Carter Paterson s Big Increases.
Page 15
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London's Biggest Parcel Delivery and Luggage-in-advance House adds 100 Motorvans during 1913.
The letters " C.P. and Co." are known throughout the Metropolis and the Home Counties, as well as in other parts of the country. It is hardly necessary for us to recall to the minds of readers. that they signify the enterprising house of Carter, Paterson and Co., Ltd. The motor developments of that pioneer parcelcollecting and delivery company have been chronicled in the pages of THE MIME:MAI MOTOR, cm various occasions during the past eight years. The growth of the motorvan branch has been highly satisfactory, from the standpoint of anybody who is a believer in mechanical transpcirt, and the results, we are able to state, have fully justified the initial enthusiasm that was displayed by some members of the Paterson family in the undertaking.
First Motor in 1898.
The first purchase of a inotorvan was made in 1898, hut about that vehicle we do not purpose to write. The van caught fire, and burnt down a big sorting station. It was a premature essay in motor haulage. The year 1902-1903 witnessed the purchase of six Straker steam wagons, which vehicles did excellent and sustained service for their owners, ancl.were only sold out of service when petrol-driven vehicles had developed to the point that they, were proved to be more suitable than steam-propelled types in the class of traffic under notice. Each year since 1903 has witnessed an extension of the motor department, and the total motor plant at the close of 1913 was not very far short of 300 vehicles in all. All these are internal-combustion types—Leyland, Dennis, Napier, Straker-Squire, and Thornycroft makes. Depot4odepot haulafte was almost the sole use until about the year 1908. By February, 1911, however, a very considerable proportion of the total motor work was -also in respect of direct deliveries to the addresses of consignees.
Fleet does Work of 1800 Harses.
In the course of a recent chat with two of the directors of Carter, Paterson and Co., Ltd., on the occasion of a visit to the chief office in Goswell Road, E.C., we learnt that the company's present fleet of motors, which may be taken to be at the moment in the vicinity of 300, does the work which is equivalent to at least 1800 horses. It is thus evident that this highly-experienced company confirnos a minimum ratio of 6 to 1 for base v. motor. Of course, where the smaller vans are concerned, the ratio probably falls to 3 to 1, whilst it rises in respect of the heavy depot-to-depot work upon which three-tonners are chiefly employed. It is the three-tanner which proves to fill the bill for that class of work, whilst the 15-cwt. or one-ton van is handiest for express town and suburban work. A comprehensive system of control is in force, by time-table-and otherwise. The Classes of Service.
An interesting development is the separation of the motor fleets RAO three proud divisions. The first of these, of the heavier load capacities-, are used from depot to depot, and on other long-distance runs. These a-re timed services, and they are performed witli the regularity of the best railway trains. .Next we have the motorvans on regular district work, whilst the other section may be termed the " non-timed " vans, which are of the smaller sizes, and are provided to supplement the larger sections or timed services, to cut out delays, and to deal with urgent orders pre eisely as they offer. These smaller vans, the total of which is being quickly increased, will take toads fronti any of the company's booking offices direct to the destination, or from the sender's premises to the consignee's house. -They are painted bright blue, and they are already becoming a feature : they deal with unexpected developments., and " rush " orders.
The Home Counties Vans.
The work done by the vans of the " Rome Counties Services," and by those vans which run on point-topoint services to and from many towns within 80 miles of Loudon, is such that it would be almost impossible to say how valuable they are, both to their owners and to those who give them work. Their work is not strictly comparable with that which was or is at any time done by horses, but is of the horse-cum-rail variety, but it may be stated that, without exception, these vans are much quicker than any alternative methods of traneport. They are particularly useful in connection with advance luggage to seaside resorts such as Margate, Brighton, Eastbourne, etc.
The Future.
As to the future, we learn that the company will maintain its old policy of providing for its patrons the best, speediest and most reliable service for the delivery of parcels and goods of all kinds in London and the district surrounding it. Whilst motors are likely to predominate, especially in the extensions, the company will avail it-seif of its acquired experience, and will combine all the best points of both horse and motor conveyance. The horse delivery, we gather, is utilized when speed is not a factor, which is often. The further substitution of horses by motors will be undertaken in all cases, as speedily as possible, wherever necessary.
On the strictly-husines..s side, contracting firms who require to send large quantities of traffic, can make special terms with Carter, Paterson and Co.
On the question of economy, the directors of Carter, Paterson and Co., Ltd., will not go farther than to agree with us that costs of running show an improvement of fully 30 per cent, in respect of up-to-date models, compared with the best that was obtainable five years a-go.