BANFIELDS SCORE AGAIN!

12th May 1967, Page 85

12th May 1967

Page 85

Page 85, 12th May 1967 — BANFIELDS SCORE AGAIN!

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HCl/C run gives them eight of 18 top awards

ONCE again the Banfield family won a "crateful" of cups and trophies at the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club's annual run to Brighton on Sunday.

But the fact that eight of the 18 major awards will grace Banfield shelves for the next year seemed to cause some not altogether favourable comment.

Small wonder: the Banfield entries could only be described as immaculate and would

probably win commercial vehicle concours anywhere in the world, against any class of vehicle. Few people would deny that the best vehicles receive the awards.

But in an event of this sort the margin between winning and coming nowhere can be very small indeed. And there are bound to be differences of opinion on the subject.

Owners of the rarer vehicles—there was a Tilling-Stevens petrol-electric chassis and a Wolseley First World War truck—would no

doubt love to have some recognition. But then they are unlikely to be entering in the hope of getting

a trophy because they could not hope to compete with vehicles "prettied up" even beyond their original condition.

I heard comments about the Banfield Merry weather fire engine winning the top award despite being towed to the finishing line. But I understand this entry had complied with the rules by getting within the Brighton boundary before breaking down.

Many suggestions were made of ways of changing the system used to allocate awards. A common one was that no more than one award should go to one vehicle. Others thought that a complete change should be made in marking, with marks given at check points on the run down and "excessive pettying-up"such as plated nuts, bolts and chains and high-gloss chassis being discounted in the marking.

Heavy rain and hail on the way to. Brighton from Battersea Park and Epsom looked suffi ciently set-in to mar the event but Brighton was having one of its better days and a large crowd turned out in the sunshine to inspect the vehicles on the promenade.

This year nearly 150 veterans started on the run and only a few had to drop out on the way and the standard of the vehicles taking part was remarkably high.

For the first time this year two foreign vehicles took part in the rally, a Scania-Vabis entered by its Swedish makers and a Triangel entered by Tuborg, of Copenhagen, Denmark. Both were 27-year-olds and had covered the road mileage between their home towns and the starting point under their own power. In addition both were loaded.

I drove the Scania-Vabis with Palle Bjorkman who had brought the vehicle from Stockholm (and spent most of the day before the run cleaning up the truck after its long journey) and we had a wonderful and trouble-free trip.

Although in perfect condition and with an engine you could eat your dinner off, the ScaniaVabis did not get into the Concours d'Elegance award list. But with the astonishingly high standard of other vehicles in its class this was not unexpected. Palle Bjorkman did not leave emptyhanded, however, as he received the trophy awarded for the farthest-travelled entrant, which was presented jointly to the two overseas vehicles.

Among other vehicles worth especial mention but which did not get a major award were a Gilford AS6 entered by Jack Mulley, of Ixworth, Suffolk, and a Sentinel steam lorry driven down from Stoke-on-Trent for the rally.

Changes in the system of judging might be welcomed by many owners who take part in the run but I am sure that few are really bothered about who wins the cups. Even if there were no awards, most would still take part. I know I