The Six-wheeler's Success in Australia
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FOR many years John I. Thornycroft and Co., Ltd., has been represented in Australia by its own. organization in Sydney and Melbourne, which, in turn, has appointed agents in the principal States to attend to the servicing of customers' vehicles locally. In a vast country like Australia, where hard roads are mainly confined to the populous towns, road transport is operated under difficulties unknown in this country. Many miles of open territory with dirt roads must be traversed between towns and farming centres, and in the wet season these become well-nigh impassable to ordinary fourwheeled lorries.
For this reason Australia has proved a ready market for the rigid six-wheeler on low-pressure tyres, and a typical successful user of this equipment is 0. Gilpin, Ltd., which is one of the largest chain stores in the Commonwealth. This organization covers four States and embraces 93 shops, all of which receive their supplies by Thornycroft vehicles operated to a 10-day delivery schedule.
The head warehouse of the company is in Melbourne, and the longest return journey, which is to Condobolin,
Wellington and Dubbo, in New South Wales, is more than 1,200 miles, a large proportion of it being carried out over earth roads, On this arduou's work the Thornycroft Amazon rigid six-wheeled cross-country chassis has shown up to advantage, and it has been proved that, on a cost per ton-mile basis, this
type is the most efficient and reliable" unit for long-distance haulage of this kind.
The company's fleet of vehicles nowcomprises 17 6-ton Amazons and 10 2-ton models, all of which tow trailers and are fitted with special sheet-covered bodies of generous dimensions to accommodate standard-size hampers in which the goods are packed. The company was quick to recognize the advantages accruing from oil-engined vehicles on long-distance work, anti was the first fleet user of Thornycroft's to order chassis of this type, of which it has to date acquired 14.
All. the 6-thrillers are equipped with auxiliary ge.arboxes, non-skid chains and special fuel tanks, so that 150 gallons of fuel can be carried when it is required to complete a long journey, without the need for purchasing additional supplies en route.
The annual fleet mileage is well over 500,000. To maintain a transport organization with such extensive ramifications in so effective a state speaks highly for the skill and efficiency of the maintenance staff and of the design and construction of the British vehicles employed.