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Antics For Medium-size Fleet Efficiency
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— is the View of the Manager of the Successful Road Transport Subsidiary of a Deep Sea Fishing Group Operating Out of Hull
ARTICULATLON is the only satisfactory and economic method of operation for a medium-sized fleet engaged in the carriage of general traffic with vehicles of 12to 14-ton carrying capacity. This view is expressed by Mr. Alan Fordon, manager of Coastal Transport, Ltd., -Hull, which has 21 vehicles; 15 on A licence, three on B licence, and three on contract A. Eleven of the A-licensed vehicles are articulated tractors and there are 21 semi-trailers.
Although the company is a subsidiary of Boston Deep Sea Fisheries, Ltd., it operates as a completely autonomous unit and concentrates on the carriage of general traffic, a lam proportion of which has to do with the work of the busy north-eastern port of Hull.
Formed after denationalization, in December, 1954, Coastal Transport was assigned contracts for the purchase of B.R.S. units by an associated company, the St. Andrews Steam Fishing Co., Ltd., and started with four vehicles— two Secldons, a Proctor and a Vulcan. Early in 1955, three further special A licensed vehicles were purchased, two Atkinsons and an Albion.
Soon after this the St. Andrews Steam Fishing Co. reduced their own fleet of C licensed vehicles, following a decision to sell their fish direct to merchants. Four Seddon vehicles were purchased by Coastal Transport and an application to put them on A licence was granted by the Yorkshire Licensing Authority.
The fleet was composed of rigid vehicles, some of which —particularly those acquired from B.R.S.—were nearing the end of their useful life, and it was soon found that dock delays were making competitive operation uneconomic.
An early decision was made to try out articulation, and. in 1956. the company's engineer, Mr. H. J. Doonan, converted four of the Seddons and an Albion into tractor units following the purchase of Scarnmell trailers from an Army sale.
When Mr. Fordon joined the company in July, 1957, there were still a number of rigid vehicles and profits were not commensurate with turnover. Since then the full benefits of modernization and articulation have gradually accrued. Semi-trailers have produced a quicker turn-round of vehicles, greater productivity from drivers, increased turnover and a reasonable return on capital.
Originally the fleet was very mixed, but the replacement programme has produced 14 tractive units, including three on B licence for collection and delivery within a local a-`5 radius, the majority of which are Leyland Comets. Trailers were at first 100 per cent. Scarnmell, but in October, 1959, Coastal Transport took delivery of its first Comet and two B.T.C. Four-in-line trailers. From the point of view of the company's particular needs, B.T.C. trailers have given complete satisfaction, proving robust and stable and having the advantage of four-wheel brakes giving the driver greater control. They have also proved excellent from the aspect of tyre-wear.
Standardization on Goodyear nylon tyres is in practice, and these are giving more than 60,000 miles on the tractors before replacement. Of the 21 semi-trailers, 19 are now B.T.C. and two are York with fifth-wheel attachments. Tyres have not yet been changed on the B.T.C. trailers, one of which has already done 80,000 miles, and an average of 100,000 is expected. There are also four rigid vehicles on A licence, including two eight-wheelers, and three rigids on contract A licence.
Imported timber constitutes about 30 per cent. of outward dock traffic, and articulation allows trailers to be left for Loading. In all about 6.0 per cent, of all the goods carried require loading or unloading at docks, and the use of semitrailers releases drivers who would otherwise be waiting in queues. The biggest headache is the collection and delivery of small consignments.
Among the larger customers are B.O.C.M., Ltd., and ,Eastern Counties Farmers, Ltd. A considerable quantity of ships' gear, wire hawsers, and so on, is delivered to Fleetwood, Lowestoft and London for another associated company, Industrial Maritime Riggers, Ltd. There are no regular services, as such, but there is a steady flow of traffic to the London area, Manchester, Liverpool and the Eastern Counties. Scottish traffic is light and there are backloading difficulties. The volume of work available requires considerable sub-contracting, but the company's own vehicles are kept mainly for important customers.
There is storage space at Hodgson Street, Hull, the company's headquarters, for approximatel3.200 tons and this is used mainly for Levers Feeds, Ltd., whose products are distributed to farms in the East Riding by Coastal Transport vehicles, one of which is on contract to Levers. The remaining two contract vehicles operate for R. Banks and Sons, St. Andrews Dock, Hull, and make regular fish runs to the West Riding and Middlesbrough.
Mr. Fordon's experience is that there is plenty of traffic (Continued on page 323)
available in Hull. During the past four years he has never had a vehicle standing, except for maintenance.
Starting his career with A. C. Bell, of Seanter. Mr. Fordon worked up from driver's mate to manager of their Malton depot. After nationalization he remained with 13.R.S, and became depot manager.
He has made good use of this experience and introduced documentation which includes numbered invoices, each with a driver's receipt note, delivery note, accounts copy. and a spare, attached—ail typed at the same time. If for a sub-contractor, the documents also include a rate confirmation note.
Drivers are paid on their record sheets, of which they are issued seven only, each week. Each one is rubberstamped with the licence number to discourage falsification. No pads are issued and expenses are regularly checked. Servis recorders are fitted in every vehicle and 25 drivers are employed, including four shunters. The system works efficiently and well, goods in transit and vehicle excess claims for 1960 were less than £200.
.No agency cards are used, and in order to prevent calls at outside garages for fuel, except in emergency, all vehicles have been fitted with extra tanks, doubling their fuel capacity.
Maintenance is by mileage, with oil changes and greasing at every 2,000 miles, which works out at approximately once a fortnight for the long-distance vehicles. Painting is annual and Leyland tractor depreciation is calculated on a four-year basis. No maintenance or repairs are sub-let, everything including major overhauls being done at Hodgson Street,
No Complaints It is interesting to note that Coastal Transport was able to put into effect the recommended 10 per cent, increase in rates from December 1, without complaints from customers.
The company is reaping the benefit of modern vehicles and equipment and is able to offer a first-class service. A total of £23,000 was laid out on new vehicles and trailers during 1960.
Unlike Coastal Transport, the parent company, Boston Deep Sea Fisheries, Ltd., find articulation unsuitable for their type of work. They operate seven vehicles, based at Sidings Road, Fleetwood, two on B licence and five on C licence, under the supervision of Mr. Christian Albert Biggadike, the transport manager, who is also a director of Coastal Transport.
Boston Deep Sea Fisheries, in addition to owning one of
Britain's largest trawler fleets, are also curers and wholesalers of fish and make a substantial contribution to the country's food supply. Originally based on the coast of Lincolnshire, as their name implies, they moved to Fleetwood in 1923. Already establsihed in Grimsby, they have since added subsidiary companies at Hull, Lowestoft. Aberdeen, and Milford Haven, in Great Britain; and at Boulogne and Nova Scotia. The chairman and managing director. is Sir Fred Parkes, who at the age of 80 still takes an active part in the direction of the business.
Fish Distribution At Fleetwood the group have 14 modern trawlers, and their catch goes into the pool with that from the other vessels attached to the port, Boston Deep Sea Fisheries bid with the other wholesalers at the early-morning dock sales while the vehicles stand by for local work in carrying fish from the dock to their curing factory to rail-head for long-distance distribution, or to deep-freeze for pet food customers. This work has to be combined with delivery: of stores and gear to the trawlers and the collection and delivery of components for deck and engine repairs. Local fish distribution is also undertaken to retailers in Blackpool and the Fylde. The biggest fish movement is by rail, for which special arrangements have been made with British Railways, The larger vehicles, a Leyland Comet, a Seddon and a 1960 B.M.C. tipper, do the majority of the long-distance work. The carriage of frozen fish from store to the Pet Foods, Ltd., Melton Mowbray factory, has been found to be more economical by tipper and saves unloading by hand. A considerable quantity of net and gear is carried for Industrial Maritime Riggers, whose factory in Sidings Road manufactures trawl netting with the latest machinery. Formerly nets were made by hand with female labour, but a shortage of recruits compelled the fishing industry to change over to mechanization.
Four machines turn out approximately six tons of net weekly, 75 per cent of which is absorbed by the needs of the group. Nets, stores and gear are taken from Fleetwood to the other depots throughout the country. When new ships are launched, usually on the East or South Coast, the initial fitting out and rigging is undertaken from Fleetwood.
Each company in the group keeps its own separate identity but, working side by side, is able to cover every aspect of the fishing industry. • Local vehicles are also operated at the other depots and the group is self-contained both for ship and vehicle maintenance and repairs.