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Diesels Aid Economy For Short Distances
Page 80
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Page 82
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Rural Operator Finds Oil-engines More Economical When Employed on Short Distance Collections in Hilly Terrain. Fuel-cost Saving of up to 50 Per Cent. Attained With 30-c,wt. Van, Compensated for Initial Higher Cost
by P. A. C. Brockington
0 PERATINCi in an area of over 35,000 acres, the five Dennis refuse collectors of Stroud Rural District Council travel relatively long distances over very hilly routes to collect material from around 10,000 premises for delivery to a reclamation site near the centre of the town. Total population of the area exceeds 32,000.
Based on Dennis Paxit chassis with Perkins P.6 power units, the three larger collectors in the fleet are of the Dennis rear-loading carrier type with Duramin bodies, two of which have a capacity of 22 cu. yd. whilst the capacity of the third vehicle is 15 cu. yd. Both types are fitted with a 3-cu.-yd. salvage compartment.
The remaining refuse collectors are powered by Perkins P.4 engines and are equipped with Glover, Webb and Liversidge all-steel bodies of the rear-loading moving-floor type having capacities of 10 cu. yd. and 6 cu. yd. A salvage compartment of 2-cu.-yd capacity is provided in both cases.
Other vehicles in the fleet comprise a Dennis P.6engined cesspool emptier; a Morris-Commercial 30-cwt. van powered by a B.M.C. 2.2-litre diesel; two MorrisCommercial J.2 vans of 15 cwt. capacity fitted by the vehicle makers with Perkins 1.6-litre Four 99 units; and a Dennis 7-ton three-way tipper having Edbro lifting gear and all-steel body. A Bristol Duplex bulldozer equipped with a Perkins P.3 engine is employed on the tipping site, and this is used in conjunction with a Thwaites Nimbus T.3 dumper having a Petters air-cooled engine.
In the interests of economy the " kerb-side " method of refuse collection is practised throughout the area (householders deposit the bins near the entrance to the premises). In special cases, such as the householder's old age or infirmity, the material is collected from the rear of the premises in the normal way. Kerb-side collection reduces the number of personnel required by around 50 per cent., the normal complement of driver and four or more loaders being reduced to a total of three men in the case of the 22-cu.-yd. machines and two men for the smaller vehicles, the driver in every case assisting the loaders.
On average each vehicle delivers over two full loads to the tipping site in a day, the maximum normally being three loads.
Salvage comprising paper and rags is separated from the refuse by the householder and is baled with the aid of an hydraulic press on the tipping site, where ferrous and non-ferrous scrap is extracted from the refuse by the handpicking method. The value of salvage varies up to about £400 a month, and a salvage bonus paid to drivers and loaders provides an increase over the normal weekly wage of about £1 10s.
An interesting feature of the tipping site is the obligatory use of 8-ft.,close-boarded fencing on the side of the tip adjoining a residential area to eliminate the spread of dust and of an 8-ft. chain-link fence on the opposite side. The close-boarded fence is built of two halves, the lower section of which will remain as a permanent fixture after reclamation has been completed. Expenditure on fencing has been financed by Gloucestershire County Council.
When the heavier types of petrol-engined refuse collector were replaced by oil-engined vehicles in 1952, the decision was made eventually to employ light oil-engined vans in the interests of standardization rather than economy. Despite low annual mileages of around 8,000 to 10,000, the project shows promise of providing economic • advantages as well. In 1952 the total consumption of seven petrol-engined vehicles was 8,000 gallons, whilst in 1958 10 oil-engined vehicles consumed 6,000 gallons of fuel. Although the total rated output of the engines had been increased by 25 per cent., consumption has been reduced by 25 per cent.
Of the P.6-engined collectors, the 22-cu.-yd. machines average about 8 m.p.g. and the smaller outfit provides an average of about 9 m.p.g. Whilst the heavier vehicles have been running eight years, the 15-cu.-yd. collector has been in operation far less than three years. After the larger vehicles had been running for about 21 years the engines were renlaced with units equipped with Cromard cylinder liners, and have since operated satisfactorily without indication of engine wear.
Fuel consumptions of the P-4-engined collectors vary between 12-14 m.p.g. and 14-16 m.p.g., according to capacity. Both collectors are six years old and power units were replaced last year after the vehicles had covered 40,000-50,000 miles. No major over
hauls were required up to the time of replace-. ment.
Asbestos Carrier Mainly employed to transport covering material to the reclamation site (such as waste asbestos fibre), the tipper is also used for conveying sludge from the sewage works to the site and for general work, the aVerage monthly mileage being about 500. The allsteel body of this vehicle is based on a Dennis Pax 3 chassis of 10 ft. 0-1in. wheelbase
and is equipped with twin-section drop sides, hinged in the centre, which facilitate hand loading. The ability of the vehicle to tip in three directions is particularly advantageous in locating the covering material accurately without waste. Average fuel consumption of the tipper is 10 m.p.g.
The cesspool emptier is a standard type of 800-gallon vehicle and is employed to give a free six-monthly service to householders in outlying districts where mains sewage is not available. Working alone, the driver performs all pumping operations, and it is notable that without change of driver the vehicle returns a consumption_ of 10 m.p.g. Averaging over 700 miles per month, the vehicle has run for six years without engine overhaul.
All the larger vehicles are equipped with Michelin Metallic tyres which average about 10,000 miles before replacement or retreading by the makers. This mileage compares favourably with that formerly obtained with other makes. Arduous operating conditions on the site frequently cause severe damage to the covers, however, particularly in wet weather, and it is'considered that a differential of the limited-slip type would considerably increase the average life of the tyres.
In the main, the 30-cwt. van is used for the transport of men and materials to housing estates for the maintenance and repair of some 1,500 council houses. One of the IScwt. vans is employed for general-purpose work, whilst the second van is used for a " flying-squad" service. Conveyance of personnel and materials to burial grounds, the transport of lawnmowers, pumps and so on, the collection of waste paper and runs to sewage works are included in the work of the general-purpose van. The flying-squad vehicle is driven by a tradesman, accompaiml by a mate or an apprentice, who visit up to 20 premises a day to perform urgent minor repairs.
An average fuel consumption of 35 m.p.g. is provided by the Perkins engines of the J.2 vans, whereas a petrol-engined 10-cwt. van (due for replacement in the near future) averages 18 to 20 m.p.g. on a similar service. These oil-engined vans have been operating since November, 1959. and results in the intervening period give promise that the additional capital cost of employing oil engines will be recovered in five years. Costing is based on a useful overall life of 10 years and on the assumption that no major engine overhauls will be required before replacement of the vehicle.
No Attention Needed
Apart from routine maintenance no mechanical attention has been required in the case of the 30-cwt. van, which has now completed about 38,000 miles. Judging by the current performance of the engine the vehicle should complete at least 70,000 miles without a major overhaul. The additional capital cost involved in the purchase of the 30-cwt. van, equipped with an oil engine, was appreciably less than the extra outlay for the converted J.2s, and the fuel saved over five years has more than compensated the higher expenditure. An average fuel consumption of 25 m.p.g. probably represents a fuel-cost saving of 40-50 per cent. Maintenance costs are comparable to those for petrol engines, despite strict attention to fuel injection equipment at regular intervals to maintain efficiency and to obviate black smoke.
It is notable that Stroud Rural District Council were one of the first to adopt the principle of employing an all-oilengined fleet, and that the decision to employ light oilengined vans for short distances in a hilly district was criticized by many rural operators in neighbouring areas. Although the J.2 vans have yet to prove their worth economically by operating a 10-year period without overhaul, results so far indicate that this target will probably be attained. Training mechanics to maintain oil engines has presented no difficulties.