Bird's Eye View
Page 53
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Early C asualty
By The Hawk
IRONICALLY, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders are among the casualties in the battle to promote the flow of traffic at Hyde Park Corner, the busiest spot in London. They nave had to relinquish their tenancy of 148 Piccadilly, but they are moving to even more magnificent headquarters at Forbes House, fronting Halkin Street and Grosvenor Crescent. Belgravia. . .
• The S.M.M.T. have bought it on a 99-year lease. It was built about 1800, and the 8th Earl of Granard, who was Master of the King's Horse, spent £100,000 to make it one of the finest residences in London. It has a beautiful entrance hall and a white-marble double-winged staircase and a Louis XVI ballroom.
It will be a headquarters appropriate to the dignity of the British motor industry.
Tyre. Battle
-1-'HERE are strong and clear indications that the big boys
I in the [tyre] industry are girding their loins for a full-scale battle," says The Investors Chronicle. Investors are advised to watch particularly the makers with American connections, notably Goodyear and North British Rubber.
It is pointed out that the new Kelly-Springfield Tyre Co. are a subsidiary of the American Kelly-Springfield Tire concern, who are, in turn, owned by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., of U.S.A.—said to be the largest rubber company in the world.
"The leader at the moment is Dunlop, which controls something like half the British business," says the journal. "But it is now up against threats on its own doorstep from United States Rubber [who control North British Rubber] and Goodyear, the latter, it should be stressed, now having two selling organizations over here" [Goodyear and Kelly'Springfield].
• If the result of increased competition is cheaper tyres, operators will be delighted.
Road Preferred
ARE British Railways now having to admit to customers their
own shortcomings? As The Commercial Motor reported last week, the railway general stores manager at Peterborough has insisted that glass jars purchased by him should be delivered by road because of the high rate of breakages by rail.
Likewise, railway officials seem to find it more comfortable and convenient to travel by road, judging by the large fleets of staff cars now being used in the various regions, ranging from an Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire limousine to Mark II Ford Zephyrs and Consuls. When a Diesel train broke down on a branch line recently, five officials, I am told, came to investigate it—all in separate cars.
No Time for Timidity
LJAVING got well under way with their £1,200m. moderniza
tion programme, the railways have, apparently, decided that it would be a good idea to find out whether the public want what is to be offered to them. One of the regions, Mr. R. M. Robbins, secretary, and chief public relations officer of London Transport, told the Railways Student's Association in London last week, is considering a survey "to get some more fundamental knowledge of the way ordinary people's minds are thinking about travel by rail in this year 1958," It
will be grievous if the inquiry shows that ordinary people are not thinking about rail travel at all.
"It must be wise, as the development of the plan proceeds, to find out whether the public .--. . is really going to be offered what it wants to buy," Mr. Robbins added.
There are, of course, reactionaries who would say that it was better to find out what the public wanted before starting to spend £1,200m.
Notice to Quit
BRAMCOTE, where the final of the Lorry Driver of the I-, Year Competition has always been held, is one of the naval establishments to be closed next year. The site was offered for this year, but not the assistance given in the past by the• naval authorities.
The competition organizers have wisely decided to make a break at once and negotiations are in progress for the use of Coventry Airport for the final contest, provisionally fixed for September 21.
Red-faced
PIA HAULIER was entertaining a business acquaintance to lunch at one of those rare " finds " where the food is excellent and the price is low. At the end of the meal the waiter inquired: "Would you like your usual cover bill, sir?"
The guest was the local inspector of taxes.
On the Side
" CRINGE BENEFITS" is the latest expression from America to describe perquisites of office, such as entertaining and being entertained. It seems to cover anything from a car to a fur coat. It is born of the crazy post-war taxation system which makes fiddlers of us all.
Gipsy's Warning