Tanker Again at Oxford
Page 61
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
ONCE again, a tanker driver was declared outright winner of the Oxford round of the Lorry Driver of the Year Competition held for the third year running in the car park of Smith's Motor Accessories, Ltd., at Witney last Sunday. He was G. Honour driving a Shell-Mex and LP. Foden in Class D.
There were 142 entries for the Oxford round, the highest number so far. The weather was perfect, the tests well laid out with ample space and in general the organization of the round was excellent.
It was unfortunate that the smooth running of the driving tests was marred by three things. The first was when a competitor in Class E (1) was found to be carrying a load 9-ft. 5-in. wide. As the starting posts were set 9 ft. apart there was a delay while the invigilator for the national committee was consulted. In the same class, the competitor originally placed third was later disqualified when it was realized that his vehicle had three axles and not the two as specified for the class. Why this fact was not discovered _ by the entrant and the organizers before the results were announced is hard to understand, hut as it turned out the marks obtained by the driver would not have given him a place in the correct class, E (2).
Apart from these two hitches, the tests were well run Until the third test, which entailed reversing into a. loading bay. In Class H, for the largest articulated outfits, the last two competitors found the test virtually impossible and the organizers decided that the course was too short and should be re-run with it lengthened by 10 ft., the best performance of the two to count.
This decision seemed hard on those entrants who had a good run the first time and did, in fact, allow the driver of the largest outfit, B. Bateman, Foden—one of the two who found the
test impossible—to get third place for the class helped greatly by his receiving only nine penalty. marks on the re-run. An impressive performance was put up by W. Bosley of J. Curtis and Sons (E.R.F.) in the kerb-parking tests of this class. Despite the size of his vehicle he incurred only 15 penalty points, only one more than the best performance of all the competitors in this test.
• It was the second test of width judgment with two openings set at opposite angles, that caused competitors the most trouble. R. Pyke of the G.P.O., who (Wove a Morris, was placed fourth. in Class: B, giving the best perfor-' inance. with 47 marks lost. Most drivers appeared to underestimate
their capabilities or be over cautious and had the gaps set too wide apart. .
Last year's outright winner at Oxford, J. Farmer of H.C.P.P., Ltd., Oxford, again did' well driving an A.E.C. tanker to win Class E(2). Another class winner last year, B. Absolom (Bedford box van of Caversham Haulage) showed his consistency in winning Class E(1) again. First and second places in Class S were the reverse of last year.
The S.P.D. team of C. Butt, G. Buckner and S. Wilson driving Bedford, Commer and Ford vehicles respectively, won the team prize. The T.R.T.A. cup competition for the best maintained Clicensed vehicle was a clean sweep for Tate and Lyle with VV. Mason (Bedford) the winner. The Webster Trophy for the best maintained Aor B-licensed vehicle was won by J. Peake-Garland (Commer) of B.R.S. Swindon.
A.J.W.
stEstm...rs
CLASS B-16-19 Ms J. Buckingham (Southern Electricity Board). Austin, 93, I; G. Harris (Smith's Motor Accessories. Ltd.). Austin. 114, 2; 3. Clements (B.R.S. Oxford), Austin. 148. 3.
CLASS C-19-22 ft.: W. Gates (The dc Havilland Aircraft Co.. Ltd.), Morris. 111, 1; F. Fidler (Tate and Lyle. Ltd.), Bedford, Ill. 2: C. Dean (Premix Concrete. Ltd.). Ford. 115. 3.
CLASS D-22-25 ft.: G. Honour (Shell-Mex and B.P.. Ltd.), Fodcn, 103, 1; W. Hudson (Amcy's Transport. Ltd.). Ford. 106, 2; L. Pearce (Power Petroleum Co.). 109. 3.
CLASS E (1)—Over 25 ft.. with 2 axles: B. Absolnm (Caxersham Haulage). Bedford. 157. 1; H. Tibble (Cooper's Mechanical Joints, Ltd.), Bedford. 170. 2; S. Munday (B.R.S. Swindon), COMM'. 188, 3.
CLASS E (2)—Over 25 R., with more than 2 axles: 5. Farmer (H.C.P.P.. Ltd.). A.E.C., 111, 1: R. Stratton (B.R.S. Swindon). Bristol. 122, 2: D. Berion (Shell-Hex and )3.P., Ltd.). A.E.C., 154. 3.
CLASS F (11--Semi-traiier under 22 ft.: G. MACS (Smith's Motor Accessories. Ltd.), Austin, 153, 1: J. Marshall (B.R.S. Oxford). Austin. 201. 2; A. Morris (n.n.s. Oxford), Austin. 271, 3.
CLASS F (2)—Send-iraller 22-27 -ft.. tractor omit under 3 tons; S. White (Smith's Motor Accessories, Ltd.). Austin, l62, I; N. Tubb (Morris Motors. Lid.), Morris, 170, 2: W. Wilson (Morris Motors, Ltd.). Morris. 187. 3.
CLASS G—Semkrailer up to 27 ft. overall, tractor unit 3 tons or over: R. Lamb (T. Wall and Sons. Ltd.), Bedford, 166, 1; C. Simons 113.11.5. Oxford), A.E.C., 177, 2: N. Flint (Shell-Mex and B.P.. Ltd.),, Dennis, 243. 3.
CLASS 11—Any type send-traller over 27 ft_ tractor unit any unladen weight: C: Lanceley (The de Havilland Aircraft Co., Ltd.), Bedford. 191.. 1; M. Sees (3.11..S. Oxford). Austin. 213, 2; B. Bateman (Anicy's metwatcs), Faded, 219, 3.'
CLASS S—Standard Army load-carrying vehicles: Cossetted (129 inf. W/S R.E.M.E.), Ford, lot, I: S.A.C. .1. George (71 MU.. R.A.F.). Bedford, 168, 2: L/Cpl. K. Sharpe (129 Inf. W/S R.E.M.E.), 'Ford. 175. 3..
BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE: 0. HOW& . TEAM: S.P 11) . Ltd.