Northern lights
Page 43
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Down in numbers but not in spirit, Northern area RHA members and their guests enjoyed themselves in traditional manner at this year's annual dinner-dance at Newcastle. It doesn't seem all that long ago that this event attracted 400 people — it was down to about 160 this year.
Not so surprising in these hard times, I suppose — though I met hauliers who told me how busy they still were in brick transport, removals, the import and distribution of freezers ... and even general haulage. But one prominent haulier was telling me how steel operators on contract to the BSC on Teesside had been cut from 40 to 15.
John Hanlon, Northern LA, was on good form, dancing with great dash and making " positively my last appearance here as LA." Having heard from area chairman Tom Orrell how tough things were for hauliers, • he suggested that perhaps the guests ought to have entertained the members.
When he thanked the RHA for its co-operation over the 22 years he'd been LA he remarked that when they'd had a taste of his successor they might think of J. A. T. Hanlon that "perhaps the old B wasn't so bad after all."
They think better of him than that ; in fact I detected quite a strong " honours for Hanlon " feeling.