Wheels lost: firm fined
Page 17
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TER an incident in which a rry belonging to Blundell & mmer (Produce) Ltd, of ilsall, near Ormskirk, lost its ro nearside drive wheels on e Great North Road, the ,mpany was fined £40 by agistrates at Wath, Yorkire.
In a police prosecution, the ,mpany and driver Keith wid Hodgson, of 31 Stewart venue, Walton, Liverpool, ere each charged with using lorry in a dangerous condi Vehicle examiner J. Bearsall id he had examined a ic-wheeled rigid Atkinson moved from the southbound irriageway of the Al on arch 8.
The two nearside rear drive heels had become detached .cause the hub lock nut and ,e hub nut had become ffastened. The hub lock nut asher had lost its flange and ,e hub lock nut appeared to we been tightened by the use a chisel, contrary to trade practice of using a flat-nosed drift.
Cross-examined by J. S. Lawton, defending, Mr Bearsail said there was no way in which the driver could or should have been aware of the defect. He was unaware that Atkinson had circulated dealers with modification advice in respect of the hub lock nut washer.
Vehicle lost drive
Mr Hodgson said he was driving along the Al when the vehicle suddenly lost all its drive and he pulled over to the side of the road and stopped.
Mr Lawton said no danger had been caused.
All the prosecution evidence pointed to the fact that the driver could not have been aware of the problem and that the company had taken all reasonable steps to ensure that the vehicle was properly maintained and cared for.
He produced the modification advice Atkinson had sent out to its dealers; Atkinson, as manufacturers, were aware of difficulty with the locking nut washers on these axles.
The magistrates found the cases proved. They fined the company £40 but gave Mr Hodgson an absolute discharge and held there were special reasons why his driving licence should not be endorsed.