bird's eye • view by the Hawk • Road to fame
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Have you ever felt an urge to appear on the box? It's easy really—all you have to do is win the Lorry Driver of the Year competition. Just for a start. Three years ago when Reg Tooze of Texaco took the cup to the West country he appeared on the small screen on a newscast. Last year's champion Sam Gray appeared recently on ITV's Golden Shot, and now reigning champion Chris O'Reilly of Petrofina has been invited to serve with a panel of driving experts in a TV quiz programme: "So you think you can drive in the 70s?".
This is one in the series in which Cliff Michelmore acts as quizmaster, drivers will be competing against other experts. The programme goes out on BBC 1 at 9.10 p.m. on March 24.
• Porto types
Derek Moses tells me that riding through Porto and the Minho province of North' Portugal in Leyland Leopard coaches with Portuguese bodies (and drivers) during his visit to Caetano (described elsewhere in this issue) was an exhilarating experience. The coach drivers threw the vehicles about as if they were small cars and one driver in particular, once clear of the town, challenged everything in sight. A loud blast on the horn accompanied every triumphant piece of overtaking—and the driver explained to an inquiring passenger that this was a legal requirement. But obviously a law he enjoyed obeying!
Returning down the twisting mountain road from a visit to Sta. Luzia, the British party was flabbergasted at the complete unconcern of peasant women and boys whom they met—always, it seemed, leading three cows tethered together—when confronted by the hurrying coach. And the cows seemed completely oblivious of the coaches hurtling past within inches.
The driver met his match, though. In a narrow village street he challenged the driver of an oncoming coach for right of way, and the other driver burst out laughing. As he eased his vehicle through, the reason became clear—he was carrying a coachload of armed police.
One British operator on the party paid an unexpected sort of tribute to the Caetanobodied coaches which have already reached Britain. "I want to buy a second-hand one," he complained, "but nobody in Britain who has one will part with it."
Cue for a sales slogan?
• In the old 10-acre
Coffins are not among the usual props for ceremonies inaugurating great constructional works, but there was one right before the ey of the guests as they arrived at Lillyha Workington, on Friday to witness tl "launching" of the Leyland National pla there. However, it turned out to be part of pretty peaceful demonstration by local fan era for the benefit of the Prime Minister wl was starring in the well-and-truly-laid part the proceedings. He was not only calm in t face of such familiar goings on, but al roguishly confident. A key factor in the pr ject is a vast improvement in the main ra between Workington and the M6/A6 Penrith. An inquirer asked whether a Co servative government would give the sar support to such a highway. "It'll be bu before there's another Conservative gover ment," retorted Harold Wilson.
• Switched off
Talking of inaugurations, there was a lit hitch in Belfast last week that caused moment of panic. The occasion was Cou cillor Miss I. M. E. McAlery, chairman Belfast Corporation transport committ accepting the first single-deck o-m-o bus fitt with the token-operated Autoslot system fare collection. The handshakes over, t photographers ready, Miss McAlery place( token in the slot to purchase a ticket a launch the system. Alas, no ticket issued foi from the machine. All was embarrassim silent. A few well-placed knocks made difference. Faces were red. Then somec thought to turn the ignition on, and all 1.1 well.
Miss McAlery—surely one of municil transport's leading ladies—took it all in I stride. "Transport men engaged in the tra port of delight" was how she described 1 guests at the ensuing luncheon.