Modification to "Artie" Causes Accident
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NO employee should be allowed to interfere with any vehicle, under penalty of dismissal," stated Mr. F. Shaw, Notts County magistrate, last week. S. J. Smith and Co., Holyhead Road, Wednesbury, Staffs, and Geoffrey Woodhouse, Leabrooks, one of their drivers, were fined for using an articulated lorry with a defective locking device.
It was stated that the semi-trailer came away from the tractor when the vehicle was running down a bumpy road in Hucknall. A man on the pavement was struck and killed.
After the accident, an examiner found that a nut had been welded on to the locking device to make releasing easier. This automatically released the semitrailer on a rough road, said Mr. F. B. Pearce, prosecuting.
For the driver, Mr. R. A. Cleaver said ;hat the accident was a million-to-one chance. "[he tractor had been driven with different semi-trailers for about 1.000 miles after the nut was fitted.
Mr. P. Jenkin-Jones defended the company's maintenance record and added: " This tampering with the release gear was entirely done on the sole initiative of Woodhouse."
The company paid a £10 fine and the driver £5.
PRESS NOTICE OF INQUIRIES? NAR. R. STOKES, M.P. for Ipswich, IVI is to be asked to take up with the Minister of Transport the question of "adequate notice" being given of public inquiries into applications for higher fares.
Ipswich Trades Council and Labour Party, who are to take this step, want notices to he published in the local Press before inquiries take place. This would enable objections to be lodged by individuals or organizations, they say.
BIG FORGINGS -OUTPUT QPENING a new company laboratory last week, Mr. R. P. Brookes, chairman and managing director of Garringtons, Ltd., Bromsgrove, stated that output was now running at 400,000 forgings a day. The laboratory is equipped with a range of modern apparatus.