One good turn ...
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War, adversity and industrial strife inevitably bring out the best and the worst in people and produce tragic incidents which seem in retrospect to take on a touch of comedy. Take the Scottish haulage dispute. One contractor well known for his ability to manage men and overcome industrial problems heard that a close neighbour and competitor was almost certainly to be affected by strike action. Without hesitation Mac the Peacemaker dashed round to the other man's premises and gently persuaded the drivers to think again. He was successful and his friend was grateful.
Try to imagine, however, how the peacemaker felt when he returned to his own yard and had to cross a picket line and face a shopsteward who told him that while he had been out the men had had a meeting and decided to join the strike!
MA N power Had my first crack at a big drawbar outfit the other week, courtesy of David Allen, md of Pengco. (I also had a taste of his scarlet Ferrari Dino — but only as a passenger, I hasten to add).
The 32-ton outfit was the MANPengco demonstrator which is being used to show the benefits of a robust demountable drawbar combination; it is technically interesting, too, in having air suspension on the trailer. On this particular one it is Pengco's convoluted-bellows type, but the rolling-lobe is an alternative.
I was impressed with the way the Peterborough-built drawbar trailer followed through on the winding roads around the city especially as I was somewhat preoccupied learning the MAN's steering-column gearchange. The maximum cut-in, they say, is only 13 ft 2 in if you turn the outfit on full lock.
The vehicle itself is very forgiving, and is a real pleasure to drive; all the comfort and liveliness of the 32.232 tractive unit, but with the better ride of a rigid truck. As a solo outfit it must go like a car, but it's a bit too
Still writing
It was also a special event for Bot Howlett, who recently retired a; PRTA secretary after 27 years —jus. about the whole life span of th( Association. There were some nict tributes by chairman Bob Bailey an by senior past chairman Sir Joh/ Spencer Wills, who indulged in a nic( line in reminiscence and formall7 presented Bob with a retirement gif which had been contributed by man! members of the Association.
All too appropriate — it is ; Regency writing desk, so even ii retirement he'll be putting pen tc paper, no doubt as effectively as ever