The Bulletin – April 1965

THE BULLETIN

QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE MIDLANDS PETROLEUM ACTS ADMINISTRATION GROUP

Vol. 3

PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE MIDLANDS PETROLEUM ACTS ADMINISTRATION GROUP

APRIL 1965 No. 4

Contents

The Carriage of Dangerous Goods News in Brief

Correspondence: Petrol for Paraffin

Miscellanea: Delivery of Petrol in mistake for heating oil

Fire Extinguishers on motor vehicles

Pattern of Petrol Sales Nobile Filling Station starts battle over petr'Jl

Assocfr,tion of Municipal Corporations Report

Oil Prospecting 'concerns' lando,mers Aerosol Industry faces safety Propellant v. Butane controversy Branch i'Ieeting Yorkshire

Executive Com.::1 i ttee Meetings: Dudley 12th January, 23rd February, 30th March, 1965

Group Ueetint;: Dudley 20th 1965 'l'he Gloster/G-unn Paraffin Vendinr; Eachine Difficulties in .Administration in large cities

The Petrol Company's view in Aa_minis tra ti on

Of?ences contrarv to Section 6 Petroleum ( Concoiida,cion) Act 1928

Visit: Holland and Germany 27tb Septeinber to 1 st October, 1964

T. Cairns

Vlf .T. Jackson A.A. Gray

Flintham

C/\RRILGE 0:8' DAUGEROUS GOODS

Every year tons of highly dangerous but unmarked chemicals are transported over the nations highways. If thero is a mishap, firemen are sent to the scene often to work under the handicap of not knowing anything of the chemical properties of tho substance, and with only the rrorcls 'Highl:;1 Inflammable 1 marked on the vehicle to put them on their guard.

More amd more substances with strange sounding names in to those commonly knovm are boing carriea. from placo to place to bo used in a multitude of ways. Some of the substances are known by trade names which in many cascrn bear no resemblance to their true chemical names, nor do they give any indication of the haz·ards which might be encountered.. A few, such as petroleum spirit, carbon disulphide, calcium carbide and liquid methane are controlJ.ed by laws ruling the method of transport, the construction of the vehicle and the amount carried, but there are numerous other hazardous substances for which the carriers are not compelled to conform to any safety standards.

When thG fire brigade is called to an accident involving chemicals correct information about tho load is essential. Firomon ought to know if the load is explosive, poisonous or corrosive in order that they can protect themselves and others against the hazards involved.

Mr. K.L. Holland, ChiGf Fire Officer, Bristol, in e" paper presontec3. to the British Fire Services Association, and reproduced in the last issue of 1 The Bulletin', put forward c.n idea to combat a lot of this danger. He suggestod that a simple colour code be used. A red band and tl10 letter 'F' for flammable materials, yellow and the letter 1 T 1 for toxic, green and 'C' for corrosive and blue and 'E' for ex-plosive. Since some liquids can be tackled with water when on fire, information could be added by the use of letters such as 'W' when applicable.

Chemical loads prosont a grave problem to tho fire service in particular and the public in general. In addition to the problem of load ia.entification, chemical carrying vehicles should be designed so that if involved in an o.ccident the risk of spillage or the release of vapour is reduced to the minimum.

Action to cl.::!.s sify the hazards should not await El\ disaster but should be pursued now with vigour, and in this respect the reply in Parliament to a question on this subject, given by Mr. George Thomas, Joint Parliamentary Under-Socretc.ry at the Home Office, to the effect that the introduction of a scheme of marking vehicles has boon deferred pending the outcome of international negotiations, indicates neither a sense of urgency nor an awareness of the hazards that this problem presents.

IITT.V i '.EI.'.BJfil.S .ar.-....._

Berkh1:mstec1 R.J.C.

Dillesdon I;..:G.C. S t· Il Kendal 1; .B. C. s

Mr. W.H. Collier

ASSOCIATE I:IIEi''13ERS

Mr. F,G. Ashley Liaison Engineer

Mr. W.A. Beattie Engineer

Mr, J ,A. l"lintham Branch ?ngineer

Er. J .A. Turnbull Divisional Architect lu-chitect

Eertf'or<ishire Iieicestershire I,ondon County Council

Wayne Tank Pump Co. Oil ProcLucts Development anrl Services Ltd.

Total Oil Products (G-,D,) Ltcl.

Uobil Oil Co. Ltd., Birmincham.

Mobil Oil Co. Lta_., London,

Hr. L ,l:., Cave )lt-, Dlackacre Road, RESIGNATIONS ..., ===*'

:i.;ablethor:pe & Sutton U .D ,C, Ur. D .R .-J. Checkloy ii.gip Ltd.

Dudley, Worcs, Somerset Lincolnshire (Left Petroleum Inclustry)

Mr. J ,H. Brooks (Associate) 1.;··,yne Tank & Pump Co. Ltd., who retirecl in February, 19tJ5.

Mr. E. McKinnell, Chief Fire Officer, Leicester, who retirecl early last year.

Mr, E. Vaughan, Chief Public Health Inspector, Soliht<.ll, and a founder mer,1ber of the Group, who retired on 31st March, 1965.

We exten:::l to these gentlemen our very best vvishes, and trust their retirement Hill be a long and happy one.

llr. J .s. Forman, De:iuty Chief Public Health Inspector, succef!lds :Mr. E. V<rnghan at Solihull.

Mr. G .N. Dea;: has been apy1ointecl De,.mty Chief Public Health Inspector at Solihull •

Mr. G.H. Ifo rvey, Dudley has been appointec1 Chief Inspector of Weights and Measures, in succession to J)ilr. L .A. Cave.

Mr. G. McCoy, Deputy Chief Fire succeeded Mr. at Leicester.

Mr. F. Netherwood, Deputy Chief Inspector of Weic;hts o..n' Measures at St. Holons, has been appoint eel Chief Inspector of Weights and Measures, Warrington, in place of Mr. F .A. Smith now at 1if orthing.

Arrangements for the School to be held at the 8hropshiro o\dult Collec;e, .Lttingham, Nr, Shrmvsbury on the 10-12th J:;It:,y, 1965, hc,·we now been finalisocl.•

The demand for the tuition provided at the School, is apparent from the number of applications i'or places 130. That on.1y 60 places were available illustrates the difficulties that beset the members of the School Sub-Committee, in making a final selection.

SLIX OIL DISPERSER

A number of enquiries have boon received asking for the name and address of tho manufacturer 1 s of 'Slix' the Oil Slick Disperser. It is Peneton-Paripan Ltd., Egham, Surrey,

IIT P.:\...11Ll!dlEI·1T _-_lla'r}.j!.ep

l'J.r. John Peel (Con. South-East I,eicester), a skecl the Secretary of Sta-Ce f:.)r ·che HomG DepE>rtment, rrhGther he had yet received reports from the Working Parties which had been investiggting the problem of the transport of inflamraable substances by road and the special marking of road containine dangerous substances.

Mr. George Thomas, Joint Parliament Under-Secretary, replied "A Working P.:>.,rty on the marking o:E' road tank vehicles has draftee'!. a voluntary scheme of but consic1-eration of its introch1ction has been deferrec1 penCling the outcome of int erna ti onal nogotia ti ons on this and related matters" •

f]:}_!'TGE OF JillDRESS

Association of Municipal Corporations to:- 36, Old Queen Street, Westminster, LONDON S .w .1 , Telephone No. 'Nhitehall. 9861.,

MINISTRY CF LJ:BOtill PUJJLIC.ATION

A new booklet lThe Bulk Storase of Liquefied Gas at FD.ctories 1 (Safety Health ana_ Welfare, New Series No. 30 price 2/- net at H,1'1.S.O. or through any bookseller), has beon issued by the Viinistr:;r of Labotlr recently, to give genera:l guiMnce on the problem, It deals with methods of and hanc"..ling, location, design and installation of storage tanks and equipment, typos of hazards and the precautions to be ta::O:en.

NEXT llF.E"l'ING

The Annual G-:meral of the Group will be held. at the Civic Ho..11, Solihull on Tuesday 13th April, 1965.

PE11T{OL li'OR E'.R'\I:'ji':J:H

. I noJcice that in t o last issue of 1 Tho Bulletin 1 roforence wr-t.s macfo to a pet1·ol-par.0 .fi'in uix-up.

We had n sim:Llnr incicl.ont in Glasc;ovr caused by a dc;l)_vory of patrol made tho of darl:n:_;s s c ontro.r3r to our liconcc c onclitions. I have noYr c,rra.:"gd. the Lollovrii:-1,:::; additional c onclitions :.'.'or our potrol,;um liconsos.

35 ThEct u}:ore there are bro or 2.,1ore i:.nc'..erground on the liconsoa_ prc;'.isos the riiarhole covers o:c' n.11 stor:i;-;o tanks !J(J clearly r;;.arkcc1 by or on of tho por son licensecl in accordi=mco 'Nith the roqu.i.rornents of Liccmsing J\.uthority and a plan of' the uncerground tanks showing the 8.l):::-Jropriate markings be exhib:Ltecl in licensed promisos.

36 'J:ha t a of Ro[;ul:ction 1 S of t>o Petroleum Spirit ( Cohve:;rn,nco by R md) Regulations, 1957, bo oxhibitedina :,)rOL1inunt position in tho licensEJcl

The requiror1c.:nts of tho Licensing J\uthori ty as to tho marking of m1:mhole covers u.re as follows:-

1 • Each manhole covsr to bo painted. e,nd kopt p2,intod. rritb a mmib8r at least 12" in length This nuraber shall agreo i;dth the ml';;cor on tho petroleum liconco ari.1} in tho case of nmltiplo c01.·1pe,rtmcrnt tanks, the sub-divisions shal=l. bo markocl BJ C otc. in cJ:_<lition to tl10 nwnb0rs.

2. \111oro p:::.raf:fin is storoJ_ in t:w liccmsed prGnis os the !·Kmholo c ovor shall be liki:)•.·riso rru::.rkocl 1 PP..R 1 in 18ttcrs 12n in length ancl a metal label simiJ.arly rnarko,-l in letters not loss tho..n 4" in lcmc;th sh.:lll bo a:ffixo'.'!_ noD.r the t or:i of the filling pipo.

3. 1 ;]_cere rliesol oil is stored L1 the licensed promi130s the rnc.nholu cover shn.11 be likowiso t DIES 1 in lottors 12" in length and a metal label similarly markod in let:;ors not loss than l+" in lun,re;th sLall bo affixed nGar tho top of' the filling pipe.

4. othGr fuels ,1.rG s-Coroc1 in the liconsorl promises the rnanholo covors shr.11 be likovd.so marlwc:l. in letters 12 11 in 1ongth ancl o. netal label similD.rly ni.arked. in letters not less than 4 11 in 1ongth bo o.fi'ixed noar the top of the filling pipe e"ccording to tl-1e roquire1 1 on-cs of tlw Liccnsinf; Aut>:.ority.

Somo of tho Potrolorna hnvo t>at in ad(1itipn to n. i1urnbor, they \.-·;ouJ_a_ be 11roper·od to paint grGdG colours 011 t>:.o I covers e.g. GOLDEJ.IJ ESSO. :.1!0 havo no objection to "'s an I ac:.ditiona1 safeguard •

GLASGO'.'!. T. CjffiNS •

DELIVERY OF pg_rnor. IN FOB :"-lliATH:G- OIL

On Saturco.y 23rcl January, 8.15 a.m., a t.s.nlrnr d.rivor" acting for the Petrolern·1 Cor,1pr:n r 500 gallons of }:'.:sso :sxtrl't petrol into the storn:;e toxik of the plant at St. Tl0 omas I c::.1w:ch School, Cr.,unce Street, 31.'.:',Ckpool.

500 ge,lJ.ons of kating he.a. bee::. o:cC::irec Zro;;i trie local Esso agents, Messrs. Hardisty ,_<?: Eiller J,td., Devonshic'.'G Roe.r1-, BL\ckpool. The 'ms passed to the Ecso Distributine; Jepot, at tJ.--"e Docks, Preston.

The vehicle usc6. for c:_elivory w<:.s c 2, li-00 gD,llon five compartrnon-C te.nk on a BedJ'orc'. articula tea_ c}1as :ds, Reg, No, ZLO .5l1-6 Cl3v2land 1-iieet No. 5223/T.2028.

Both tl1e P-nJ. driver wore Clevel::md Petroloum Company units oper1:',·Cinc; on 1-0::-w.lf of Sss o Corn:;o..ny.

lt h[',,d been intencled to deJ_iver the heating oil on tho a:l'ternoon of Frirlny the 22nii., when this no,s lo.'.:'.cl.ect at Preston Hi th 500 gc,llons Auto Diesel oil in No. 1 cor:pccrtrn.ent, 500 gallons of henting oil in No. 2, !,DO each o.:' gr"s oil in Nos. 3 anc1. l:- n.nd 500 [;Lllons of he[•,ting oil in No. 5. '!'he gas r.,nd cliesol oils from the loacl uoro cluly cteli verecl on the .I:'rifl.ay but tho driver states t he was un£'..ole to a_ischargo of the heatinr:; oil c;s ho had fle:dble ::-ii:;:ie to reach the s·corage fillinc point. He was a Cleveland Company d.rivor o..nc"L hgcl not previously been sent to deliver to St. Thomas' Church or to St. I\In.rl:s Churc:1, Blackpool, where the other consigrun.ent of heating oil clestined, I-Ie was unm7are thD.t some 1+5 feat of l-",osa noces,;ary 0,t ec..ch place, Finding himself unable to mako to Depot rri-Ch the t'.JO 500 gc..llons of heating oil in compartments 2 lmd. 5.

1rhese w0re still aboarc. the follor!ing r:cornin:; tho vm.s further chargoi with 500 gallons of petrol in ITo. 1 compE'-rtmont and. L:-00 gnlJ.ons of Clevelancl Hcguln.r in o:;,cb of c 01r1partnonts 3 n.nc::. Lr-. 'l'ho C::ischar0e pipes froe 0..acb c 'i'Tere correctly labollod at the t1:cps by mee,ns of the Cor,11xn1y 1 s notal to.gs.

The c1rivor, took an extra longth of hoso ana. vrnnt to St. Thofil.1-S 1 Church, :Slo.ckpool, ·.:here he at 8.15 a.m • .-:mcl. procec:ceci to unload c 0:0 1par·cmf;nt No. 1 into the stornge tar'k i:1 tho school b!:',semont. He next the 300 gallons of' Petrol from c ompgrtments 3 and l 1• to a local filling sto.tion. He then called at St. Harks Church to attor1pt d.olivory of the her.ting oil from No. 5 cot1partment but vr.:'..s unc ble to o.o so as his c::_eliver2r hose was still insufficient for tbese pro:.1ises. From bore he r;ent on to Elswick G-reat Eccleston, to fulfil the orc1-er f·or 500 callons Esso Extra. Arriving there ho coupled. up to compc:.rtmont No. 1, and bo:Core oponinc taps took a dip from this compartment as is his p:::·,-::.ctice. On finding his diystick dry he irumediately roalisod his grave mistcJ\:e in having discharged tho i)etrol from this compa:.·t:·Jont to the heo.ting oil plant at St. Thomas 1 Church anCl forth':;it'1 t8lO•);l.onecl his Depot. 'l1 he time wo.s then about 12 noon, Depa:; :i..n.moo_idely contactoc1 their agent to arrar>?'O for t:.10 l100,tin.·:, to bo sl1ut off a11cl also the Blncl-.:-pool li,ire Bric;0,c1e 1.>o turned out a crew to verify thr,t tho valve on th0 supply line :C'rorn the s·coro.go tank was closed. u1C:. any imr,10diato tangor

P_t this time the boiler fire was out, 'fho burner is actuated by a tirae snitch sot to cut off at 10.0'...J aom• anCl. re-lif;ht at 2.0C p.m,

It must, therd'ore hLVG b1..:en ali.cht \,'hc:vi cho ciolivcry -,;as mD,(;0 at G.15 n.m. '.Che tan> (600 t:T-llons) l'..nC:l. ooilc::· o.ro tl:-w s:',J':l(l room 0,nd 0,bout a:x1rt. Tlu room is r.bout 5 fovt oolow lovol nith a door and ste:os lea0.io1c: -:i.ir<CJct to o::;ioy1 rdr. Tho te,n\ is instnllorl i::-1 et :c:1c: and both f','.lC v..:int pipos e>.ro ·cLronr > tJ::,; to o:;:ion D.ir. /in o::.·,close(:'.. cli:•,l clopth c;augG is c,nJ. t:wro is ::o or other orir"ice to tl1e to.nlc.

At 12.35 p.r.1. }!'ire Brit;ncle i.:r. N.l:.. Chief Inspcotor of el1Cl. Mec.suros for -:;:10 Corpor,;:tion, v;l":o afLJrvmrcls co:,·1tacted h2.s ::r. ·:.R. Both then G.ttonc··_oD incilfont tcJ:ing l'..n ;:',nd flc,rno-proof torches. rom[Cineo. at St. Thom:,s 1 Church ·co supcrill'b11cl the safo r0r11ovc:.l of petrol ana. ro-cl1arc;inc of tl10 t,?":11<: tir1g c5_l.

Follor:in: the o,lo:c·t Bsso Petrohrniil Comp'.',ny nrrang.:;cJ_ for thn c-;.ri vor to roturn t:.1 tl10 h.,,:-:ko;,• to St. 1 and 111.so son-:; t·ro liw,intonanco non :.'.'rom Froston Dopo-C. These wcro later joinoc1 by the Dopot Fore;;·s.n Do spr::!:chcr. 3ss o Cm1l)<my n,ls o i:or ·cLG actunc1::mce of nn enginoor from P1,@p M.0 j_nt;,_,nr',!'-CO Ltcl.. , to cti.sconncct pipos rmd a hoe,ting ungineur to cL.snnntlo and cloccn j(:ts ::encl fuol foocl to th<:l boilu1·.

Work w11s corn·'loncoo. n,bou:; 1 .3C: p .m. The fill pipe wo.s c1-isconn0ctco. r..riCl '"- hose in00rtocl to drm:V ofi:' from t:w bot;·•;o::1 of the to,nk. This WC'.,S connuctccl to a sorni-rot1:.ry hc,na. pump <mcl the to.nk cont 2nt s wore thorl pmti)Ci(:_ bacl: to D.n mnp-1:; :v c ompo.rtrncYJt on the Road 'I':::rnkor. '\'/hilst this was c;oing on tirn ongino :r 6.isrw.ntlcd "'-ncl_ cloanecl ·i:;ho burnor oquipw(mt on tho boilor.

By bre[Cking opon a shuttoro,.'L 1;indow in the walJ_ o:r,iposi the c1onr, good cross vo:-itilation w.:w obtained in tho boile2 : ·oo:u <encl tho atmosphoro lrn:::rt J'.:'resh. Por:Loc1ical tosts >vi th tho indico.tod no moc,sur0ablo concc;;ntr:::,tion of vapour.

Whon 0,11 possible haG pc:t:1'pec1 from tho tank thG fuel feed linu was discon:'.l·.Jcted at tl10 boiler end anc1 tho tame further llrc:cinod throu:':, this pipo. By tl1is moc.ns the 1vas practicall;' fJmptior1.

Fifteen go.llons of oil uc)re thon insortocl to flush out the dregs from th0 tank c.nd pipelines. 'l'his •;;c,s ancl. a snmple was tcsteo. across tho surfcco with the E:q:ilosimotor. Two f'u.i·thor flushings vwro required bG:."'oro tests provecl_ poh ol contaminl:Ction to bo ni;t_;ligblo.

'I'he tank wr.ts thon fillocl .ritl1 oil ana_ further tests were 1'1?,cl_o ncross free oil surface mL. n1so on the oil in tho burner food line. The tosts provocl the oil clear.

Tho whole process wo_s co:nploto(i_ by 7 .0'; p.m. ::mcl tho boilor vms then ro-liGhtor:. T:10 cont,,,r;,inc·.t0cI petrol was :coturnoa. in tho t.::i.nkor to the Prc.;ston Esso Do;:iot,

On MonJ.ay 25th Jcmuar:;r, 1965, Mr. consulted ni th tho Do:'! ot Prost on, to a scortain r{hat stons w0ro -Cd:on to £Woid this sort of inci,-.0nt and wLc;t further precautions \''Ore

'rl1e Dopot stab.:d it was not Company p:i.1 c.ctice to send out mixed 100,ds of petrol 1cncl oil but this was cl.one Dri vors, howovGr, h'.:d instructions to ranlrn aJ.l p;-;·crol '1.oli vorios before off'-loac.inc; rmy oil c ompc"rtm:..mts. It was :L'ol t that this procG::_ure rroul6. minimise tho of' any ;,1ist'\.ko. Ho w1:1,4 not proparec, to ban al-together th;,:, c::.rr='ing of mi::ecl but wont on to say t:mt firm Yrnulcl b0 rocoiving a fulJ. report of thu inciiJent, 1;,nd would ::.o doubt, bo consiuering all o.spocts •

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ON MCY.rOR

VEHICLES

In the December issue of the Monthly Information Bulletin issued by the Warwick County Fll•e :2irigaa.e, the Chief Firo Officer refers to an incio.cmt which illustrates tho importanco of carrying an efficient and. fully oha.rgocl fire extinguisher on all motor vehicles:-

An of his Brigade was proceeding in heavy trP.:E'fic behind a lorry -.rhicb. rcn into the back of the vehicle ahead of it, the cab of the lorry irEJediately bursting into flames. The officer put out tho fire with t}ie extinguisher carried on the brigade car and thereafter found that the lorry driver wc,s trapped by the foot in his cab arnl might well have been burned to death if' help ho.O. not been imEtediately The extinguisher used was of an approved typo, as carried on many thousands of private cars, buses and commercial vehicles on the road today.

MORAL

Do not re'.l.y,· upon the other man having an extinguisher. I.Iake. sure your own is regularly serviced ready for when it is wanted.

The wisdom of the above advice was further amplifiecl by the followinr, incirlont :-

On the 20th 1965, on the !Jieria.en By-Pass (A.45), a ?ire occurred in the a.river's cab of a L:., OOO go.llon petroleum containinG about 100 gallons of petroleum spirit. The driver and a passenger escaped with burns to wearing apparel c.nd the loss of some personal eff'ects.

The initial call was received at 15.30 hours and two appliances f'rom the Coleshill Fire .Station responded. CD.1.ls were also received by the City of Coventry and Solihull County Borough Fire BriBades.

Passing motorists with the :rid of six carbon tetrachloride extinguishers and the clri ver Fi th one-tvm gallon foam extinguisher held the fire in check, c on:t'ining it to the cab, until the arrival of tho fire brigade who finally the blaze with water from two hoso reel jots.

The action of the clriver and the :immediate assistance so readily given by the pa.ssi!l;3 motorists undoubtedly averted what could have resultcli in a serious fire or even explosion.

In conclusion drivers should be aware of the natural and pyrolised vapours given off' by carbon tetrachloride type extinguishers. Instances have oocurred where lorry d.ri vers usinr; this type of extinguisher in their cabs have later been overcome by the vapours given off. If it i::o necessary to operate this type of extinc;uisher in an enclosed space or cab of a vehicle, before re-entry the cab should be fully vontilatud.

AccorcHne: to tho latest figures fr on tiie Pctroloum Information Duroau sales of -1 00 oct?c-110 super fuels a:,:o still not Ha:dnp; the progress petrol 001:tpa1'i8s nust be looking for.

All figt:ros roforrod to subs,:oquuncly aro for tho period January to Sop·cer:lber, 1S'o4- and comp2,risons arc with tho so.mo poriocl in 1963.

As far as gar:::.gos arc concernod. c1.olivorios of bost gro.dos 0111::" from 810,1+57 tons to S10,95t) tons, 2.lthough thoro was an G,000 ton incroe>,se to dolivorios of that grade to commercial consumers.

Deliveries of pror:1ium cro.dos (97-98 octane) to garages showed a continuing satisfactory rise 3,717,350 tons to 4,282,001 tons with a 50, OOO ton in dEJlivories to c rn;-i;:'.1orcic;l customers.

Once acain deliveries rmcl, therefore, presumably, sales of stn.ncle.rd grades have macle substantial proc;ress far as gLCra,ses arc concerned..

Deliveries of this type of petrol wore up from 1,238,505 tons to 1,L122,04-8 tons, al.though there vras D. roti_uction of 18,000 tons of these grades in deliveries to comr:1ercin.l conswaers probabl;? accounted for by a continuod turnover to die.sol power.

From tho 'Shropshiro Star 1 •

An gentlemt.n couJc_ not find. n garage to sell his Japanese cut-price petrol. So used [', tanker to sGll direct to motorists.

Sales vmre spectacular 1x,1til tbo o:pposition noved in. Five owners of local service ste,tions surrm_md:.::cl his to.nlcor 'ivith their cars. Police I:10vou thoD on f'or r:, tr£cffic hazard.

3ut much nor so was to c or.10. The lavr interfered further. The Victoria 8t0,te Govornrnont' s Vioichts c:.nd ruled_ that selling petrol direct from a tcmlcl)r R hazard during sur:m;or firo restrictions.

The De JC1.rti:1ont S[cid. tl--.o tanker was only to soll petrol whc los[',,lo, not rota il. Thuy unoc:,rt cl a law sc.,,ying petrol s olling was only lcgo.l L--. moasuring was to the grounc1.•

Thoy wero concerned too when ochor :patrol firms threatenocl to meot this Australi,g,n 1 s challcmr::;o v1ith thGir own r.10bile tankers.

State polico bro<:,a.cast a mos sage to 'o.11 cars', ord.c:ring c1·evrn to roport irnJ1;odit::,tol,:r on soeine; a selling cheep petrol. Despi to tl10 opposition the Australian is und.auntocJ.. Ho believes th:i legal problci:rn i_lTEJ 1 not insur110untLCble' a.no plans to operate fro!ll Sydney.

'rhG cost o? Japanese petrol sold fron the Cividcli 1 [SC!.llon tank? Fivoponce a gal=ton chenper than the: .Super (3s ._YI.) anc1 Stand11rd (3s. Ocl.• )

Fror:i tJ;o 1 Sunday Express 1 •

l!.xtract fron tl10 I{eport of the Fire Sorvico Comf'.littee of the A.H.C ., do.t·Jcl. 6th October, 1 964. Reprinte(=1. from the Municipal nevien Supplement Januar.?, 1 965.

In last report, reference was made to our representations to the Home Office that this working p1:rty be r13-convonecl and complete the entrusted to it as soon [i,S possible. The Home Office h:we replioc1 that some internal reorganisation he,s beon taking place, as a result of whicl1 two now departments have boon created., one of which will bo concerned with fire, fire prevention and public safety. 'J:he matters with which the norking lXLrty have boon will fall to this new c1epartri1ent, and vro havo received an assurance that the question of re-convening tho working party will be considered. as soon as possible.

Havin,c; consic.1.orod roprosontations from the :Midl?.nd Petroleum Acts AdministrD,tion Group (ro·,;resonting 199 Local Authorities in tbe area) about the nbsenco of national legislation to control the storage and use oi liquefied petroleum gases, no bave asked the Home Office to refer this subject to the Party on Influ.mmable Substances.

Vlo reported in June, that we were asking the Department of Inc.1.ustrial 1'.,no_ Scientific Researcl;. whetl10r they ho,d any stl1..tistics relating to fires or fire hazcirds caused by the growing practice of burner units o:;:" ccmtr::i,l heating installG.tions being fitted in domestic garages. The Dopartment 1 s reply stated:-

24th_April, 1964 •

• • •

•

•Al though tbore aro obvious potentio.l hazarc1.s in the installation of central he<;ting equipment in garn::sos wo hcwe nt present no statistice,l information indicating the,t the hn.zarC'. is a serious one. However, this is not an unexpected situation since th8 increase in the use of central heating h"l,s taken place only com:pnratively recently and it is unlikely that there are, as yet, mn.ny installe.tions of the typo you have in mind.

I can onl:r say th:::i_ t wo rrill keep an eye on the hazards of centre). hoa ting equipment £md will boar this particular feature in mind.

This is another matter which we are asking the Home Office to rofor to the Working Party on SubstEmces.

A county borough town clerk ht:_s c<'1lled to an inci(".ent which occurred in his aroa when from a road tanker carrying both fuel oil and patrol by inadvortonco the :petrol was put into tim fuel tank

at o, school. o,ction of the ctJ.rotd:or anc'l. ot11ers.

The count:r borou:;l:. council h:wo obt[dnocl l'.n um1ortakin{; fror:: t;,o oil co!n.pan:r in on thr<;c ci.11 future :'tolivories of oi1 to the corporation ·.rill bo of'fcctoci. by rrx1G. tD,nl: e,llocrctoci. for the exclusi vo cC\.rric:.e;o of this procJ.uct :.cnCl thrc t no ''re,gon ..-1ill bo usorl for co.rryinc fuel oil- to 0.op<?..rtr,it:mt of corporc,·cion 1:,cliich has on its j ourno::'S carriod r;1ot or spirit. l'ho c om:p.?-ny he;, vo also rcorg:mise<l. ti1oir distribution syston so th"lt tl10 O..olivory of :1.igh and lou flas:1 products will bo Oirtiroly so3roc;atoc1.•

to1·:n clorl: rmdo inr:J.uirio2, including an of the Home Office, from 1.·.r]:ich it is cloc:,r that thoru aro no regulations proLilJ:'.. tine; the carr:rinc; of mixed loe.ds of oil o.nd potroloum spirit, although tho m2.jority of compD.nios ·,:hich carry such mixoc1 lot:tds aro ·17ell a:;raro of tho inherent cl.a,ngers invol vod Emc1- tako enable proco.utions to avoid acnidents.

At tho roquGst of tho county b0rougb council, we have consiclered tho matter. '.1o ci..re vory concornecl thci.t undor tho existing rec:_:ulD,tions accidents of tho kincl mcmtionc::d, w{1ich might result in serious damn.go or lriss of lifo, c11n occur, arid we aro r:tal=ins ropresont,.,,tions to tho Home Office th&.t tho Potroleur:i Spirit (Conveyance by Ro[cd) RegulD,tions, 1957 be amona_od to provido (inter alia) that in the cn.so of mixed loads the couplings on vehicles shc:.11 be separe,to o,nd c3.istinct types •

:Memb2rs of r s Committee of the Country L.'..u1dovrnors aro concornucl 11bout tho [cC-Civiti0s of an oil :prospecting company nhich l1as obtainocl a licence from the Ministry of Poirer and is in tho s outl1 of thG count:;.

The licence gives thorn the richt to ontor privo.to lo.nd to drill doGp holos in Hhich expl0sivo char:;os a,ro detonccted. The company ho.s to mD.ko its mrn ll.rranc;o:.icmts ni th l::cndovmors about the time nnd d....,to of entry, the route to be takon, ana_ payment for G.ny (1_0,m3.nge c1-ono to lrma '.end. crops, but, at its quarterly mooting roe ontly, tho ConuaittGG vms ·norriocl. o.bout t:1.o possible eff\:,ct of unclergrouncl o:::plosions on 1rator supplies.

It was agrood, that if, mrinc, t.o the forr:w tion of tho uniiorlying strata, the explosions clid on use surrounding we tor supplies to fail, the dna,.,,t;e crrnlcl bo a xco0c1ingly n.wkw.'.lrd to prove, and compensation correspondingly to

From tho 1 Shrorrnbury Chronicle I

The recent c&mpai:;n l::tunched by Irnperie,l Che;;iicH,l Indust::.'ies on safety propell=--nts in aerosols is becoming a rna,jor concrovo:csy.

Tho industrial 8once:c·n he,s, in rocent weeks, been warning of the dani.:;ers o::' not using safety ;)ropella,U"ss. Nm·,_ "elm :;x1cl:ers and marke-to:c's of e,c)rocols filler"_ ·. -i·c:1 :propellants are defending tl'ie g2,s.

Tho British 1 Association on both sides are representec'. is being br·out;ht int.o the clisagreoment.

J.\.. spokesman for ono of the JLrgo aerosol packagers is :'O:Jorted as tho..t l-1is V7as tak:in{:: an °ex:trc1nelJr serio11sn vio-r1 of t''-e I.c.:r:. campaign. He: saill t:--Ji,-::; he could. not deny that there '.II.LS a VOj':'." hazard frow bu:;ane-:i:'illed ;:i,erosols, but only if ·L;l-:..oy storec=:. in a clraught-proof, total1..y-cmclo.se::J .small space. He ado.ed: "Have :rou evor seen a warehouse that vre,sn't n

./':.. spokos1nan for I .C .I. stato\l: nr t}1inlc t11e Elati ority OT]. tJ1e vrill support our pr.:1int of view 11 •

The oo E1pan:r knevr tb..at \Yas bou11.c1 ·Co bo "a period o? discussion 1 follonin;; tho 10,unc'::-1 of :;110 but thou:;'1t it had a job to do in mounting it.

I.C.I. Of COU.l'Se, is h ff1a,jor SU:!:)pli.e:• inlhlSt::y of a safety 1 Arc ton 1 • It is i·lot involv0d in act1mJ 1;1arketing, exce;0t for a fu-,r othiccil chemical aerosols fol' sur2;ical use.

Butane is use cl b<)Causc:: :Ln ce:::'tain c::,ses re; is E10re sto.:)le with t • -i ,. o")t fl "'"" .ol '" ( .o ,.\ : -'- 'l•" >)• c er ain __ n 0 -'- ec_._10 L s 1. Cu OJ. OJ. uorocc.,!. o 0110 ._OJ. "·'"-"L" __ re[, orL ., onu , another roati on is oute,ne is ch2aper. The imc:cors sto;ce there is <•bsolutoly no clancei.' to consumers from butane propellants. r.c.I. h['_,s not stated there is (in fact. it llas eViphasiseCL there is not), but sa:rs theru is 9, ho,zard ·i:lnn Cf,.J' ntities &re storocl b:,r the trader and le<.:,lca,«;e oc,·urs.

'fhe problorn assumos greater -. hen it is realised that it is o:cpectoo. tho totc-,l aerosol market will r:iore than a.oublo in the five Fi over 200, OOO, OOO aerosols being sold. If' is a:i.w Lo·.crever sme,ll from bu-:;e,ne, it ';-:i11 1:10 magnified as E1ore and more a::.rosols aro stocked. On the other band, it must b::, romo:·1berecl ch£,t the use of butane p1·opellant has plo,:roo. a pnrt in British aerosols ::,mong the clloapost in tl10 vrorlcl. ,:.t ti10 chlorofluorocarbon lJ:c·opoll0nts in tbe U.K. are o.oou<; three tirnos dearer tl:2.n buto.ne. ) about 75;:; of all the units sold hore use c:1lorofluorocnroons, 'l':lGy o.ro also usocl :1.ore uicl.uly in 1wrosol packint; t'1an rn13r other of {j<LS tl-rrouc;hout the '.Torld.

It seems possible th1t the coritrovorsy will roD.ch intern2.tional proportions. In Sep-i;o:::iJor this the roc1eration of :81.1ropean Aerosol Associations nill holC. i<:s fifth congress anc!. e:chioition, this time in J,iilan.

The last gathorinc-; in Bri brou[;ht 6oc; delegates from 21 countries. Over 70 companies

In Milan <tll sectors of the inc:.ustry will be rcp:;:·os;mtod; bottling, ce,ns, v<:J.Yos; raw finishud Lucts snd p:::-opellants.

From 'The Grocor 1

BRc\J;c:r-r Jvl3jt;JIFC YORKmiIRE 1--.:.--:s;o."'

A meeting of Petroleum Of:i.cicers in the Yorkshire area was helcl at Hire Bric;acle Hec.,cquarters, Rotherham on 2nd Ii'eiJr>uary, i 365. Present were 10 representatives from 7 local authorities tocethor with Ivir. G.N. Dean, Liaison Officer Vi.PJ,A,G .• , c:unci Nr. H.F. Edit or of 1 T'he Bullo tin 1 •

Mr. '} 1 • Chief Fire Officer, Rotherhar,1, acting as Chairm,,n, opened the mcei;int; '.7elcor>iing [ell the clelee;c.tos cmcl also Messrs. Dean and He the;·l explainol:L that the main purpose of the Beetinc was to f-:irm a Brcmch coverinc the Yorkshire area and to get it funct:Loninr: properly. It was pointec1 out that the purpose of the :3ranc?1 would be to attain a der_.;ree of' unifor1,1i ty in Petroleum .Aduinistrc,tion, and to :'urther the objects of the J'ilidlarnls Group.

Hr. Naylor tJrnn called upon Mr. Der.n to acldress the meeting.

l:ir. Dean o:'ferecl_ the of the Chairman 0f the Group, I.!r. JI. and the Socretary, I!Ir. I,•"\• Cc-t.vo, v.'ho were not ab1e to 2,ttencl tho moetine; clue to other 0ommi tmentc;. He spoke on the formation of the Group which had originated at a meeting held in 1958 and ste>teci that from the initial meeting tho organisation had grovrn to its present r;roportions. He went on tc outline the objects of the Group, its various classes of medbers, its achievements and plans ?or the future. He pointec' out that the title of the G-roup woulll have to be changed. in event of a national orc;anisation being formed, and th&t t;1is meetinc: at Rotherham was the stG.rt of tirn first Branch •

The Chairman said the next item was that of a Branch Constitution together with the question of financGs. It was pointod out that of 21 autl'1orities in the area, 13 had shovr:n interest in J-:'orining a Branch. After considerable discmosion it was ac;reed that the Branch would accept the rulo s thcct the Parent· .8ocly vroulcl dravr up 1;;i t}; possible modifications, and. that tho idea of a capitation foe 'boing leviecl out of ·which :;:irobc;,bly 5/- of tho £2 subsc:L'iption to ;;he would be ro-imbursor; towarcls Branch activities rras a very Loounc:L idea. The different ty:pes of membership 17as discussed and it rras that at Branch level ar:y Petroleum Officer shoulcl be en:,ouragoc1 to join the Branch, as t:10 o:ijects of tlw Group vrould be of benefit to enforcement officers as uell as local authorities. It agreed tho name of the :Sranch be the 'Yorkshire Branch'. Tho Chairman said the next item was the election of officers.

!Ster a general discussion and wi ti1 tbo agreenwnt of the e;entlemen concerned, Mr. R.H. Sample of .Scarborough was elected Chairman and Hr. C,'11 • Peacock of Hems'.rortb R,D.C., vms elected Secretary/Treasurer. Mr. Sanplo then took the chair. The elate and venue of the next meeting vras left in the barn1s of the Chairman and Secretary. Mr. lfo,ylor kindly offerecl the use oi'' thG Fire Brigade HeadquRrters if required anr1_ sto,tea. that his staff wouic:_ give all the assistance possible in making the necess1tr:;r arrccngel'1ents.

The Chairman thanked I'iossrs. Dean and Hollaway for their help 1:md for -L;ravelling such a clist2.nce.

l'Ir. w• V{alker (Scarborou0h) thanked ifr. Naylor and his staft:', on behalf of' tlJG f'or providing ace ommoclation, organisinc; the meeting D,10_ for the hospitality, and the hope that the Branch v.ou1c1 be successful. In roply Mr. NayloT thanked c-,,11 present for their aDpreciation and rciterato1J that the Rotherham Fire Brigade would give all the :cssistancc; possible to the Branch, the first Branch to be ancl Yrcrnld provide accommodation at any time.

t

................

Hald at Dudley -1 2th J;::,nuary, 1 965

llessrs. Beeby, Boer, Bloor, Gee, Dean, !foldaway, Rolem, Sharp and. the Honorr,ry Sec rotary.

necei vec1 from Mr. Gri:::,fi tlis Crowe and. Hall. IrnSOLV'3:D: Chairman and Vioo-:61-:l'i"i.'Tlan,

LICEHCE CONDITIC'NS

(Chairman) and Messrs. Brunning, That in the absence of the Mr. G-.N. Dean take the chair.

Mr. Beer inf ormecl members that th0 draft Licence Conditions would be ready for presentation to the next Meetinc: of the Committee.

UNDERGROUNil Cf\R PARKS

Mr. Roden reportet" on the progress made to date. .Another SubCommittee Meeting will be held in the near future.

It was reported that tl1e draft :b..acl now been finalised and woulCI. be subrnitterl to the Rules in due course. Ifr. Bloor proposed and Mr. Roa.en second.eel 11 that the Rules Sub-Com;nittee be req_uestetl to consider drawing up a Branch Constitution 11 •

BRANCH POID:U\.TI ON

The Honorary Secretary renc.1. correspondence from persons who had undertaken to call representatives to a meeting for exploring the possibilitie:3 of forming Branches. It was noted tlJAt in some instances :tnvitations had been sent to Officers whoso Authorities are not members of tho Group. '.Cho Ifonors.ry Sccr<;tary was asked to inform the senders of the invitations thE<.t the nc1r Rules provide that only Members of the Group may be accG:pted as membors of a Branch.

4tb HID-\7EEK SCHOOL

The Honorary Secrotary reported 135 applications to date for the 60 places at the College. 'l'heso i'lill be considerecl at the School Sub-Committee Hectine; on Tuesday 26th January, 1965.

The Honorary Socrctar2r vn',S ac'tvised to refer all members to the Supple:nents in the October, 196lt- and January, 1965 issues of 'The Bulletin' and to invite nominations for the various Offices. Nominations shodcl be i.n the hands of the Honorary Secretary 14 dnys before the Annual

HONOR.lffiY SECRJn'Al.1Y - ·- --

It was unanimously agreec1 that tho services tho Honoro.r.y Secretary had rendered on oI' the Group bo recognised by nomino. ting Mr. Cave for Honorary Merilber ship.

Hold at Dudloy 23rd February, 1965.

H. Griffiths (Ch:Lirnan) Hossrs. Booby, Boor, Bloor, Dean, Hall, Hod.en the HonOl'EU'Y Socr<Jtary.

Recoivod from Mossrs. Brunnins, Cro·o, Go0, Holdaway r.nd Shn.r:p.

Tho Corrc·1i-ttoe c rmsLLuro1i the thir<J_ set of Draft Rules 1:1.nd these, subject to 2. fon minor umonill11onts iVoro c<,pprovod for prosont-'.',tion to the Group.

Huvi'.'.lg r:loalt with thu of the Drn.ft, tho Comrnitte0 then hc,a. boforo it tho quos-Cion of P., suit::blo titlo, bearing in mind the .-:ido divor.::.ity of membership ooverocl by Group. A number of suggestions s ubmittod n,nr1 amona_o(, until }hl1 :propoc;o>1 ::md Mr. Rodon s 1 tl1.-:,t tL0 title be "Tho .\ssocir;,tion for Petroleum Acts 1 1fr. Beohv pro-ooscd as an mnono:Jiont 'th:::.t the titlo be "The of !iuti-!orities".' This W'.lS seconded by Mr, Bloor. put to the vote the rosult vms 3 for t:10 amendment o..nd 5 for tho orir::;innl pro:posal. ThG Chnirman deolt:»retl the m:iondmont lost.

_LICENCE CONDI'.l'IONS

Consideration of' these occupi,;d much of tbc until it wo..s finally agreed tl:w Draft >ms rec.c\y '.'or si__1bmission to tho Group. It is intoncloc1• tho.t thG Dr[tft Rulos <cna the Dr,':Cf't Lic•mcc ConcLi tions shall be submittocl to the next Jw.nuccl l'!IGoting in April.

The Honore.ry Socrct:cry sulw'.ittod c orros:pon:fonce and a loeSlet illustr(',ting a Storo..1:;0 Meter for use in Petrol T.:.nks. It Yncs rosolved thut c, copy of thu Pro-Licensing ;1cquircrnont.s bo sont to the firm in question.

The Honorri,ry Socrotr.ry sub1,1ittoc: scvon n.pplic2,tions for membership. :1_.sroccl thoy be 1\cccpted.

Ifr. Derm o.skeCl the ittoc to cor.c;idor gr0,nting Honornry EombGrship of the Group to Mr. F.l':. Lowis, F.R.I.c., City f11alyst, Coventry, for the outstanding services ho hrts rorniEJrcrJ, particult1rly in Locturing ,'.lt tile Coursos for Potroloum Officors. The Comrnittoe unanimously ngrood.

The Ronorc.r3r Socrotc,ry roporterl thc,t since tho for::.11::.tion of' the Group in 1958, the <md work hr:;c1 boon done by his Secroto,ry but that at no tim.e Im.cl Rny acknowledgement of h<-ir s.arvices boon mc:.clo. Ho ur3od thrd; a tcmgiblo form of rocoraponso vms ovurduo E>.nd. askec1 for f11vourc:..blo consiclor:ttion. The Cornmittr3e c:skot1_ th0 Honorary S1:-;crctc.ry to convoy to his their n:pprocic.tj" on for her S:Jrvicos 'md. agreed tl-nt ccn honorarium of £21 bo mn.clo. ,

NEXT MEE'.C ING-

Mr, Doan reported that ho eoulc'. obtain the use of' the now Civic Hnll, Solihull for tho Gcmoral I.:ooting to be held in Lpril, at a cost of £3. ligreecl.

i!UnJrES OF L'E i.i:-;:crn:c OE THE EXECUTIVE cmtEITTW. '.)F TJiE C'-ROlJP

Held at Dudley 30th March, 1965

Ii.. nnd Messrs. Beeby, Beer, Bloor, Hall, Holc1away, Jloden and Honora.ry Secretary.

DRi'Ji'T CONSTITU'I1 ICI'T AJ"'D !{uLJS

'fhe }fonon1ry Secrete.ry reported that these harl been submitted to the Group Legal for his comments. They had been rohLrmid without any s 1ic;gested amendment and the observation that the cJTaft n as -r2ry well worded.

DRi\.l''T LIC:GNCE CONDITIONS

The Honorary Secretary informed the Comc,:ittee that these also had ·neon submitted_ to the Ifonorar7 Legal Adviser who had_ ma,le a few minor amendments. The Committee agreed to include them in the final draft. rrhe Honoro.c7 Secretary was requested to thank the Honorary Legal _!i.dviser for hi,s _;Grvices and point out that his suggestions would. be ::_ncoriJorated in the Licence Conditions.

question of' the cost of stencillinz the necessary number of copies then a:cose. It was agreed that copies for present members be g1'atis but ti:at extra copies and copies f'or new members should be paid for,

TI-ffi BULLE'I'IN

Tlle Editor, ux.plc1.ined the clifficulties of future issues of 1 'l'he Bulletin: and submitted a number of suggestions to overcome the difficulties. He stated that a 20 page issue could be printed at a cost of £lt- per After careful aiscussion of all the points involvecl, Beer proposed. an 1l Mr. H all seconded that Mr. Hold.away proceed along the lines he had suggestecl.

A letter was read frorJ Hr. R.E. Dust (OxforG.) regarding a meeting to be held on the 20th Hay next, to consiCcer the formation of a Branch. It was a creed thr"t tvvo members of tl10 parent Body should attend and tffit their expenses be paicl.

A letter from the Secretary (')f thu proposecl Tees-side Branch was roacl Branch formation. It vras resolved that the Honorary Secretary ask him to defer calling a m·eting until c;,fter the Annual General lieocing, when it is hoped the recommended Branch Rules will be issued.

The Honorary Secretary was requosted to write to the Honorary Secretary of an0(;her proposed Branch on similar lines.

A letter fr cm St£;inos U .D .C., suggesting action by the Group to get the licence fee increr:,,ed was considerecl_, Ivir. Beer was r-csked to c1eal with the mECtter.

OTHEl:"l.

BUSINESS

The Honorary Secretary reported he hn.d received six nominations to date for the :Gxecutive Committeci for 1965-66.

ME: ET I NG]]

66 Local Auchorit3r Members re)resentatives. 8 /,ssociate Members. 6 Vis:\.tors.

After a le.te start to the rJroceeC'.ings, the Chairman, Mr. H. Griffiths, introclucer:L the .orshipful, the Ma·,or of Dudley, C'.mncillor W_.G .K. G-riffi ths, J.P., and invitec1 hL1 to opnn the i.;:ieting.

In extending a vory sincere welcome to delec;ates, th.:: liayor those present on the exce1lent gatherins :Ln vieYr of the appellinc wee,tl"ce:..· conci.it:;_ons. He spoke ver::r highly of' t}1e rnrk the Group was doing and wished it co,1.tinueJ_ success. Ee expressed the hope that Dudley would again bo chosen as tb_e venue of a future Group 1'.e proposed me dins a.elegates at tea.

The Chairman then welcomed members end and expressed his :?leasure tffi t reprosontD/ci ves from ICilmarnock, Bristol, Southend-on-Sea, Swansea and Neath 11£,c boen aole to 'beat the '.\Gather'.

Apologies

totallinc; were received.

The Heports of a Group Ifoetinc; helcl on 27th October, 196L1-- and of an Executive Committee 1'1ieeting b.-;lcl on 10th November, 1964, were •

MID-1.T3EK SCHOOL

Arising from the tl,_e Honorary Secretary saic_ that t_o date he had received more t>an 1L1--0 alJ1Jlications for

The Chairman bbserved that as only 60 :,;l:1cos wore availabl" it meant there would be cJ.sappointmont. He su.id_ L1ere h[-tC_ been mention of two Schools during the year, but on this t11ere v:as the probable difficulty of obtainL\"\ lecturers for the secorn" School, coupled '.Yith the holiday perioc1, vrhen, perhaps, some of those disapr)ointed for the first School wo1110. be away at the tiJ;:.:; of the second School.

Mr • .Metcalfe suggostec1 that the School might consider grantin,"; to Local _;iut'·orities vrhicl': hacl not previousl;y been reprosonted. The Chairman said this -..vould be borne in mind.

BRL:NCP PORl.ILTION

The Chair:i1an observed that instances had come to light where /rnthorities wore not members of the Group had invitea_ to an initial called to m:plore the possibilities of for1;1ing a Branch. Ee emphasisecl that only M:c:::m"'.:lor Authorities could become members of a lkanch and the Honorar:r haa. been asked to communicat:::i these views to Branch Sponsors.

HONOPJlliY

Referring to the ·work vrhich the Honorary Secretary had carried out :f'or the Group, ho ruported the,t his Executive Com;:1ittoe felt that a fi ttinc tribute wou}_d be to confer Honorary Membership on the Eono:car:r Secretary. He maclo this a proposition which was seconded by Hr. Dean anD unanimously accl.'l.imed by the Group. The Honorary responded and exprossecl the hope that he would be permiit-l;ecl t o continue in the Office •

The bvsi:i.ess being conc1P.dc,-:_, tho ChaL·wan called upon llr. .T. Jackson, Grad.I.=: .D., Dcsic:;n Development z;:1gineer of Messrs. D •. G-unn (EngineGrinrJ Lt(1_., to domonstr0-te the Gloster/Gunn Parn.ffin Vona.in@; Hac;1in0.

The G-loster/C-unn Paraffin Vencl.ing Machino is supplied in two main types.

TYPE 1

For installation on sites wl-:ere the storage has sufficient head to feecl the machine by gravity.

Paraffin is feCl. from tho main storaf!:<J tanlc to the supply control tank situatea_ in the base of th.::: mac':ine, from wJ-,icb it is purr:pod into th<J measuring vessel. ParJi'fin level is controllec by a float operated. flap valve closing in lino with the po_,raffin flow. An omE::rgency val vo opera-Corl by a weighted arm is triggered by a ball float when pura.f:fin rises aoovo norm::,1 working Lwel. To onsure against short moasure to customer, a low levol switch is fitted and when operatoc1 isolates the coin sel::ictor mechanism.

In ao.dition to the normal chock valve on the st tank outlet, a solenoid v.:-:J.vo is mounted on the supply food rrom this tank to tho machine. This VD,lvo is normally closed and only opens for a set time vrhcn the mchine is op0rated by the cus·couor. For this purpose the valve is vdreci clirect to 8. sep2.rato control unit, ensurine; of the main st o:::·age tc:.nk from tho machine.

Hounted on top of tho Supply Control Tank is a readily detachable spillage rc:scrvoir to collect vmsto :fron tho serving compo.rtmont, tltls shoula. bo emptied or checked onco por do.y. The clanger from overflowing and soiling areE, arouncl mctchine, is eliminatec: by an oved'lov: pipe :fitted inside the reservoir.

For installo,tion on sitos -,;d1-ore the storage tank is at a considerably lovol than t;;,o m.:=:.chine itself, for t'nis type no s olenoi<i vd ve is fi t·c ed to tho or ago tank.

In this macl-1inu tho Supply Control l'ank is replacecl by a suction type contrifuc;al pwnp clrawing cliroct from ma.in tank. As there is no Supply Control TaYL1<: to receive excesc. p'.i.r(),ffin pumped dur.ing the measuring c;cclo, it is neces to ru:n a return pipe ( 1 11 bore) from machine back to storage tarL1<:, to carry this excess away.

The machine is set in pl·i.cing a coin in the appropriate slot an the :'ront panel. Paraffin is pumped from Supply Control 'l'ank for a set period of t::i.m0, into t:-:o moc.suring vessel. This vessel C8ntains a funnel shaped orifice returning vif:. C', large bore pipe to supply control tank. The positioning of this orifice d.eterr,1inos the course settint:; of tho ro:-1uiroCL moo.suroment. FinG acljustmcrn_t is achieved by setting a displacement bulb situated in tho cover of the measuring vessel.

When the i1ur::.p ceases to run at the and of' it 1 s timed cycle having a.oliverecl an excess of paraff'in into the measuring vessel, there is a sb_ort delay to allow tho superfluous oil to escape via the fmmel orifice, back to Supply Control To.nk. Tho delivery button on tho frort panal is then brought into -Cho circuit Lnd parafi'in may be drmm off c:·irou2;h t:-.0 nozzle in the sorvin.:; compartment. (Illumine.t;,;cl from the interior). A li[:ht on tJ->.o :f:cor,t· of the ma.chino indicates

The vosso1 is sor:.le,1 unit c.n:J 11n emorgor...cy ovorf'l.01.1 rotur:n to t '·c co!'_tr'.Jl tad: the mocsurinc; :tail to co-pc; ··;ith oil t}.clivorect 'by the I

In t:ypo 2 rni'.c'.oinc;s all oxcGss oil, s;JiJJ .'.\;'G otc., is roturr1cd to main sto2ae:G ts.nk vio. c, S<)(l: .rn.0:1t tra1) Y:hic:1 sh011ld. be r:_1"'3.j_nc 1i cvor:;:·

Tb.ci Coir1 t:\nd Un:i.t .,...._,__ ,.,,,.

Those e.re; sc:lf-containcJ. s mountc(1 cm rou.ov:i.b::...e p·c..n.:::ls at sido of IfiE,.cl1ino, tl102.;· j_-'c ·:.it o t}13 'bre,ins ' of t J.-13

a coin is placod in the slot on tlw front panel of me.cl·1:i.no it p<::,ssos diroctl:'" into the Coin S ,1octor d1oro l'c c'1ec1reu' ..{.l r ai•t'"\r':":'lo.l.. t';cl '"'IC! ,..,•11 :1 Cl()"O *:°•"l(' • ..., l.. J. 0 __ c tc.; 1Jer, vn:'--'-o•- , n..._ i .• l--OU. <:;\c:.)•J <·•Lt composition. This r:1ochrmisn L: one of lnost and expensive units of its type;. lilly coins noG accoptctbfo to this dovice aro ro,jccto'.l into the r0turn shuto. Should a sood 'out

lu datmgod. coin become ja;:1meu in the uocl'lccn:i.s1.1, it may be roloasccl. by pressing th<3 lfojector But con on the f'ront panel of tl:1c rn2,chine, when tho coin rrill be rolec,sc·i. int0 tho :::·e.:'curn s:1uto.

He.vine; boon acceptod. by th0 Coin Selector Unit C'. coin is passed into the operating noclmnisn, triggerin0 en routo a counting device. At the end of its travel tho coin corr:os to rest against a 5ae,l1 pin, depressing it and tl;;;rcby sott:1.ns tho r,iccchine in motion • .Sinultancous oper::,tirms cornrrenco as follo'·rs :-

1 • 'l'imin;; not or A runs, on pur11p.

2. The Doli vory Bntton is is ol<. tccl fror:. the circuit m:surinG that cannot bo 0.2'D.wn off d;Jrine:; the pc;riod.

3. Tho coin bulk is brouc;/c int0 opor.0 ,tion provonting furt':·or coins from being tho vendinb eye lo.

Inc1icC!.tor light on tho front of tho mnchino lishts ul).

5. (TY}Jo 1 only) Ti1 11inc 15 runs opening tho Solenoid Valve in the s-up)ly foucl cmd o.lloning re})lcmishmunt of the Su}'ply Control To.nk.

Onoe these conr:•C'1COd tho coin is to 2a11 into ti10 Coin ])ox o.nrl all furt:-ior v:ith the exc,;:;:ition of the custonor pressing tho Button, aro au·c':»lA.ctic.

After 20 secorn1s tho pwH]:l, h1:0vinz, passed 2.n oxcoss qurnitity of paraffin into ·c':J.:j r.1oas1-1.ring vessel, is switchorl off'. Aftor [c further poriod of 3 socornis to allo1,;- the lovel in the vo:;sel td reach oquilibri1L1 the DoJ.ivery Dutton ic onco ac=;e in brought into circuit P..nd tho Irnlicator lit;ht OL tho :front of tho ms.cr:ir:o out incl.ica ting tl-1at p.".rDS .•in r.my bu drawn off.

It can bo ser::::n froG the forcgoin,: .::J.lu·:int; 2 soconr;.s fior thG of tho coin throui:::;i1 tho Selnctur t.fochailism, tho timo from cwtua1ly inserting the coin until ave5.lablc:: is 25 scrnbnd.s. Delivory of tho of parafi'in is .?,pyrux:irn»tol:v 30 s 2c oncls •

Timing motor 3 runs, holclins opon the Solonoicl Valvo. f'or a period. of one m:i_nuto to [ollow tho Supply Control Tank to r ench the required operating levol. At this point tl:.o valvo is closed. autoraa.ticnll,y rerriains so until t110 coin is inserted.

From it co.n bo soon th?.t the full cyclo tirno of the machine is a normnl ono r.d.nuto, but p;:..ro.Zfin cc;.n in fe.,ct bG obtnin0d at a soraevroot fn.stor recto th:::.n as th<:i tir:1int:; pericd on t)1e Solenoid V.-;,l vn is suffiC'iont to pass cm excoss of' oil, nnd, undur rapid veno.ing conditinns this vo.lvo c,d.ll only opon four t:Lmos in each five cycles the Supply Control Tank CFiJ1 novor drop to a dangorously low levol.

G8neral Constructions

The machine is of tho :B'roo Standing Cabinet typo.

Dimensions: Ifoight 4 '7" Wiclth 1 r 1 O" Depth 1 '4"

'rho frame is of 1" x steel angle, all joints arc welded. The outer cover is in threo parts, tho case propor, tho front ror.:ovoable po..nel o..nd tfi,; hincod i::.a. These coi.Y1ponents are in 13 SWG stool shoot.

The front panel is h0lcl to tho mtwhine at tho bo..so by a robust steel nhicl;. locates over the front r.iombor of the main franc. J'.:1.t the top the hinr'.od lid overlo.ps the top of thG front p1rnel n.nd the whole is sccurecl by a Yf'.le t-voe Bn.rrel Lock cct·co,che(l to El. 5/16 11 steel b2,r which passes through the front 1:-aco of the hinged lid, tho front p<mol C..l!u. tl1ree :\: 11 r:iild stoel 1 in+;erlocking 1 plates. 'ro re:·,;ovo tho front par.ol without the o.ppropric..to ke:r would involve shearing this stee:l bar.

by -Cho Boarcl of '1.1 r[l,do (Cort. No. 345).

DI0CC3SION

lixo the motors of tho pwnps flr.!aep1·oof?

"No, tl10 cost irnu1d be excessive."

Can delivery button b0 usoc1 while the delivery puop is running? Also is there Q spillage reservoir fitted to tho suction food machine? (Unclorgr01.mcl tank)

"No, dolivory button is isoll'.tGd fron tho circuit during measuring porioc1. Yus, but rmst bo daily;'.

Who..t happens to tho excess paraffin delivered to r.::tG.<'.suring vessel nith an und.ergrouncl. tank?

"Returns direct to "l[.dn storage to.nk via. a 1 " b oro pipe 11 •

Letter ro;:i,O. by l'lr. Cave fron Mr. :\cl.aNs saying that a from Boarc1 of '.l're:.de stn,tei' Vending Machines selling by price vrnu1ii not bo legal after 31 st July, 1965, becauso of the new Woichts Moc,sures Act.

Mr. Roden Birl!'.inc;hl'!.rn

Mr. Hushes Stafford

Mr. Comley Chco..ctlo

Mr. Jackson ropliGcl

"A price/eallon notice will be plncod on t11e Elachine and the para.f;in will bo solc1 at 2/- worth at a pricG of x/- per g1",llon".

Hr. Metcalfe agreed a notico of price/gr..llon will satisfy the r equi.roraont s •

Er. I-ID..11

Cnn an unco::1plotou dGli vory ba continuoD. later by :cnother person, st,y for instance a child?

""Yos, a person -,vould receive wl1nt was loft in rri..'.1.chine. Relo['.,se of the butt on does not moan thnt the remaining p.'.'.raffin in the machine is unobto..in2.blo. Butt on can 'bo doprossoC. and released any nurnbor or' times until fulJ. mocsure is obtainocl".

If sonething goes wrong with the machine, and the J:X1-r?.ffin is pumped round in a circle, is thoir anything to stop the clelivory button being pusherl, and thereby cause a of paraffin?

"Whon the pui1p is operating in the r::k"l.chino, tile cle1ivery is isolated from the circuit • (Mr. J ucks on then f er,10nstrated this)

Is tho light on the Vena.ins Machine lef·'c; on cont:l.nuo..lly at an instcllation?

"Yes, it is".

What is the cap::ci ty of the spillage to n!.;: nt·:;r.,ch,::id to t ho serving compc..rtmont?

"One gallon co.pacity. If any more enters thero is a, syphoning device v;hich allons the parr.ffin to drain to the supply control tank".

Is the moe-s ure rogula ted by the f'unnol,?

"Yos, finer arljustuent nr.de controlling the <1isplc.,coment bulb".

Vloulcl not a larger flexible hos e be :-•iore oas:r to use?

I

"A short tube is fitt(HJ to provont spillnso on forecourt by Lwcic1.ctnt or otherwise".

Can it deal witl1 other than 2/-i coins?

Mr. Driver Wolverhrcnpton

Ii.i.r. Clarke Southend Mr. Tyson Brighton

Mr. Hurray ) ylosbury Jl.'Ir. Willc:nd Skogness

Councillor A.H. Bailey Mansfield

Mr. Brown S-.r-msea

"Not this m&.c:1ine, but by fit, tine; a c1-iff,3rerrc coin sel8ctor ocher coins may be us ed.".

Is the water at tl1e bottom of the spil1ac:e tank s:rpho:1.ed. off into the 8v.pply Control 'i'c,nk?

"Thi.: vn=d;er separates out ano. only parc,L"in flo•.-;s into ·cho ':up:ply Control 'l'ank, so long as ti1is tan.k is omptiec:':. once a day 1 '.

At 2.15 p.r·'· the Chairman introduced Mr. 1.H. Backler, Deputy Tovm Clerk, ana. invitAC:1 lcim to open t:1e afte:cnoon session.

lfr. Backler expressed. the re[.,ret of' t:1e To-·n Clerk tb£,t he was unable to be present owing to an engagement in Lonclon. Hr. Backler s11.ia. he ·•>o..s delirJ1ted at sud1 a gooc. attendance 2,nd, like the Niayor, hopea. the Group •.ould ac;a:in co;ne to Dudley in morehospite>.ble weather.

'l'he session too:: the for1:1 of an 1 Open :corum 1 , the Panel cons is tine o::":

.A.ssistant Divisional. Officer, LA. Gray, Leicester

J.A. Flintham, Branch Nanager, Total D.H. Senior I-Iealt}1 Inspector, Atcha:n

Each I!le:nber of the Panel spo:ce on the encountered in the practical of t>e Pet:c0 oloum h.Cts:by A3sistant Divisional Of'.i:'icer, , .L. Gray,

Probably the main difficlclty in the practical applic::-,tion of the Petrolernn i.ct lie3 wit ll the Act itself.

As this Group is well aware the Act e1npowers a Local Aut:·Lori to grant Petroleum Liconses ancl to attach such conditions to the licence as they think experlient, but the Act does not lay a.own conditions, and although tl-::.e Home Office have issued a Nocl.el Code or Licensing Conditions there is no reC]_uirement upon any Local Authority to accept these Conditions, thus wo find that licensing conditions may vary from .place to place and in fac·c in some areas ti1ere not even bo any conditions, similarly, tho eniorcing Depar·cment is diffGrent in a Local f.uthority area.

In Leicester City the prn;ers of inspection has always becm delegc:,tecl to the Fire BrigE>,cl.o and here clifficulties often arise inasmuch e,s ',rc'utects and Pe·crol Companies often submit plans for Bye-Law approval or Plan iing but not to the li'ire Brigade, so we may find work in progress witl:.out approval having been given.

E_nk

We find clifficultios o,rise in the 0.esire of owners of filling stations and. others to r oplaon existinc; to.nl:s of 500 G2.llons capacity

with ta:nks of a larger size to increase their storage capacit:r. and in th8 acti1:>n of chancing to the storaee of Diesel or Paraffin.

This, notnithstanclinr; the conditions of licence, is often done wi. thout notification to the Authority only cJ.iscovored during a routine inspection.

Petroleum iJixtures

OnCJ e.&pect of: the ;,et which causes ili.i'ficulty to the Fire brigade and cont\la1on in the minds of Factory ci.n6 Iorkshop Management 11 the use o"f l'etroJ.eum Mixtures Solutions used in the Boot :md. Sho& · InD.ustry.

in garages, wood,1orking establishments, etc.

Pctrolm.:.m Hi.."<tures in storage fall to be stored under licence, but inmanfPU10:tTon fall under the juriso.iction of H.I1':. Inspector of Factories,

pai:ri.._t of petroleum base is within the kct for storage, cellulose paint, not petroloum based, is not, but both are again the responsibility of H.M. Inspector 'Nhen being used.

Not the least amongst the difficulties is the keeping of rofering to quantities stored, tank testing and replacement • :llill DIF 1,gt1LTIE8

OF 'l1EE '.PT1l'ROLEtJ111

by J.A. Flintham, Branch Manager Total Oil Products.

My job is largely cone erned with the Planning and Construction of Petrol service stations, and also with their maintenc.nco and operational problems, so I am glad to have the opportunity of talking to the Group about some of the practical oifficulties in relation to the Petroleum Acts.

I woulr1 like to emphasise one thing straight away. ·;;rhether we a:ee employec1 ;l_n Local G-overnment or by the Petroleum Companies we have a corrunon interest in ensuring that Petroleum legisle>,tion is iu1:-:lemontec1. The Petroleum Companies spend a good deal of' time ane. effort at the Planning and De1>ign stage of the :new service station ancl a good deal of money during construction to see that we are kooping to the book of rules. It is not an easy job. 1.'!e are quick to spot the safety snac;s affocting the petroloum installation on a nev., site duLt'ing the very early planning stngGs, and many a service station has beetn strangled at birth for this reason v:ithout gottinc as far as a , planning application. Ne try wherever possible to bo e. step of the safety requirements. T1;ike tl10 electrical installt·.tion, for instance. You will find on the 'Total' etations now uno.or c onstrµctim that Pyrotenax cable is used throughout the salos ana. sGrvice buillling, as well as the forecourt, and that each circuit is pro-Cectet'L by a I miniature circuit breaker switch, · 'hich gives a very gooc. standard of fire protection, and avoids problems such as amateur extension's to the v1iring at a later. date and a cleliborate overloading of circuits by jamming nails across th(: fuse holders.

One problem, like tho poor, is always vii th us and that is lack of time. I do not know vrhothor it is e;enerally ree.lisecl quite how

4. No dri voway a1.nholos, no una.ergrouncl vent line::i, no UD\1ergroun· suctions, no conta:Jinn.tion, wel(lGd lines so rollucod. risk of loalrnge.

5. From this, siting problons aro reduced. It is ofton VOJ.'Y c1iff'icu1t as I h:·wo saic1 to plan the bo st position for tnnks and vonts fron tho safety aspect v:hilo &t tha sai:10 time m,-1.king sure that the roo.d cc,n got in anrl_ out of tho si to ec,:oily. ·:Tith t:tls arrD.nt;emont, tho vents, to..nks pumps are all Jcopt in the ono s1;call aroa, 1-r}1ich itself is alvmys in tho safost place on tho sito the niddle, and thoro no othor sourcos of po<;rol vc.pour to worr:y c.:oou·c. Positioning the v:.mts on -the isl.?..nd is I think at lor,st o,s safe as running up the builcLing vmll there l1avo been cc.scs of V.?..:pour enterinc windows n.ncl doors and c11 using ace idont s.

Old abanclonod service pipe; s o.ml co.blos f'J.rrnys nake no nervous. J.i'or-Cunatal:r wo hn.vo never yet hD,c-;_ an nccident. on a Micllrmd site as a result of a live gas or electricity sarvico, ancl there is of course a recognised. procedure for contacting the local board anJ. arranging for service on tho site to bo idontifieC:. an] disconnoctod, but I have hoard of' c n.sos whero the wrong 1?ipo or c.J.ble vms identified with alarrlling results. Caroloss rrorkmon can be another nennce, particularly when work is being carrioc1 out on an existing forecourt nith pccrol in the tanks. Coke braziers and blmrlaHps pl:icod noar tank vonts cmcl_ ncmholes, smoking and. cigarette owls, badly ··:.-irod am=:_ uloctrical tools, all this type of thine l:lf'..s to bo A 0.oal dppends h£re on tho sonso and porson['..lit:r of the foro;::o..n. of forecourt liGhting has its problems. We use a mercury fluorescent typo lc..mp which clo not require to be flo,ne or vapour proof in thornselvos a.s thoy o.re nountuc1 on polus .'..l.t t-:ro:i_vo foot hi,Y1, Iloirnver, tho ratlrnr bulky control goe,r the lo.nps is not flaaoproot ana_ WO thoroforo h.-'tVO to find space for tfils in the switchge£'.X cubicle back in the no.in buil(lini:;.

The tube lights placorl to m.11rk the pu.vonont crossings are an irn:portant itom of forocourt ancJ_ can be troublGsorne o.s thoy aro oft on victims of' the dri vor wl10 mis jud.gtJs his ap;Jroach nncl. knocks them flat. 1\lso thoy raquiro indiviiluall,y converting t;o fl.<::.110-proof type or vapour-J_Jroof' whore thc:r aro positionerl vrithin twonty fo0t of tho pumps. It wot1 lcl be helpful to h.'1 vo a l',ccoptablo distance anCl hoight lo.id dovm beyond which Gloctrical fittings neocl not h; flame or vapour-proof. This point often arises in connection Hith fluoroscont strip li[!;hting to the underside of forecourt Ccmopios, ancl ;:10st Looal Regulations s:)Om to bu somowho.,t vague on the subject although thoy covor the puup oloc-Crics thorout,hly,

What methOQS are adopteci in dealing with the replacement of faulty tanks on existing sites, and does Leicester approach the :;)rinciple of an over the pavement filling station liberally?

Mr. -Tarner National Benzole

Er. Tr imi Shell-Hox

i\.nsrrer Er. Gray

Mr. Tyson Brighton

Answer Mr. G-ra2r

Mr. Brow::'.l Swansea

• Mr. Tyson .. lir. Mattl1evrs Dorby

"Very tricky. Must look at both sides, but we ao aprJro2.cl1 IJroblems sympati1etically and usuc-.lly allow tank replacement. Poliooobjoct to over pavoriient deliveries ana_ it is usually possible to re-site pump 11 •

Diel tan.K: for tank mean replacomont of tan}: of' equal cB,pacity? Because a larger tank would result in less visits by tankers.

"I;qual Capacity"•

Was this ref'orring to inside or outsicle ta:ri1.:s?

"I mean outsia.e the building. tank inside woulc""\. ha.ve to be considered by tho C.F.O."

A

This principle pe:c:?etuatos substanciarc1 sites v:ith tanks uncl.er builc:Lings or even under pav,)ments. l'here is power to oor 1pol ::;roper installation, and one s; 1 oulcl. not bo too sympathetic. If' ta:ri1.:s on substandard stations fail, should refuse to re-license •

The liconsee has pmrnr to appeal to Secretary of' State • Could Iiir. Flintham give some advice C',S to the best way of' cloaling with concrete aprons r;hich h"'l,,Ve been to insert a second suction pipe? The reinforcement lattice is broken alone:; a narrorr channel. (In Derby, ho insisted on the whole apron being replaced).

Answer Mr. I:'lintham

"The safest way was to replace the whole aiJron, where this spanned an unclergro1.J.nd tank vault or chamber".

Mr. Clarke Southend

Answer Mr. CrQy

Mr. Cave on bel1alf of Borough

Is it pos siblc f'or a Petrol Compan2r to hold. a licence Fhere they have put in a tenant?

"In Leicester it is a condition of licence tlr:.t the occupier or tenant holds a licence ancl koops it. fot hqld at a Petrol Company I-Ieadqu rtGrs'1.

Engineer Luton.

!

What are the viei:;s of the installation of eloctricclly operated cash registers in close proximity to the pumps. Is it necessary to have a flame-proof motor?

"Fo o:x:pe:cionco in Leicostorn •

Answer ";uoting i.Ir. ShP..rpe II Boyno Jristol

"Not safe unJ.oss fJ_2,mo-:;y-::•oof 11 •

11 Accept induction t10-Cors not othor types".

Hr. Cave on boh0,lf of E::iginoor ltichrnond

a) Is a house garage for a private car a storat;o plo.co r1ithin Rogulc.tion 1 l:. of ti'Ki Pd:rol.:rum Spi:ri t Hoculr:. ti ons 1 929 where netrol onl:r 1:ept in car tank? and b) Vlha t e.ction should be talrnn with persons failing ·co ronow licence whon roqv.ostoct?

Ansvrnr Er.

:Mr. Trim

Answer Mr. Flintham

Mr. Hi.lgho s - Stafford

AnsY!er Mr. Gray

Hr. Metcalfe Srnethv1ick

Answer Mr. li'J..intham

"Firstly, no licence roq_nirec3. ancl for the second pc.rt a letter could be sent to 1mrn of t!1e £20 per clay penalty".

I am interested in Mr. Flinth0,m 1 s "Package T2.nk and Pump;'. Obstruction by tanker coulcl cause difficulty from sales point of view ana. also add to dangers.

"A measure of agreemont hero but advantages outv.reighod disadvantages".

How t!.O you onfo;.·co cleaning out of petrol tank after a changoovor to Derv he's boon maO..e nithout previous cleaning?

"In Leicester licence conditions sto..te a tc:n1k must b0 cloanod out. Also uno.e:r LeicestDr .h.cts and. Public Health Act, 1951 ",

Could an effective manhole lid seal bo devised using fovrnr bolts? H.'wing milled surfaces for instance.

"To d.o this would require much thicker or ro-inforced. lids".

A vote of tha,riJcs to the Panel by Mr. T .J. Metcalfe and approved by the :Members, concluded tho cLq_ys proceedings.

Tea and rofreslunents, kinaJ.y provia.oc1 by the Purposes c"'..uring which His Worship tho Eayor chatted 1tlth 1,iembers, rounded off a most and instructive Meeting.

Mr. W.H. MatthoY1s proposed a vote of t:1anks to tho Me.yor and Dudloy Corporation for their hospitality ana. wolc omo and to :Mr. 1.A. Cave anc1 his st.::cff for tho excellent c,rrangomonts me.de.

PROSECUTIONS

PETROL· SPILL OZJ!'o:till

On the mornin:_:, Fricl.e y 2nc_ Octob 'r, 1 964, an urgent call was received at the Oxforc1 City --.-eishts 2 nd Moas1 1ros Departrrlent, saying -(;hat a quanti,cy of :i::ietrol hacl boon s11illod. dnrinc a de1ivery from a road tanker at a Ho0,0.ington, Ox:c"ord. gr,re,Go. Within a matter of minutes the Inspector, Er. J.J. Frid, at the scone to f'i!lo. a cohsid.o:c'o,ble quantity of petrol sprcJad ovor the garage forecourt lmcl · in pools all around the Explosimeter roac1inc;s sho· oct t:1c; presence of nuch cfar:c;orous vapour.

Cleo..rl:r, h0,d an ignition occurrec., there 1-r:::..s a grave cl.anger of fire G.nc1 ex:plosion. Sor,10 of the spirit hacl found its 1-:r? y into tho su.rfo.co-water 0.rains, adjacerct to the .";c'..rage, rmd these c:Jptiec1 into thr.:; River Thar..ies >7hich vrc s o,bout 2 miles Hot only n;:.s tl1ore risk of explosion involving the r>holo length of the dr:-cin, but the rosulting firo might have easily sproac3_ to tho river itself thus enc.an,; oring the many er.aft moored. tl"'wre.

Strict precautions, to prevent this hap :ening, vroro im::·,ecliatel:;r t1:'1rnn. With tho assistance of the Police and Firo Dop2,rt:,1011t, officers vrnre to prevent the D..?:nroc. ch of people with cigarettes, and also to "\IQrn thor:1 of the c1cmger. All tho oloctr:i_city supplies had boon previously isolatecl by the gc.raso manager, and extinguishers lmcl been pl0,coa_ e;t tho roc.dy •

The problen rras what to do next? Tho Pire DrigC'i.e nc.s asked to put a fine •:rc tor spray over tho whole area. i:rhich, it uc s thour:ht, would at leact losstm the risk of ignition. t:1on eot busy flushint; a.own ·chc ::i.'orocourt of the: gara:;o, and. the su:cl'c.co-:';atDr drains vrith gallo:1S m:.cl gallons of vrat0r. It is true this n.ction carriec'l. tho pe-\:;rol mvay to the river, buc it w£Cs considorol t}1at tho gruE>.tor claneor of c.n explosion in drains wouJ.c'}. thoroby quickly bo romovea_.

The circumstC,acos of tbe spillngo are both intorosting cind unusual. Enquiries rovea.led tlnt about 2CO t;allons h<Jl escapee. fro;n tho Shell-Llex and B.P. t.s.nkor, which vms still in attom:C>nce. The Certificc.te covoring the ctolivory a:ppoo.reCi. to bo in ordor, and tho big loophole in the sD.foty proco.uti(jns seomeC., at this stage, to bo failure to snpej_·vise -Cho whole o:::' the act of c.olivory.

\{hen ce:;:tain that the area hc,d boe;.1. renderoCJ. free from G.an(!;er, Iir. Friel first intorviowocl tho tn.nker dri vor D..nd stater;ient revealed th11t, whilst l1is dip11ins proceclure, etc., was as it s!rnuld have boon ;;ma_ tho connections \7ero 2.pparently sa:fe and. not leaxing, ho left the delivery to make nhat he described as an 'urgent visit to the lavatory'. The attendant who vms on duty 8-t tho filling station vms not present either during the delivery. It vras during this perioo. when no ono was in attonckmce that the hose becaae cliscon,:1octo0.. from tho ta:'llcor, ana. the petrol gushed out frooly.

Tho fact that tho petrol we,s running vms first noticod by the pru:1p attendant who rushed to tho driver in tho lavatory to toll him that tho tanker was leaking. Tho drivei·, who vras toE1porarily unablo to attend hh1self, shouted an instruction to turn the key off to the loft. Tl1is nas done by attendant, and the oscc:cpo of petrol nas stopped. At this point tho :nanacer of ti10 filling stat=..on s o..w vras hapyoping, 'phoned the Firo Brigac1e, isolated the electricit3r ;:.nCl. put his extinguislwrs out onto tlrn forecourt.

From all these eircumstanccs, a nuaber of questions arose. Why did the hose bcGome discon:1cctod, and 'i:hy was tho attenci.ant not

attending in accordance Hi th the Recul<l tion? ·why the tanker clri ver -.-'r,;,s not ]lresent).

(It wc.11. well enough knorrn

'firn hose c:.ncl connec-tJ.on were exaniner1 imrnec:iatel3r by Mr. Frid, a:x1 },3 carefully went throut;h the normal 1n·oceCllire of connecting up for delivery. ne found tho:t by screvrinc_; ·i;ho hose on in the normal way, an apparently s2cure connection was nL".de, but he also found, that by giving tho hose a s1i·-ht jerk bJr hand it beca.mr; disconnected, Wear on the threac'.s w&.s not immeclia tely obvio1J_s, but se<bs·::quent detailed exa1:iina tion showed that the threac1s h&d become tapered, and this in normal use. It was this ta:pering of the three.cls 'uhich had caused tlJe failure when subject to the ;)ressuro o:C U10 liquid during ti1e delive;·y. The go.rac;e attendant, when intervierrnd, saicl ho had received no instructions from the manager, with regsrd to his duties i:rhen wafl being cle1i verea., other than the neoc'L for c'Lip11ing to iJe carrj_ecl out.

From this a nw-11ber of of:Cencos camo to lie:;ht, and proceedings were taken at the Oxford CHy Mai::;istrates 1 Court on Tuesday 8th Dece'i>ber, 1964.

the Company, Shell-Mex and B .P. Petroleum Ltd., were summoned for using vohicle fittings which were not maintained in good condition, contrary to Section 6 of the Potro1ecm (Consolidation) 1928; the precise wording of the information being as follovrn :-

You contravened. H.egulation II of the Petroleum Spirit (Conveyance by Road) Regulations, 1957, in that your tank '.!agon Registration No, 192.BGO., used for the conveyance of petroleum spirit, together with its connections and fittings, was not maintained in good condition in that at the Headinr;ton Fillin['.; Station, London Road, Oxford tho outlet pipe from the tank wagon and flexible hose connector which had been connor.toc:-C to the pipe for the purpose of delivering petroleum s9irit from the tank nagon into a storage to.nk at the fillinc; station, nere in such a condition that ·when connected they could be easily disconnected by a sudden ,ierk contrary to Secti•n 6 of the Petroleum (Cons oliC!.:i.tion) Act, 1928.

Secon6ly, the tanker driver was summoned, again under Section 6, for not keeping a constant natch on the carrying tank during delivery, and finally the manacor of the garago was sumrnonod under the samo Section for failing to a constant watch on tho storage tank.

A plea of guilt.-;r vas ontorecl in each case, and_ tho Company was fined £20, the drivor £20, and. the gara0e manac;or £10.

It is interesting to not8 that the hose in qc:;stion uas hycl.raulically tested by tho Compan:l 3 months before the incitlent, and was found satisfactory. It ·,-ras only upon careful visual exi1L1ination that any dofoct in it could be soon, and the lesson to be learnocl is tho,t dotailoc_ scrutiny of hosos and connections is of paramount importance in the routine exan:Lnation of road to.nkors.

In tho Oxford department, a carefully drawn u1:i ite:nisoc1 sheet is used for the inspection of ta:nlrnrs, ancl whilst an ir.struc"cion is made on the sheet to e::amino for 'strong ancl secure taps an0_ scrou caps 1 , it is obvious that this defect 0011ld have been found only by connectint; e,ll the dolivery pipes Rnd 1·:hilst in position. It 1tould havo to have boon a very pract_;_sec; eye indeed to pick out the tapering of the thread which resulted in this inciclent, which, by good fortune alone, cliC::_ not result in dame.rje or injury.

VISITS

HOLL.AJ\1D AND GERHANY, 1961+

During 1964 the Continental Study Section:visitec1 petroleum installations in Holland and C::-ermany, and Mr. R.E. Cooper, Press ,... Of'ficer of the Public Relations DepartCTent, the Ksso Petroleum Company Ltd,, London, was responsible for producing an admirc.ble programme. Throughout the rather long trip everything was extremely well organised and all the pccrty he,d to clo was to transport itself from place to place in accordance with a time scheclule,

On this occasion the transport problem was solved. by one member very generously allowing the use of his relatively new, and roomy car, so that for once the party was completely independent for transport. The car, plus the 1?,ssistrmce of Mr. Cooper in booking hotel accommodation at overnight stops, made the whole trip very much easier and consequently much more enjoyable,

An early start was made from the MicJ_lancls on Sunday the 27th September, 1964 when the target for that day was ti1e IIotel Central, The Hague, Holland. After a very pleas ant run to ;Dover and a smooth Channel crossing by car-ferry to Ostend, Belgium, a change of drivers took place and the party push0i on with all speed to Holland. The expected time of arrival at _The Hague was 8 .30 p .m., but unfortunately traffic conditions outside Rotterdam were quite chaotic and almost an hour was lost. On arrival at the Hotel, the Porter extenclecl a warm welcome on behalf of Mr. C. Bagchus, Public Relations Manager, -Ji:sso Ne1forland N.V., who hacl waited for some time and. then returned home to wait, leaving instructions that he had_ to 1)e telephonedirnmediately the party arrived. On booking in, each member was presented by the receptionist with an 1 Esso 1 folder containing brochures of Holland and some postcards, which was an extremely nice gosture. In fact, acts of thoughtfulness like these were typical of Hr. Bat:chus ancl his colleagues, both in Holland and G-ermany, Even before the party had time to unpack, Mr. Ba1:,chus appeared in person and whisked everybocly off on a short tour of The Hague.

The Hague, officiallyro.J.lled 1 s-Gravenhage, is the seat of Government, and the capital of the Province of South Holland. It has a population of approximately 600,000 and houses the Internati()nal Court of Justice. The Hague has been called the Residence on The Sea' because Scheveningen, the largest seaside resort in the Netherlands, is part of the Municipality of The Hague. This 1 Royal Residence' is also a typical international meeting point, the centre of diplomatic activity, and a town in which everyone can make himself understood in his own language.

Unfortunately, it was quite late in the evening when the tour commenced, but Mr. Bagchus in a rerns,rkably short space of time managed to include the old parts of the City as well as the International Court of Justice and other well-known landmarks.

The tour ended at an Indonesian Restaurant at Scheveningen, where the service is traditional (in traditional dress) and the food an experience. There were some 20 <liff'orent dishes on our table and -Chey uero all delicious and served with fascinating sauces. The meal, known as Il.ij sttafel, is based on a layer of rice, then all• the other goodies are pilecl. on top, that ·wonderful beef, th0se baked bananas and the marvellous roast pea-nuts in that ethereal Around midnight the party took leave of Mr. Bagchus and in accordance with tradition set out on foot to absorb some of the atmosphere of the City before retiring to bed.

The real business of the trip commenced next morning at the Esso

Building, a bloct of offices which turnecl out to have been clGsic;ned originally as a 'I'mm F2,ll. A nw:ibor of experts of the Company had been assemblecl_ in the Con:i'eronco Roon and cJrn modus operandi wa,s for each I:.:Xpert to talk on his u.m _i_Jarticular subject for ten minutes or so after which grnerul cliscussion took place.

Mr. H. Zuiclerbaan, of the f.Iarin8 Division of the Supply and Department, opc,;1oci the session by dealing specifically wit;1 the movcJment or' potrolcmm products -by barc;(;s on I1iland Vfaterways. It G,ppearecl thc\t Government exercisec'! con-:.rol on the rivers and canals, ,-bile the Eunicipalities exorcised control in the harbours. 'l'l1e Hules in opero.tion follo•:ed Intornr:,tional Lc;;v for the transport of flaD;:abJ_o liquic1s. The Compc::.ny hact its own Rulcc for tho loading and off-loo.dine of

Tho general constri_wi;ion ancl oc:_uipmont of bargos was controlled by the Govermaent, and oach barge uc-cs subjoct to inspection by the Dutch Shipping Inspection, a Govorm11Gnt body. Different standarcls of construction 1;1oro laid. down for high and lorr flash-point products. The load-carryinc; c0,ywhy of a bo.r.go was limitod to 2, OOO cu.meters because of the size of tho looks.

One particularly int".:;rostinc feature of Inland 'l'ransport described was tho 'Push Boo.t' the function of which was to 1 push 1 instead of ':Jul1 1 a mnaber of' barges. Of nocessity, the barge·),'> had to be linkocl solidly toc;ethor, and tho problem of forward visibility from the rnoti VG :pouer unit [l,t the roar o:f the barc;os was ovorc ome by the • provision of cclmeras on the bow section.

The next Speak:8r •ms Mr. P. Brus, Specialist of th8 Liquefied Potroleun1 Section of tho Markrjting Department, who dealt vory with the subject of L.P.C, His notes Hero of such interest that -Chey will be reprinted_ in extonso in the nGxt issue of 'Tho Bulletin 1 •

Nr. Brus w1:ts followecl by Lir. P.D,,T. ?burs, Hoad of the Section dealing with Service Stations D,ncl Dealer Dovolopment in the Marketing Deparcmont. He oxplained that the ros.d sysb;m was owned partly by the State, partly by tho Provincial aut'noriCies and partly by the l'.Iunicipctlities. To estD,blisl1 a Service Stci,tion it '.Vas first necessary to apply for a licence to tho oi.-mor cf the road for entry to and exit from the roac1 onto the le.nd, L,:1cl then to s ecuro p,_;rmis sion to use the l[mcl foT the rw s also r equirec1 from the liunicipality to usu oloctiic po11or, pumps, compressors etc., lmder tho Public 1Tuisc,nco 'l'he -:;y;Jc of builcJinc;, materi<cls, colour, arohi tecturE",l features etc., 1rnre o ontrollec1 by the Municipality, but mdng to the labour position in Holland, often c::.:pproval for the exponditure had ·co be obt2.. inod \-1hore th.-:; cost exceedod a certain figure. Although -Clrn Municipalities hac!_ autonomy, in general they ad.opted the advices and rocommenclations of the Gasoline Boarcl -,;here as usually happened they vrnro insufficiently expert with rogard to under and above ground storc::.ge facilities for liquicl_ fuel. The Gasoline Boara_ had reprosontativesfrom officic1,l bodies c:.ncl the major oil companies, and its purpose was to advise on licence conditions.

The storac:o tanks.at Service Stations wero always installed unclerground, ancl ·choy had_ to be covered v:itl1 a layer of soil at least 50 contirnc"ters in thickness. Thero wero requiremcmts for the qun.lity of the steel used for the construction of the and 0,,lso for the protecti vo coating. l•'urther, cathodic protection of the ta11k '.<'as required in those locations wlwro drinking watGr rras won from the ground, anc_ tho protective coo_tinc; of the tank hacl to bo tested r;ith high voltac;e equipment. It '7/!J,S expoctecl that during 1965 all tanks in the country Yrculd 'oo rcguirecl to have cat'.:oclic protection; that the dimensions of the tanks -..rnu1C:L bl: standardised; ancl that vory high

s tr,ndo.rds would bo imposed for t.'1,;-u:s L' 0 ccs to c xcludo the inoxport rnD,nui acturor frora tho market. 'l.'ho cmc°cs of fill-pipos he,d to b:: loco,tecl at least 2 n10tr<s distant f'rom tho tanks so o,s to prevent softening of tho asphalt coatinc; in the ·:vent of product spillage, Vent pipus had to be site0 to prevent VXJour entering Jwollin;:::i.

Mr. Nours than wont on to self-sorvico stations, ana stntoJ that thorc 1 ;ero only /our 1 split' stntions operating in Hollancl_. Twelve month.'3 previously a normal station hao_ been c0nvert:cl to self-service, but it not l1rx:n enthusiastically received although the tl'1rough;out of tlw stc1tion l:Je,d incroasoo_ by 2"lmmt one-third ·.:ithout any incentive by wc,y of ro:"uc 1,;ion. 11ho sale oJ' lub:.:ic.'.:tnts h_-cd dropped alJT1ost to half. Ivir, ncvorH-ieless, tha-t the idea of sulfsorvic e WEi,s grOi'ting.

• li'i11.all:y, J.Ir. L Cost Cd1d C:p1Jrati ons 1'/Ian:).[;Gr of tbo DupartmGlJ-(;, 11eal t with Cht:o 'lllostion of road transport.

Hr. Hage e:;:plo,inod U1::ct the sizo of rortd was by c,nC: under an of 1962, ro2,r [:xle loadings 1rn:ce 10 tons for a sh1clc axlo, 16 tons for c; tc,ndon: axlo, and 20 tons for a a.ouble axl:J the clistanco tho o.x1es was ovor 2 .05 metres ( 1 ton rms to 1, OOO Tho first limitation was the clead 1 :eight of the vehicle, as <i,n ,;xa: f;:)le, a singlo-c,xled vehicle \.'ould have a roar axle of 10 tons plus th0 stand[\rcl 6 tons on the front axle, rncci,lr.in: '" total of 1 G tons, from "<7hich tu -bo docluctec1 the deo.c1 1 :: eight o_( the; vehicle. If -this wc::::'o 6 tons, then tho payloctd 1vould be ·10 tons. Tho uso of lie;ht-wei[:d:t me,ceric,ls of construction was not c;,llO''ier1 in Holland for the transport of woto:c ce,solino •

'l'hG compartments of a ro::tcl V:.nkcr muse not c1xcoed 3,000 litre;[-;, but it wzJ.s understooc1 tha.t Com!'.lon Na,·kot Cou11trios wero currently discussing a possible increase in cr:.pa.ci::y to 5, OOO Jit:ccs compartment. Tho somi-trailor vehicle by cho Compa:ciy had a payloccd of 25, OOO litres 1..ri th 9 scpc,rG.c·::: compartments, but the samo vnhiclc; constructccl of almaini1,ir.1 with com11::i,rtmcmts of 5,000 litres woul 1J have a of 28,500 litr,:;s.

Mr. Hage rounded off wh2,t hs,d. provecl to k: rn1 oxcellcmt sc:ssion, and tho party thon split up cmc3_ travoilorl in ce,rs to AmstorcL?,lE for the 2'irs-:; visit oi' tho day to a Sc-:lf-s<.Jrvico filling station.

At tho fi1linc; ,<;l;r:tion, Er. J ,J. Bow·rnn, of Construction and l\laintormnce o.C' the l:Iarkcting Dopartrnont, rro.s to :ci.nswor the many ques-dcYJ.s poso1:_ by the pe,rty on construction of the station. By some U.K. st:--mdG.r(i_s the staL on 1:ms quite smr,11, but it ho.cl a relo.tivoly ln,rgc Corocourt cmc]_ the: pumps ·.ror·o vv:ll spacecl. Mr. Bomr2n pointocl out tha.t n Cccriopy nas ossontia1 at a solf-servico station protect tl-v:i custoir,or _c'rom the 1ieathor. Er,ch pumlJ CETried <c;. notice ox:plaining the oy_ierr:,ti:ng instructions for t.110 cnstomcr unfortunat8ly in Dutch but sem:1ccJ to be si1,1rJli•ity itself. Tho whole i'orecourt '.-;u; ovorlool-::cd by D. yot1 7;g from a Sales offic:' nhich !2ousoC:. rr::rad,;e 1 r;.;ar.l-outs 1 for th: pumps. Each 1 reacl-out 1 ["/:'VO the q_ue,;-,:;:Lty of motor gasolinr_; 'rhic:.1 liad l1assecl through thG pu;np, anQ 1.rc_cs crrncul1ec 1 only ,..,fto:'-' the customer hD.0 P''icl. At the rce,r of tho pro;1iso.s w1s a 1 Do-it-yourself 1 17.'csh bay, where for 2/6d, per half-hour ancl t;;,:; IJrovL>ion oE' his mm spongo ;::me: leather, a customer c oulc1 y.rt1.,sl1 Yacuu.rn out l1i.s • •

In !', gcmorrcl discus::non. on s in the Iiunicipali ty of Lms"c Mr. Bouwcn said th.'lt there -a('l.S i10 restriction on d_:_o cii.stc:,ncc the pw11ps he'd_ -L;o be from '.;ho front of tho building. Th; oloctric:..l cclui,omonc o'" the punps vvz-1,;:; to bG

controllecl_ b=r c:, lviastr?J.' :,1Nitcl1 se•)r-;;,:cr:te electric::1l on The on:Ly notico i·2q_uirec1- to be exl--iillitea_ wccs one Yri1::_c::. ree,el 'No Fi:co-fi 1·:'•ting equi]Jme,1t vh.s housed in tJ_-_:.c:; bl1il:._i_ir1t.:.

cli,'1c1cs0ion rras cl.uring ltmcheon o.t t1-,e :-:otel }3elfm:·t, but only too soon the time c2,1:1.c ·co 1?ave of Mr, Ilagchus, wto had F'OvsiL to be an oxco11ent csu:i_rle cou:x.n1ion.

nexl; visit to -CJ.1is Vlas a TC_ DG expected, t;,e JJe11ot m_.,s s-:;iick <e:ncL spar:.

!uns t c:t· fe oy r.ras ·Lo lJG

:L'illinr: s<;;1.tion wiiicl-: hc.d an L.r.G. instalL',tio;- fo,· the 1'.-ol1in:· of IEoc·m· vehicles. It was unc::erstooD_ tlm t the princil)c.l custouers ·.-ere t:-1xi -;Jroprietors. in IJollo.. 11cl very· strie-t of J_J .P anct. the alvrL:rs '..Cl to 'u G ll..b ove grounCL. r_e11e storage capacity allm:e ·.rc,s 20, ''i:O litres, a.rn" tanlcs • ou' cl 1wt be in built-up safet:.r f'rom. site 1Jounda.ry c"..spenc:.ecl u::1on ·c::e wate:· tan2.: in c1uestion., e.nd for a tank of a capacic:-· of 20, COO li tr2s i..-,r:,s 15 dctros. By installing a sprinkler or a so-oalJe,; fire--.rccll, soSety C1ist£rnce could be rei'lucecI, but in cm." cas,_c; the ci::;t,:;.nco from a tan}:: to e.n:· chrollinc; was required to b? at le<.1.s-c 15 The I\Iunioi:pe,lil:y of LJ.si;erCi_s.1'1 alrmys require1J_ sprinklers.

At -Urn inspecto 1 the c:;,bove crounc tox1.ks 100°1.-ced in the open c,ir 2J.mv:.side tlio fillinr, st0.cion, D.nd ;ctere surrournJ.eci by two O)en fences one on the 50 feet from the tanlcs, ancl one c:;,t abou-c 3 yards from the tants. 'rhere ;·ore speo:i_al regulc.,tions for the mec::..si_ffing pumi), c1,nc1 t>:i.s v:ccs to be a stanclarcl electricallyoDeratec:i_ -oumn motor :;_";,;·,1oved e,ncl rolocatecJ nearer to the tarJcs. 'rlic normc.l operating _:1rossure :.c2,s _5-10 k::;/sq.om.

The IJ.P. 0r, punp •,;:_is looatec1 B.vro.:y fron t:ie petrol pumps on the site c·,ncl. momteo_ on an islL,nd was recJuirec;_ to be 20 ems. high. In 0,1-cb_cion, there c:ero <·,lso t' 'o s te:::l one on s.ide oi' to protect it fr0i:i1 ciL,111age.

It u0,2 s s,icl_ that the cost a:· the installation 'Jccs c1.pproximately .z:j, OCJO.

'rime 1ms no;· prossinr:::, Er. ·',ouwen escorted_ the p::crty to the centre of /mst2rdari:, inclicatetl ferry lmcl to be c<m[;'.1t for tf1e next stace of t;w journey, «encl E,ssister-._ L• the car so tl1at c:.n l1our or so cou:_o_ 1)e SJ)ent ii1 sic;l1t-::;e 1.?int;. usual, tl-;_GT8 r.1ere postcards to 0.2 sent r1x1c1 ]_)re;3ent.s -:-:;o bu2r, D..nc3- tl1er1 relGXeCI. by al on:; t:ie 1Jc,rJ:s o:L' tire 00,n?.ls to tl10 bec.utifnl ola houses.

filllsi:ordan, ti-·o Oil.lJital u1(1_ -LJ1e 1c:trgest o;_ in h1:1,s a popul'.tcion of more th2n It is o,bout 10 r-1il:s :E'rrnn the Nortl• Sea ::,nd oom1ecter:_ t::i it b:r '.;he North Sen C:1-1B-l, l1CcS tlw largest looks in -Che -\;orlD. The harbcur formerJ_:r 2, :;::iart of' t>e ZuycLer Zee, bu:; is no\r divirleC:_ from it b-' 1ooks. The h,-,,3 no :f8' .:er thc:,n _50 oan&ls and 500 briclc:es, o.nd tLo .c:cnals form a sm·ios of .s.b10st p;::,ro.11el hal:i:'-circles, all interoonnectec-1.

Lftcr an i1our or so of there -,,[ S tii:J/J for a quick cup o; coffee before ool1octinc the car the ferry 2.oross tbe h;<,rbour. /J.co.st 122 miles no'.J se1;aratec' the t:('avel1ers i'rom the 1Iot el De Doelcn s,·; for t e1:r Rout G =.1 0 prove:l to be quite fast, t;;_11c-!. oc'_cl patcl-1os of mist. rniles OJ,, <:he rmcto -.reTe alone tLn built to:'.) of the Ij sselmeer d.'rke

The gas is at present l)oinr; sup',i1ied to sovoral nearby municipeJ.ities throuch a 30!J kilornotrr-i nipeline lma. the cost to the consumer is D,bout lower than for :::ny othor form of :i:'iwl. A coJ!1paign is being conductecl to househoJ_c3-ers to L;o in for cGntral he a in vier: of tho 1rn: cost of Jche whic11 is e.} so SFitable for incJustriG.l proces.ses such as 8,m10.:1.l:i.n,::, bla.sc i'urnaces, anc1 chemicaJ. works, 2 s r:ell as for space l1ee.tinc:;. (N.A.f,,. are hoping to inaugurate a scheme for SUT>-1l"ing in,'ustrv r.t svecial rc,tes tor off-peclc periods) • ,, u ·'

The gas is very clean rrnd li['.ht (specific weie;M 0.64) and. non-poisonous ·with a heating capr:,city o2 [;,OOO calories p;;r cubic Bet re. It is supplied in bull: high pros sure to thr3 G-as union Y:ho c'.mly have to r ecluce t!·ie pressure rui.d metor the supply before passing it on to conEY.un.:rs •

.An all-vrold.ocl steoJ. p:.peline is used. ?or c onveyinc the gc-.s to ti1e Cas union. Th:.s pipeline is bu1·ieC::_ vrith 1 .25 metr8s of earth cover <:tnd protected by a subs-canoe covered with bitumen, over rrhich there is "t:!" fibreglass c,lso cove1·0D_ with bitu'ltl:m anJ. finally a of .cl1aDc to :reflect the 11eat and prevent v1hilo the pipe is exposed in tho trench. The Vihole pipeline is cathoC:ac::;,lly )rotectecl ar1cl the chocked by a G·overn."ient InsJ_Jector once every six

If r;oes vvrong vrith the plant or N.A.M. are allmrecl :C'otu··seen days to rDctify the trouble.

AfJcer a r:20.'.3t interesting a.ml_ instructive mornin 1z on a com::;letoly ncm subject, lunch was taken oF t:r. s hotel, and then once ac?-in i-c \l<.,s a case of' 10:1:-0: car journoy this time to Y!ilholmsheven, Germ:::cny, sor:io 110 :i1iles C\-ray. it was a boautif'ul dc.1.y, traffic Has roD,sonably light, ancl for once the party arrived at::-, •Jlc.:00 in d1::.ylight. This provoa. to be no aCi.vantago in roe.chin&; tho final destiro tion the NorJ.seo-Ifotol bocnuse no-one in the pc.1··c:' spoke German r.nd. no strecJt map 1ms available. The driver, in 1 fre.cturecl 1 French r-mcl fluent English encle<:tvoured to obt.'.t.in directions f'ro:'l a C·ermr.:tn 1hcvy Hating nho rms i;iith fluent Gorman 'Hid 1 fra,ctur:)d t French, b'.lt he finally gavo it up as a b::id job o.na. tiw ro,vigat or of tho co.r, was kicked out at every likoly to purchase 11 cheap t Cart mit strasse 1 • Aftor some ti:;1e r.,nC:L an oxcursion into tho country c::.nd back, it turnc-;cl out the.. t the:; submariner rras correct all the ti.ne 2,nd all the party hcid to do was to follow the roarl signs Do..rketl 1 Olhrtfon 1 and there would bo the hotol.

The Nordse2-IIotel vras, in fact, at the Norcl-':'ost Oelloitung, t:1e pipeline to be visited on tho following c.:,nc1 it turned out to bo a mor;t pec..coful plcwo. ror miles there Qppe<:1,red to be nothing except c;rc;on fields, tho hotel terminal insta11c,tions, tho se.'.1, ancJ_ tankers riding at anchor near the off-loadinr, ,ietty. Tho hobl itself )rovocl to be vory moclern anc:L e::drernely an.a. al t og0thor a delichti'ul c in whiol1 to SJJ Emc1 not onl:/ one nif:ht, but many nicl1ts. Horr ever, tho po,1·ty boinc v1h1ci.t it wc.,s, off it went to 1 cto ·cho co'\m 1 , pc·,rticularly one member known at once for his generosity and his ili.strust of all ?oreicn currenc::'._es, rasl1ly said that he r:ou.1d pl(Y for dinner j_:i:' thoy 1 take pour:CL notes'. The l.3.113t1ne;e barrior to bo vor3r real in ancl in enc\.eavourinG ,co sort out a sGitubl0 rest'.:1,1U'a:1t 1.d.th tho cl.river of o.. poli.co cc.r, ono mo;·aber only s<.1ccoerJ.oc1 in securing police escort t6 a house in tho country which lool:e1i C, Convent and tu:t•ned out be something clifferent. str'1tegic ·.ri L1clrmml v-:as rnad.e back to the main stroot of the to1.7n, v:hero ::tn hilarious meal was hacl in a small much to the amusement of loco.l inhabitants.

Next mornin0 founa_ tho p1:1,rt:;r D,ssoublecL c,,t tho Norcl-1.fost Oolloi tuns;, tho pipolim; torrnirw,l, l'or a loc'.:;uro anc1. tour of inspection of tho 'rho host wui 1/Ir. A. P 11illip, J:ilr:,:--1f1,,c·er of tho Planning :.m(-! Do sign Do:po,:;,":;nKmt, anC: starter1 off :,;:_vine; c1otails of tLo terminal.

The ,,-hole pnrncs o of t;10 ins·::tilJ_.,, -.1a3 to talrn off' crude oil co.,rrc;oes froTI arriviD{': f'rorn thu l;ir1 rUe Er,st, storu the oil if nccossrci7, i;, nd then punp it c.s required to refineries in tho Huhr orJol'QtO(l 'by a nm1ber of c01r.pcmios: Esso, JPirn:>, B.P., Scholven, Ru}:ircheEl:i.o, Union rnvJ. G.E.E.

'l'::i,nkors o.rri from the l:':ir'.dle ;'.'la inly via Suez e.rnl of the orcler of 50-l;-O,OOO tons • discl1c,rged cn:.:-goes at the jetty arnl tl10 c ru<le oi1 ',;as pumpocl to -C1:10 trmk farm for storap;e. The t<:mk f8-rm a total of Goo,ooo cubic metros, rno,cle up of 20 trmks oac!:i of a of 39, OOC cu1Jic metros.

The :)il)Olino to tho \W.s 28 11 in dic1-ffiGter' anct hacl 8, total length of 250 miles inclusive of lincJS. 'l'ho mQ:cimm1 flo1. in tho lino c;r0,s 3, OOO cubic rnutros hour , the e boinc: 2-2, 400 cubic metr._,s por hour, to m'.',intain this floy; tho p:;:·ossure at the terminal Fas 60/65 atraosphores obtainec1 from controllud pumps. Boosto:c puE1ps uoro usocl to pump the oil froE; the tc:m1<: farm to the main booster pumps anct thGnco to tllo nk'1in )UHps. suction preseuTe on the nain pu "1ps 1-ras to be 3-1+ There noro tvrn oth:Jr pumpinc, stations on th<: lino, one in tho mic1cllo of the lino .:mc:L 1:d:; 60/65 citElOS)heres, ,'lnd the third opcr ,,tine t:,t 40 atrnospheros. The total oul;put of criJcle oil in r, ycc,r uo_s ox:p0ct,;cl to reaci1 OOO, OOO tons vrhon a fourth pumpinc; st,'.':cion c-.-e,s opcmocl at :.Iulheim.

A tour of inspection of the te:.T1in0,l thm, took place 1mcl one vre,s inuodiately ·[;:10 sp2-ciousness of it all, the '"moun-c of lancl stilJ. left for expansion, Particul1u·ly improssivo Y:ere the pumps themselves, ni-C}1 nll autor1:r,tic dovicos for protection agc:.inst sucl1 hazara.s L\S vibration, short circuits, ovorhe:::.tcd bec,rincs, etc., ,?,nc1, of tho s oni;rol roc:.1. As to be expected; the lJipolino itsolf v:.cs ai1cl bo·c;h the line and the jetty y;ere Cccthorlically p:;,-•otocte(l b:r Dce,ns of rectifiers. It Tms of interest to note th0,t the 1;orl: of construction li2.S corr1n,oc1ced in January, 1959, ancl both the jetty r:',nd the line ·1cero com)leted in farnlvo months.

Thonfol:l_o''ed lunch o,t the j,:orClsoo-Hotol and it •-;,:,s tine to sot of1 I) on tii_e t oL:.tvlc:.-rcl of" the j our11oy to I!n1nbure;. Part cf the journey was along the 11.nd in no timo at all the signposts indicutinc; Jror:wn ancl th8n the outskirts of Eamburg becc,n to :cppoar. ·with memories of prev:',, ous excursions into tlrn St .Pguli clistrict of the city it v,' as Hit h gron:c th:•_t the Hotel L:iporiG.l v:as found to be si tu0-tec:i on the famous

Typical once a:;ain of' -:;he 1 :-::sso' orgn,nisation '<'iEcS tho fact that no sooner lo_acl the roons ·chan iJr. F. IClm.1.s Y! oli', of the Public Do1x,ri;m;:);1t of Esso A.G. a)poareo_ on the scone, 2,ncL promptly '.rhisl:oc'L the par-c:,- of? to J\11glo-German Club, on tho shoro of tho Alster Lake. This YC s o, Club o,nC: sorno vury ploasn.nt hours noro spont uir_inc 1'.nd dining in luxurious surroun0.inr;s. l\ir. ';iolf had a fund of storiGs to ro1ato about his oxporicmcos working in pre-war England, ::nil b[;,ck in in the nar-tir:io Gorman _'.ir3y: it uou1d ap:r_:i0ar that Ser13ear1,c-I.fr1.j ors 11ore the the 1:holo ;7orld ovor.

Around r:1icl_r1ie:ht the tour of the 1 Light-spots 1 be,:;ccn. In St. Pauli t11.Gl"O arc no 12-ne;uago or cur:.:-oncy bE-rriors, it is re:c;rettod t'.-iat spD,c:; cloos not allow a fu11 report on t:10 nic;ht life of an English Potrolemri Officer.

Next tho p2.-rty 11ssombl,-::d in the o of liir. :Cgid:i.us Vlestonfolder; Dipl.-Ing., n.t l':sso cmcl ciiscnssions took place on the Germcn 1."i th rogarcl to tho construction of fillinc; stntions.

The f:i.rnt point to be w.do was thnt only two r:rades of r.10tor I gasoline were on se.le: I\ecular r..ncl Premium. Two underground tanks nere usually installed. each of a ce.pacity of' 13, OOO litres and one tank nas compartmented sor..s to give c. ratio of 13,000 litres of Rogul11r cu1d 8,000 litres of Prer.1iur:i. The wo.11 thickness of the tanks rms 5 mms., and eQch tank had a length of 6. 96 metres o.nd a diameter of' 1 .6 metres. In accordance witl1 conttnentcl prn.ctico, the tanks vrnre lac;{;ed vrith bitumen and fibreglass and dropped. directly into the ground.. One interesting development WC1.s r:. siphon system by means of vrhich one suction lino uss used to draw off from trro t.::nks without the use of valves.

Si-tes for filling stations \Tere normally of an D.rea of 1 , 600 sq. metros, but a minimum area was 1, OOO sq. metres. Canopies over pump island1l were now becomin,g quite common with the Cm1pany, due principally to competitors having introducec:. them. Concrete aprons for vehicle standin;:;s o.longsicle punp islands were not used, and insteud the asphc.lt vms treated vTith a plastic proc1uct which lasted for t·:ro years. The only prefabricated po.rt of a station was the concrete cm opy, vrhich would probo.bly cost £1, OOO. The total cont of a station was of the order of £14,000. i'..J.though it was Company policy to speci:fy concrete for co.nopy construction, there was no legal objection to the use of wood.

Pwnps wore conventional 1 explosion-proof 1 , and it was necessary to have a Master Switch for the pumps as well as a circuit-breeJrnr for each pump. When rewirea.ble fuses were used instet"d of circuit-breakers, each pump red to h.'"WG an inrJ.iviclual switch as well as the fuse.

No paraffin was storGCl on tho sites, o.lthoue;h there vms no why it should not be stored.

On the subject of the filling of underground. to.:'.ll:s, it a1)pen,red that there was no -Jbjection to 1 o.fter-dn.rkf fillinc; been.use tho vehicle usually had a floodlisht [',nu the driver had a torch. Tanks could be filled without hnving D. reprcsontc.tive of the doc.ler prcrnent. Esso did not uso the tclosed cir.:luit 1 filling described on a previous visit to Hamburg, and. it was stated thn.t perhaps only 1 ;: of all tank.a 1 wore :filled by this method. Normally, vent pipes of 2" diameter were used., and these were carried up to o, heie;ht of 4 metres and torninf!.ted with a flame-trap,. The r.mltiple f'illing of t1:rnks wo.s allowed, but ofi·-set fill-pipes were not used. Ono interesting point was thc"t a tn.nkor driver could perk his vehicle at any timo unattended, and need not kuep it under observation.

!

Petroleum intoroo:ptors wore not reg_uirec't on surf[l,ce water afains longer th<:m 5 metres in lonc;th, but the dro.inn.go from all car washos had to po.ss through E:.n irrespective of the length of !drain.

The regulations for L:ulti-Hix pumps cc.lied for a. co.pacity not oxceoc1ing 100 litres cf' fuel. The instruments need not be bolte4 drnvn on tho site aurinr.; the but they had to be stored in the Lubrication Ikl.y.

Finally, multi-storey oar parks were ciiscussed, ::met it vms sto.ted that there wore 60 in oporo.tion in Germo.ny, and that the biggest had ac0omrnodo.tion for 500 cars. Tho invest::nent rog_uirocl was approximately £600 per car. Thero wore c,t present 7,200,000 motor cars in Germnny, and it was e:x;pe.·ctod tho.t this -rrnuld be doubled by 1970.

Too soon it "i-TO.S tine for lunc}1 :::md it was with genuine rogrE!lt that

the ixcrty lo&.vo of their ;rnsts to roturn to the : The 425 miles return ,journoy to OstGnd_ uccs me,rls in ono hop, with ri, short broe,k for sn::ccks nos.r tl1e bo:cclcr, su1)per in /JrnheEl :::et filidnight, an0_ drinks in 0, s omo',-rLera bGt'JGon ;illhrnrp Dnd Ost encl ?,t 1:-.1:1., .m. was rcL1cho,l at 5.30 a.n. 1'h(m the <friver c,nd rn::vig:itor promptly foll naloep. Lll th1:tt rumc.inocl vrc..s Jche Cham10l crossing and a fc.;st run bacl: to -Cho Eiclln.rnls to corn::_)lote h'.'.,d been 11 most onj oyc;,ble trip.

Tho sincore th11nks of the prcrty c.re duo to all thoso who put thomsolvos out to discuss, OX-.fllllin, anc: clomonstrate often in their 0 1.m tiE10 nncl pe,rticulo.rly to Bob Cooper cmd Peter of tho Public lblctions Dopccrtment, '.L'he Es so Petroleum Co. Ltd., Lond.on, for org,'.'.,nisins tho 111i10lo of a vory successful expedition.

Wo take this opportunity of correcting ::: Elist:cko rrhic:1 occurred in tho last is suo of 1 Tho Bulletin' r;hon the nrticle on 1 1'.luin Stipul0,tions laid down by tho 1-cuthori ties in Holl;',nd ni th to Undergrom1cl Storrc:;e of Liquicl Fuols' was wronc;ly attributoc1 to Hr. P. Brus. In :fo,ct, the article wr:,s supplied by Mr. J .J. Bou-Jen, Hol'.d of Construction am'l liID.intone>,nco of tfio librketinc; Do1x1rtmont, Esso Noclerland, N.V.

Also, 2- letter on prlg9 82 cJ.ealinc; rd_t:1 the Construction of' Unc::_orc;rournl shou]_d inclicl'..tocl thc.t it '.e.,s written on of Horr Johannos-1.;Ic,rtin Dopner, Chief Engine or of B.P. Benz in Und Potroloum, Hamburg.

GENODE and ER.VIBE.

Vol. 3 July, April, 1965. TS

Mr, G.N. Dean Mr, J. Forman Lir. J. Garside Mr. G.H. Harvey Mr. G. McCoy Mr. F. Ne,cherwood Mr. F.A. Smith Mr. A.B. Whittingham

COERESPONDENCE

A lfossage from the Chairman Construction of Undert;round Tanks·

Instant heat Generators

Mixed Loads

Petr0l in mistake for Paraffin

The Group and its objects

EDITORILLS

Controllinf; Flammable Substances

Foolish People vrbo ignore the obvious About ourselves

The Carriage of Goods

EXECUTIVE M:CETHTGS

Dudley II tt II II If II

5th May, 1 964 11 th June, 1964 1 st September, 1964 1 Ot h N overnber, 1 9641 2th Janmry, 1965 23rd February, 1 965 30th March, 1965

H. Griffiths P.P. Mc Cowan J,R, Roberts E.\N. Hilton T.J, Metcalfe H .'V. Garratt T. Cairns R.D.F. Bowen

PAGE 119 11 9 81 11 9 119 119 81 81 4 83 82 47 482 121 82 4-479 118 31 31 69 11 0 130 131 132

GROID) NIEETINGS

Burton-upon-Trent 21st April, 1964 Paper:Coventry Paper:Mansfield Paper:Dudley Paper:Paper:Paper:-

1 The ,:'..dministra of the Petroleum in the Ci t.Y of Birmine;ham 1 by R ,E ,J. Eoden, A.R.S.E., Senior Fire Escape ancl Petroleum Of:Cicer, City of Birmingham.

22nd July, 1 964

1 Liquefjed Petroleum Gases 1 b3r Yi ,M. Le':vis, F .R .I. C. , City i'\.nal3rst, Coventry 27th October, 1964

1 The Exar1ination of Petrol Tankers unQer the Petroloum Spirit (Conveyance by Road) Regulations, 1957 1 by J. Beer M.r.w.n.A., Chief Inspector of 'leic;hts and Measures, Worcester. 20th 1965

1The Glosfor/Gun..YJ. Pe,raf'fin Vending by \7 .T. Jackson Grad.I.E.D., Design Development Engineer, Messrs. D.A. Gunn Ltd,

1 Diff'icul-i:;ie s in in larGe Cities 1 b:r G-ra,y, A,;\ ,I ,Fire .E., Assistant Fire Prevention Officer, Leicester City Fire Bric,ade.

'The Petrol Company's view in Aclninistr&tion 1 by J .A. l!'lintham, Branch Eana,3'.er, Total Oil Products (G.B,) Ltd.

Business Business Business Business

HIS CELL.:'._r;ip,_,_s_

Aerosol Im'.ustry faces safety v. controversy

Association of Municipc,l Corpora-Gian -, Change of Address

Association of Municipal Corporation Reports

As others see us

Boat fires ancl Tra1;edies to bring new cocle

Boys burned.

Branch rfoetinc Yorkshire

Congratulations H. Griffiths Esq, Creeping Weasel

Current Fashions

Delivery of petr0l in mist&.ke for heating oil

33 34 7"1 71 111 112 133 131+138 139 128 120 61' 103' 126

W.M. Ward 2 64 46 129 81 46 23 122

..

Erratum

Explosion and Fire at Marton Notors near MiddlesborouQ:1

Extracts f'rorn Annual Reports

I'ire Extin:;uishers on Motor Vehicles Future trends in Petroleum Spirit Dispensing

Gas link aoross the sea Group Publications

Helicopter as f'an in fire peril Home Office Explosives Branch Change of address

In Parliament Dangerous Goods

Leonard .Arthur Cave, H.I.W .M.L.

Liquefied Petroleum Gases

List of Petroleum Acts

Liverpool Planning Charter Mark these dangerous loads

Ministry of Labour Publication Mobile Filling Station starts battle over petrol

More licensing

Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use)

R.G. Spalding

T.D. Dutton H. Griffiths

45 56 59, 90 12L150 109 83 46 45 120 81124 30 23 29 120 125 63 45

Amendr11ent (No.8) Regulations 1964

Musings on the Conveyance Regulations

New Automatic Paraffin VornlGr

New Home Off::i.ce Departments

New liquid to fight fires

New Oil Disperser (Slix)

New Year Honours

Nigerian Oil Refinery

Octane rating of petrol

Oil drillers find water supply

Oil Prospecting concerns landowners

Ono million oil pipeline project

Pattern of petrol sales

Petrol train in collision at Didcot

Petroleum Law and A&ninistration

Piping oil over 317 miles

Queen's Birthday Honours

Registration of Premises

Report of' ll.M. Inspectors of :S:x-plosives 1963

Residential l.Iid-Y!eok School At-tint;ham

W.R.c. Dale 62 108 45 3 68, 106, 120 81

H. Gri:ffiths

:M. Stevens on

81 2 2 127 46 125 67 48 58 2 3 51 5

Risky Sa.les:o9.nship

Sahara Gas

Stora[;e of Petroleum and ':"io.ter Protection Germany

Swan.sea Potroletun Acts 'Close Proxi..rr1ity'

That Killer Petrol Tl:e Carriace of D.-mc;erous Liquicls and Chemicals by Roo.d The Ins tall a ti on of Unc1-er:;ro und or age Tal"lcs

The Natnre of Petroleum Spirit its hazards

The Seoret11,ry Change of Adclres s

Total Group's U.K. Refinery

Underground Storaee of Liquid fuels Holland

Wei{Shts and Measures Act 1963 (Sec .35 (3) )

PR0'3BCUTIONS

Birmingham L.P.G. False Trade Description

Birmingham Offences contrar:c to Section 16 of the Petroleum Spirit (Conveyance by Road) Rec;ulations, ·i957

Oxford Offences contrary to Section 6 of tJ._o Peti·oleum (Consolidation) Act, 1928

'.iolverhampton Petroleum Spirit kept without licence

V!orco._;tershire C .C. Sel1in __ petrol and oil unGer a false trade description

Hr. J.H. Brooks

Hr. L.A. Cave

Hr. Yi."'..Y. Garner

Mr. E. Hc1Cinnell

Mr. V-l. Thomas

Mr. E. Vaughan

VISITS

Holland e..nd Germany 27th September to 1st Octobor, 1961+

K.L. Holland

W.A. Beattie

W.M. Lewis P. Brus