Bird's eye view
Page 71
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by the Hawk *No break
"Union man cancels tea break"—that could well have been a headline in the trade press or the industrial columns of the dailies last week. Alex Kitson, general secretary of the Scottish Commercial Motormen's Union, was the person involved. At the RHA Conference at Aviemore, Alex, who was being interrogated by the Press, began by asking for an assurance that the delegates were all awake. He said that his daughter could have posed more intelligent questions than some of those put by delegates in the previous session and wound up by suggesting that the delegates looked on the conference as nothing more than a jamboree. And all this he said in the most colourful language!
If the delegates felt insulted they certainly didn't show it as they gave Alex a standing ovation at the end of his session. The enthusiasm he generated was carried into the afternoon when delegates decided that they could not afford time for tea and worked right through without a break. How's that for increased productivity?
*Getting serious
Jim Day, chairman of the London division of the ITA, hopes to hand over the reins to a new chairman around the end of this year, his wife told the division's annual dinner in London last week. Mrs Day hinted that the household budget was being overtaxed to produce a new outfit for the annual social events. I rather suspect, however, that Jim intends to devote much of his "leisure time" to his new position on the general purposes committee of the ITA, and the Transport Managers' Licence Committee.
This trend from the social towards the business side was apparent even among the ITA guests where the talk centred round operators' licensing and TMLs. Between this and the enthusiasm for the business sessions at the RHA conference at Aviemore it looks as if the industry is taking itself more seriously than ever before.
*Good fellow
There was a record attendance at last week's IRTE dinner in London—the traditionally informal gathering following the a.g.m. Under the very welcome continued presidency of G. E. Liardet it was also something of a special occasion, for the principal guest was Noel Penny, managing director of Leyland Gas Turbines, who had just been made a Fellow of the Institute in recognition of his great services to the industry.
He claimed to be lucky to be there; the previous day he'd been telling Leyland students at Stokes Hall how clean the exhaust of a gas turbine was—clean enough to be used as a warm air source for the Army's arctic tents, and capable of sustaining human life. They asked for a practical demonstration. He survived!
*Midnight derv?
Noel revealed that Leyland engineers were putting in day and night work to try to ensure that Britain had a real -first" with the turbine truck. Not that they've been doing this development in isolation; in fact, he said, they'd evaluated almost every other type of power unit--fuel cells, steam engines, electrics, the lot--and still thought the turbine was a winner. He was unequivocal: "I'm convinced that the automotive turbine engine will be an immensely reliable unit."
He also revealed that more was being invested worldwide in turbine development than in any other engine type, including the Wankel. And although the g.t. is intended at present for the higher power ranges, he's sure it will later prove competitive at lower powers, too.
*Diplomatists
Also guests at last week's dinner were IRTE diploma winners John Lane, head of the road goods division of the MoT, and Cyril Bradbury, until recently the managing director of Simms Group research and development.
Next year will be a rather special one for IRTE; not only are there hopes of the new charter and title but it is the 25th anniversary of the founding. Something which founder Mac Junner (Editor of CM for many years) is greatly looking foward to, as he told me last week at the dinner, where he was still looking timelessly young.
*About turn
Suspicions are arising that the various PTE set-ups are not going to slip into place quite so easily as some people anticipated. Municipal transport managers who have been accustomed to a considerable degree of independence may accept, but not always enjoy, the positions assigned to them in the different hierarchies. Certainly in the past those from the smaller undertakings have shown less enthusiasm for merger proposals and the likelihood is that if suitable offers come their way some will transfer themselves elsewhere.
Among those who did not see SELNEC PTA as an unqualified blessing was Jack Procter, general manager at Rochdale for the past seven years and deputy for five years previously. He was appointed SELNEC's northern area chief engineer but within a fortnight had resigned, saying this was the only fair thing to others when a man was not fully enthusiastic about the plan. I understand that Mr. Procter, who is in his middle-fifties, is leaving the sphere of passenger transport altogether. No date has yet been fixed for his departure.
*Two presidents
Frank Lemass, director and general manager of Coras Iompair Eireann, is to retire in 1970 after 30 years' service with that organization. Allowing for the annual subvention of £2m the CIE accounts for the year to March 31, 1969 show a surplus of £39,000 so that the announcement comes at a time when things are on the upgrade.
Mr. Lcmass joined the old Dublin United Tramways Company as company secretary in 1940, becoming assistant general manager of CIE on its formation 5 years later, and general manager in 1947. In 1964-5 he was president of the Institute of Transport, the only man outside Great Britian ever to have this honour. His successor at CIE will be the present deputy general manager, David Herlihy, former president of the Institution of Civil Engineers in Ireland.