A. E. Haywood is Lorry Driver of the Year

23rd September 1960, Page 138

23rd September 1960

Page 138

Page 139

Page 138, 23rd September 1960 — A. E. Haywood is Lorry Driver of the Year

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AT last A. E. Haywood, the brilliant Birmingham owner-driver of a Cornmer light van, has achieved his ambition to become Lorry Driver of the Year. After missing, through one error. the supreme title in last year's final of the Lorry Driver of the Year Competition, he gained it last Sunday at Fort Dunlop. Having won Class A with 108 penalty marks, he went on to gain the national title in an Albion Reiver six-wheeler with the loss of 364 marks.

C. E. II. Walker (Quasi-Arc, Ltd.), a regular driver of an Albion six-wheeler, was runner-up to Haywood with 371 points. He won Class E(2) with 321 penalty points. P. Moncaster, an ownerdriver of York, who, in a Thames, won Class D with 288 penalty points, was third in the final results, losing 406 marks.

C. Daines, last year's Lorry Driver of the Year, again reached the final run-off, after winning Class C in an Austin with the loss of 213 marks. He did not secure a place, but was judged the second-best driver of an oil-engined vehicle, and the best C-licence driver not receiving another major award.

There were two innovations in this year's contest, in which 139 drivers from 14 centres took part. One was a separate competition to discover the cab making the greatest contribution to the safety, comfort and convenience of the driver (see page 272). . The other novelty was an award by Clir. R. W. Brain, chairman of the Competition, to the most consistent performer in the past three finals. Haywood, K. Kirton (Ernest Batley, Ltd.), in an Austin breakdown truck, and W. Warner (Humber, Ltd.) in a Commer fought for the trophy, which eventually went to Warner. He won Class F(1) with 316 penalty points and was the third best driver of a diesel-engined vehicle.

Three of the four tests (illustrated on the opposite page) will be used in next year's eliminating rounds. Nos. 3 (kerbside parking) and 4 reversing into a loading bay) were hardy annuals. Test I was imported from car sporting events, and looked much more difficult than it was. Some extraordinarily good performances were put up in it..

Test 2 was a variation on an old theme, requiring drivers to estimate the minimum width through which their vehicles could pass between pylons set in line ahead of them, instead of abreast. It was a complete fiasco, and the penalties incurred in it were fantastic. Some drivers dropped more than 700 points on this test alone.

The trouble began with the regulations, which did not express the organizers' intention that competitors should drive between the pylons in one continuous forward movement. Drivers thought they could shunt, and set the pylons so close together that this was the only method of negotiating the hazards. Once the rot had set in, the marshals could do nothing about it, but many drivers incurred heavy penalties through exceeding the allotted time.

There was also a long delay in the final run-off, because only one of the two Albions supplied by Brownhills Motor Sales could be used. It was found that they were of different overall lengths, and to preserve fairness,. all the 11 finalists had to drive the same vehicle. The result was that the proceedings did not end until about 7.20 p.m., after Lord Chesham, Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, had . hurriedly distributed the prizes.

In the kerbside parking test the standard was extremely high, but there were, of course, the usual attempts to improve on perfection, with disastrous results. The extra pylon placed on the kerb justified itself. Some of the drivers of heavy articulated vehicles had to work extremely hard, because the regulations expressly forbade them to leave the controls and peer out of the near-side door. Test 4 was difficult for drivers of long articulated vehicles, some of whom made the fatal error of changing their minds about their tactics after they had started to reverse.

Some of the best performances in the new target test were put up by D. Cleverley (Schweppes (Home), Ltd.) in one of the new TK Bedfords, H. Manning (Pease Transport, Ltd.) in a Foden, H. Myers (British Road Services) in a Bristol, G. Capper (Pease Transport, Ltd.) in a Bedford. and J. Hamilton (Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft, Ltd.) in a Commer "Queen Mary." All scored bull's-eyes, both forward and in reverse.

One of the best efforts in kerbside parking was by W. Ward (Arthur Hughes, Ltd.) in an articulated 'Bedford. He was third this year in Class F(2), having been placed second last year. J. C. Martindale (Pease Transport, _Ltd.) in a Guy, and B. A. Absolorn (Caversham Haulage) in a Bedford, also deserve special mention.

Haywood was the best in the unfortunate Test 2, but even he lost 70 marks. The finest. performance in Test 4 was by J. Slimmon (S.P.D., Ltd.) in an Austin, who lost only 2 marks.

Among the largest entries were those of British Road Services and Pease Transport, Ltd., with 12 each; Shell-Mex and BY., Ltd., with 11, Express Dairy Co. (London),Ltd., with seven, and S.P.D., Ltd.,with six.

The team prize went to the Birmingham eliminating centre, with Coventry second and Southend third.

RESULTS CLASS A-Up to 15 Da I.-A. E. Haywood (owner-driver. Comtner), 108 penalty points: 2.11. Meech (Express Dairy Co. (London), Ltd., Morris), 155. 3.-L. King (Guy Toone. Ltd.. Commer), 185.

CLASS 11-15-19 ft.: I.-K. Kirton (Ernest Batley, Ltd., Austin), 271. 2.-1. Huggins (Birm

ingham Co-operative Society, Morris), 279. 3.W. J. Robins (George Cake, Ltd., Austin), 283.

CLASS C-I9-22 ft.: 1.-C. DaMes (Fred Myers.

Ltd., Austin), 213. 2.-W. Harris (A. and E. Chapman, Ltd., Austin), 256. 3.-A. H. J. Gay (Civil Defence, Plymouth, Fordson), 259.

CLASS D--22-25 ft.: 1.-P. Moncaster (ownerdriver. Thames), 188. 2.-H. Manning (Pease Transport, Ltd., Foden), 318, 3.-D. Roberts (Michelin Tyre Co., Ltd., Bedford). 348.

CLASS E (1)-Over 25 ft., two axles: I.-T. C. 'Allard (Chance Bros.. Ltd., Austin), 398. 2.H. Tibble (Coopers Mechanical Joints, Ltd., Bedford), 44. 3.-P. R. Willetts (Lockheed Hydraulic Brake Co., Ltd., Dodge), 439.

CLASS E (2)-Over 25 ft., more than two axles: I.-u. E. 94. Walker (Quasi-Arc., Ltd., Albion), 321. 2.-W. Robinson (Beecham Foods, Ltd., Atkinson), 447. 3.-A. I. Cook (Pease Transport, Ltd., Foden), 474..

CLASS F (I)-Artieulated, semi-trailer under 22 it, tractor under 3 tons: 1.W. Warner (Humber, Ltd., Commer), 316. 2.-K. Tomlinson (Express Dairy Co. (London), Ltd., Bedford) and 0. Wag (Shell-Mex and B.P., Ltd., Bedford), 359 „(tie).

-CLASS F (2)-Articulated, semi-trailer 2247 ft., tractor under 3 tons: I.-E. C. Walford (Pease Transport, Ltd., Bedford), 332, 2.-R. D. Sykes (British Road Services. Austin), 356. 3.-W. Ward (Arthur Hughes, Ltd., Bedford). 374.

CLASS G-Artieulated, semi-trailer up to 27 ft., tractor 3 tons or over: 1.-C. G. Fey (Shell-Meg and B.P., Ltd., Leyland), 321. 2.-N. Boots (British Road Services, Leyland), 379. 3.-E. Naylor (Humber, Ltd., Commer), 446.

Class H-Artinulated, semi-trailer over 27 ft.,

tractor any weight: Bailey (Adams Rutter. Ltd., A.E.C.), 594. 2.-L. H. .Bridge (Pease Transport, Ltd., Foden), 599. 3.-1. Hamilton .(Sir \\/ 0. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. Ltd., Commer), 740.

. CLASS I-Standard Army load carriers: 1.L/CP1. B. T. Jarvis (2203), F_D.S., T.A.; Tharhes), 326. 2.-Cpl. D. M. Readman (3aydon, Austin), 347. 3.-Cp1.• F. A. M. Whitbread (Royal Marines, Bedford). 372. Run-off for supreme, title: 1.-A. E. Haywood. 364. 2.-C. E. H. Walker, 371. 3.-P. Moncaster, 406.

Best drivers or diesel vehicles! 1.-G. Bailey. 2.-C. Daines. 3.-W, Warner.

Best C-licence driver (not receiving another major award): C. DaMes.

Oldest driver gaining "The Commercial Motor" Diploma of Merit: C. E. H. Walker, age 47. Chairman's award of merit: W. Warner.