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MANY newcomers have applied in recent times for licences to undertake caravan delivery, only to find
later on that the job was not nearly so simple as it had at first appeared. And quite a number of outsiders have had a shot at this work without even going through the formality of obtaining a licence. Often they, too, have discovered the work to be far less easy than it seemed. This fringe activity is one of the reasons why endeavours are being made to form an association of soundly established caravan carriers.
A vast upsurge of the caravan industry has taken place since 1945 and the same period has seen the growth of specialist caravan hauliers with staffs skilled in handling all the various kinds of vans. These operators also possess vehicles specially adapted so as to enable different sizes and designs to be moved safely and economically. Such knowledge and equipment are not quickly acquired and even the expert must be constantly alert, for the caravan market is particularly fluid. New ideas and changed dimensions must be taken into account at frequent intervals.
During the past year, for instance, a general increase in sizes has meant that caravan-carrying specialists have often found themselves travelling more miles than in the corresponding previous period, but actually moving a smaller number of vans per month. A wide choice is available to the caravan buyer and the principal manufacturers sell their products throughout the country, so that .whilst one make is moving northwards on its way from the point of origin to agent or individual purchaser, others are similarly travelling south, east and west.
Strategically placed just to the south of Manchester, one company, Hoyland and Stanley (Caravan Transport), Ltd., of Cheadle, move an annual total of vans running well into four figures, transporting them to all points of the compass, including the ports for Ireland, Holland, Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland. A fleet of eleven B-licensed vehicles is employed, with a couple on contract, and many who are unacquainted with the .industry may be surprised to learn that often the individual units run as much as 1,000 miles per week.
Some 15 years have elapsed since Hoyland and Stanley (the principals are Mr. Benjamin Hoyland, his wife, Mrs. May Hoyland, and her brother, Mr. John Stanley) forsook motor engineering and set out to provide a service for the rapidly expanding caravan., industry. The Hoylands had experimented with a holiday in a not-very-good hired van at Blackpool, but this led to the purchase of one of their own, plus a large car for towing. Then Mr. Hoyland was asked to tow a caravan to Mid-Wales and, quickly finding that a substantial demand existed for such work, he set about obtaining a licence for the purpose. In due time this led to the purchase of two ex-Service Fordson lorries which, during the ensuing period, Mr. Hoyland and Mr. Stanley drove themselves. They worked specially for the R.A.F. which at that time initiated a considerable amount of traffic, particularly to Scotland and to the ports for Northern Ireland. Each of the two Fordsons covered something like 150,000 miles before they ended their career with the firm. By then Hoyland and Stanley had commenced to carry for the caravan trade and to do this economically it was necessary to have doubleloading vehicles, a fact which set the policy for the years to come. Nevertheless work continued to be performed for the Royal Air Force and vans were carried for contractors who had also been among earlier customers.
The first successors to the Fordsons were a Bedford coach chassis that was adapted for caravans, and a Guy. By this time the business was getting into its stride, steady expansion following from 1952 onwards. Because of the range's suitabilify for moving relatively light bulky units, such as caravans, the partners decided to standardize on Ford chassis and today, with three exceptions, the originaj Bedford and two Thames, all the machines are on Trader chassis. They include seven double-loaders, but the trend towards larger average size necessitates exclusive use of such vehicles for single vans more frequently than was the case in recent times.
Actually, double-loading has been almost universal over long periods in the past but the increase in the proportion of living vans—as distinct from touring caravans—has brought changes in its train and, of course, only for export purposes can any easement be obtained in the restrictions on overall length. The fact that private purchasers generally acquire a small caravan first, and later turn to something bigger is reflected in this overall move on the part of the
industry as .a whole. Even compared with five years ago the picture has changed appreciably, for today there is considerably less private towing in demand and as a result of the drastic tightening of the site position in many popular touring districts far less seasonal movement now takes place.
The company's general flow of traffic is from the factories to agents all over the-country and, in many cases, from manufacturers and agents to the caravan sites. Naturally the makers endeavour to keep their production running at a reasonably steady figure throughout the year, but absorption of their output by both distributors and retail customers is subject to considerable seasonal fluctuation. Storage space adjacent to the factories is often limited and, when stock parks are full, caravan transporters must be ready at short notice to transfer vans coming off the production line to the manufacturers' relief parks which may he located some miles away.
Since the outer skin of the vans usually consists of light panelling they are especially vulnerable to damage by outside contact of any kind and even scraping by overhanging branches can necessitate costly repairs. For this reason the first thing a driver new to the firm has to learn is to exercise the utmost care of his load. Good average speeds can often be maintained with the light overall weight of the various units, but emphasis is placed on the necessity for complete safety taking precedence over swiftness.
The drivers are frequently away for periods of several days at a time since, in order to keep costs on a reasonable basis, every endeavour is made to minimize empty running. A driver will leave the company's headquarters, proceeding to a factory where he will make a collection, and will then continue to his destination which may be hundreds of miles distant. Before departure he may have been given specific instructions to continue on a further job but, if not, he will telephone in after the first delivery has been made in order to obtain further orders: As agents' stocks are constantly changing, the call for transport remains at a high level during the early months of the year and, because the direction of the traffic is unpredictable, the utmost flexibility must be maintained in the organization. In many cases deliveries will be made to agents' premises or long-established sites where there are ample hard standings; but if conditions are unsatisfactory the driver, whilst being as helpful as possible, must be quite clear about the limit of his responsibility and the fact that in no circumstances must the load be endangered. As already mentioned, many journeys form the first leg of export deliveries, frequent visits being made to the docks at Newhaven for the North European countries, to Hull for Germany, and to Liverpool and Heysham for Ireland.
Caravan sales generally reach the lowest point oh the graph during August, so that this is the• fleet's quietest month, but if a caravan exhibition falls in September the placing of orders then will mean that the process of distribution will soon start to warm up once again. In order to deal with fluctuating demands a number of reputable caravan transporters co-operate with each other.
Like caravan carriers generally. Hoyland and Stanley suffer intermittent competition from inexperienced operators who, often working at cut rates, usually go out of business before long. There may appear to be nothing difficult in moving caravans from one place to another, but as will have been seen from the foregoing, a good deal of experience is required if a satisfactory level of service is to be given to the industry, particularly, when quick movement of large numbers of vans is necessary.
For some years the company used as headquarters the outbuildings of the 295-year-old Moseley Old Hall, a half-timbered building at Cheadle scheduled as an ancient monument. Then when the premises came on to the market a few years back it was decided to purchase them. The hall itself has become the family residence.
Routine maintenance and running repairs are performed by the firm's staff fitter, who has made telescopic drawbars for fitting to the majority of the vehicles, These enable an oversize van to be carried on board, whilst one of normal dimensions is towed. In the normal way caravans are hauled aboard with the aid of a Thomson double-reduction hand winch.
The workshop is provided with a useful variety of equipment including gas and electric welding plants and a powerful pressure greasing system. Where major overhauls are necessary to the company's vehicles the invariable practice is for them to be undertaken by H. and J. Quick; Ltd., of Old Trafford, by whom they are supplied.