county catering officer is Mr, P. L. S. Mussell and control of transport is in the hands of Mr. T. H. Carey, A.M.Inst.T.A.

At the outset vehicles, mostly Armytype open lorries, were lent to the county by the Ministry of Food, but as soon as the war was over the school meals service started on a programme of replacing the M.O.F. machines, also additional hired vans, by its own fleet. Specially designed bodywork is employed in the new units, which have been planned to carry 55 standard containers, sufficient to service 11 schools.

Built by Martin Hearn, Ltd., of Hooton, the new type is on an Austin chassis and handling is facilitated by providing a low loading level at the

rear. Each container has a capacity of about 80 portions and five containers represent a complete dinner. There may, for instance, be stew in one, 4potatoes in another, a second vegetable in a third, pudding in the fourth and custard in the fifth.

No Overloading Filled containers with 80 meals weigh 262 lb. and for 11 schools the usual total weight is 1 ton3 cwt.; as 2-ton vehicles are used there is an ample loading margin. The insulated containers have plastic linings and if necessary the contents could be kept hot for as long as five hours.

Suitable numbers of vehicles are attached to each of the various depots and are under the general supervision of the chef-in-charge at the particular kitchen. Fixed itineraries are prepared for the various rounds and at each stop the driver delivers the set of containers which is earmarked for the permanent use of the school in ques tion. On arrival at the end of the round the driver stays at the school for his own meal and then returns over the same route, picking up the empty containers.

All drivers work a 47-hour week, starting at 730 a.m. and finishing at 5 p.m. Apart from driving, they are responsible for the maintenance of their own vehicles and for other duties of a porterage nature in the depot. Each driver is held personally responsible for his van and no other member of the staff is permitted to drive it except in special circumstances and then only on the specific instructions

of the county catering officer. The drivers take over their own vehicles when they are delivered and if a driver

is absent from duty his machine is removed from service.

The men are instructed to go about their duties aS quietly as possible so as not to disturb lessons which may be going on and, within reason, to co-operate with the school staff in placing containers in the positions where they are needed for service.

Drivers are impressed with the need to exercise special caution when driving, not only in the vicinity of schools but also in other places where children are accustomed to what they regard as the "rights of play." Before leaving the depot each day drivers check tyre pressures, petrol, oil and

water levels and examine their vehicles generally. In addition to the normal documents each carries an "essential telephone list" which gives numbers of all depots, the central office, the county catering officer and approved local 'garages.

Each day on returning from service the interiors of the vans are thoroughly washed out with hot water and Chloros, whilst each week the driver is responsible for giving his machine 4, general check-over, oil and grease, wash and polish, and for examining the tyres

for possible damage. Major repairs, servicing and overhauls are undertaken by the Austin service agent nearest to

the depot at which the vehicle la. stationed.

Decarbonizing and other work necessitating units of the fleet being put off the road is arranged to take place so far as possible during holiday periods when the schools are closed. Where practicable smaller repairs are carried out by the drivers themselves. Future plans provide for the establishment of some form of central transport garage to undertake advanced maintenance -and general repairs.

A log sheet for each vehicle is forwarded weekly to the central office and from this document can be seen the daily recordings of petrol and oil drawn, speedometer readings, mileage, number of delivery points, the approximate total of meals carried, together with details of journeys made for purposes other than delivering meals.

The school meals service has become an accepted feature in the post-war world and it is interesting to observe how its transport, founded on an emergency basis, has already reached a highly organized state.


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