S.E.L.N.E.C. and the Passengers
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WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS
THE north-west is very much a district of wheels within wheels, as for instance those 314 concentrated square miles around Manchester in which the city's population of 660,000 is almost quadrupled to 2,350,000.
There are 14 municipal boroughs, 21 urban districts and one rural district overlapping and almost inseparable from Bolton and Rochdale in the north to Oldham and Ashton in the east and Stockport and Wilmslow in the south.
For a long time the 50 miles of trunk roads and the 700 miles of classified roads have been the subject of a collective survey that blossomed into S.E.L.N.E.C. (South East Lanes and North East Cheshire) HigliWay Plan in 1962. This seeks to free from the grip of an industrial age road system, traffic that as one survey showed includes 14-9 per cent light goods (under 30 cwt.) and 23.2 per cent heavy goods vehicles (a total of 38 per cent); 51 per cent buses and 0-4 per cent coaches.
Urban and rural motorways feature in the scheme for fast approaches to the key centres and streamlined through routeing, and in this respect it was interesting to note in the report that the Stretford to Eccles by-pass motorway, the M62 which soars so majestically over the Ship Canal, Will have paid for itself within seven years of its opening in 1960.
Improvements costing £300m. are now proposed with £123m.-worth to be implemented within 10 years. With forecasts and estimates completed up to 1968 it seems that by then they will be about a year behind schedule. The general response to the plan might be described as somewhat tepid.
The same area is currently again under scrutiny with a transportation survey on the lines of that conducted in London, the primary interest being in passengers
because of the decision not to implement Beeching proposals without a more detailed census.
Given a new image by these happenings is the idea for a unified passenger transport board in the area. It 'goes back 30 years and, say some, could remain a talking point for another 30 while operations blend so effectively and umpteen corporations and other operators continue to run into Manchester. North Western show no enthusiasm; Ribble cannot see any board measuring up to the job that is being done now; Lancashire United Transport leave the door just ajar with the statement "We accept the need for any system to produce more passengers."
Manchester Corporation Transport general manager, A. F. Neal, says that they would favour a board to consolidate public transport and achieve the best results in the area; it is needed to compete to best advantage with the car.
S.E.L.N.E.C. intimates that time could solve the problem of the commuter motorist because only 9 per cent of Manchester's 144,000 workers motored at the period of the survey. Thus 11 times as many might wish to do so in the future, but the highways envisaged would take only 24 times the present traffic even when the 10 per cent through traffic is diverted. That allows for only 224 per cent to drive to work. Who will they he? Regulated car parking charges would decide that. The others would drive in on radial approaches to a central bus area. And catch a S.E.L.N.E.C. bus?
PLENTY OF ROOM BELOW DIBBLE MOTOR SERVICES LTD., I pioneers of high-seating-capacity double-deckers (their first order was for over 100, seven years ago) are coming downstairs now that 53 persons can be Seated in a single-deck vehicle.
They have 598 double-deckers and of them 370 can seat from 72 to 77 people. When the• remaining 228 are being replaced there will be a swing towards the largest single-deck type, although it is stressed by W. G. Hunniball, assistant to general manager G. Brook, that the limit has not yet been reached upstairs.
Early next month Ribble will reorganize existing services and put at least five extra vehicles, probably double-deck, on the Preston to Southport route as substitutes for the rail service that is to be withdrawn. The two-hour stage carriage service becomes hourly. Much of the extra traffic will be peak-hour, but the outcome is awaited with considerable interest: in his report the chairman says that the closing of stations has hitherto made little difference to traffic but now
we shall gain experience of the effect of a transfer of substantial traffic from rail to road ".
BRIDGES ' RAISED ' OCAL authorities are so co-operative that bridges are being " raised" and roads lowered to facilitate a big move " upstairs by the North Western Road Car Co. Ltd. In two years the doubledeck fleet has been increased from around 150 to 175 (with more to come this year) while the single-deckers which at one time topped 450 are now down to about 400.
There is, however, one bridge that cannot be altered fiecause it carries a canal, so for this special case the company has just put into use 10 specially designed single-deck. Bedford VALs and after being restricted to 35and 38-seaters they are now able to accommodate 51 passengers. It is an irony of life that such a costly obstacle should occur on one of the company's routes that fails to pay its way. Some 65 per cent of the rural services do not pay and all come within the survey that North Western started in 1960 and considered to he one of the most extensive in the industry. It is not routes but complete areas that are being studied, with the findings scientifically dissected to adjust services to fit "natural lines of travel ", said traffic manager D. L. Fytche. Increased frequencies on parts of a route where major potential exists; re-routing; adjustments to switch from singleto double-deck---every aspect is being considered and already there has been an extensiveasaving in mileage.
Express services continue to develop; in five years the Manchester to London run has come down from 10 to 51 hours and other services to• such as Blackpool have been deflected onto M6. And Manchester's overspilling population has boosted thetraffic in places like Partington where four buses a day have become four an hour.
NEW TOWN FOR L.U.T.
AT Atherton the independent Lancashire United.-Fransport face the pers:stent general decrease in passengers, but director-seci'etary J. W. Morley was able to point to some long-term encourage
138 ment. A 50,000-population new town planned at Risley falls within their area although Leigh and Warrington Corporations would have a share of the traffic. At Westhoughton. also within comfortable reach of headquarters, a Manchester overspill is planned and this should lead to increased services.
Rail cuts are also proposed in respect of some diesel services on the Manchester to Liverpool line that captured road travellers a few years ago; there are objections but if pursued a closure would put more people back on the buses. Most services are double-deck, the singledecker being used mainly where road hazards preclude . the use of taller vehicles.
A PUFF OF SMOKE
AJjANCH ESI ER CORPORATION
IY1 embarked on a no-smoking venture in July. passengers travelling on top of buses being subject to a notice requesting them to refrain from smoking. The early results, 1 am told, were satisfactory and the outcome should be of considerable interest. The Corporation has 1,350 motorbuses, 100 trolleys and 360m. passengers travelling 44m. miles a year. Quite a puff of smoke.
LONDON RUN IS NEW
FROM Greater Manchester to London and back in a day is something new in coaching and the express operators have no prior claim to the services, say the day-excursion operators. Area chairman of the P.V.O.A.. F. Smith, of J. W. Fieldsend Ltd., upholding this principle, comments that his members are not getting a big enough slice of the cake; the licence grants are too restricted.
Last year six Sunday and Bank Holiday day excursions were granted; this year it has been extended by six other days, despite agreement being reached with express daily service operators that 24 excursions a year, with a maximum of three in a month, would he acceptable. Railway opposition to these new services is considerable, although they do not compete with the road fares. People who could never afford it previously, are now paying regular day visits to relatives in London.
The vast around-the-clock attractions of London has also led to another popular conundrum: what is the length of a day? In the absence of any ruling to the contrary it is being accepted as a period of 24 hours, so we may well be seeing day excursions from Manchester to the London night clubs.
The dazzling topic of the moment is the illumination of Blackpool. Operators have been asked if they will make a contribution to this costly annual undertaking and a meeting was being held to discuss the matter. There has been a 50 per cent rise in Blackpool coach park standard charges from 5s. to 7s. 6d.
The Fieldsend concern and three subsidiary companies run a total fleet of 33, concentrating on day excursions. Extensive workmen's services are also undertaken.
READY FOR A THIRD DECK
AFTER the First World War they gave me 10 years to live, and a pension, I'm still here, but at 69 I'm ready to step out of the p.s.v. world.
"Put a third deck on top or behind and we'd buy them.
" 10s. 6d. change, thank you."
The concern of A. Mayne and Son dates back to 1918 when father encouraged the son to pursue his plans to start up in haulage. Within eight years the son was running a stage carriage service into Manchester; within 10 he had dropped out of haulage; today he can still take a turn at the cash desk on the Ashton New Road, Manchester 11, watching his buses sweep by the garage which also has a petrol filling station for public use. Despite his words one wonders if he will ever step out of the picture unless his sons show readiness to take over. Among the many concerns running into Manchester, Mr. Mayne stands out as private operator of a family business. He has a basic stage carriage service from the Ashton boundary into Manchester; and what was originally a feeder service on the Droylsden estate has now been extended as a joint service with the Corporation, into Manchester.
In rush hour his 16 double-deck buses provide a 71-minute service interval for the 20-minute journey; off-peak the interval is 20 minutes. Nine of the fleet carry 73 passengers and the balance will be renewed at this capacity within a year.
A further 20 coaches include six run by the acquired company of F. and H. Dean of Failsworth. They are used mainly on day trips, express runs and tours.
A daily express service to Blackpool builds up to a high-season peak with a coach making a double return journey in a day. The trend in day trips is towards longer journeys due to improved roads. As an example of this trend London Airport is a popular day return journey. FIVE-DAY WEEK
THE Port of Manchester handled over 15m. tons of traffic last year and is third to London and Liverpool among Britain's ports. The trading peaks topped 18m. tons on three occasions in the 1950s but a recession followed and the tonnage handled in 1962 was the lowest in 10 years. Now the trend is upward and is expected to continue. The importance of this to the Lancashire operator will not need stressing.
Along the Ship Canal come the main supplies of newsprint, wheat, timber and raw cotton, most of it for distribution in this industrial area. R.H.A. area secretary, Bill Farnorth, who comes from a family steeped in haulage traditions and who followed his father in this position eight years ago, says: "We are proud of the Manchester Quay Delivery Bureau set up by the Ship Canal Company, B.R.S. and ourselves. All transport organizations can make use of it, the aim being to regulate collection by vehicle by arrangement. The Canal company then provides dock labour and facilities to keep the transport on the move. The day is split basically into morning and afternoon so that in an extremity a full morning from 8 to noon would be the longest wait. If not perfect, it is certainly most useful ".
There are complaints by hauliers even now but a port rejoinder is that any problems are often due to them not carrying out the pre-advice procedure. Now that the Monday to Friday five-day week for the docker has started it is felt that this may well improve the hauliers' lot, eliminating short-Saturday frustration.
The story of the exports to North America, the Persian Gulf and other places is one of lesser quantities (some two-fifths of the port trade) and many last-minute arrivals, the age-old happening that has so far defeated attempts to evolve a formula at Manchester. They are still working on one.
The Merseyside docks also keep the East Lanes hauliers busy. A dozen operators specialize almost exclusively on this work; another 100 get substantial business there. Much of the salt from Northwich and lime from the Derbyshire area goes out from Liverpool and Birkenhead.
SWITCH TO LONDON BY DAY "WE never envisaged tackling anything VY but direct transportation but, as with competitors, it has become necessary for Us to diversify and go into storage. Now I wonder why we waited so long—it is less trouble."
The speaker at James Holden (Junior) (Crumpsall) Ltd., where three brothers. two cousins, an uncle and feminine members of the family control what are technically three businesses, streamlined into a Holden concern, was the R.H.A. area chairman J. Holden who is now in his second year of office.
The family seems large enough to run its own sports team and in fact the bosses are quite proud of trophy-winning efforts in the local ten-pin bowling league.
Holdens have been installed on a spacious new site at Newton Heath, Manchester, 10, for a year. They took over a 14,000-sq. ft. building for the vehicles and in quick time filled it with synthetic rubber from Canada. So another 14,000sq. ft. building has been designed and was awaiting council approval when I called.
Similar circumstances have arisen in North London where they have a depot a mile from the main stations and keep 25 vehicles on local services. They built a superb depot which is now packed with stores and they pay National Car Parks to look after the fleet.
Storage is vital yet this is basically a Manchester to London and Home Counties overnight trunking company. They have over 20 vehicles loaded with general goods for London, up to 100 tons of wire a day being sent by Richard Johnson and Nephew. Considerable quantities of paper are also taken to the mills. Return loads of fruit and vegetables are substantial and Hoidens aim to keep up this overnight trunking for which Manchester as a whole is so famed. "But ", says Mr. Holden, "There may be only two of us left in a very short time. Five .),ears _ago 15 operators did overnight trunking to London. Now you can count them on one hand. Very few people can offer such delivery, yet there is a demand for this ". Because of the cost and the extended motorways many have switched to becoming day " roamers " to London. To run five trips a fortnight to London at night keeps three men on caIl—a, night. man and a shunter at both ends, whereas running during the day one man can get in four trips a fortnight. Mr. Hoiden says that the R.H.A. area is active and full of young men with good ideas. Some of the ideas take a few years to percolate the Council chamber nationally by which time more are ready for airing!
SAWDUST TO SOUTHAMPTON THE early days of W. Reeves and Son I are literally buried in sawdust, for this was their business before they moved into transport when it was denationalized a decade ago. Son N. Reeves still has an interest in sawdust. but among Manchester hauliers the business is of far greater interest because of the specialized transport service that has been built up over the 207 miles from Manchester to Southampton. For six nights a week, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. it is a case of seven up and six down and vice versa, in the main between the two key towns, but sometimes extending over a 30-mile radius from Southampton and occasionally back to Liverpool. Some drivers go right through but four change over at Warwick.
The "bread and butter" outward traffic is provided by Richard Johnson and Nephew whose special requirements limit Reeves to the use of rigids, loads up to 16 tons, on their trunk runs. Synthetic rubber is an important back load.
It is interesting to note that their drivers took some time to accept the M6 as the best road for them. To Reeves, this motorway is of inestimable value when the odd breakdown necessitates a tow, This does happen, they point out, with vehicles doing 70,000 miles a year. There are five artics on local work and an extension of activities into storage and distribution is now under consideration at Miles Platting, Manchester, where they arc based.
READY TO CONSOLIDATE
OCALLY-BORN J. A. Broster has .1-4 developed a specialized storage and distribution service in connection with the paper trade since starting J. A. Broster (Transport) Ltd. as a transport clearing house in raw cotton in 1953. His warehouse is heated at 60°F. but is no longer big enough. He has two floors in another mill but is reluctant at this stage, because of the uncertainty of the transport policy of the next Government, to take the necessary steps to consolidate into one building, The paper is trunked from the mills in Fifeshire by night to Manchester and is taken by a fresh driver to London during the day. The foureight-wheelers on
this work will become five this month. Similarly the five vans from 13 cwt. to 7 tons are to be increased by two to cope with the expansion that has been consistent for five years. The vans distribute to the north, the east and the west as far as Bristol, the southern distribution being undertaken from London.
Currently R.H.A. sub-area chairman for Manchester and Salford, Mr. Broster feels that the Manchester dock delivery scheme has improved conditions there. Moves are now afoot to improve workings at Liverpool. His clearing house handles considerable work linked with the ports.
THE AWKWARD SHAPES
1-1 A CHAT with general manager F. Tesseyman at Smith's of Eccles whose address is Urreston but whose location is on the edge of the Trafford Park Industrial Estate, left the impression that he relishes the out-of-theordinary even though something of everything is the daily order.
At Trafford Park there are specialists in producing fabricated odd-shaped tubing for power stations. This provides an exercise in ingenuity to avoid the even more awkward job of welding on the site. The width of the loads invariably calls for police notification. Such contracts are often long-term and may well run over two years and a substantial venture of this nature in respect of the West Burton Power Station is anticipated shortly. Smith's are among the biggest people in the area with a mixed fleet that includes tankers, low-loaders and 20 contract vehicles, in a total figure of over 100 of which some 55 A licences and most contracts are centred on Manchester. A few are based at the West Bromwich, London and Nottingham branches. There is substantial trade in small consignments, especially to the Midlands whilst Procter and Gamble, A.E.I. and English Steel provide substantial business among the thousands of accounts on the books. Continental work by semi-trailer on the Tilbury to Antwerp or Rotterdam services continues to grow and up to a dozen trailers may be sent abroad in a week.
It is nearly two years since the company became part of the Transport Development Group with R. W. Rouse continuing as managing director and day to day operations continuing as normal.
PARCELS BY ROAD AND AIR
AFTER ten years at Dean Road, Salford, Atlas Express Ltd. will be "fully grown" this month for the original 120-ft. loading bank will have expanded with the business to 210 ft. by
50 ft. The single-storey offices have already a spacious second-storey suite which breathes efficiency under the direction of V. A. Neatherway, who came from the London area 18 years ago, controls his company's activities as far west as Bristol and locally is chairman of the Road Transport Executive of the Chamber of Commerce.
His customers run well into four figures and there are trunk services to 13 centres with a shuttle service to Liverpool as well as 25 vehicles on local work. The local concern of Herbert Pace Ltd. was acquired a few months ago.
Trunk services to London continue to run at night but are being supplemented by British Railways Speedfreight overnight service which has been the subject of experiment in recent weeks. Atlas did not have a tractive unit for moving it but this is not an immediate problem; loading continues throughout the day and the trailer is collected for overnight dispatch to London.
Another problem that has arisen with M6 blazing a trail to the north is the concentration of traffic on the west side of Manchester on its way out to the great highway, There is growing weight and the new road planned to parallel the present one cannot come to quickly.
Atlas welcome the steps to establish a security corps, especially as the approach to the R.H.A. to do this came from the police, The bulk of their air freight is passed through London but also they have a steady flow at Ringway, Manchester.
"More people seem to be realizing that air is the thing of the future," was the comment from Lep Transport Ltd. in Manchester, whose activities in this respect are growing.
Over 6,600 tons were handled by the airport in the first four months of this year, an increase of 13 per cent on the same period in 1963.
C. Claridge Ltd. have five vehicles occupied primarily on air freight, which ties in well with their main shipping and forwarding agency. More direct flights and a better classification of charges have increased their business. Owners of textile machinery are finding that it is more economical to have a spare part flown in than to hold an enormous stock. Claridge have had an office at the airport for three years.
EXPENSIVE CARGO
" I AM a day-to-day general goods 1 carrier and my clients may go anywhere in Britain. It's mid-afternoon and so far I've only one order on the books for tomorrow, but by tonight 1 will be fully booked.I have six vehicles ranging up to eight-wheelers and an extensible trailer."
. The proprietor of the Sheldon and Co. (Bury) Ltd. 44-year-old family business at Tottington. near Bury, could have added: "And perhaps next week they will be the most valuable vehicles on the road ". Last November, for example, one item of electronic equipment that he transported to the south was valued at £85,000. A quite recent order included two items valued at only a few pounds below flm. each. The complete order made 17 loads valued at £34m.
Mr. Sheldon, R.H.A. area vice-chairman, says cut out the delays and the long faces and make everybody happier in this business. He had in mind mainly dock hold-ups. having recently sent a vehicle to Liverpool at 8.30 one day, been placed No. 76 in the queue and finally unloaded at 10.30 the following morning.
HORSES TOO THERE are still a few horses used in an ancillary role around such places as the Lancashire mills and they figure in the membership of the Amalgamated Horse and Motor Owners Association which operates from Manchester. Secretary S. Moss also looks after the affairs of the Bolton and District Road Transport Association Ltd. and both bodies form part of the National Conference of Road Transport Associations of which he is also secretary.
Much of the daily work is concerned with licensing, in which respect Mr. Moss takes on the role of advocate when necessary. The Amalgamated membership includes about 280 hauliers, of whom a third are in the R.H.A.: under 50 C-licence traders and some 50 passenger service operators most of whom also owe allegiance to the P.V.O.A. Membership is selective by recommendation. The biggest members are the Radcliffe Paper Mill Co. (how part of British Plaster Board) who hold some 80 B and C licences. Other notable members arc nightly trunk operators to Scotland. J. and E. Transport Ltd. at Haslingden.