Bird's eye view
Page 47
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by the Hawk * Top turnout?
I have a feeling that this year's Newcastle upon Tyne round of the Lorry Driver of the Year competition witnessed something of a record-21 vehicles entered by a single private operator. Possibly the GPO or some other State-owned outfit could claim a higher figure, though I doubt it; the company concerned was W. C. Robertson (Carlisle) Ltd., bakers and confectioners.
And as befitted the food industry, their turnout was immaculate. The drivers and staffs revealed their keeness in a 6 a.m. start for the 50-mile run to the contest. Their rewards, apart from the satisfaction of putting so much into a competition aimed at raising driving standards and road safety, were 1st prize in Class A, fst, 2nd and 3rd in C and 2nd in H.
I'm not giving away any secrets when I say that Robertsons, and especially transport manager J. Rogers, were very proud of those efforts.
*Asked his dad
The transport managers' course organized by Exeter Technical College over the past six weeks ended last Friday. Most course members have already made reservations for junior members of their staff to be represented on the next course and already 17 of the 24 places have been booked. But it will not be all junior staff. I hear that H. Whitton Jnr. of Cullompton has made a reservation for his father.
* Fascinating
What is a Jidoteisha? And a Biederman C-2? And a Faun ZR? The one-upmanship of being able to answer results simply from my being the possessor of one of the early review copies of a fascinating new book The Observer's Fighting Vehicles Directory, by Bart H. Vanderveen. It's the sort of book to revive memories, yarns and cold sweats from anyone involved in RASC, REME or probably any other branch of the land forces in World War II for that matter; who has not trembled at the alarming angles achieved by a 3-tonner taking to the grass to avoid a tank or some similar object, while bringing up the rations (and a few spare beds unofficially)?
Mr. Vanderveen presents 335 pages, lavishly illustrated, of descriptions and specifications of 1,000 vehicles used by the combatants in the last war, and provides a useful index too. While tank books have been published fairly widely, this is apparently the first to deal in detail with thin-skinned fighting and supply vehicles. I'm sure it will fascinate anyone interested in commercial and military transport. The price is 25s net, from Frederick Warne and Co. Ltd., Chandos House, Bedford Court, Strand, London, WC2.
Oh, yes, those questions. Answers: Japanese for reconnaisance car; a US Army and Army Air Force truck; a German army heavy road tractor.
* Plainly Purle
The a.g.m. of the Purle Group held at Gillette House on Tuesday produced no fireworks but some interesting information. Purle, leaders in the waste disposal business were, as always, talking in terms of expansion.
Various managerial appointments were announced which seem designed to lead in one direction only—growth.
As commercial director, Derek Irlam will have his eyes firmly set on likely acquisitions and for a time will give all necessary guidance to the new sales director, Stan Higham. Peter Newman, transport manager since early 1965, becomes the group's "troubleshooter" in the capacity of general manager.
The transport manager's post is now split into two—David Marshall takes over as operations manager and Ricky Shaw as fleet engineer. They will have an assistant, which probably goes to show (a) to what extent Purle's transport activities have escalated and (b) how much more complicated it is these days to administer a transport fleet.
* What account?
A haulier who sent off a final notice to a customer whose account was in arrears was mildly surprised this week to get a reply in the following terms:—
"We have a number of creditors and each month their accounts are put into a hat. We pay the first half a dozen drawn out of the hat. It is regretted that if we receive another note in the same tone as the last one your account will not be included in the draw."
* SOS answered
Who says transport men are heartless? Remember the lifeboat SOS on this page? Well the craft is now safely in Bexley. Apparently it passed through the hands of half a dozen operators before it reached its destination, and the school received a dozen or so more offers. The total cost of the movement was less than £30 and that was for cranage. Thank you, everyone.