Driver of the Year from One-coach Firm
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B.E.T. TAKE TOP CONCOURS HONOURS AT BRIGHTON
THE British Electric Traction group ran I off with many of the honours at the 10th British Coach Rally last week-end. Although only three B.E.T. companies were represented (P.M.T., Sheffield United and Southdown), first and second prizes went their way. Potteries Motor Traction entry was a 36-ft. A.E.C. Reliance with Duple Commander 49-seat body, which was awarded the major prize "Coach of the Year ".
Equipment included air conditioning and featured individual demisters for the passenger windows in addition to the now popular jet-vents. Runner-up was a Leyland Leopard with Harrington Grenadier 28-seat body, one of three entries from Southdown Motor Services. The driver of one of the other Southdown entries was judged the smartest driver in either linen jacket coat or non-uniform.
However, it was the driver of an independent company who won the title " Coach Driver of the Year" for his performance in the tests arid road section. He was J. Thorpe, of Consolo (Car Hire and Coach) Ltd., London, N.W.10, who was driving the company's only coach. a 1964 Thames with smart Duple Trooper 41-seat body, This year was the first time in which the principal awards were not determined by combining the results of all sections of the rally, and the winner of the Concours d'Elegance, regardless of class, became the "Coach of the Year ". The grouping of the coaches for the event was also altered, classes being determined by seating capacity, rather than length, with a distinction between "standard " coaches (vehicles used on express and excursion work within Great Britain) and touring and special-purpose coaches used on extended and Continental tours. The revised driving tests successfully introduced last year were again employed, both on Saturday and for the Sunday finals.
Saturday's rain kept off for the 115 miles road section driving, starting just as the tests on Madeira Drive were finish, ing. The route chosen from Victoria Coach Station included stretches of A2, M2 and M20 motorways, and then turned back across Kent and East Sussex to approach Brighton via Lewes. The difficulties of keeping to schedule through the busy High Street of this town were increased when, after about 40 coaches had gone through, work began on repairing a gas main running across the road.
A total entry list of 80 showed an impressive increase over last year when there were 52 entrants, but with one nonstarter and another dropping out en route, 78 coaches competed on the seafront at Brighton for the privilege of being amongst the eight finalists.
For this year:s event the Lister Trophy was awarded to the highest-placed Continental coach, and six vehicles vied for this title—three from Belgium, two from Italy and one from France. One of the Belgian vehicles was a Jonckheere-bodied Leyland, the remaining coaches _comprising four Fiats and a Saviem.. Winner of the Trophy was the Fiat with Sicca 43/44-seat bodywork entered by Siamic SPA of Padova, Italy,
One of the competitors was a 1929 Chevrolet LQ with immaculate body
work by Bush and Twiddy, This 14-seat coach entered by C. W. Bonfield was one of 10 entrants in class I (coaches not exceeding 29 ft. overall length) and its driver, Mr. A. Pretlove, was one of the finalists who competed in the pouring rain on Sunday afternoon, coming second in that class. For the purpose of the Concours d'Elegance this coach was entered in class A (standard coaches seating not more than 30 passengers) and was placed second out of 10 entries. Mr. Pretlove also won the Veteran's Trophy, presented to the driver in Sunday's tests with the longest-standing p.s.v. licence. Mr. Pretlove has had his for 20 years. A treble victory was scored by Straws of Leicester Ltd., who entered an A.E.C. Reliance with Harrington Grenadier 37-scat bodywork. The coach was judged top of Class C in the Concours d'Elegance, the driver won Class 3 in the road section and driving tests, and the crew won the award for the smartest crew.
A last gesture of the weather was a very welcome clearing just in time for the presentation of the awards by TV, stage and film personality Miss Dora Bryan, thus concluding a successful week-end.