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Bird's Eye
Page 97
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ViewBY THE HAWK
Castle Canmery
TN view of the uproar in political quarters at the mention of dogs, I thought it was very brave of Barbara Castle to say her little canine piece at the TRTA national dinner. The Association, she said, had to be watchdogs for their members, not lapdogs of the Ministry. Well said, ma'am.
No Staff Problems
THAT was a splendid opening day which Eastern Truck Sales staged at Norwich, with stalwart assistance from Rootes. It was well rewarded by a good gathering of fleet men.
I asked John Olorenshaw, joint m.d., whether he had any trouble in getting good commercial vehicle fitters. None, he said. To get a job in a pleasant spot like Norwich, men were prepared to come from London and the Midlands, even though the rate was lower.
Transport Archaeology?
E transport world is fortunately well endowed with people who
insist on keeping their feet on the ground. H. M. Floyd transport manager of CWS, Manchester, gave a good example of what I mean at a dinner this month.
He remarked that containers had just been rediscovered after about 35 years, and added: "In my part of the world we are just waiting for somebody to rediscover the Lancashire flat.
No Emergency "Exit"
WEN the son of a colleague complained loudly about a coach on which he and a party of other boys had travelled, his father was a bit taken aback—because he knew it had been a new luxury coach with jet-vent ventilation and all the trimmings. That was the trouble said the son—the windows were fixed.
"But surely you wouldn't prefer the draught and potential rattles of opening windows," said father.
"Have you ever seen three sick boys trying to hang their heads out of closed windows?" answered son.
So Encouraging
Trs a case of no news being good news for the Northern 1. Region Passenger Co-ordinating Committee. The committee explains: "The almost negligible response from the public to our invitation through the Press to inform us of cases in which public transport could be improved, gives an encouraging indication of the state of efficiency of public transport in the region".
The committee has received only 12 suggestions from the public. These include such matters as bus/rail connections, the need for express inter-city services and for more information on bus indicator boards at the bus stops.
The committee has set up working groups to study the Carlisle passenger transport system and to find out why people in Sunderland still prefer to commute by car rather than by bus or rail.
Tunnel Toll!
ACORDING to the report of the general manager of the Dartford Tunnel Joint Committee for the year ending December 31 1966, the "large increase (58.3 per cent) in the number of breakdowns involving heavy goods vehicles is a matter of some concern". Now, the report says that no less than 6,196,928 motor vehicles passed through the tunnel during the year. The total number of breakdowns in which heavy goods vehicles were concerned?-38. Alarming, isn't it?
Gaposis
D UT in the same report tunnel general manager Captain F. L.
Millns expresses even more concern about slow drivers who open up considerable gaps between their vehicles and those in front of them. Gaps of 250 ft. developing within the tunnel are all too common, he says. But drivers interviewed object strongly to their method of driving being faulted.
"The most trying incident to date is that of the driver whose attention was drawn to the 300-yard gap he had created during the passage of the tunnel. His attractive female passenger immediately said this could not be helped since their baby did not like travelling fast. Baby, in a cot on the rear seat, was nine weeks old!"
Eviction Cause
SOME decidely inconsiderate drivers habitually take heavy vehicles home with them and park overnight in residential areas—a practice which has from time to time aroused high feelings up and down the country. In various places this has been prohibited but, to the best of my knowledge, Salford is the first local authority to say that if you have a house on a council estate you cannot have your big vehicle there as well. The ban, which comes into force on May 13, applies to all commercials over 10 cwt. After being warned once offenders are liable to eviction.
Early Customer
WHEN "Ted" Foden, joint managing director of Fodens Ltd., attended the recent demonstration of the Wastepaktor at Salford cleansing department he produced some well turned phrases in his references to the Foden chassis seen there. Then, like a conjuror producing a card from his cuff, he whipped out an enlarged photograph of a Foden steam wagon which was supplied to the old Salford Borough Council in 1908 and presented it to R. J. Stanyard, director of public cleansing. Obviously Salford were early customers of the Sandbach factory and the handing over of the picture must have imprinted the fact on the memories of those present.