1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164 
850 Miles in 48 Hours With One Driver
Page 115
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
ANUMBER of competitors in the recent Monte Carlo Rally availed themselves of the service of Autocheques, Ltd., 33, Regent Street, London, S.W.1, which concern, besides organizing hotel accommodation, etc., undertook the transportation of the competitors'• and passengers' baggage from London to Monte Carlo and back. This was done by means of a Thornycroft Bulldog shortwheelbase 21-tonner, supplied by Carter, Paterson and Co., Ltd., and driven solely by Capt. E. A. Atkins, a member of the staff of Autocheques, Ltd., who travelled alone.
• The luggage of, about 70 persons was delivered to the company's head office in London, where the van was loaded and whence it set out for Dover, to cross by the midnight boat to Calais. Owing to customs delays, Capt. Atkins was unable to depart from Calais until noon on Saturday, January 20. Nevertheless, he succeeded in arriving at Monte Carlo—some 850 miles distant—by mid-day the .following Monday, having accomplished the journey in 48 hours.
Disregarding the stops for meals—we understand that Capt. Atkins did not break the journey for sleep—the average speed works out at about 18 m.p.h.—no mean achievement. This quick journey enabled the van to be unloaded and the items of luggage to be distributed in their owners' rooms at the hotel at Monte Carlo before the arrival of the competing cars.
The return run was accomplished almost as quickly, which proved fortunate, for first the landing at Dover was delayed 24 hours by a •severe storm, and then the only crane capable of dealing with the 5i-ton gross load was out of action, and the van had to he unladen before it could be lifted to the quay. However, to relieve Capt. Atkins, and to save further loss of time, another driver was sent to bring the Thornycroft back to London, and, to avoid inconvenience to its Patrons, Autocheques, Ltd., delivered the articles of luggage in separate vans to their owners. The Thornycroft was the same vehicle as had been employed previously in the Alpine Trial, where it had been compelled to follow the actual course traversed by the competitors and, as on that occasion, came through without any form of mechanical trouble.