Running the Mails from Manchester to Leeds.
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A New Service over One of the Most Trying Routes yet Attempted.
Nearly a year ago a member of the staff of this journal undertook a " one night's work' for the purpose of observing the behaviour of a Lotis motorvan which was, and still is, for that matter. maintaining several short-distance mail contracts from Leeds as a centre. The contractor for the services in question is The Bridge Garage: Ltd., Leeds, and it was at the invitation of this enterprising -company's managing director, Mr. W. Duffield, that once again this journal was represented on a motor-mall service in the North.
Satisfied with the operation of the existing contracts between Leeds and Bradford and Harrogate, etc.. Mr. W. Duffield has now definitely decided to make a bid for the maintenance of other parcel-mail services in and out of Leedsas tenders are asked for them. On Monday last, the latest undertaking of this kind, that for the carriage of a large proportion of the parcel-mail traffic between Leeds and. Manchester, was definitely started. It was on the occasion of the final trial trip Over this difficult route on the previous Saturday that Mr. Duffield invited a party of friends to go and familiarize themselves, at first hand, with the conditions under which his .company's latest venture will have to operate.
The reason for the decision of the O.P.O. to divert the carriage of parcel mails in such instances as that with which we are dealing is purely an economic one the circumstances are no doubt familiar to many of our readers. These provincial motor mail services do not carry the letter post, it should be remembered. Rail-borne parcels cost the Government 55 per cent, of their total postal charge, on account of payments to the railway companies, irrespective of distance. The carriage of 25 cwt. of parcel-post matter between Leeds and Manchester by rail would cost the
G.P.O. soinethiug in the neighbourhood of £7 I0s. for the 40 miles. it will be therefore seen that, under existing conditions, as a rule, providing full loads
between the terminal points can always be assured, motor haulage provides an economical alternative to the railway. The latter claims its full share, however small the proportion may be between the rail journey and the actual total journey of a parcel. In most existing cases the railway companies will not feel the loss due to the new transport, as the traffic is almost all new ; within the past few years parcel-carriage has grown to a remarkable extent.
Writing after the return from this inspection run, we have no hesitation in saying that the contractors will have
their worst enemies in fog and snow. To some extent the dangers arising from the latter meteorological condition can be neutralized, but the fog on the high
moorlands between Oldham and Huddersfield will, it is agreed, prove a treacherous element in the new service through more than half the year. Mr. Duffield is very keenly alive to these difficulties, and it is primarily owing to Ins knowledge of the dangers from frost and snow on this Leeds-Manchester route that he has equipped the two Halley machines, which are to carry out the work, with " K.T." tires. It is confidently anticipated that these " studded" treads will enable the wheels to grip under all conditions. So far as the fog is concerned, and the trial trips have already revealed its persistence, the best that can be done is to employ thoroughly. reliable and careful drivers, who know every turn of the highway in question.
With considerable previous knowledge of the route upon which these new Hal. ley vans are to run, we realized the important part which the tires would have to play. From Mr. Duffield we learned that, after very careful consideration, he had chosen "K.T.s " and had placed orders for complete sets with the Commercial Tyre Co., Ltd. In the course of contersation last week with the manager of that company, Mr. L. Fenner, that gentleman offered to drive us up to Leeds an a " K.T."-shod Stoewer touring car. so that we might improve our acquaintance with the latest pattern of these treads under high-speed conditions. The clerk of the weather had thoughtfully arranged a most varied programme for us, and we experienced the behaviour " K.T.s" on road surfaces of all kinds under many conditions. An occasional tendency to pick up loose stones between the "studs," when the tires are new, was the only criticism we were able to offer, but we are satisfied that condition would not obtain when the sharp edges had disappeared. As an effective non-skid device, the "K.T." undoubtedly has few, if any, rivals. At any speeds up to 30 m.p.h. the riding was most comfortable.
Our route to Leeds took us through Derbyshire, via the Ashbourne-Chesterfield route, over which a public service is maintained by Commercial Car Hirers, Ltd. Arrived at the Bridge Garage, after a struggle with a violent gale north of Barnsley, we found Mr. Duffield busy shepherding his party for the final test run over the scheduled route to Cottonopolis. One of the two new Halley machines was in readiness to make the trip, whilst a sister vehicle, of similar-pattern chassis, fitted with a char-abanes body, was destined to carry the observers. Several of these gentlemen had cried off at the last, moment, on account of the weather and other things, but eventually a party of ten left Leeds about 2 p.m. on Saturday last.
The route passes through Huddersfield and Oldham and is approximately 40 ' miles in length. From Leeds to Huddersfield the road surface is " nothing to write home about;" the gradients are moderate with a few stretches as steep us 1 in 15; the principal climb is up Gildersome Hill, whence via I3irstall the country is undulating. The surface is of good quality between Huddersfield and Oldham, but there is some stiff climbing to be done, and steering gear and brakes are vell tested all the way on this part of the route. At Standedge a height of 1,200 ft. is reached, and thereafter there are many curves, flanked by precipitous moorland, which the driver will require all his nerve to negotiate satisfactorily on foggy or snowy nights. From Oldham to Manchester there are seven miles of badly-laid setts, and these alone, to say nothing of the swarms of operatives who will walk in the road, render this part of the trip as trying as any of it. The weather was boisterous on the outward journey from Leeds, but not until we had traversed the picturesque valley, crowded with mill life, as far as Marsden and had begun to climb to ex• posed Standedge did the elements run riot. A photograph near the summit was secured by an enthusiastic operator. who seemingly cared little for the gale which drenched him. The daylight journey from Leeds was mainly useful to afford optical demonstration of the kind of country through which the ser :ce is to run. There are few more pic
turesque routes in any of eta industrial centres than these in the 1% est Riding of Yorkshire ; there are few parts of Great Britain so closely populated. It was the return journey by night, however, which ,yielded the most-vivid impression of what the actual service conditions will be like. Brilliant headlights and unremitting watchfulness on the part of the driver proved indispensable. Of the crowded sett-paved thoroughfares front Manchester to Oldham, it may be as-timed that the driver will fre• quently he glad these are only seven miles in length. Despite the greatest of care, on the return trial run a drunken woman dashed across the road right into our pathway. Only by a most-skilful handling on the part of Mr. Duffield. who happened to be driving, was a fatality avoided.
The writer was forced to contrast the manner in which the present powerful vehicles, with four-cylinder engines of Halley construction throughout, tackled this trying route, with the struggle which an undergeared and overloaded machine of the same make, on which lie was an official observer, had on its way from Manchester over much the same route in the Commercial-Vehicle Trials of 1907. On that historic occasion the heavier of the two Halleys—the other won the gold medal it will be remem
bered-arrived several hours late, 'Jut with a non-stop record for the day :— much to the surprise of the R.A.C. Secretary and several of the judges, who tired of waiting for us, concluded we had dropped out through an accident.
These natiey vehicles, with the nemisoinely-fiuished mail-van bodies, have at: emitiently-serviceable appearance; they yield an instructive contrast to those at us who remember some of the ancient adapted pleasure chassis with which would-be contractors, who knew little of their job and less of their risks, were wont to undertake contracts to carry the mails but a few years ago. Many of these machines were totally unsatisfactory, and luckily their lives were short. Sowadays, however, tried models are available, and G.P.O. contracts can be confidently undertaken with industrial models which have previously been " tried out" in far more strenuous service even than that provided by the regular carriage of the Royal Mail. This new contract is for a nightly return trip from Manchester to Leeds and back; the driver will spend the day ie. Manchester. The two vans are to work alternate fortnights, in order to equalize the depreciation. The contract provides for the second van as a standby. Ile two vans with which tins service is to be maintained have standard 30 h.p. Halley chassis, and they will have to carry a maximum of 25 cwt. of parcels regularly on six days of the week, winter and summer. The bodies, which have been constructed by J. Liversidge and Son, Ltd., are fine examples of industrial coachwork; both in finish and workmenship they leave nothing to be desired
Three hours and forty-five minutes are allowed for the 40 miles. including several hitermecliate stops. Mr. Duffield estimates that this will give him plenty of time in hand, but we are inclined to think that there will be very little to spare in mid-winter. Both man and machine will be tested to the utmost on this contract, but we have little doubt that a remarkable record will be established. Successful operation during a severe winter on this route will undoubtedly encourage the authorities to hasten the more-extended adoption of road haulage. If this service prove to be maintained satisfactorily through the winter over such a trying route, it will be a triumph for the good qualities of the machines and their equipment.