,.BIRDS EVE. •
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by ie Hawk
DAFfodils in Portugal
-IERE IS STILL a touch of rolance in road haulage in Portu31 that is sadly lacking in Grey ritain. Donkeys, mules and (en have not been entirely reaced as sources of motive awer and even the human head still used for transport.
Hauliers are not too shy to ye their firms poetic names, ;ch as Golden Rose, The Swalws or The Pearl of Ourem. Try ;1 may, I cannot imagine Fred debottom naming his tipper isiness the Jewel of Runcorn, le Salford Nightingale or the ridnes Orchid.
Some 120 vehicles exude the :ent of the Golden Rose and early half of them are OAF. The roprietor, Virgilio Vincente argues, who has been in road iulage for 40 years, signed a antract for yet another DAF on napkin between courses in a .staurant. He probably wrote e cheque on a slice of ham.
But if Portugal joins the Cornon Market, the busy boys in russels will soon put a stop to at kind of frivolity. Tests, type, r heads, human square, goods r the carrying of, can be exected by 1997.
Seen any aged animals?
WORLDWIDE search is on for 48-year-old Vixen of Fox, a 47ear-old Wolf, a 46-year-old inx or Leopard or an elderly 3nther or Puma. These were all 'e-war Perkins diesel engines. Vixen or a Fox would be a )1Iector's piece indeed, for only 3 were produced in 1933.
Perkins will offer the owner of le world's oldest working die)l a new engine to replace it id will install the relic in a corn3ny museum as part of next ear's Golden Jubilee celebraDns. Alternatively, Perkins will pay the equivalent of £100 to anyone who locates the oldest engine but is not its owner.
The white hunter is M. Beard, director of public affairs of Perkins Engines Group Ltd, Peterborough, PE1 5NA.
No chaos on motorways
ALTHOUGH the Freight Transport Association has no hesitation in attacking the Department of Transport when it thinks criticism is justified, it is equally quick to defend the department when wronged. Richard Turner, the association's controller, planning and traffic services, complained to The Daily Telegraph that it had been less than just in saying that the motorway repair programme this year was chaotic.
"Far from creating repair chaos," he protested, "the work planned had been scheduled in such a way, with night-time working and breaks at peak periods, to maintain the highest possible service to road users."
To the newspaper's credit it accepted the rebuke gracefully by publishing Richard Turner's letter. Now they are all chums again.
Transportation, is criminal
JIM QUINN, an American who has written a book on language, defends the windy title of the American Department of Transportation as being etymologically more correct than Department of Transport. He maintains that the over-sensitive British shortened the word for general use because transportation was once the fate of convicts.
That, I suggest, would be no bad thing for "action" and "isa
tion" addicts, including tl author of "sortation". TI originator of "product protectil for the transport environmer — the subject of a seminar Plessey Assessment Services might also go just for the ride.
Inclination for a Nelco Solo
IS ANY self-sacrificing read willing to lend his bathchair the National Motor Museum Beaulieu for an exhibition special vehicles for the hani capped to be held from June u til September?
Another sought-after exhibit a Nelco Solo Car which is said have carried a 19-stone pers. up Porlock Hill. Its headlo. dash on the descent of the or in-four gradient, with its t% hairpin bends, would surt have frightened any Mona Grand Prix driver out of his wit
Blowing its owr bagpipes
THE BEST of Scotland will go I show to the world at Aviemc on May 13/14 at an ambitio travel trade fair in which coa companies will co-operate. It being organised by the Scotti Tourist Board in conjunctil with the Highlands and !slap Development Board and t British Tourist Authority.
It will replace the STB traN fair at Ingliston, Edinburgh, a the H1DB Tourism Tradex Intl national.
Many visitors are expect from Europe, North Americ Australasia and elsewhere, a the HIDB and others will of sample tours for overseas de gates. Operators of extend tours have a fine chance to s their services to foreign hr daymakers so long as they E not hamstrung by exorbitz hotel charges.