Small Users in Big Cities
Page 8
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We are initiating in this issue a new series of short articles, in which we shall have something to say concerning representative motorvan users in the principal big cities of the Kingdom. As a rule, it will be found that the examples which we have chosen are of prominent tradesmen who have realized that their growing business requirements no longer allow them to depend on the uncommercial horse. The present issue deals with Birmingham and district, but, of course, there has been no attempt to give our readers a list of all the very many users of whom we know in Birmingham and district. We have confined our attention of necessity to a few enterprising representatives of that growing body.
On the opposite page will be found grouped photographs of typical machines in varied employment, and we now purpose to add a few expressions of opinion with regaid to the use of these vehicles by some of the selected small users, lt should, be obvious to our readers that we apply the word "small " purely in a. comparative sense ; the user of a single motorvan, or of only a few machines, is certainly a " small " user when compared with some modern proprietors who own fleets of several hundred machines. It is in regard to the problems of the small user of this kind, of the prominent tradesman who only of necessity has use for a few machines, that we suggest that the present series will prove of unique and varied interest.
Two Vans Do More Work than Five Horses.
On page 12a of this issue we reproduce a photograph of one of the 14-16 h.p. Belsize vans belonging to Burrall's Stores, Ltd., whose head office is at 100, High Street, Birmingham. This company has only been using motors for ten months, but so far, as Mr. S. E. Hurrah]. tells us, it has found them to be a distinct improvement over horse-drawn vehicles. They are used for distributing provisions and tea, both to customers and branch shops. Each vehicle covers an average of 250 miles per week. It is found that the two vans will do as much work in a shorter time as five horses.
Don't Pack Medicines.
Wyleys Ltd., of Coventry, is a well-known manufacturing chemist ; it owns two motorvans at the present time, and both of these are Rovers. The one which we illustrate is of the 12 h.p. Vpe, and is used for delivery of drugs, chemicals, etc., to medical men, veterinary surgeons and chemists, and iii this employment it. covers up to 300 miles per week. A special advantage both to the manufacturer concerned and to its customers is the delivery of goods in this way much more quickly than by railway. A considerable proportion of such delivery is of necessity in the nature of emergency service, it is also found that the goods can be handed into the surgery or the shop direct without packing, which saves a considerable amount of time and inconvenience to customers, over and shove the cost to Wyleys of such packing.
No More China Breakages.
A prominent Birmingham irer. which company has chose a light American type of chassis--the Ford machine to wit---is Lawleys, Ltd , the well-known wholesale and export, glass and china merchants, of 10, New Street. and Midland Arcade. Birmingham. This company has two vans in use : one of them is illustrated at. the bottom of the kit-hand column on the opposite page. These machines are employed almost exclusively for deliv.ery within a 10-mile radius, and the initial load per journey is never much in excess of 10 cwt. The special nature of the goods which this company has to distribute naturally calls for careful treatment in revard to stowage. China and glass distributed by Lawleys, Ltd.. have to be well packed in straw, and an inquiry on our part elicited the information that the percentage of breakages is certainly no greater than when goods of a similar nature wore delivered by horse-drawn vehicles at much slower speeds. The company uses baskets which are specially made for it. end these are so constructed as to facilitate the stowage of the greatest possible number of packages on the vans, but no special care over and above that necessary for horse delivery is taken in the matter of package by this owner. Amongst the principal
advantages which Lawleys, Ltd., enjoys in comparison with its superseded horse-delivery methods are the following : each van now comfortably averages up to 250 miles per week, it necessary—a greatly-increased effective delivery area; and the advertisement derived from the employment, of these machines is a very considerable asset.
20,000 Miles with Meat.
A meat salesman whose business is well known in the nilatoll district is Mr. J. E. Downs, whose head office is at 110, Church Street, Bilston. He hail branches at High Street, Bdston, High Street, Cradley Heath, and High Street, Black. math. He is the owner of a 16-20 h.p. Albion motorvan, and this is included in our composite illustration. This machine is used for the conveyance of supplies to Mr. Downs's branch shops. " It has now travelled well over 203,000 miles for us, and we find it quite indispensable,'' Mr. Downs writes to us. " It may .interest you to know that since adopting motorvandelivery methods, we have made considerable business extensions, but our van has invariably proved equal to all the calls we have had to make upon her, and keeps in first-class mud/Lion."
450 Deliveries a Week : Shorter Hours for Employees.
A big general supply association, with many departments, the Birmingham Household Supply Association, Ltd_,. whose extensive premises at. 150-158, Corporation Street, Birmingham, are well known to all visitors to that Midland city, employs one motorvan, a, 30 cwt. Albion, and this has been in use for 11 months, during which time the distance covered has been 12,800 miles. It is employed for country deliveries entirely, conveying as a rule groceries, wine, ironmongery, etc.. to the districts round Birmingham. The average mileage is 285 per week, and this enables something like 450 deliveries at customers' houses to be accomplished in the same time. ‘Ve learn that the average petrol consumption on this work is at the rate of 10 miles to the gallon. For illustration, see page 12. In response to an inquiry as to the special advantages which had accrued from the use of a motorvan, Mr. H. V'rost, the general manager of the company, was good enough to tell us that these included the considerably greater distance which is now covered compared with the old horse deliveries, the ability to keep the van running day after day, whereas horses had to be rested every other day after long journeys, the possibility of giving the carmen shorter hours, and the undoubtedly valuable advertisement which the well-finished machine affords to the association.
They Handle the Eggs Themselves.
A Birmingham firm of foreign egg importers, which we note has the appropriate telegraphic address of " Pullet Birmingham," is Messrs. J. C. and J. Poole, of Carr's Lane. They employ a 25 cwt. Albion platform lorry, which is kept latsy delivering eases of eggs throughout the whole of Greater Birmingham. The average number of miles which this machine accomplishes is 220 every week, and in this service it replaces three horses. These users find that the chief advantages accruing from the employment of this machine, which forms the subject of one of our illustrations on the following page, are : extended and much Quicker delivery ; the great advantage of having their own employees carefully to handle the goods throughout, as avainst their previous treatment by contractors' men the ability to work continuously on busy days; independence of road and weather conditions ; and the undoubted excellence of the van as an advertising medium. Messrs. J. C. and J. Poole advise us that they have noted no difference whatever in the normal number of breakages of their eernewhat fragile cargoes now that they are transported by the Albion van. It is to be recorded that before employing this mechanically-propelled machine this firm was only able to deliver within a radius of three miles. Anything beyond this had to be given to general carriers, and the goods fre. quently suffered in coesequence from rough handling. Now it is possible to deliver up to a radius of seven miles. So far as financial advantage accruing from this extended area is concerned, Messrs. Poole are doubtful, as the deliveries now are of a much mere scattered nature, and, therefore, the mileage per delivery is greater than was the case with their own horsed plant, but in regard to the general satisfaction given to their customers they have no doubt whatever. This 25-cwt. Albion: was delivered in May, 1911, and has, up to date, run 20,000 mites.