Dangerous fruit

13th September 1974, Page 147

13th September 1974

Page 147

Page 147, 13th September 1974 — Dangerous fruit

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After the clockwork orange the .xploding banana. All you hauliers waged in the carriage of fruit had better be careful that your traffic is not more dangerous than you realize. The annual report of am Inspectors of Explosives for 1974 has revealed a hidden hazard to fruit carriers: included in the report is an account of in incident involving the exploding bananas.

Apparently a vessel carrying a -.:.argo of this dangerous fruit caught fire outside a UK port and, during the ire fighting, blew up. Home Office experts have Concluded that the ethylene used in the ripening process could have been released from the fruit by the heat, causing the explosion.

It just shows that you can never tell what is going to go with a bang these days.

Spotting Smokey

I learn that there is a big crackdown in the States on the widespread illegal use of radio transmitters by truck drivers. Especially since the 55 mph main-road speed limit was introduced, truck drivers have been using "citizens-band-radio" equipment to warn other drivers of speed traps.

At the instigation of the Federal Communications Commission, enforcement efforts were started first in Iowa, where four truck drivers have been arrested. One was charged with using an unlicensed transmitter and three for the illegal use of licensed transmitters. When the FCC sponsored a survey of truckers at 40 places in 21 states this summer they found that 20 per cent of the 36,000 trucks which were checked possessed radio communication equipment — but 56 per cent of them had no licences.

There were no charges as a result of that check but the authorities have been handing out pink warning notices telling drivers that operation of what amounts to an unlicensed radio station can result in a year in prison and a fine of up to ten thousand dollars. The maximum penalty for a second violation is two years jail.

As well as warning other drivers about the activities of "Smokey the Bear" — as American truckers call the police — they have also been warning their colleagues by R/ T of "chicken coops", which is their name for vehicle weighing stations which are open at random hours.

Boyhood ambition

Ever realized a boyhood ambition? Great, isn't it? One person who knows the feeling well is Ken Wellman, general manager of National Travel (South West) Ltd, which includes Black & White and the newly purchased Wessex Coaches Ltd, of Bristol. Ken, who was brought up in East London, tells me that when he was a lad he always wanted to grow up to manage a tram company. Well just the other week he achieved his ambition – but only for 10 minutes.

When Wessex was purchased, National Travel needed a dormant company of its own to effect the takeover. Ken searched around and found Bath Tramway Co Ltd. NBC held the shares and a board meeting was swiftly arranged at which Ken was appointed gm. Ten minutes later the same meeting approved a resolution renaming the company Wessex National Ltd. So it was only a brief moment of glory.

Still, this business of using dormant companies is something of a forte for Ken. It was he, I gather, who was responsible for the transformation of Charlie's Cars (Bournemouth) Ltd into NBC's computer company.

by the Hawk