Willetts wins
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by Paul Brockington
• Last year it was sunny and warm at Coventry LDoY and veteran P. Willetts of the Lockheed Brake Company won everything he could win apart from the cup for the most consistent performance over three years. This year there was a gusty downfall for over two hours which was followed by a snow-storm and spasms of sleeting rain. Again Willetts won all he could. He has been in the final five times.
In a tribute to Mr. Willetts Mr. R. V. Riley, transport manager of Ernest Batley Ltd. (who supplied the three vehicles for the run-off) forecast that with a little luck he would be unbeatable in the final if he did not lose his nerve in the second part of the test. He was driving the same Ford D1000 platform lorry as last year in Class El and in addition to winning the class event with the lowest score of the day (59 points) and the performance award, he was overall champion and best C-licence driver.
As an experiment the tests were run "in reverse", with Class H vehicles the first to take the test. There was a record entry of some 136 vehicles and the last test was completed at 5.15 p.m. The experiment did not seem to prove anything, except possibly that the afternoon visitors had less to entertain them. On average the number of points lost was higher than last year, possibly because of a difficult question in the Highway Code test about -When do you not sound the horn?" Or could it have been the weather?
Nearest on points to Willetts, D. Morgan, who lost 18 points in the Highway Code test, compares with Willetts' penalty of 11 points. Morgan was driving a BMC semi-trailer outfit for BLMC in Class G and his total for the three manoeuvring tests was 43. Willetts was penalized a total of 48 in these tests, but he did much better in the run-off, Morgan hitting a pylon in the bay test. The run-off vehicles comprised a Ford B Class van (kerb test), an Albion G Class articulated outfit (width test) and an Albion El Class lorry (bay test). Runner-up in Class G. V. Townsend lost only 68 points and was there in the eliminator on a points basis; he was driving for the Stanton Staveley Company.
In Classes D and H the placing of the second and third drivers was decided in each case in favour of the driver who was penalized the lesser number of points in the route test.
COVENTRY RESULTS
Class A: up to 16 seats and over 1 ton unladen weight: 1, R. Wood (R. F. Brookes Ltd.) Ford, 74 points; 2, B. S. Dhanda )GPO) Morris. 76; 3, Fl. Walters (BLMC) BMC. 91.
Class B: over 16 ft to 19 ft: 1, S. Briscow (R. F. Brookes Ltd.) Bedford, 77; 2, 0. Spike (R. F. Brookes Ltd.) Bedford, 95; 3, R. S. Matts (Rootes Ltd.) Grimmer, 103.
Class C: over 19 ft to 22 ft; .1 E. Poulson (Enterprise Bakeries Ltd.) Ford, 81: 2, R. B. Homer continued overleaf
(Enterprise Bakeries Ltd.) Ford, 113: 3, K. Sharp IR. F. Brookes Ltd.) Bedford, 124.
Class 13: over 22 ft to 25 ft: 1, G. Sims (Staveley Chemicals Ltd.) Ford, 98: 2, S. Eaton (Ind Coope Ltd.) BMC. 103; 3. D. J. Stephens ID. J. Stephens), Albion. 103.
Class El: over 25 ft with two axles: 1 P. Willetts (Lockheed Brake Co. Ltd.) Commer, 79; 3. S. T. Lakin (Montague Burton Ltd.) Bedford, 92.
Class E2: over 25 ft with more than two axles: 1. G. Turner (Staveley Chemicals Ltd.) Atkinson,
165: 2, W. J. Felis IShelIMex and BP Ltd.) AEC, 244: 3, J. Wood (Staveley Chemicals Ltd.) Atkinson, 2133.
Class Fl: flat or sided semi-trailers up to 33 ft: 1, Rosser (Rootes Ltd.) Commer, 183: only one entrant.
Class F2: box or tank semi-trailers up to 33 ft: 1, W. Cattail (Petrofina (UK) Ltd.) AEC. 78; 2, G. Russell (Petrofina (UKI Ltd.) AEC, 82; only two entrants.
Class G: flat or sided semi-trailers over 33 ft: 1, D. Morgan (BLMC) BMC, 61; 2 V. Townsend (Stanton and Staveley Ltd.) Commer, 68; 3. E. Naylor (Rootes Ltd.) Dodge, 111.
Class H: box or tank semi-trailers over 33ft: 1.0. E. Newman (Shell-M ex and BP Ltd.I Scammell, 105; 2, A. Bayliss (Shell-Max and BP Ltd.) Dodge, 193.
Best team: E. Laxon Ltd. (S. Sweet, R. Miles, M. Sheepy).
Best CLicence vehicle: P. Willetts.
Best Service driver: Corporal E. J. Harris (I39 Signal Squadron (V) Rugby).
Overall winner: P. Willets.