Bewick:
I always believed by what I read in the transport press over the years that moving large numbers of new cars was a graveyard for those that entered the sector.However,the “chuckle brothers” ( and their financiers!)must still think there is still someway yet to go in lowering the unit cost for delivery still further !! I should think that one firm (■■■■■■■■ based) who have appeared to be the exception to the rule,ECM,will be a little concerned if “fast eddie” starts carving the job up,if that is possible,even more.I understand that BAA (Airports) are ■■■■■■■■ themselves and are terrified that Southend Airport will be turned into the main Hub for Western Europe in the next year or so !!! Bewick.
I have often thought how conveniently placed ECM were to the CB empire, who also own two airports, with lots of hard standing. There is a story from North of the Border that the original business plan was to do the haulage for nowt and charge for warehousing space. Carlisle and Southend Airports could become the new Avonmouth Autoparcs.
Forget jamjar.com, this will be like noddys business plan.
Just immagine the scene of carnage as a “fast eddie” 747 cargo plane comes in for a “dodgy” landing at Southend and finishes up in the middle of 500 new Skodas parked in ranks all over the available land around the runway !!! You would need more than an “economy” tin of “T” Cut to sort that lot out !! Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
Well you’ve got to hand it to the “fast eddie” gang,they’ll focus onto any traffic that hasn’t been totally [zb] up(previously by them)!!Obviously they see Auto movement as “virgin territory” but just,maybe,they may have taken “that step too far” unless,of course,they make a takeover bid for ECM,and as Larry says they do have an vorocious appetite for debt ( Tell me about it WRM et al!!).I don’t believe that you can be into “everything” and succeed,Logisicts (hold the nose!) Wharehousing,Rail,Airports ( well little ones!) Fuel,Bulk bio wood chips,and now Car delivery!! You hum it Son and I’ll play it!! Look what happened to Hanson Industries and also Sir James Goldsmith !! However,the Chuckle brothers must think they can keep a “few metres” in fron’t of the financial avelanche that is following them,best of luck Lads !! Cheers Bewick.
PMSL when I read this, Mr Bewick you are a wordsmith, I hope (for the good people that work for ESL) that they don’t go down the pan but as Mr Dunbar says, their appetite for debt is unstoppable so is just a matter of time? Regards, Mizzo.
Bewick:
Just immagine the scene of carnage as a “fast eddie” 747 cargo plane comes in for a “dodgy” landing at Southend and finishes up in the middle of 500 new Skodas parked in ranks all over the available land around the runway !!! You would need more than an “economy” tin of “T” Cut to sort that lot out !! Cheers Bewick.
They stored cars at Norwich airport when a plane taxied round turned to close to the cars and opened the throttles, blew quite alot of windows in from what I got told when I was there.
Stobbarts have already attempted to have a go at transporting cars by entering the world of Formula One with Brawn GP back in 2009 and have since taken over the task of supplying tractor units and drivers to several other teams. Unfortunately the drivers that they supply have little or no experience in transporting racing cars or equipment in the sophisticated trailers used by race teams and damage has ensued.
Instead of employing drivers who have driven for teams and now combine driving with other work of whom there are many out there, the number crunchers at these teams would rather employ a company who will give them a set figure to do their transport for the season because it looks better on the books regardless of the fact that one of these inexperienced clowns is more likely to damage the truck and contents than an ex team driver. I saw two of Eddie’s amateurs drag the racecar trailer down a concrete slope in Monaco simply because they could’nt be bothered to get out and lift the air on the trailer, with the result that the ferry lashing rings at the rear were worn away.
Take it they’re moving into coaches now too? Saw one just outside Chester about 3 weeks back, fancy, brand new thing (don’t know what make sorry) with something like ‘Stobart’s Executive Coaches’ down the side of it.
Cavlad:
Take it they’re moving into coaches now too? Saw one just outside Chester about 3 weeks back, fancy, brand new thing (don’t know what make sorry) with something like ‘Stobart’s Executive Coaches’ down the side of it.
Their share price is still ■■■■ regardless of all the Bull that they spout and the many pies they stick their paws into,floated at £1.50 and currently at £1.16,it sunk like a stone from day one and has never recovered.I’m glad my Pension fund dosen’t hold any “fast eddie” stock.Bewick.
I thought that ESL were downsizing,didnt they offer drivers the chance of buying (or taking them on) lorries from them with a promise of work recently .There are several ex ESL Scanias for sale down at the main dealer at Leeds but recently some 10 plates have arrived.Not even 3 years old what kind of lease were these on.Why are companies like this allowed to continue if, like everyone on here seems to think, the enevitable is going to happen.The longer they operate the worse it will get and when they do go how many small companies will go with them ,and not just other transport companies but their suppliers
Honestly no idea how they work but wouldn’t it actually do other/smaller transport companies a favour if they go down, as hopefully they’ll end up getting some work out of it?
I know very little (except rumour) about the way ESL work but if the rumours of them doing everything dirt cheap to get work are true then it’ll probably be a good thing for others who won’t be so screwed down on price they can’t afford to compete.
I hasten to add I wouldn’t want to see anyone out of work so I’m not advocating a celebration if ESL go under as they do seem to employ a hell of a lot of staff.
If the chuckle brothers do go in to liquidation you can bet your life savings it will go one day and be in another name the next with all the same gear and personel and carry on as if nothing ever happened, bin done loads of times before and will undoutably be done in the again in the future.
Waiting with interest to see what happens when they get through the honeymoon phase.
If ES think they can run cheaply with transporters they have got another think coming, its one of a few parts of the industry where you need competent, experienced and conscientious staff to do the job, and they despite all recent attempts to undermine will never come cheap.
The car carrier industry has lost a lot of good staff in recent years for a variety of reasons, and in many quarters is struggling to retain the few trainees capable of doing the job despite some lucrative incentives to new drivers to see them through the first few months, which is always a testing time.
In another 5 years time (IMO) there will be a severe shortage of competent transporter drivers anyway, most are well into middle age, and i meet and work with other ex transporter drivers who wouldn’t go back to it whatever was (often falsely) promised…fortunately good employers (they still exist but hard to find) in other sectors of the industry seem quite keen on ex transporter jockeys.
Then there’s the horrendously complex and relatively fragile equipment that needs constant TLC from its drivers on top of the regular servicing and maintenance if its going to last…and it doesn’t matter how you try to economise, a truck tareing off at 22 tons is never going to return 10+mpg in normal use, especially when the PTO is running for hours on end, 7mpg or less is the norm driven properly.
Interesting times ahead, have ES bitten off more than they can chew this time?
Bewick:
Just immagine the scene of carnage as a “fast eddie” 747 cargo plane comes in for a “dodgy” landing at Southend and finishes up in the middle of 500 new Skodas parked in ranks all over the available land around the runway !!! You would need more than an “economy” tin of “T” Cut to sort that lot out !! Cheers Bewick.
It’s impossible to land a 747 at SEN the runway is way too small and as for parking cars there that will never happen (no room) however with the farce that is carlisle airport i can see that turning into a car park as the council don’t want an airport.
Bewick:
Just immagine the scene of carnage as a “fast eddie” 747 cargo plane comes in for a “dodgy” landing at Southend and finishes up in the middle of 500 new Skodas parked in ranks all over the available land around the runway !!! You would need more than an “economy” tin of “T” Cut to sort that lot out !! Cheers Bewick.
It’s impossible to land a 747 at SEN the runway is way too small and as for parking cars there that will never happen (no room) however with the farce that is carlisle airport i can see that turning into a car park as the council don’t want an airport.
Dennis was jesting about the 747 landing @ Southend Rowly!!!
Bewick:
Just immagine the scene of carnage as a “fast eddie” 747 cargo plane comes in for a “dodgy” landing at Southend and finishes up in the middle of 500 new Skodas parked in ranks all over the available land around the runway !!! You would need more than an “economy” tin of “T” Cut to sort that lot out !! Cheers Bewick.
It’s impossible to land a 747 at SEN the runway is way too small and as for parking cars there that will never happen (no room) however with the farce that is carlisle airport i can see that turning into a car park as the council don’t want an airport.
Dennis was jesting about the 747 landing @ Southend Rowly!!!
You know it and I know it David,but has anyone told “fast eddie”? The operators of Heathrow are “qakeing in their boots” waiting for the “fast one” to turn S/end into Western Europes buisiest International hub !! Because of past religeous beliefs the “fast eddie” gang have always believed they can walk on water so landing a 747 or that even larger Euro one will not be a problem to a firm of “fast eddies” capabilities !! However,if they do attempt this feat they might find they require the ability to walk on water when they end up in the Thames estuary!!! Watch this space !! Bewick.
The is a good move for Stobarts, the car transport industry is fragmented and badly managed, this create a perfect opportunity to turn around the car transport industry and consolidate it.
