The CINDERELLA
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G. Duncan Jewell Comes Into
of B.R.S.
Its Own
THE opening of a new British Road Services depot at Albert Edward Dock, Preston, today, marks a further stage in the development of the Irish Ferry Branch. Since 1950 it has progressed from being the Cinderella of the British Transport Commission's services to its present position as one of the most important branches.
The new premises, on which work has been in progresssince .1956, cost £55,500 to build and equip, and cover an area of 10,300 sq. yd. They arc designed to assist the regular maintenance of the ferry fleet, involving fortnightly and monthly checks on tractors, and periodic inspection of trailers. Complete overhauls at set periods are undertaken at the B.R.S.
Blackburn . depot Workshop space at Preston includes tiled and electrically lighted pits and modern running repair equipment.
The office block provides accommodation for Mr. R. G. Davies, branch manager, a commercial representative, who also deals with rating and invoicing, the traffic and shipping department, and administration, which includes statistics, claims and insurance.
On the left of the main entrance, modern eating and toilet facilities are housed for the driving and maintenance staff of about 70. To the right is the foreman's lodge where all incoming and outgoing vehicles are checked, and driver's work sheets issued and received.
Derrick Installed
Yard facilities include lubricating and oil-fuel pumps, and open parking facilities for articulated trailers with a hardstanding concrete strip. Because of the importance of suitable lifting facilities f•pr containers and large pallets, a 15-ton Scotch derrick was installed. It has an 80-ft. jib capable of dealing with 6-ton loads at a maximum radius of 76 ft.
A four-bay warehouse on the quayside has been modernized for loading and transhipping, when necessary, the varied ferry traffic. This includes large outward movements of electrical and other machinery, steel, building materials, electric cookers, confectionery and industrial gas. Among the inward traffic from Northern Ireland are eggs, bacon, cheese, grass seeds, timber, tobacco and aircraft parts.
Originally known as the Preston Dock (.8
depot, the Ferry Branch was formed after nationalization by the transfer of vehicles belonging to P. L. and G. S. Harris, Ltd., Northwich. This company had been engaged in Northern Ireland traffic via the Larne ferry.
The choice of equipment was governed by the door-to-door nature of the traffic, and the necessity to interchange trailers, because Northern Ireland haulage was done by Ulster Transport Authority tractors. Bedford-Scammell six-ton tractors were used with conventional semitrailers.
At the end of 1950, Mr. W. E. Macve, north western divisional manager, decided to change the point of operation from Northwich to Preston, the eastern ferry terminal. At that time the fleet comprised 18 tractors and 89 semi-trailers, with a further 20 trailers on order.
Manufacturers and exporters were quick to realize the advantages of sending goods by this method, rather than by ordinary sea transport, and the increase in traffic, coupled with keener competition from other operators using the ferry, Prompted the B.T.C. to increase their competition in the field. Their aim was to retain any new traffic gained.
It was quite normal for the ferry L.S.T.s to discharge 60 to 70 vehicles and trailers and reload with a similar number within six hours. On the Preston to Belfast service, the passage of roughly 140 miles took about 14 hours.
Despite administrative difficulties, which greatly hampered development in the early stages, the fleet was substantially increased between 1951-53 by the transfer of vehicles, trailers and containers. But tractors, until recent replacement, were largely obsolete and underpowered.
Until 1953, the ferry traffic was shared between the B.T.C., Ferry Trailers, Ltd.,
and Anglo-Continental Containers, Ltd. But in June of that year the Preston Dock depot received a severe setback when their depot superintendent joined the newly formed Northern Ireland Trailers, Ltd. Soon afterwards B.R.S. lost their Northern Ireland agency, and because of these factors there was a decline in traffic, particularly from Northern Ireland, in late 1953 and in. l954.
Towards the end of 1954, however, the situation changed completely, when the B.T.C. acquired the shares of the Atlantic Steam Navigation Co_, Ltd., the company owning the ferry ships. About the same time the leasing of further land at Preston Dock was put in hand, to provide new office, warehousing, maintenance and parking facilities. In addition, 20 Lancashire rigid vehicles and 12 containers were added to the fleet.
But early in 1955, further difficulties arose, when 10 articulated outfits listed for disposal were sold, reducing the opera tional fleet to 44 tractors. Then the acting depot-superintendent joined AngloContinental Containers, who started to charter small Dutch vessels for the seacarriage of their containers, and eventually all their traffic was lost to Atlantic Steam .Navigation.
Despite these setbacks, 50 more containers were added during 1955, and business expanded because of the excellent service offered. Following disposal, the Preston area was reorganized and the existing group structure disbanded. In
view of the proposed new Preston-Dublin extension of the ferry service, the dock depot was renamed the Irish Ferry Branch, and the district manager, Mr. W. Parkinson, appointed Mr. Davies, then group manager at Carlisle, as Ferry Branch manager.
It was clear that reorganization was also necessary for the Ferry Branch, and that the system of rate-quoting needed drastic overhaul. During 1955, a special commercial representative was appointed, followed by local representation at London, Cardiff. Birmingham, Leicester, Leeds, Newcastle-on-Tyne and Glasgow.
Ferry rates take account of a full shipload of vehicles carrying a total cargo weight of around 400 tons in individual vehieles. The weight is made up of many commodities with many different consignees and consignors, but it is regarded as only so many unit loads. The owner of the vehicle or container is the recognized shipper, not the individual owners of goods on the vehicle, so the vehicle owner pays the freight.
In fixing freight rates, therefore, the total deadweight or measurement tonnage is of little consequence. Seldom does the total deadweight of a full cargo reach the capacity of the ship, so the only important factor is the ability to cover all the deck space with vehicles. The nature of the commodity is completely disregarded and the freight rate based on the superficial area of each vehicle, with reductions for empty vehicles and containers.
Because of thisfactor, a new through rate was decided. This was the sum of five separate charges: (a) haulage in Great Britain, (b) terminal costs at Preston and Larne, (c) shipping charges, (d) the charge by the Ulster Transport Authority in Northern Ireland, or, in Eire, by the Great Northern Railway, and (e) marine insurance.
As a result of a special drive to attract additional traffic, the trading position in 1956-57 showed a remarkable increase over 1955_ Gross receipts of £480,009 for the carriage of 67,601 tons in 1955 rose to £577,192 for 74,509 tons the following year. In the first 24 weeks of 1957 receipts were £307;272 for 40,289 tons.
During this period, the ferry fleet was completely re-equipped with 44 new Leyland Comet 10-ton Scammell-coupling tractors, 240 Scaminell and Task er 10-ton articulated trailers, 91 Lancashire flats, and 61 8-ton lift-vans at a cost of tl78,000. Of the original fleet, four tractors and 24 semi-trailers were retained for terminal use at the docks on both sides of the Irish Sea, and draw-bar trailers were dispensed with. As a result, the cost of maintenance has been reduced by nearly 50 per cent.
Nightly trunk services between Preston and London (two vehicles) and Preston and Glasgow (four vehicles) were established during 1956. But generally speaking, most of the vehicle operation in Great Britain is tramping because of the irregular flow of traffic. The B.R.S. principle of common use of vehicles between depots is not enforced for the Ferry Branch, which retains sole control of its own vehicles. Consequently, the articulated outfits operate as rigids in this country. The majority of Scottish traffic is now proceeding by the newly instituted TroonLarne service, but operationally it is controlled from Preston.
An important factor in the economic operation of this service is to preserve a balance between Irish and British traffic, to prevent undue movement of empty trailers and containers. This has been achieved within reasonable limits. Improvements at the western terminal at Larne include the provision of new depot facilities, with an office block, transit shed, covered vehicle accommodation, and ample open-air trailer parking space.
Priority Traffics
Here, trailer availability is the essential thing, and in the office a system of wall flags gives the position at a glance. Because of strong competition the emphasis is on service and complaints have been kept to a minimum. Eggs and tobacco are given priority of shipment from Northern Ireland, but there is seldom delay with any type of load. Traffic to and from Eire is small, because of Customs difficulties at the border.
Although smaller ships are more economical for the sea-transit of containers and pallets, the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company's drive-on and drive-off ships have proved ideal for vehicles and trailers.
The recent introduction of the specially designed Bardic Ferry, which went into service last September, has opened up possibilities to which the Irish Ferry Branch are fully alive. The total deck area available for the carriage of vehicles arid containers on the vehicle deck and the upper deck aft is about 16,000 sq. ft. Housing and securing arrangements for vehicles have received special attention by the fitting of securing pads and sockets, eyeplates, chains and rigging screws, all suitably arranged for the efficient handling of vehicles.
Manceuvring Vehicles
To facilitate the rnameuvring and stowage of vehicles on the vehicle deck, an arrangement of emergency wire leads with lead blocks has been fitted. The leads are used in conjunction with the forward and after mooring capstans for pulling vehicles along the deck.
The trend of B.R.S. traffic, mainly full loads, is upwards, but Mr. Davies considers there is scope for the development of smalls traffic and low-rated commodi ties, such as potatoes and sugar. At present, it is impossible to compete with shipping for this traffic, but the use of 15-ton articulated equipment would give a 50 per cent. increase in payload, compared with only a 20 per cent, increase in space occupied, allowing a saving in shipping charges.
The vision of Mr. Macve, coupled with the co-operation and drive of NIL Parkinson, is making this branch of B.R.S. a vital factor in the country's transport economy.
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