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Colin Burrows caps a fine performance

26th September 1981
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Page 26, 26th September 1981 — Colin Burrows caps a fine performance
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The tanker driver from Ascot, who's rarel0 seen without his Esso headgear, repeats h 4 1975 success and clinches the LDoY title again with a near-perfect performance

Cranfield. David Wilcox was there

COLIN BURROWS showed there's still more than a grain of truth in the old adage "if you want to get ahead, get a hat" when he ran out the easy winner of Commercial Motor Lorry Driver of the Year finals corn petition.

The Esso driver from Ascot, who is well-known for the regulation Esso cap that is seemingly glued to his head, really showed the other 235 contestants how to do it at Cranfield last Sunday.

Colin, who first won in 1975, turned in a near-perfect performance in every test, despite some fierce opposition. many of the proven LDoY performers were there, and the list of the eight class winners who went on to the final run-offs had a familiar ring. Although there were storms in the South-east the night before, the weather on Sunday wasn't too unkind; it was blowing a near gale but the rain held off apart from a sharp downpour in mid-afternoon which halted the driving for a few minutes.

The overcast conditions didn't deter the public and the orescence of Princess Anne, who arrived by helicopter (what else?) during the afternoon, no doubt boosted the attendance.

All 235 finalists at Cranfield (they had already won through from local heats) for this, the 28th year of the competition, had started their day's driving on Sunday morning when most were people were still in bed.

They had to complete four manoeuvring tests in their own vehicles and sit a Highway Code paper. This written test involved 15 multi-choice-type questions some of which were of the most difficult kind — all the possible answers were right but some were more right than others. Most competitors got three or four questions wrong, but one or two drivers in the eight clash managed a clean sheet.

By 11.30am, the results of th eight classes were commn through. Easy winner in Class (for light vans) was And Johnson of the Post Office (No tingham). This class was dom nated by Post Office/Britis Telecom drivers and they di well, filling the first six places.

Class 13 was for vehicles ovE 5m and up to 7m, and it wa another success for Briti& Telecom with John Clapto from Plymouth taking first placE This was particularly impressiv performance since it was John' first appearance at the LDo' finals.

Keith Goldsmith, of Jeyet Thetford, repeated last year' success by winning Class C fo rigids between 7m and 9m. Keiti came third overall last year an told me after winning his clas that he thought it might be hi lucky year.

Class D was for the large5 rigids, 9m to urn, embracim many oil tankers whose driver: consistently display a high sten dard. Roy Stewardson o Conoco in Sheffield made sun this reputation was justified la's, winning the class.

The first of the artic vehiclei le in Class E for those over and up to urn. Larry Nolan n Liverpool won by just one rrt, and showed that not all t Office drivers drive vans. olin Burrows of Esso in ines was a clear favourite in ss F for artics 11m — 12.5m ore the driving even started. a past winner and regular atder, had had a good track Drd and he lived up to expecons, driving an AEC Mandeunit and tanker, to take his ue in the afternoon's run-offs. ast year's champion Harold (ie) Dean was competing in ss G for artics 12.5m to 14m. I rke to him after he had cornted the morning's tests, but was a little disappointed. "I OK in the Highway Code and s going well in the manoeuvr, but I just touched one of the les in the last test so I think ;blown it."

le was right — that one little mistake put him out of the running and Lloyd Richards of Heavy Transport (ECC) Ltd of St Austell took the class.

Harold Dean told me how much he had enjoyed his year as champion and commented that it was "well worth winning '. Evidently others think so too because I heard that one large own-account operator was offering 0,000 cash to any of its drivers who could win the title this year.

Maximum-size artics (14m15m) were in Class H. Roy Withers of Midlands BRS in Birmingham won this class; he had come third in it last year.

These eight class winners took a break for lunch and prepared for the climax of the competition, the afternoon's run-offs to find the overall champion. In the meantime, there were plenty of displays and demonstrations to keep the drivers and public happy.

In the meantime, away from the intensity of the driving, an estimated 20,000 visitors were kept happy by a vast array of stands, exhibits, displays, demonstrations, competitions and personalities.

One of the most popular was the demonstration of the Girling Skidcheck anti-skid system. Part of the runway was flooded and a specially equipped Volvo F89 and 40ft trailer plus a West Midlands Dennis fire appliance hurtled down the runway to induce a skid.

It was only the chains restricting the trailer movement that avoided a complete jack-knife. Then various combinations o the system on different axle were tried. The results spoke fo themselves. Even attempting . full emergency stop while steer ing into a bend on the floodel track failed to get either vehicf out of line.

As the Skidcheck calculate' which axles to brake or release the vehicle pulled up in straight line. It was reassuring ti hear that 80 per cent of new fir engines are supplied with thi system.

Attracting more interest tha any other, was the DAF sten' which had a carnival-like atmoe phere. Broadcaster Sheila Tre cey presented a truckers' sho% while boxer Alan Minter signe more than 1,000 autographs fc his fans.

After the disappointments c the previous week when h failed to win the Europea middleweight title and the BB' refused to show the fight be cause of DAF's name on hi shorts, Alan was the mos popular man at LDoY wit people queuing to be photc graphed next to his Rolls-Roycf The man himself said he had " sore nose" but was "in goo shape and itching to get back."

The Lawnmower Le Mans o ganised by Renault Trucks an uses was also a crowded side how, with frustrated Grand Prix rivers racing against the clock round a haybale course on riden Bernard mowers made by the enault group in France. The prnmentary was provided by iat inimitable BBC motor racing prnmentator Murray Walker. The unusually direct steering I these little machines proaced some strange antics as river after driver assaulted Inocent haybales. It was worth iastering: the winner was !warded with a weekend in aris.

The display of historic cornlercial vehicles from the Cornlercial Vehicle and Road Trans)rt Club was as popular as ter. One of the most impresve was a 1951 AEC Mammoth ajor 6 Mk 3, belonging to ichard Cresswell of ilderstone, near Stone in :affs. Since buying the vehicle 1976 Richard has painskingly rebuilt it and clearly ats a lot of pleasure out of splaying this immaculate lorry. A big crowd gathered round a nail display of very heavy cusmised wreckers. Notable were to Americans: Kenworth 900 <-wheel wrecker with a 350bhp immins engine and a geared p speed of 81mph; and a iterbilt 359 by the name of iattanooga Chao Choo.

Immediately after lunch, back the serious business, and the rd vehicles provided for the ial run-offs were brought for]rds. The crowds had really lilt up by then and watched the )ht finalists with keen interest. I eight took turns to drive the Jr vehicles.

The first test was carried out in 'ord Transit 120 and simulated everse into a tight parking gap one bite, Points were incurred for touching cones and barriers or failing to get really close to them either. You can't win!

This should have favoured the finalists from the smaller vehicle classes, but in fact it was artic driver Colin Burrows who did best. He placed the Transit with inch-perfect precision after first removing his cap, but carefully replacing it again before he got out of the van.

A Ford Cargo 1314 13-ton gvw boxvan was used for the second test. Most of the eight finalists found it tricky, once again with the exception of Colin Burrows. Keith Goldsmith who drives a DSeries four-wheeler for a living, also turned in a notable performance in this test.

Next, it was into a hgv Class 2 vehicle, a Ford Cargo sixwheeler oddball. This was a four-wheeler converted with the addition of a Rydewell rubber suspension axle and destined for the Milk Marketing Board. This test was performed well by the finalists, but Larry Nolan un!uckily reversed an inch too far and touched the rear barrier which put him out of the running.

The last of the run-off tests was carried out in a Ford Transcontinental 3424 unit and 40ft curtainsided trailer. Surprisingly, it was British Telecom van driver John Clapton who did best in this, with Colin Burrows and Lloyd Richards close behind.

By 3.30pm all the day's competitive driving was over and crowds gathered in front of the main rostrum to await the arrival of Princess Anne. Her helicopter appeared in the Cranfield sky right on cue, and the Freightliner Robins parachute team also dropped in more or less on target, despite the wind that was doing its best to blow them into the next county.

The Princess made a brief tour of the exhibits, stopping at the Leyland, RHA, Rolls-Royce and podyear stands among others. le also spoke to some of the owd and looked over the hisric commercial vehicle display ;fore making her way to the strum to present the prizes. The class winners were the st to receive their awards from incess Anne and they then sat gether on the stage while the ■ erall results were announced the time-honoured way; rewse order. The four class win?.rs who must have been vourite on their past LDoY cords neatly filled the first four aces.

Fourth was the 1977 champion )y Withers of Midlands BRS ith 248 penalty points. Narrwly beating him for third place by just one point was Lloyd Richards of Heavy Transport (ECC) Ltd. Having won the title in 1974 and 1972 he was on his hattrick, but it was not to be.

And it was only two points that separated Lloyd Richards from second-place man Keith Goldsmith of Jeyes (245 points). Keith was third overall last year, second this year so maybe next year will be lucky for this affable corn petitor.

Out-going Lorry Driver of the Year Harold Dean then stepped up to present the many smaller awards (see results panel).

After receiving his armful of trophies and prizes Colin Burrows said he felt "relieved it was all over — there's a lot of tension involved". He attributed part of his success to "feeling right on the day — It seems much easier when you're winning'.

The 37-year-old tanker driver from Ascot normally handles a Seddon Atkinson 400 artic in his everyday work with Esso at the Staines depot. But among the prizes and awards he has gained is one that will take him further afield. This is the 1981 Michelin Study Award, involving a haulage trip to Valencia, Spain, in a Ford Transcontinental outfit.

Colin hasn't driven abroad to any great extent and is looking forward to the trip next month. And after a day of typical Sep

tember Cranfield weather, a litt Spanish sunshine in October an added bonus.


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