THE MOTOR'S PART IN 'TG PAPER DISTRIBUTION.
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IN FEW other spheres of activity doesthe. motor play a more important part than in the distribution of our evening papers'. Particularly is this so in the Metropolis where the distribution has to he effected over a considerable area, extending, in some cases, to a distance of 15 miles from the publishing offices. Speed is the main essential, and this could not be achieved in any other way to meet presentday requirements. The paper which now had to rely on slower means of transport would stand a very poor chance of making good, or even keeping its hold on the public fancy. Soma of the public may have certain preferences so far as the actual papers are concerned, but a great many would always buy that which is first out with the news, and therefore, it is most essential that the papers should reach the points of distribution to. the' public within the shortest possible time of printing.:
A few years ago one of the sights of London, and one which was a continual seurce of wonder to the provincial visitor, was the wild, dash of the cyclists who, at that time, distributed the different editions, but, with the great increase in traffic congestion, the cyclist's life became a very hazardous one, and, apart from this, the continual growth in the circulations placed too great a strain upon a means of transport , which could only deal with light loads. Even now a few cyclists are retained by certain papers, but these are rapidly being displaced by the motor. Horse transport is practically out of the question in this class of work.
Considerable discrimination has also to be exercised in the selection of the types of vehicle employed. The work involves frequent stops or " slowings-down," dodging in and out of traffic, and the carrying of loads ranging from 7 cwt. to 15 cwt., as distinct from the work of transporting the daily papers, in which the loads are considered in tons. It has been proved that the best kind of motor for the. work is one which is strongly, but lightly, built, and equipped. with a comparatively large engine of from 20 h.p. to 25 h.p., which will give a high torque at fairly low Bpeeds, and thus permitrapid acceleration. Unfortunately, it would appear that the British manufacturer does not provide a chassis which will fulfil these condition, with the result that, much against their will, all the well-known evening papers have had finally to resort to "vehicles not made in this country.
The vans recommended for the work by British makers, speaking generally, were of approximately 15 h.p., with an engine which only developed its -power at comparatively high speeds, and this class
of machine had to'be rejected. This is unfortunate, .not only because of the large numbers of vehicles employed, but also because they form valuable advertising media, and are a prominent reproach to our own manufacturers_ '
Very large fleets of vehicles are employed By The Evening News, The Star, and The E liming Standard, and with a view to obtaining information on some of the problems confronting the transport dedepartments of these papers, we visited each of them, • our first call being on Mr. X. M.. Gummerson, A.M.I.Min.E., the transport manager of the fleet which . deals with the distribution of The Evening Standard.
This fleet comprises, roughly, 40 Dodge Brothers
vans of 15-cwt. capacity, six Talbots, 18 light Fords, three 2-ton Federal lorries, three motorcycle combinations, and three ears for attending race meetings. The last-named carry reporters, and, in the ease of those meetings which are not too far from town, photographs are taken to the works, and alternatively the papers are taken direct to the scene of activities, with the result that, as the public leave the course, they can frequently buy the papers containing the results of the races. Apart from this fleet, there, are three. cars used for staff purposes.
The system:I of operation i3 usually as ,follows :— The circulation .department, which is also responsible for the distribution, informs the transport manager as to the number of vans which will be wanted, and, having supplied them, his responsibility ends until their return, unless they break down.
• Each vehicle has allotted to it a certain territory. The vans first proceed to the publishing department, and are there loaded from the chutes, down which the papers are sent, tied up in bundles, and addressed either for the shops or the street sellers. Each car, when loaded, starts off with the driver and two or three newspaper boys. Taking a particular instance, there may be 15 bundles of papers, of which eight would be delivered to shops and four to newspaper sellers waiting at the street corners, the remaining three being taken charge of by the boys who have accompanied the van, and who alight with, their bundles at their respective destinations.
Distribution is effected over the whole of Greater London to a radius of approximately 15 miles from Fleet Street.
Apart from the vehicles employed tan this work, there is a number employed on parcel work to feed the railways with bundles of Papers for the provinces. This is far more straightforward work than that performed by the roundsmen, who, apart from handing over the papers, have to collect the money for them either at the time or later on in the day: In this article we are referring only to the distribution of the evening papers, but we may point out that the vans are never all in the garage together, and, actually, the garage never closes. There are only two days in the year on. which no newspapers are printed, but, even then, the cars have to be on their night work preparing for the fallowing day.
On an average weekday 95 per cent. of the cars are expected on the road, whilst at night 20 per cent, of the fleet is working under a diSerent shift of drivers. In spite of this, the vehicles are kept in very good condition, both mechanically and as regards appearance, and are washed daily. All the repairs are done in the garage, and in the case of a breakdown, an engine can usually be changed in two hours and a back axle in half an hour, and spare units are always kept in stock for this purpose. Some idea of the wark can be -gathered from the fact that the average mileage for a month is between 70,000 and 80,000, the petrol consumption is varied round 1,800 gallon per week, and that of
• lubricating oil 100 gallons. The total staff employed at the garage is 30.
• Distributing The Star."
Our next visit was paid to Mr. H. W. Hewitt,
• transport manager. of The Star and The Daily News fleet. This consists of 18 Talbots of two types, carrying 10 owl. and one ton respectively, 25 Leon Boilees of 10-cwt. capacity, 20 15-cwt. Dodge Brothers vans, two Napiers, five •7-cwt. Fords, fivp Calcotts, which are used for -inspection work, two 3-ton Leylands and a 2-tonner of the same make, and ten motorcycle combinations, Which are used chiefly in the provinces. This large fleet is attended to by a garage staff of 25 all told, and this, in spite of the fact .that the vehicles are housed amongst -three garages—one at Bouverie Street, London, and the other two at Amelia St' eett Walworth., London, S.E., and Sancroft Street, Kennington, London, S.E., the vans being kept at the nearest garage to the finishing points of their runs in order to avoid dead mileage. The fle4 has been practically doubled since 1918,. and is still growing. A certain number of cycles is still in use, but these are gradually being replaced, whilst horse transport disappeared altogether seine years ago.
• . The fleet,as in the case of that of The Standard, is divided into two sections, driven by depot men and parcel ,menrespectively, the .former being employedin street and shop distribution, whilst the latter fake the bundles of newspapers to the various railway stations for places anywhere outside a radius of 12-15 miles from the publishing offices. Fifty vehicles out of thc fleet of 80 (which includes cars used for The Daily News) are out on The Star distribution every -day, but the transport manager • always hasto be ready for the unexpected. For instance, on the Saturday on which the Cup Final was played, it was found impossible to send the papers to Wembley by train, and the motor lieet had to be caned upon to take them by road.
Mr. Hewitt emphasized the necessity of the vehicles haying quick acceleration for traffic work, and this is where the large American engine scores particularly. . .
The procedure for the ordinary delivery work is practically identical With that already described, and, in the case of big face meetings, cars are sent to them with the-early-morning racing edition.
The Star has a very large circulation in Reading, Brighton, Ipswich, Colchester, and the southern and eastern coast towns in general, and', it is here that the motorcycle combinationshave proved most useful.
Reliability is of the utmost importance ; all ordinary repairs, as well as overhauls, are carried out,at the publishers' own workshops at • Amelia Street. The vehicles are giving considerable satisfaction, although some of the Leon Bolleee have already been in active service for 10 years to 12 years. The Dodge Brothers vans are of recent date, and up to the present have given excellent results.
The mileage of the fleet is between 70,000 to 80,000 per month, and the petrol used is about 1,200 gallons per week.
"The Evening News" Fleet.
Our last visit was to Mr. E. C. Bell, the transport manager of the fleet which deals with The Evening News. ,Mr. Bell is a staunch adherent of standardization and he has adopted vans made by Dodge Brothers and supplied by International Motors, Ltd., of Hammersmith, who also built the bodies. There are 46 of these vehicles, all of 15-ewt, carry-, ing capacity, and, apart from these, there are 15 heavy vehicles which are used for carrying The Daily Mail to the railway stations. Amongst these are six Lancias, four Austins of 2-3-ton capacity, and three old chain-driven Austins of 40 h.p. There is also a Peugeot car, which is employed in connection with race meetings, and some staff cars.
The vans start from the garage in Friars Street, London, S.E. 1, at about 9 o'clock each morning, and proceed to Carmelite }rouse, where they take in their supplies of what is called the third edition of The Eventng News. The actual papers are sent on elevators to the publishing offices, where, they are made up into parcels, but they are delivered to, the vans from different windows, according to the dis tricts for which they are intended. .
It has been agreed amongst the publishers that no evening paper shall leave the offices until 9.20 a.m.,
and after that the rush -commences. .
The -radius of operation is approximately 15 miles. Each car covers an average of 40 miles a day, during which time it deals with five editions, and sometimes some extras. Normally, about 43 of the-leans are out every day, and the arrangements for inspection and repair have to be made so that practically 100 per -cent. of the fleet can be out on the Saturday, which is, of course, the 41_ When the newspaper world is. extremely busy; for instance, on the Saturday of the Cup-tie Final, 49 vans and two lorries were empleyed in carrying The Evening News, and they ran
a total of 2,500 miles. The. extra vehicles used were, borrowed from The Daily Mail fleet.
. Inspection Every 4,000 Miles.
Mr. Bell is a great believer in dock overhauls, and each vehicle of the fleet is brought in fin:• thorough inspection and repair every 4,000 miles. The work performed includes decarbonizing the engine, grinding-in the . valves, withdrawing the back asileathafts, exathining all the ball races, the front axle and steering, and also the electrical -equipment. This almost eliminates breakdowns on the road, and does away with the necessity for an annual overhaul.
To cope with this work there is an office staff of three and a garage staff of al, excluding an electrician, who, attends to all the lighting equipment.
Night shifts are not employed for repairs.
-Very careful costs are kept, and Mr. Bell can give the, cost of any particular item at a moment's notice'; for instance tyres and tubes cost .79d, per mile, and this includes five of each per vehicle. The whole fleet runs on a fuel mixture consisting of 20 per cent. bensole with -a No. 3 petrol, and Silvertown oils are Used exclusively. Both the petrol and oilare kept in bulk, the former in Bowser underground tanks, and the latter in mobile tanks of the same make.
The EliCiting News garage is kept in a remarkably clean and dry condition, and is provided with all the latest equipment, such as a compressed-air Plant with take offs, conveniently situated round the walls, machines for dealing with the straight-sided cord tyres, etc. The tyres used are mostly of Dunlop make,