RECONDITIONING AS A SUBSIDIARY ENTERPRISE.
Page 24
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ASTUDENT at the War Office School of Education, which was established at a college at Cambridge, would insist on calling the dear old days, when road transport was faced with almost insuperable difficulties, the " many evil times." But even in those dark days a town would spring up round a cathedral or a monastery, and, just as the War Office had to commence its new system of educational training at an established seat., of learning, so there should be no reason why an independent service organization cannot come into existence with advantageous results in the shadow of the factory which produces an article which, from time to time, must be repaired, thus entailing service and reconditioning."
The founder of tho Central Garage (Luton), Ltd., Mr. J. Fensom, is a satisfied Commer Car user, and during the war his 21 termer waS.in use during 365 days in the year, repairs and replacements being' effected simply in the ease of dire necessity. His haulage business brought him in touch with many other users, and 'since the formation of the company early in 1919 no fewer than 500 WIT. type of Commer Cars have passed thr(mgh their hands, and more than 250 have been repaired, or reconditioned.
As the loci] official repairers to the factory, it will readily be understood that every facility is given for rapid replacement, and it is this reciprocity which has enabled. the business to advance literally by leaps and bounds, in spite of the present stagnation in many industries.
The proximity of the garage to the factory and the fact that the staff consists of Commer ,Car experts ensure the efficient handling of vehicles of any type and of any year. For example, a 30 cwt.. chaseis delivered in _1910 was recently' brought from the Orkney Islands, and thoroughly overhauled for the first time since its delivery ! Another lorry was brought by road from South Wales, and replacements for vehiclesoperating in Bedfordshire and neighbouring counties are a regular occurrence. A new differential has been ordered by telephone from a distance of ten miles, and it has been despatched and fitted within four hours.
„The management has acquired the complete stock of spare parts placed in reserve by the War Department for its fleet of Commer Car lorries prior to the armistice, and the present stock is valued at more than 225,000. In the storerooms•we were shown 100 magnetos, 60 radiators of all types, 500 pistons, 100 crankshafts, and, as -testimony of the constant activities of the works, a box containing drills to the value of £500.
• As in most other populous districts in the country, the demand for passenger transport by motor coach has greatly increased. in Bedfordshire, and the fleet of the Central Garage Co. is booked up until the end of August. This demand, apart from the difficulties of the railway services and the recent coal strike, must be attributable to the efficiency of motor transport, since outings by motor coach are arranged by firms and institutions whose festivals, in normal times, were limited to short trips in horsed wagonettes. Slate clubs, adult schools; choirs, etc., are now regular customers.
In this connection Mr. Fensom states that the. most popular excursion from Luton appears to be the trip to Windsor, and that the rate for this distance of so miles return is -10s. iTlie vehicle usually most patronized is a 30 seater. The return fare for a visit to Brighton, a distance, of 160 miles, is 17s. 6d., and to Southend (120 miles) the rate is 16s. A char-a-banes usually covers a mileage of 600 per week, and the cost of rtmning the passenger service is estimated at is. 6d. per mile.
The progress of this enterprise, which is only in its third year of existence, is astonishing. Its success, however, must be ascribed to sound management, a knowledge of the industry, and to the fact that it is in close proximity to, slid has material assistance from, the factory which produces the commercial motor vehicle in -which it is chiefly interested.