One-vehicle Coventry " Final "
Page 54
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A PRECEDENT may have been set by
the organizers of the Coventry round of the Lorry Driver of the Year Competition on Sunday. A final series of tests was arranged for class winners to decide the outright winner of the event, all the finalists driving Austin 304 forward-control 3-tanners of identical specification. It is notable that the event was won by a driver who came first in Class H, at the wheel of a Queen Mary outfit—V. Tarn, of Sir W. G. ArmStrong Whitworth Aircraft, Ltd., who gained his class win on a Commer.
Second. K. Plumbe, of the Stanton Ironworks Co., Ltd., drove an Atkinson eight-wheeler to achieve lowest points in Class E2, and last year's winner on points Cpl. D. M. Readman (R.A.F. Gaydon) ran him close in an Austin.
Although the inclusion of a local championship event added some two hours to the total time taken, the prizes had been distributed to the winners before 5 p.m. Many competitors commented favourably on the speed at which the tests were run off. Winner of Class D, S. Cottrell (S.P.D., Ltd.), driving an Austin. tied on points with R. Radcliffe (Ind Coope, Ltd., B.M.C.) with a total of 101 and was awarded first place because he passed the road test without loss. whereas Radcliffe was penalized four points.
Average points lost by class winners in the diagonal width-judging test were well over 60, and it was generally considered by competitors and marshals that the penalty of one mark per inch for setting of the pylons in excess of vehicle width was far too severe. According to the majority view, it would be impossible for any driver, particularly of a large vehicle, to complete this test with a loss of less than 40 marks. " Playing reasonably safe" would inevitably result in a penalty of over ,100 points, which could represent far too high a proportion of the total.
n20 Only 'three of the 11 class winners lost marks in the road section, the average being less than one point, and five competitors came through the Highway Code
test without penalty. In this case the average was a little over three lost points, the highest penalty being 12 points.
Second in Class A with the loss of 78 points, N. Slater (T. Ff. Slater and Son) was within two points of the class winner. T. Davenport (Ernest Batley, Ltd.), who also won the cup for the best C-licence driver, and recorded the lowest marking of the day. Mr. Slater is kfarmer and Was driving his own Commer van converted to the carriage of livestock.
As usual, many good drivers made silly mistakes rather than serious errors of judgment, the most common fault of this kind being failure to stop astride the BB line in the width-judging test, or driving straight on to the next test.
All those who qualified for the championship tests made a point of not hurryinc. Although this practice can appear
the same as over-cautious driving, there is generally a world of difference in the results. This was particularly evident on Sunday in the case of the articulated vehicles. Drivers who were unhurried did well, whilst the over-cautious frequently faulted badly sooner rather than later.
RESULTS
CLASS A—Up to 15 ft.: T. Davenport (Ernest Batley, Ltd.), Austin, 76 penalty points. 1; N. Slater (T. H. Slater and Son). Commer, 78, 2: K. Evans (Ernest Barley, Lid.), Austin, 89, 3.
CLASS I1-15-19 Mr K. Kirtan (Ernest Batley.
Ltd.). Austin. 81, J. Hough (The British Oxygen Co.. Ltd.), Bidford, 95, 2: S. tenticott (Humber, Ltd.). Commer, 214, 3.
CLASS C -19-22 ft.: G. Parry (Humber, Ltd.), Commer. 92, 1: S. Smith Mut-Tiber, Ltd.), Cornmer, 115, and A. B. Currie (The British Oxygen Co., Ltd.), Bedford. 115. equal 2.
CLASS 13 —22.25 IL; S. Cattrell (S.P.D., Ltd.), Austin 101, 1; B. Radcliffe (Ind Cuope, Ltd.). B.M.C., 101. 2: M. Hughes (Ernest Batley, Ltd.). Bedford, /06, 3.
CLASS El—Cher 25 EL, two axles: K. 13reden (Stanton Ironworks. Co., Ltd.). Atkinson, 117, 1: P. R. Wilktts (Lockheed Hydraulic Brake Co.. Lid.), Dodge 120. 2; C. Walker (The British Oxygen Co., Ltd.), Redford. 126. 3.
CLASS E2--Over 25 ft., more than two axles: K. Plumbe (Stanton ironworks Co., Lid.). Atkinson, 12.5, I; B. Jones (British Oxygen Co., Ltd,), Albion, 166, 2; V. Townsend (Stanton Ironworks Co„ Ltd.), Atkinson. 172, 3.
CLASS Fi—Artic.„ tractor under 3 tom, semitrailer under 22 EL: D. Layfierd (Humber, Ltd.). Karrier, 149. 1; I. Maus (Ernest Batley, Ltd.), Bedford, 179, 2; E. Osbourne (Ernest Batley, Ltd.), Commer, 1E14, 3, CLASS F2—Artic., tractor under 3 tons, semitrailer 22-27 ft; IL. Hewitt (Fisher and Ludlow, Ltd.). Morris Commercial, 127. 1; H. Heath (Stanton Ironworks Co., Ltd.), Commer, 160. 2:
B199, 3,. 3o.ven (Stanton Ironworks Co., Lid.), Commer,
CLASS G—A.rtie., tractor 3 tons or over, semitrailer wo to 25 ft.; J. Brown (V. Hallam, Ltd.). Commer. 155. 1: S. Bowes (Humber, Ltd.). Commer, 164, 2; A. Burdett (Humber. Ltd.). Commer, 167, 3.
CLASS H—Articulated tractor am weight, semitrailers over 22 ft.: V. Tarn (Sir W. 0. ArliKtrOrta Whitworth Aircraft. Ltd.), Cornmer, 204. 1: G. King (Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft, Ltd.), Comrner. 246, 2: Cpl. M. J. Hunt (R.A.F. Gaydon). Bedford, 381, 3, CLASS S—Slandard -Army Vehicles 19-24 EL;
CM. D. M. Readntan Daydon), Austin.
117. 1; Cot. 1. Lyon Gaydon), Bedford, 170, 2 (two entries).
Best maintained vehicle: No award.
Best C-licence vehicle: T. Davenport (Ernest Batley. Ltd.), Austin.
Team: Ernest Batley, Ltd,
and Area Championship Inn Austin 304)1 V. Tarn (Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth AiCre:al'etrYftn.Ltd.). 87, 1; K. Plumbe (Stanton Ironworks Co.. Ltd.). 94. 2: CM. D. M. Keadman (R.A.F. Gaydon), 97, 3.