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LRTISTS
By A. E. Sherlock-Mesher
IN only six months last year a transformation was wrought at Rownhams, a fine, large estate about half-way between Southampton and Romsey. From being the landed residence of a country gentleman. it became the headquarters of a thriving transport and warehousing business. The change has been made without despoiling the countryside and to the passer-by there is little evidence of the commercial activity within.
Rownhams House, with its extensive grounds, was bought last year by Victory -Transport, Ltd. With characteristic determination, Mr. J. H. G. Barber, managing director, set about obtaining planning permission for 10 acres..
Six Acres—Six Months
The site was virgin country and a great deal of excavation had to be done to clear it for the construction of approach roads and buildings. Between July and December an area of six acres was cleared, a road was built and a 30,000-sq.-ft. warehouse ' of Portal design, a well-equipped maintenance shop with pits, a brick messroom, a traffic office and an oil store containing six 3,000-gal, tanks were erected.
The old house, with magnificentpolished hardwood floors and panelled walls, was renovated internally, and now provides light, airy office accommodation .(which compares more than favourably with the former headquarters at Old Mill Quay, in the heart of Southampton's industrial district), living quarters for Mr. Barber's family, and two flats for senior members of the staff. Consequently, there is always a responsible person available on the spot at any hour of the day or night.
The warehouse is used for the reception of goods (substantially foodstuffs) from 17 concerns for whom Victory Transport act as distribution agents in the south of England. This work occupies about a third of the fleet of 31 authorized vehicles and is under the personal supervision of another director, Mr. C. G. Wise, who joined the business in 1951 from his previous appointment as southern controller of Meredith and Drew, Ltd.
These vehicles serve towns along the coast from Bognor to Weymouth. and inland to Warminster, Devizes, Marlborough, Newbury, Reading and Aldershot. The area measures , about 60 miles from north to south and 80 miles from east to west, with Rownhams standing near the centre of the southern boundary.
Deliveries are made daily to the principal towns in the area and orders for any part of it are delivered at the latest within a week. Deliveries for the Portsmouth area are handled by an associated company, Fisher (Portsmouth), whose five vans operate a daily service. between Southampton and the Portsmouth district. '
About 85 per tent. of the -43003.000 consignments which Victory Transport handle each week is distributed from the warehouse. Their average weight is about 3 cwt.
The building has at one end a separate temperature-controlled section, but the main storage area is open, with a cage at one end for Avon tyres, which Victory Transport distribute in the south. Good use is made of short lengths oflportable roller conveyor, but goods are moved mainly on two wheeled stillages which, by the attachment of a handle and two-wheeled axle. become extremely manceuvrable fourwheeled trucks.
Vans normally load at six separate shallow bays recessed into the building on the south side, but use may also be made of six doors opposite them on the north side. All loading is under cover and every load is insured for £15.000.
Goods for distribution are delivered against the Manufacturers' own consignment notes, but as composite loads are normally involved. Victory Transport have to superimpose their own control system. Traffic clerks analyse the requirements of each customer for each van load, and the goods are loaded in bulk from the warehouse.
The driver is supplied with a master summary. showing the total number of deliveries and 'the total weight of the load, as well as the number of deliveries and the total weight for each customer.
Returned goods and empties are checked by the warehouse foreman.
Oil Distribution
The oil-storage depot is operated on behalf of Wakefield, for whom Victory Transport act as distributors to garages. Oil is dispensed by gravity from the six tanks into 5-gal. churns. In its spotless cleanliness, the store has something of the appearance of a boilerr00111.
Three of the 31 vehicles arc operated under contract-A licences, 13 under special A licences, seven under ordinary A licences and eight under B licences.
Bedford, the most popular make, is represented by 12 vehicles, Albion by seven, A.E.C. and Thornycroft by three each, Commer and Thames by two each. and Guy and Dennis by one each. Apart from the three vehicles under contract licence, which are engaged on a special distribution job, payload capacities vary from 6-16 tons. Fourteen of the vehicles are vans, and the remainder are mainly platform types, including four articulated outfits.
About two-thirds of the fleet are engaged on long-distance general transport, mainly between Southampton and the Birmingham and London areas. The fleet averages 761.336 miles a year462.020 by the petrol vehicles and 299,316 by the oilers.
At present, working under the 10-percent, fuel cut, operations are generally confined within an area bounded by London, Birmingham, Bristol and Southampton. Empty running is being avoided except in the most unusual circumstances. The full distribution service is, however, being maintained. What will happen after December 17
is impossible to say. Victory Transport's basic allowance works out to about a fifth of their normal consumption, so that unless they can obtain supplementary issues much greater than 50 per cent., serious difficulties will arise.
A distinctive orange livery with black lettering is employed and a high state of physical appearance and mechanical condition is maintained. The company have now begun to do their own vehicle painting and the result is highly creditable.
Victory Transport, Ltd., are successors to an old-established coal and haulage business. Mr. Barber joined them in 1933, having given up a career in the Merchant Marine to do so. He was at that time, I helieve, the youngest master mariner in the British Merchant Navy. Since that time the business has travelled far.