"Artic" Driver Wins in North
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TOP award in the Manchester round of the Lorry Driver of the Year Competition last Sunday went to S. Walker, who was driving a Morris articulated outfit of T. Wall and Sons, Ltd. in Class F(2). The 'best overall placing was awarded on the basis of the individual competitor's margin over his own class standard, which in Walker's case was 102.75. Actually five drivers had lower penalties in their own categories than the winner's 89 points. The best team was fielded by W. H. Smith and Son, Ltd., Manchester.
The winner of Class C. F. G. Allum S.P.D., Ltd., Thames) dropped only 74 marks, this making him the best Clicence driver and the best oiler driver. As a one-man one-prize rule operated, Allum took the C-licence award, the oilengine trophy passing to the winner of Class D, S. Irvine (S.P.D., Ltd., Glasgow, Austin). Thus the Class C prize went to the second man in that section, J. White (Manchester Cleansing Department, Dennis) and that for Class D to S. Lloyd (S.P.D., Ltd., Bedford).
From a rendezvous near the centre of Manchester, the competitors moved off individually on a road circuit which terminated at the Lancashire County Cricket Club car park at Old Trafford, where there were the three customary driving tests. The only drivers not to lose any marks whatever on the searching Highway Code examination were J. Lavin (Manchester City Surveyor's Department, Thames) and J. Baxendale (Shell-Mex and B.P., Ltd., Dennis).
The three tests, in order, were parking at the kerb, judging " gatc " width, and reversing into a bay. In parking the great majority of drivers achieves all that is required in the normal course of duty, but on Sunday some made it obvious that the process is no matter of exactitude. Best here in Class B was B. McAllister (British Oxygen Gases, Ltd., Dennis) who finished second in his category. In the next class, A. Dutton (English Sewing Cotton Co.. Ltd., Commer) and G. Brierley (Manchester Corporation Transport Department, Thornyeroft) did not lose a point. during this test.
The 25-footers showed up well, clean sheets being preserved by A. W. Swaisland (S.P.D., Ltd., Austin), J. A. Pratt (S.P.D., Ltd., Glasgow, Austin), A. Grimes (William Timpson, Ltd., Morris) and S. Joseph (British Oxygen Gases. Ltd., Commer).
T. T. Pennington (Hipwood and Grundy [Tankers], Ltd., Leyland), Class E winner, and his runner-up, S. Higginson (Shell Chemical Co., Ltd., A.E.C.), had faultless parking performances to their credit, as did Walker, the ultimate winner.
J. Bainbridge (Ridings Stores, Ltd„ Thames), the class winner, was the only unpenalized 15-footer in the reversing test. Walker was notably good here. L. R. Tucker (Bleachers' Association, Ltd., Karrier) was best of the smaller articulated class, losing only two. The score of debits for reversing into the bay was generally high.