Chris
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is UK's driver ambassador to Sweden
"FABULOUS", "marvellous", "unbelievable", "incredible", "smashing". Chris Morris, the 1984 Mark Vane Award winner, had run out of adjectives to describe his visit to Sweden. And that was before the end of day one.
Chris was in Sweden as the guest of Volvo and got the full treatment. Diana Calder, the SAS public relations person, started it off by getting him and his luggage through crowds of other travellers at Heathrow and on to flight SAS 834 and a champagne breakfast, with ease.
At Gothenburg Airport he got his first taste of Swedish hospitality when he was welcomed by Ulf Arensberg and Kjell Hogstrom. Almost immediately, however, the working programme started. Lief Strand, who has been responsible for Volvo's product development over the years and now markets the product, set out gently to learn what the typical driver wants from a vehicle. Chris's answers and the subsequent conversation is a story we will bring you later.
The Mark Vane Award presentation, now in its second year, coincides with the Festival of Santa Lucia — the start of Sweden's Christmas season.
At Volvo's demonstration centre at Tagene the staff and Chris sat down to breakfast in traditional style, "just to relax him," said John Dennis, the British Volvo public relations manager. Chris, who was 28 the previous Saturday, needed relaxing. His next task was to drive a 52-tonne gcw charge cooled F12 with a Globetrotter cab and drawbar trailer. This was to be his first driving experience on "the wrong side of the road".
Before that the young Bristolian had shown that he was not just a driver. He took a lively interest in the whole Volvo range. He discussed knowledgeably engine output, power-to-weight ratios and transmissions with Volvo personnel.
Then came the 20km drive on the E6, one of Europe's main highways, followed by a few manoeuvring tests. He showed no sign of nerves and handled the vehicle throughout like a veteran continental driver.
How had Chris enjoyedhis trip so far? "It beats trucking from Bristol to Bradford" — one of his regular runs for United Builders Merchants.
At the Tune plant he was speechless — well almost. Again he burst out into a wide range of adjectives. He described the plant as more of a cathedral than a factory. He was amazed to learn that each man in an assembly line crew gets his turn to be foreman — he was impressed. "It would be a pleasure to work here."
Still there was no sign of nerves as he prepared to meet Sten Langenuis, Volvo's president, and prepare he did. In his bag he had a well crumpled volume of "The Bristol Book" and souvenir bottles of Bristol Cream, which he handed over as a token of his appreciation. This man was proving to be a great ambassador for Britain, Bristol and lorry drivers.
One of the points which impressed him most was Volvo's attention to road safety. He visited the laboratory and the accident research unit before going off to see how Swedish hauliers operate.
Even at this stage Chris Morris could have returned to Bristol well satisfied, but more was to come.. Ahead of him lay an 18-hour day when he would cover 1,000 miles — by air.