Big Turn-out in Portsmouth
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Rally. IIGHEST marks in the Portsmouth Commercial Vehicle Rally, last Saturday, went to J. DagweIl, lose handling of a Thames 5-cwt. van tered by Lennox Motor Co., Ltd., irtsmouth, was a pleasure to watch. t gained 490 marks out of a possible 0 and was the best driver in three Inceuvrability tests, scoring the maxima (300 points).
Applause from spectators and corntitors alike greeted' , a masterly rformance by F. IL Wilson harrington, Gardner, Locket and Co., d., Coryton), Who drove a Leyland ;ht-wheeled tanker laden with 3,000 lions of fuel oil—one of the few tded vehicles in the competition. The rally, which was organized by Itsmouth Accident Prevention Conn, attracted 138 entries from a wide ta. Vehicles were divided into seven Nips, but there were entries for only Before setting out on a five-mile served road section, during which irks were lost for breaches of the ghway Code, all vehicles were imined over a pit at the R.A.O.C. :pot, Hilsea. The inspection was 3ervised by Mr. Frederic M. Butler, merly chief certifying officer of the ;tropolitan' Area and now engineer; consultant to the Traders' Road Insport Association.
7,xamination covered steering gear, iversal joints, brake mechanism, Iding-down bolts and other mechanifeatures affecting safety. Each sant was awarded at the outset 100 rks, and points were deducted for 'ects. Bonus marks were added, :ording to the age of the vehicle.
7n arrival at Victoria Barracks, rtsmouth, the finishing point, each npetitor had to answer in three antes 10 questions on the Highway de (100 marks possible).
gext followed three timed manceuvraity trials, with 100 marks for the test performance in each group,
['he first test was to drive forward 3 a rectangular enclosure, reverse by ng the mirror and return to the rting line. The second was to drive ng a "road," turn into a " garage " reversing or otherwise and return
to a flying finish. The third was to drive through an S bend and draw up on the finishing line.
Afterwards there was a concours d'elegance.
Great interest was shown lin the badges that almost covered the radiator of F. Cox's well-polished Albion pantechnicon, entered by Wort and Son, Ltd., Parkstone. His driving also aroused favourable comment.
F. Smith's 1923 Dennis, owned by Tyres; -Portsmouth (1937), Ltd, was another object of 'curiosity, and G. W. Forrester's Leyland Octopus, which, in the hands of G. A. Day, Ltd., ,Portsmouth; had covered 380,000 miles on shift work, received a special round of applause.
J. Bourne handled his Austin pantechnicon Like a racing car and won in his class. J. Haskett (Foden sixwheeler) was outstanding in D group and P. D. Privett put up a spirited performance with an A.E.C. eight-wheeler in E group. S. I. Palmer's enormously long old Foden eight-wheeler was handled with great care.
Most of the articulated outfits dashed through test 1, turning in one sweep in an enclosure 45 ft. wide, tyres scuffing and squealing.
Award winners in the six groups are eligible to enter for the lorry-driver-ofthe-year competition at Coventry on October 9.