Tankers win laurels
Page 48
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SKILFUL driving and warm sunshine marked Grimsby's second LDOY eliminating contest on Sunday when the tanker drivers stole the limelight. They represented half the centre's increased number of entrants.
Overall winner was 53-year-old S. Chapman of Shell-Mex and BP, who lost only 36 penalty points in Class E.(2). Indeed, he only dropped 13 points by the time he came to the last test. Although he has entered at York before, this is his first "ticket" to the final.
First-time entrants with a strong contingent, Clugston Transport Ltd. had a worthy class G winner in C. Marham. In a 42-foot artic, he made a faultless entry into the loading bay which has beaten so many artic drivers in other rounds. He was only penalized for stopping short of the rear barrier.
W. Jerrard who won Class H last year, will be the only Grimsby driver returning to Coventry in September. He lost only one penalty mark more, when winning Class F.(2) than did fellow Shell-Mex driver, Chapman. Only two drivers got through the Highway Code and road route unscathed, sections which were ably marshalled by the police again this year. One was R. Fenwick. Many were delighted to see him win class H in his 42-ft. Continental oil tanker, since an objection had robbed him of the cup last year. This was caused by spectators helping the drivers and, indeed, again this year the spectators were allowed complete freedom. Many drivers to whom I spoke felt this caused a distraction and that they should have been cordoned off from the test area.
One British Road Services driver, C. E. Greenside, carried out the road route in an artic of over 55 ft. but at the request of his transport manager, the stewards permitted him to change trailers for the tests. Apart from it being outside the standard Construction and Use Regulations, the vehicle GRIMSBY RESULTS
Class A-up to 16 ft. and from 20 cwt.: No entries.
Class B-16 to 19 ft..: I. R. Adlard (A. Church and Sons (Homcastle) Ltd.), Morris, 86/ penalty points; 2. C. Lait (British Transport Docks Board), Austin, 241.
Class C-19 to 22 ft.: 1. D. Amos (Rolf Williams), Ford, 135; 2. R. Snowden (Shell-Mex and BP Ltd.), Leyland, 152; 3. K. Wescott (Petrofina (GB) Ltd.), Bedford, 181/.
Class D-22 to 25 ft.: 1. M. Steele (Ralph Williams), Bedford, 61+; 2. H. Betts (Ralph Williams), Bedford, 77; 3. B. Harriman (Mill Farm), Commer, 79.
Class E(1)-over 25 ft., two axles: I. N. J. Booth (W. Leaning Sons and Co.), Commer, 120+; 2. A. Jobling (Ralph Williams), Bedford, 128.
Class E(2)-over 25 ft., more than two axles: 1. S. Chapman (Shell-Mex and BP Ltd.), AEC, 36; 2. J. Rowbotham (Petrofina (GB) Ltd.), AEC, 61; 3. D. Goulding (Continental Oil (UK) Ltd.), AEC, 631. Class F(1)-flat or sided semi-trailer with fiat or drop frame including and up to 33 ft.: 1. W. Dannatt (Birds Eye Food Ltd.), Bedford, 175+; 2. A. Clayton
would have required a concrete lamp-post to be moved in order to carry out test 3.
Presenting the prizes, Chief Constable of Lincolnshire J. W. Barnett thanked Courtaulds for the excellent facilities and congratulated the drivers and organizers on the road safety promoting event. Lincolnshire police together with McVeigh Transport Ltd. and Humber Warehousing Ltd., he said, were conducting an experiment on 500 vehicles fitted with red reflectors and marking tape at the rear. Their accident figures would be compared with the rest of the fleets at the end of a year's experiment.
(Cherry Valley Farm), BMC, 335; 3. S. Alcock (Birds Eye Food Ltd.), Bedford, 486.
Class F(2)-box on tank semi-trailer with flat or drop frame over 33 ft. train length: 1. W. Gerrard (Shell-Mex and BP Ltd.), AEC, 83; 2. A. Barratt (Continental Oil Co. Ltd.), Leyland, 163+;. 3. P. Spilman (Birds Eye Food Ltd.), Bedford, 168.
Class G-flat or sided semi-trailer with flat or drop frame over 33 ft. train length: I. C. Marham (Clugston Transport Ltd.), Leyland, 128+; 2. P. Crawford (Clugston Transport Ltd.), Foden, 146; 3. A. Marshall (Harveys Transport Ltd.), Guy, 150/.
Class H-box or tanker semi-trailer with fiat or drop frame over 33 ft. train length: 1. R. Fenwick (Continental Oil (UK) Ltd.), AEC, 1311; 2. R. Spilman (Petrofina (GB) Ltd.), AEC, 165+; 3. J. Sissons (Clugston Transport Ltd.), Foden, 233.
Champion Driver: S. Chapman (Shell-Mex and BP Ltd.).
Best A or B-licensed driver: M. Steele (of Ralph Williams).
Best Team: Ralph Williams (H. Betts, M. Steele, A. Jobling).