A BETTER LORRY SHOW AT THE• "ROYAL"
Page 18
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
By "The Inspector."
THE STEP taken by the Royal Agricultural Society of England to provide a snore impressive staging for the commercial vehicle and similar exhibits at this year's " Royal " is one which has been advocated„by the writer for some years past. The S.M,M. and T. has been well advised to press for more intelligent appreciation of the requirements of the industry so far as this great annual display is
concerned. ., .
.. It has, for HOMO years past, been a matter Of com
ment that, owing to the haphazard distribution of the commercial vehicle stands through the show grounds, it was a matter of great difficulty to make sure that one had seen all that was to be seen, in spite of miles of wandering over the always-tiring show ground. In the aggregate, the support. from the industry, plus that of tractor and traction engine manufacturers has, for years, been a factor of some importance, even to so very extensive an organization as that built up by the R.A.S.E. for their annual and movable displays. Moreover, the collection of commercial vehicles has undoubtedly contributed to a very satisfactory extent to the yearly attendance records.
In short, as good a case had been made for the collective display of tractors and lorries as. for pigs. or goats. Hitherto, we have had to search for lorries amongst diggers and mowers, and that was not as itshould be.
The new arrangements whereby all exhibiting firms from our own industry are to be accommodated in near-by stands will add-very materially to the effec tiveness of the display ; it should certainly facilitate business, and it will undoubtedly tempt tired visitors to pay visits to all the stands they want to see.
There is first a question as to whether the Royal" is a display that is of very much use to the lorry manufacturer ; it has been the custom, far SOlite years past, to exhibit there, but the writer has heard it freely discussed as to whether, if the Society ruled it out under the Bond, anyone would have any regrets. It has been strongly suggested that it would he of much more use to hold an annual Show under cover at. Manchester--a motor show pure and simple—and to cut out the Outdoor perambulating display at the " Royal." But it has become the custom to show on these occasions, and, whether it be very useful or not, the habit will, doubtless, remain_ In any case, the Bond has acted advantageously in cutting out..numberless small shows. of a similar nature which are yearly fixtures all over the country,. and which periodically do their best tcetempt manufacturers of lorries, etc., to participate. The promoters. invariably, seem to be unaware of the existence of and reason for the Bond.
This year,it is understood, stricter stepswill be taken to ensure uniformity in the matter of the class of exhibit. Any attempt to smuggle in back axles and gearboxes and other units, or to show chassis without bodies; will be firmly dealt with—more firmly we believe than on previous occasions. If such a rule for their exclusion be in existence; it should be en. forced, As to the exact reason fon its existence, that is another story, and one that some of us would he interested to hear told.