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Tanker Driver Win's Oxford Contest

22nd July 1960, Page 44
22nd July 1960
Page 44
Page 44, 22nd July 1960 — Tanker Driver Win's Oxford Contest
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DRIVING an A.E.C. eight-wheeled tanker in the Mobilgas colours for . H.C.P.P., Ltd., Oxford, F. Farmer was declared the outright winner of the Oxford round of the Lorry Driver of the Year Competition at-Witney on Sunday. He also won Class E (2), and led his team to victory.

This year, the Oxford round attracted some 130 entries, . .

by no means all of them from local operators. ..Competitors from as far away as Southampton, Gloucester and London. forgathered after a night of heavy rain at the new Kidlington roundabout for the start of the road section.

It was here that the event first ran into difficulties. There was mud in large quantities, so that the organizers were obliged to lay sleepers on the soft shoulders. One of these broke 'a competitor's propeller shaft. At least one low-loader had trouble getting off a sandbank, and the concourse of vehicles drove an earnest official to a degree of frenzy.

Things were about half an hour late getting going, but thereafter proceeded with smoothness, In due time the convoy appeared at the car park of Smith's Motor Accessories works. The three tests were well laid out, with room to spare, and the classes were dealt with expeditiously enough.

Results were delayed; however, by a large number of drivers who had escaped the .Highway Code test at the start. Although arrangements existed for testing them at Witney, it was not eagy to locate the right men.

On the whole, the standard of driving throughout was high. It was perhaps the Highway Code that created most of the trouble: not a single competitor came through the test without loss of marks, varying from 10 to the maximum of 50.

The Oxford authorized version was a written test, in which competitors were asked to delete the " wrong" answers. There seem to have been occasions where they deleted all, or some, ofthe " right " answers as well.

The honour of scoring the lowest penalty total went to I. GoIdspink, driving a Class D Foden rigid tanker for Shell-Mex and B.P., Ltd. He scored an impressive 56, losing 10 in the Highway Code test, one only, in the kerb-parking and 40 between the remaining two tests.

Farmer's total was 53, in spite of 10 lost on the Code and seven on the road section. Another impressive performance was that of R. Sykes, driving an Austin for B.R.S., Oxford, in Class F (2). He scored 68, of which 32 points. were lost in the third test and the loading-bay manceuvre.

Among the class leaders, only B. Absolom (Bedford boxvan of Caversham Haulage), managed the kerb-parking -. without loss of marks. He did well in the other two tests, too, but was 57 points to the bad after the Code and the road section.

The only class winners who completed the road section unpenalized were C. Simonds (B.R.S., Oxford, A.E.C.), with a total of 83 in Class G, and S.A.C. George (R.A.F., Bieester, Bedford), who won Class I with 108 points.

Towards the end of the proceedings, things were enlivened by a resounding bang as a handsome insulated articulated ice-cream vehicle bent the radiator grille of a British Road Services A.E.C. And then the rains came, sweeping across the car park in a high wind, making life more difficult than ever for the last dozen or so drivers and the stalwart marshals. The Mobilgas team of Farmer, F. Foreman and I, Greening, driving A.E.C. tankers for H.C.P.P., Ltd., won the team award with a total of 251 points. The T.R.T.A. award for the best-maintained C-licence vehicle went to K. Hilsden (Bedford), of Shell-Mex and B.P., Ltd.

RESULTS Oast B-15-19 ft.: 1.—A. Stanley (Amey's Aggregates), Thames, 86f, •penalty points; 2. C. Payne (S.P.D., Ltd.), Thames, 951/2; Jackson (ArneY'S Aggregates), Morris, 102%. Class C-19-22 ft.: 1,—B. Huckin (Premix Con

crete, Ltd.), Austin, 75; 2.—H. Forner 0. Bury, Ltd.), Dodge, 851/4 3.—S. Jenkins (Tate and Lyle. Ltd.), Bedford, 87%.

Class D-22.25 ft.! Goldspink (Shell-Mex and UP., Ltd.), Foden, 56; 2.—L. Buckingham (Southern Electricity Board, Newbury), Austin, 67;4; 3.—R. Carter (B,R.S., Oxford), Cornmer, 78. Class E (1)—Over 25 it., two aaleat 1.—B. Absalom (Cayersharn Haulage, Ltd.), Bedford. 118; 2.—F. Weller (B.R.S., Swindon), Commer, 1341/2; Fortescne (B.R.S., Swindon), Commer, 20754. Class E (2)—Oyer 25 rt., more than two axles; 1.—F. Fanner (11.C.P.P., Ltd.), A.E.C., 58; 2.— D. Benton (Shell-Mex and 13.P,, Ltd.), A.E.C., 79; 3.—F. Foreman (I.C.P.P., Ltd.), 831/2.

Class F CO—Articulated, tractor under 3 Ions, semi-trailer under 22 ft.: 1.—I. Hollingworth (Be/ling and Co.. Ltd.), Seddon, 14016. 2.—B. Saunders (Tate and Lyle, Ltd.), Bedford, 154%; 3.R. Thorne (B.R.S., Swindon), Austin. 194.

Class F (2)—Articulated, tractor under 3 Ions, seml-trailer 22-27 ft„: 1.—R. Sykes (B.R.S.. Oxford). Austin, 68; 2.—E. McCudden (B,R.S., Reading), ' 3.--A. Sheehan (Tate and Lyle, Ltd.), Bedford, 129%.

Class IC—Articulated, tractor over 3 tons, semi-' hailer up to 27 Ft.: 1.—C.. Simonds (B.R.S., Oxford), A.E.C., 83; 2.-11. Russell (T. Walt and Sons, .Ltd.), Bedford, 106; .3.—S. Walker (T. Walt and Sons, Ltd.). Bedford, 1341/a.

Class H—Articolated, tractor any weight. semi"7 trailer more than 27 ft.: Luce (R.A.F., Lyneham). Fiedford, 186; 2.—A. Chandler (B.R.S.,

Reading), Leyland. 203; Scammell (Vehicle Hire Co., Ltd.). Leyland. 226.

Class 1—Standard rigid military load carriers. 19-22 ft.: 1.—SAC.' George (R.A.F.. Bloater),' Bedford, 108; 2.-1.../Cpl. Cassettari (129 Inf. Workshops, R.E.M.E.,), Bedford, .2551/2; 3.—W.0.2. Brown (129 Inf. Workshops. R.E.M.E.), Thames: 2701,4%.

J. Hollingworth (Belling and Co., Ltd.) did well to win Class F Win his Seddon articulated hoxvan, because of the restricted rearward visibility imposed by this type of vehicle.


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