BIRD'S EYE VIEW
Page 28
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
BY THE HAWK
PRIZE CROSSWORD: 5
• The Orient Freight Group is taking a passenger in one of its Volvo F12s on a run from London to Baghdad — 64-yearold Ernest Gardner, who won the trip as part of the Children in Need charity appeal A place with the 12-day expedition was auctioned off and Ernest was top bidder with .22,200. The F12 will be pulling a 20-tonne load of telecommunications equipment as part of a major contract won in Iraq by GPT Telecom. Veteran Middle East driver Lawrence Kiely will be at the wheel; Ernest will fly home courtesy of Jordanian Airlines, whose representative Esther Rihani came along to wave him off in London.
Orient operates overland trailer service throughout Eastern Europe and the Middle East...
. . And just to show the F12s are as happy at sea as on land, here's a fishy tale. More than 10 months after being reported stolen, this Volvo F12 was pulled out of the harbour at Oslo. After a quick check-up by the local Volvo dealer the seaweed-covered truck started up and was driven away.
One wonders, what's a nice Volvo doing in a plaice like that? (Ouch — Ed).
• Grimsby-based Iveco-Ford dealer Hartford Trucks is challenging HGV drivers to come up with the best fuel consumption over its test route, and it's offering 0,000 to the winner.
All drivers are cordially invited to try their skill; the event will run until 6 April. Proceeds from the U5 entry fee will be donated to the Commercial Motor Wheel Loss Campaign and the Humberside "Truck and Child Safety Group", which aims to encourage children's understanding of road safety and trucks.
The test vehicle is the Ivero 190.48 Turbostar, coupled to a York Freightmaster 13.6m box at the new 16.5m overall length. The test will encourage safe and careful driving, but the main idea is to show that a 17.2-litre engine, developing 358kW (480hp) can also be economical.
Organiser Tom Cave says Lucas Kienzle fuel flow meter will measure the fuel used; for details contact Tom or Michelle Davies on (0472) 358941.
• A mercy mission mounted by Dorset police and ambulance personnel took food, clothes, toys and medical supplies to the people of Constanta, Romania recently.
And it was so successful that the team from Wareham, Dorset, are planning a second expedition, to deliver £15,000 of AIDS screening kits in July.
They have been promised a tractor and trailer (last time one was supplied by Tyneside Good Samaritan Tony Van Hee) but desperately need help with a supply of diesel, cash towards fuel, or diesel coupons valid in Romania.
Any donations will be gratefully received by ambulance paramedic Terry Thompson at 16, Sandhills Crescent. East Burton, Wool, Dorset 13H20 6HD, phone (0929) 462873.
• West Midlands Travel participated in the St Patrick's Day Parade through Dublin last week, to market the many Irish bus drivers who have joined the firm since the 1950s. A quiet, sober celebration no doubt. . . ACROSS 7 Essential things to know and to have with the steak at the services! (6) 8 & 24 Across: First thing in checking the radiator water level (6,3,3) 10 Italian racing model on the transporter to Silverstone, perhaps (7) 11 Country associated with durable rubber tyres? (5) 12 .. Rover (4) 13 Damage the skin if doing 8 & 24 carelessly when hot (5) 17,5 Down & 4 Down: HGV (5,5,7) 18 State in the USA you will be in when you drive to Columbus (4) 22 Place to visit in the USA for a bit of vice in Florida!
(5) 23 Dependable threewheeled van? (7) 24 see 8 Across 25 Manufacturers of minicompactors such as the 55 (6) DOWN 1 Still room in the diesel tank (3,4) 2 Someone on the move from one permanent residence to another (7) 3 Legal, like the relative! (2,3) 4 see 17 Across 5 see 17 Across 6 AA breakdown service to destination (5) 9 New model from 12 Across like capital of 18 model (9) 14 Crossing for the funnylooking bird! (7) 15 Mountain range making for some different European journeys (3,4) 16 Get in touch with the person you're meeting (7) 19 Huge fleet from WH of Do-It-All (5) 20 When arrival will be if schedule interrupted (5) 21 What the windscreen should be, and what the road very rarely is! (51