B.T.C. Triumph at Brighton
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THE premier award in the second British Coach Rally, held at Brighton last week-end, went to a 1956 Bristol-E.C.W. 32-seater operated
• by Eastern Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., • thus making it an outright win for the British Transport Commission. This vehicle gained the highest marks in the road section, driving tests• and the concours d'elegance. .
A 26-seat Duple-bodied Leyland Royal Tiger entered by Southdown Motor Services, Ltd., won the premier award in the concours cl'elegance, second place going to the outright winner.
The Coach Driver of the Year is Mr. S. Pennell, who obtained the highest marks in the road section and driving tests in the oldest competing vehicle, a 1949 Bedford-Duple 29-seater. run by Premier Travel. Ltd.
Forty-four oPerators enterea 53 coaches in the rally. Places as far afield as Caerphilly, Oswestry, Wigan and Sheffield were represented, although most of the entries came from London, the Home Counties and the South.
The rally began on Saturday morning, coaches leaving the starting control at Esher, Surrey, at two-minute intervals from 9.45. , On the 80-mile route, via Guildford, 1-lindhead, Midhurst, Goodwood, Arundel and Worthing, there were three control points at which the coaches had to report and 4 number or secret controls.
Each vehicle began with 100 marks deductions being made if they were early or late at the controls. A regularity test was conducted on the Midhurst to Goodwood stretch of the route, the vehicles being allowed 20 minutes in which to cover the eight miles between the two points.
. On arrival at Brighton, the 'coaches were put thisough five driving tests on Madeira Drive, An acceleration and braking test required the vehicles to travel 220 yd. and brake in a " box" measuring 45 ft. long and 9 ft. wide. In a stiff kerb-parking test, coaches had to reverse into another " box ", measuring 50 ft. long and 10 ft. wide, and park with the off-side wheels within 6 in. of the kerb.
The third test, a braking and. reversing trial, required the coaches to cover a 50-yd. stretch and to stop within two lines 10 yd apart, reverse with all four wheels over the first line and to go forward again, stopping
astride another line 50 yd. away. • ' A starting test and a " wigglewoggle " trial completed the driving competition. The "wiggle-woggle." familiar to car rally drivers, involved negotiating four pylons spaced at equal distances along the centre of the road, driving into another bay, reversing, accelerating forward, reversing into an adjoining bay, and again moving forward and coming to rest astride another line.
Passenger Transport organized the