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That was the year...
Page 13
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CM was launched in 1905; for our centenary year we're bringing you stories from years gone by. This week we're back in 1931 and 1981.
1931
The sky's the limit
The Empire State Building in New York was completed: at a height of 381m (1,250ft),it was the world's tallest building until 1972. The pound collapsed; Ramsay MacDonald's government splits as a consequence. Thomas Edison, who invented the lightbulb, di ed. The US government began building the Hoover Dam. Britain's radio system had to be reorganised because of a shortage of wavelengths.
Crime campaign
A letter in CM warned of the "crime wave" that was spreading throughout the UK and the fact that the police appeared to be "helpless against it". The writer suggested police should "concentrate more upon traps for the wary criminal and less for the unwary motorist".
Argentina calling Commercial Motor was heavily involved in promoting Britain's chassis manufacturers at an exhibition in Buenos Aires. Copies of the magazine had been dispatched by sea, while companies such as Dennis Bros. Foden, Leyland Motors, Vauxhall and Scammell were among British exhibitors.
Rail reading
The railway industry was being castigated by CM because its continued involvement in "road activities" was affecting hauliers, and was a "serious menace". The introduction of express freight trains meant goods were also being delivered on a par with the service provided by hauliers, increasing competition.
1981
IBM introduces PCs IBM brought out its Personal Computer (PC), using what was to become an industry-standard disk operating system (PC-DOS). The world's longest suspension bridge opened over the Humber estuary; it was 1,410m (4,626ft) long. Ronald Reagan succeeded Jimmy Carter as President of the United States. Prince Charles married Diana Spencer. Egyptian president,An war Sadat, was assassinated.
First Foden
The first Foden chassis to be produced by the San dbach Engineering Company after its takeover by Paccar in 1980 -rolled off the firm's production line.The parent company said the vehicles would vary little from the chassis Foden was previously producing, with no radical redesign being planned.
TK trauma
The Bedford plant at Luton shed 1,900 jobs,while its neighbouring Dunstable plant was to lose 900 due to a decline in UK and overseas markets. The high pound affected export competitiveness, a huge problem for Bedford, which exported 60% of its truck production.
Chunnel resurfaces
Construction firm Tarmac put forward a proposal for a privately-financed Channel tunnel, with British interests providing half of the estimated ft .73bn cost. The 7m-wide single-bore tunnel was to open in 1990, with a second tunnel to be added in 2004.