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GOODS TRANS

3ORT STORIES IN BRIEF An Interesting Selection of Short Transport Histories Which Offers Reliable Evidence of the Value of Road Motors Under Diverse Operating Conditions

MANY DENNIS MOTORS IN AN IMPORTANT GAS CO.'S FLEET.

EVERYBODY knows that the Gas L-4 Light and Coke Co., of London, is an extensive undertaking.. Even so, it may surprise many to learn that the fleet of the transport department, which has now been in existence for about seven years, comprises 482 commercial vehicles, 161 private cars, 94 horses, and a persottnel of 830. More than half the commercial vehicles are of Dennis make.

In assessing the work of the fleet, it must be remembered that apart from tar spraying, practically the whole of the business is confined to the London area. Due chiefly to the great demand for new gas appliances, considerable fleet additions have been made during the past two years. A 50-cwt, chassis, with a boxvan body prominently displaying " Mr. Therm," is standard for

the service of the stove and meter section, which is responsible for carrying no fewer than 30,000 pieces of gas apparatus each week.

The delivery of coke forms another important section. During 1935 more than half a million deliveries were effected, averaging 1,000 tons a day. Peak figures include 24,000 deliveries during the week before Christmas and 4,500 deliveries on December 20. For c50 bulk loads, moving-floor lorries, unloading at the rate of a ton per minute, are employed.

A fleet of 15 tar sprayers, with tanks capable of holding 1,200 gallons apiece, are in service, mainly in the Home Counties.

Another aspect of the department's work relates to inter-office communications by means of 16 vehicles, which annually handle 1,200,000 letters, 40,000 registered letters and 240,000 miscellaneous packages. There are seven mobile showrooms, which work in different districts; their interiors are changed according to the campaign current at the time.

Mention has been made from time to tune in The Commercial Motor of the importance of an emergency roadbreaking appliance, and the company owns .a number of Dennis compressor lorries, fully equipped with tools and ready for instant service at any time of the day or night, should a defect be reported in a main.

To those unacquainted with the work of the company, another branch of the department will come as a surprise. In all six 30-cwt, vehicles are employed solely for collecting coppers from slot meters, and these bring in the huge total of 800,000,000 pence per annum. In the course of the company's exten sive service, 6,000,000 miles were covered during last year.

There are several garages situated in the company's area, where night staffs are maintained for attending. to the vehicles, which are thus enabled to be washed three times a week and greased and serviced once a week. It has a special repair shop at Brentford; provided with equipment for major and minor overhauls, and operates to a schedule whereby each vehicle goes into dock for a two-day overhaul every four months. This system has effected a remarkable reduction in the number of minor breakdowns.

Vehicle engines are kept continuously warm, day and night, by the low-pressure steam-injection systent developed by the company.

ALBIONS ON LIVESTOCK TRANSPORT IN SCOTLAND.

QPECIALIZING in livestock haulage &JAIL John G. Fiddes, Aberdeen, was one of the pioneers in this field. His early farm training led him to believe that there was much room for improvement in the transport of livestock from farm to market, and he decided to enter the haulage business nearly 12 years ago. His practical knowledge of livestock has been of great assistance in building up the business and his drbvers are all men trained originally in farm work, who understand the handling of livestock.

Mr. Fiddes' principal business is the transport of livestock from Aberdeen to the markets in the south of Scotland and the conveyance from them of the livestock required by many farmers in the north. For this purpose, he operates four heavy-duty 6-74-ton Albions, two of which are used in conjunction with trailers. The vehicles run on a 24-hour per day basis, three drivers being allocated to each machine. The mileages covered are big, averaging 2,000 per week per vehicle, The oldest Albion has seen nearly five years' service and has covered almost 500,000 miles; it is still in excellent condition.

Since the nature of the work is such that vehicles have to be allocated and plans made nearly a week ahead, it is essential that mechanical breakdown should be avoided and for this reason Mr. Fiddes has adopted a rigid maintenance scheme. The vehicles are greased and oiled at the end of every run and close supervision is kept on the condition of both chassis and body. The benefit of this system is reflected in the fact that stoppages on the road due to mechanical trouble have been practically unknown.

The road transport of livestock has enabled farmers in Aberdeenshire to get in touch with southern markets in a manner never previously known.

LOW COSTS OF FORDSONS ON SAND AND GRAVEL HAULAGE.

A Ts all-in cost of approximately id. l'Aper yard-mile for sand and ballast deliveries is sufficiently remarkable to command the attention of any operator with knowledge of this business. This excellent result is being obtained by the Thames Sand and Gravel Co. (1935), Ltd., Ashford, Middlesex, on much of its haulage, the vehicles respOnsible being the latest eightcylinder Fordsons with 4-cubic-yd. tipping bodies.

Careful planning of deliveries has contributed to this success, It is usually possible to arrange for return loads of rubbish for the shoots at the pits, so that the amount of unladen running is considerably less than is common on such work.

The company is one of several large undertakings of this character, in the Thames Valley, between Staines and Hounslow, the present output of the

pits being about 1,000 yds. daily. The normal delivery range covers the area within a25-mile radius of King's Cross.

As with the majority of similar undertakings, perhaps the greatest transport problem has been that of finding vehicles which will stand up to the stresses imposed by tipped loads, whilst being economical to operate. After a varied experience the management decided last year to standardize on the present type. This is the standard Fordson 8-cylinder 3-ton chassis of 10 ft. 1i.1. ins, wheelbase, carrying a welded all-steel body of 4-cubic-yd. capacity, Anthony hydraulic tipping gear being employed. It has an unladen weight (including the spare wheel and tyre) well within the 50-cwt. limit.

Each vehicle covers a weekly mileage averaging 600, and the operator states that during the period that the fleet has been in use (now well in excess of six months) not one delivery hour has been lost.

Regular maintenance • is carried out by Arthur E. Gould, Ltd., Chenies

Street, London, W.C.1, which supplied the vehicles, the service being organized so that no working time is lost. All the vehieles Pare irispecteil weekly -at the pit by this concern, whilst they are brought to the dealers' Chenies Street works -at monthly intervals for inspection and adjustment. This work is carried out during bite night-,.t the lorries being brought' in aft6t-7 p.m.;5`.nd being available for collection at 6 a.m.

• In addition to routine oiling and greasing, etc. the service includes a• comprehensive inspection and adjustment for 'which ,a charge of 10s. is made, and a written report is submitted on the following day. Another interesting point is that so far as possible, the same vehicle is inspected each month by the same member of the

dealer's works staff. This is accomplished by having a fixed schedule for the service visits.

BIG MILEAGES FROM BEDFORDS ON ARDUOUS CONTRACT WORK.

TWENTY, years ago, Messrs. Pease 1 and Son, Wandsworth, London, S.W.18, commenced distribution for Tate and Lyle, Ltd., and from that day to this they have never looked back.

Practically every load they carry consists of packet sugars and Lyle's Golden Syrup, and—because 'a daily delivery service is maintained—each day is just a repetition of every other day. The vehicles cover, over 2,000,000 miles a year, carry something like 6,000 or 7,000 tons every month, and provide

an example of top-notch efficiency and smooth organization that it would be hard to beat.

Every night the firm's vehicles collect some 250 tons of sugar and syrups from the big refineries at Silvertown. Every day they deliver small and large quantities to stores and grocers, wholesalers and retailers, over an area stretching from the Kent coast to Somerset and northwards as far as Oxfordshire. Such is the organization behind this system of distribution that the village grocer, 100 miles away, gets just the same daily service as the big stores in the principal towns.

Each van in the fleet—and there are 50 of them at Wa.ndle Wharf—averages 800 miles a week, winter and summer. In country districts, the going is hard, but every vehicle gets an easy return journey. No return loads are carried, because the smooth efficiency of the service depends on accurate timekeeping.

There are 17 Bedfords in our fleet —2-tonners and 3-tonners--all with box bodies." said Mr. Farley, the transport manager. "Every one of the 2tonners has passed the 100,000 miles mark, and some of them are nearing 150,000 miles. We bought the first hatch in 1932, intending to replace them at intervals of two years, but the original machines are still giving good service."

Mr. Farley knows to a fraction of a penny how much each vehicle costs to run and repair, and he has nailed down some significant facts with his elaborate records. Each week, for instance, a bonus is given to drivers who average more than 12.5 m.p.g. of petrol. The Bedford drivers take this bonus nearly every week.

Careful records are now being kept of two Bedford 3-tonners stationed at Salisbury to relay loads to the west. In less than two months each of these vehicles has aggregated 10,000 miles— an• average of 1,250 miles a week.

"I have yet to find it necessary to bring a Bedford in for overhaul under 70,000 miles," said Mr. Farley. "Even after 50,000 miles, oil consumption is only slightly heavier.

"Here's an instance," he went on, running his finger down the record

• book. "No. 10—a Bedford 2-tonner. Rebored and fitted with new pistons and big-ends at 93,000 miles, total now

• 133,000. In other words, 40,000 miles since the overhaul, without any major attention—and still light on oil."

THORNYCROFTS ON CONTRACT HAULAGE FROM LIVERPOOL.

SOME 15 years ago G. H. Forkings, Sons and Co., Ltd., of Liverpool, was founded by the present managing director, Captain George Forkings. The company's fleet of ten vehicles comprises Thornycroft oil and petrolengined four-wheeled and six-wheeled vehicles of from 4 tons to 10 tons capacity. A regular daily service is run between Liverpool, Manchester and South Wales. to Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and other centres. General merchandise is carried to South Wales and an important phase is the conveyance

c52 of tin plate from South Wales to Liverpool and Manchester, this industry having advanced rapidly during the past few years.

Close attention is given to maintenance, a regular staff of three engineers being employed at the Liverpool end and one at the South Wales depot in Cardiff. Captain Forkings has always engaged good drivers and second men, this being, in his opinion, -a matter of supreme importance.

The company employs a special staff to deal with the legal side of the business, and careful attention is given to running and operating costs.

It is the opinion of the company that the conditions under which road transport is now operating are infinitely better than those of a few years ago and they have welcomed much of the recent legislation now in force for the betterment of the business. It is, however, firmly of the opinion that the time has arrived when the Government should give early relief in the form of lower taxation.

The company has over fifty regular customers on its books and from many of them contracts have been received regularly for over ten years. Furthermore, the majority of these clients has experienced greatly increased trade during the past two or three years and this has been reflected by the purchase of further Thornycroft vehicles.

MISCELLANEOUS LOADS FOR A.E.C. s ON DOCK HAULAGE.

" 'THOSE old A.E.C.s helped me a lot

1 to build up my business." In these words Mr. G. Sibbons, a successful London docks haulier, paid tribute to the sturdy service given by a Tylor

engined and two " 5-type " lorries in the early days when, literally single-handed, he was founding the fortunes of the Bridge Haulage and Wharfage Leamouth Road, London, E.14. To-day, Mr. Sibbons has thirty men under him, and his vehicles travel 200,000 miles per annum.

He has Many reminiscences of his early days when, for instance, his foreman left London for Birmingham at 6 o'clock one Monday evening, 'traVelkd north to Manchester for a.

return load, and was back and berthed in the London garage again by 4 o'clock on the Wednesday morning

After 1933, when he had about 10 vehicles on the road, Mr. Sibbons began to dispose of his older A.E.Cs and, at the end of 1935, he acquired a Mammoth Major Mark II six-wheeler. By that time he had been at Leamouth Road, adjoining the West India Docks, for about four years. When he came the site was a waste playground but he transformed • it into a busy wharf where, to-day, two steam cranes are continually transferring loads,brought by lighters, to his waiting lorries.

Being essentially a docks haulier, Mr. Sibbons' loads are widely varied" something of everything that comes out of a ship'shold," to use his own words, but more than anything, perhaps, timber.. Oak, beech, ash, all kinds of .hardwoods and softwoods are brOught to the Bridge Wharf, includ.ing even cargoes from Japan. Then there is copper from Canada, paper from •-• Sweden, • resin from South America, and a host of miscellaneous

• products from almost all parts of the • world. • •• •

Timber is the most difficult load to handle; in "Mr. Sibbons' opinion, because, it is bulky and 'overhangs. It was because the Mammoth Major 6 weighs under 5 tosts. and will carry

• approximately 14 tons,that he chose this model. It is the fourteenth vehicle .. now bearing the name of the " Bridge Haulage and Wharfage Co."

TRANSPORT PIONEERING WITH LEYLANDS IN AUSTRALIA.

WITHOUT the aid of road motors it VV would have been impossible to open up many of the undeveloped areas of the British Dominions. A typical example of• a present-day Australian transport pioneer is Mr. Ron Glasson, born at the mining town of Broken Hill, New South Wales, 92 years ago, when it was an outpost. In his youth he invested in a light lorry and started what he calls "back-country carrying," doing the driving himself. •

By 1925 the business was well estab, lished and 10 light vehicles were in use. Now Mr. Glasson has four vehicles, all Leyland Terrier six-wheelers—two 8tanners, a 10-tonner, and a 12-tanner' with a Carrimore • semi-trailer attachment, and he has no use for small

vehicles. • Faced with the problem of creating a transport system Mr. Glasson had to put up a fight in practically virgin • country. . Scarcely a road existed, and even to-day his machines do 90 per cent. of their mileage over unmade surfaces, and in temperatures that may reach 120 F. in the sun.

Now, as a matter of course, .anyone who wishes to open a cattle station or mine in the Central Australian region first of all talks to M. Glasson, .who . provides a Terrier for the first essential

• —the finding of water. About 9 tons of artesian boring plant—an engine, drilling, machine, derrick poles and 20 ft. of bore casing, withrniseelleneous gearis piled. on, together, With a supply of fuel and water in tanks 'and barrels. En route the vehicle may have to be dug out of sand drifts, and eventually water will be located, even if it be necessary to go down 'tri 700 ft. to get it. Once the station has been established it has to be supplied at regular intervals with food, etc., and

Wool was the first commodity hauled by Mr. Glasson's vehicles. Now he piles as many as 65 8-4-cwt. bales, the product of about 2,200 sheep. on a Leyland, and takes them through roadless country for anything up to 300 miles to railhead at Broken Hill, Sheep and cattle are other regular loads. The charges are approximately equal to those for droving the sheep, and as a result of a co-ordination agreement there is the additional inducement that the South Australian: Railways will give a 25 per cent, rail freight rebate to station users who send their sheep by Glasson's vehicles as far as the railhead.

JOWETT VANS ON A COUNTRYWIDE SERVICE.

ANY concern which has to deliver its goods all over the country has a big transport problem. When it takes a pride in the fact that these deliveries are made not only on specified days, but almost at specified times, then a high degree of organization is called for. This was the problem which confronted Hobday Brothers, Ltd., the well-known cycle, motor, radio and electrical factors;' which was founded in 190_5.

The company advertises free delivery in 42 counties, of which 15 are tackled from London, and the re • mainder from Manchester, Sheffield and Wolverhampton, In connection with this service, it has published an alphabetical index of the towns to which deliveries are made, which is almost like a railway time-table, and this indicates the day on which delivery is executed.

Both light and heavy vehicles, are used. After exhaustive trials, the company has decided to standardize the Jowett 10-cwt. van for light. transport, and vehicles of this type now operate from London and the three provincial depots. Each Jowett van runs an average of 45,000 miles per year. Despite arduous operating conditions, the vans give an average consumption return of 35-40 m.p.g.

The vans are operated in units of six, and there is always one off the road. This means that each vehicle has one day a week when it is in the garage for washing, greasing and inspection.

One of the features of the Jowett van which attracted the company was its large capacity-407i cubic ft.-because, in a number of cases, it is not so much weight as bulk which has to be dealt with. • •

The Jowett vans run by the company were supplied by Godfrey's, Ltd., the sole distributor for London and the Home Counties.

DYSON TRAILERS ON VARIED WORK FOR LONDON HAULIER.

THE fleet operated by Charles Poulter, Ltd., 47, Broad.' Street,' London, E.1, includes a number Of Dyson products, these comprising 5-6-ton f ourwheeled trailers, articulated. attachments and special six-wheeled and eight-wheeled trailers ofvarious -types for carrying loads up to 15 tons. The company commenced using Dyson products in 1921 and Proof of its satisfaction with them is to be found in the .fact that its latest trailer of this make -was delivered only a week Or two ago.

• The company was founded over 60 years ago by the late Mr. Charles Poulter, and now operates a fleet of over 100 vehicles-. Mr, A. H. Park, manager and a director of the concern, has been associated with the company for 32 years, and speaks highly of, the advantages that have accrued by the use of tractors and trailers, particularly where a boat has quickly to be unloaded. In cases such as this, it is possible to operate. shuttle services, and several trailers can be run alongside the ship for simultaneous loading. A single tractor can handle as many as six trailers and deal with as many as 100 tons per day. Another important advantage of this system is that special trailers can be kept for the transport of particular classes olmerchandise.

, Apart from general goods, the company specializes in the transport of long . girders, glass and heavy machinery, and a recent addition to the fleet is a Dyson. eight-wheeled. low-loading pneumaticTtyredatrailen_This can carry up

to 14 tons, and is fitted with twin 25 x 6 tyres on all wheels, i.e., 16 tyres in all. It, has a loading height of only 2 ft, 9 ins., and is most useful fur carrying heavy machinery, etc., particularly when low archways have to be negotiated.

, The company's work is carried out chiefly within a 15-mile radius of London, and it holds several important contracts with large shipping concerns. Until fairly recently, a large mixed fleet of petrol and steam vehicles was employed, bur, in view of changing conditions, it was decided to replace the steamers by tractors and Dyson trailers. The six-wheeled trailers are used for loads up to 12 tons, and the eightwheelers for 15-ton loads. In addition, a fleet of 5-6-ton trailers is employed behind Saurer and Armstrong-Saurer lorries. In this way, a tractor and trailer outfit can be offered for almost any class of load.

The company speaks highly of the service obtained from a number of Fordson 2-ton chassis equipped with Dyson articulated attachments. These carry loads up to five tons and some of them have been in use for nearly three years giving excellent results.

MORRIS-COMMERCIALS DO WELL IN BREWERY SERVICE.

A BOUT 30 years ago, Charles Hamtimerton and Co., Ltd., Stockwell Green, London, the brewery concern which was established in 1730, realized that, at some future date, the horsc would cease to be regarded as the most efficient unit for road_ transport, and began to investigate the possibility of operating such self-propelled vehicles as were available at the time.

In 1928, explained Mr. E. M. Downes, the chief brewer, it was decided that, being a British concern, the company should, henceforth, purchase all raw materials and ingredients from home producers and carry all beers in British-built vehicles.

Long experience in operating horsec54 drawn vehicles provided accurate cost figures and, making due allowance for the variable factors inseparable from animal traction, an average cost of 5s. 6d per barrel was taken as the basis of comparison between estimated Costs of 12 lightweight lorries and 40 horses with 17 drays. The result was that there appeared to be a reasonable prospect of saving at least £5.000 per annum, allowing for every conceivable debit against the motors.

In the first place, Morris-Commercial vehicles were adopted as the uniform type, because they are essentially an all-British product. Furthermore, although possessing well-equipped en

gineering shops and a technical staff capable of dealing with mechanical repairs, the company chose a type having a reliable reputation, even when entrusted to the care of men formerly employed as horse-van drivers. By retaining the services of these employees, the Morris-Commercial fleet is manned by experienced roundsmen, who are known to customers and are familiar • with beer-delivery work. .

LANCASHIRE HAULIER ,EFFECTS SAVINGS BY CROSSLEY OILER.: " OWING to increasing business, I was', to

to purchase

. another vehicle, whicb had to be •9f the heavy, type. I was uedecided as to make, but after looking around decided on a Crossley 12-ton sixwheeled oiler, which I purchased in June last year and which has proved highly satisfactory." In these terms Mr. Peter Jolley, haulage contractor, Wingates, Westhoughton, Lancs., speaks of his latest acquisition, which has a six-cylinder engine and an eightspeed gearbox.

The vehicle is used solely for longdistance work—mainly on runs to Glasgow and London. Loads consist of 'general goods—ice, special paper and fruit from Liverpool docks for Covent Garden, which has to be there in the early morning. The lorry has covered 45,000 miles and Mr. Jolley tells us that it has never been in dock for more than minor adjustments.

Oil-fuel consumption (average 12 m.p.g.) compared with the petrol consumption of other vehicles in the fleet shows a saving of about 21 per week, which the . operator , considers very good, bearing in mind the weight carried.

LATILS ON ROAD WORK IN RHODESIA.

AFl,EET of 11 Latil Trauliers has for some time been used by the Southern Rhodesian Government, in

conjunction with. 60 trailers, to haul road materials for the construction of the "strip asphaltic ":road scheme embarked upon by the Road Department. This is an ambitious project and virtually means all-weather main roads throughcart Southern Rhodesia.

In view of the necessity of keeping down costs, the haulage of the material had to be carried out efficiently and at a low figure. Each of the Trauliers handles as many as six laden trailers at a time and operates over rough and unmade surfaces. ., Manceuvrability is important and the well-known feature of steering and driving on all four wheels on the Latil Traulier enables the train to be handled in confined spaces.

Two further similar machines have recently been delivered and, apart from haulage, they will be used to supply the power to portable drilling rigs for irrigation work.

VULCANS SPEED UP COAL DELIVERIES.

THE business of Messrs. Middlebrook and Philpott, who are colliery agents, haulage contractors, etc., of High Street, Morley, was established over 30 years ago and, when the firm were dependent on horsed vehicles, delivery of coal was slow and cumbersome. They were among the first in the West Riding of Yorkshire to corn

mence the haulage of industrial fuels direct from the pithead to the factories.

It was in the initial stages of road-transport operation that an important decision had to be made and, after trying several makes of vehicle, the firm decided to standardize on Vulcan products. They own eight vehicles of this make and have found them to operate reliably and at low cost. The firm boast that they have never yet failed, to .deliver coal or -coke on...time; regardless of weather conditions and other factors which inevitably crop up and may interfere with the progress of the work: Messrs. Middlebrook and Philpott employ their own maintenance stall and are equipped to execute all classes of repair, not only to chassis, but also to bodywork. Much importance is attached to the condition of the bodies, as they are regarded as a good advertisement. Scrupulous attention is paid to maintenance and each vehicle is brought into the garage in turn for a thorough examination and overhaul, and it is this policy which has enabled the firm to reduce their operating costs to a minimum.

The coal industry has been revolutionized since 1926 and the motor vehicle has played an important part.

SCOTLAND-LONDON RUNS BY ARMSTRONG-SAURER OILERS.

IT was in March, 1932, that the

'IT Paterson, who own Messrs, Southern Transport, Whitelees, Symington, Kilmarnock, decided to replace petrol lorries by oilers, and their first Armstrong-Saucer was -a Dauntless six-cylinder model which, for 21 years, was' making the journey from Scotland to London twice

weekly.

The demand for greater capacity had, to be catered for, and the Dauntless was converted into a rigid sixwheeler by the addition of a trailing axle. Soon after the ArmstrongSaurer concern introduced the dualturbulence power unit, the firm had the engine of this vehicle converted to the new system. To-day this machine is still engaged on the same run, bringing big loads of India tyres to the south from Scotland and returning with loads made up of various commodities.

In November, 1933, the fleet was strengthened by an Armstrong-Saurer forward-control Dynamic six-wheeler, which, like its forerunner, is employed on the Scotland-to-London service.

The firm's vehicles are striking in appearance. The large-capacity bodywork is of the boxvan type with an extension over the driver's compartment. The mileages covered are large, as will be gathered from the fact that the round trip, Scotland to London return, with deviations to serve other towns, is made twice weekly, giving a trip mileage of approximately 1,700 miles, or about 89,000 per year. The firm's latest acquisition is an Armstrong-Saurer maximum-load fourwheeled oiler, added to the fleet in June, 1935, and this is engaged on a regular service between Slough. London and Leeds; three round trips per week are made. Again a largecapacity boxvan body was specified for the main contract.

SIXTEEN YEARS' OPERATION OF MAUDSLAY VEHICLES.

STARTING in 1920 with one Maudslay lorry, Mr. Alex Leake, of Sheldon, near Birmingham, now runs a fleet of nine, to which he is 'shortly adding a further two Maudslay SixFours. He operates a regular goods service on the Birmingham-LondonSwansea route. Mr. Leake believes that he was amongst the first goods operators to install electric lighting on a lorry, the vehicle in question being fitted up with a belt-driven dynamo and eight lights, which were not always appreciated by other road users.

Another direction in which Mr.

• Leake anticipated development was in the use of pneumatic tyres for goods vehicles. In the past eight years = of operation he has made only one insurance claim.

FIELDS IN WHICH THE MULTI: WHEELER EXCELS.

'WHERE it is necessary in the milW ling trade for wheat to be delivered from docks to mill, road transport has enabled the work to be carried out with the greatest possible economy. Instead of the old method of delivering in sacks, 14 .tons of wheat can now be collected and delivered to the mill without being handled. The timesaving factor alone is considerable, but there is a further economy whereby the miller obtains a rebate of approximately 4d. per ton (according to the dock) for taking wheat in bulk in quantities of 10 tons upwards.

The vehicle illustrated, in the service of W. 0. and J. Wilson, Ltd., often collects up to 130 tons of wheat per day, whereas under the old method not half this tonnage could be dealt with by one vehicle.

This type of machine also enables the operator to enjoy further economies, for when the tractor unit is not required for the collection of wheat in bulk from the docks with the specially designed hopper-bottomed load-carrying unit, it can be used in conjunction with a .flat platform trailer for delivering flour, etc.

Another example of progress in bulk handling is to be found in the glucose trade. The old method of delivering this commodity was in barrels, but bulk-storage facilities have been installed in customers' works and tank vehicles introduced for delivery. Glucose is a difficult load by reason of its viscosity, but its discharge to the storage reservoir is effected by a displacement pump.