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A day of surprises
Page 55
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iT was indeed a day of surprises at the Lorry Driver of the Year competition at Southend-on-Sea last Sunday. The first of these concerned the weather, which contrary to reasonable expectation was neither wet nor windy. It was hot.
The second surprise of the day was occasioned on arrival at Progress Road at 10.15 a.m. The tests were to be held in this road, which was also the starting point for the route test. Instead of the latter being well under way, it transpired that the early vehicles were only now beginning to get on the move. As the day wore on, numerous further delays occurred which meant that, for example, by lunchtime but few of the entrants in Class D had started their tests.
However, it is indeed an ill wind that blows nobody any good, and the late start on the route test at least enabled the writer to avail himself of a cruise over the test route. In view of the sunshine it was no surprise at all to find the Southend arterial road "rather busy." The traffic naturally built up as the morning progressed and by the time the larger vehicles were well under way unscheduled stops were becoming too commonplace.
We had not to wait long for a surprise once the manceuvres commenced, Following entry No. 3 in Class A (minimum weight of vehicles 22.5 cwt.) an H. Garon, Ltd., 5-cwt. van appeared and began to back happily into the simulated bay. This van was not in the process of delivering confectionery_ as one had suspected, but proudly bore the entry No. 4. It was disqualified.
Our thanks are due to Mr. E. G. Walford of Pease Transport, Ltd. for providing us with a surprise of artistry and ingenuity. Despising the ungainly and unavailing labours of earlier entrants to back their lengthy vehicles into the bay. Mr. Walford, having straddled the reversing" line, proceeded to back hard to the left, swing hard to the right (fouling the white line deliberately for this turn), trundle down the roadway, and back easily from the vision side into the required space. Following, an awed silence, then a prolonged buzz, the Southend secretary was hastily sum; mooed. He adjudged that the operation was quite proper, a penalty being incurred for the fouling of a white line in the initial turn-round.
We had no sooner partially recovered from this breach of the norm when Mr. Walford's team-mate, . Mr. A. R. Thompson, not to be outdone, rendered a variation. Mr. Thompson (winner of Class Fl) backed his artic. to the bay itself before turning round with but one forward movement, and easing his vehicle delicately into the bay (also from the vision side). This then appears to be one solution to the problem of backing a large artic. into a small bay—don't try it from the blind side, do it the easy way. As in most things in a LorryDriver competition it's brains that count in the end.
Manceuvres of this kind added considerable spice to the afternoon's entertainment. They were, perhaps, the culmination of a day of very good driving.
Tribute must be paid to the overall winner of the contest, who provided the final surprise of the day. He turned out to be a 24-year-old "terrier," craftsman Timothy Reeves, whose improvement percentage was announced at 77 per cent. Runner-up was Mr. A. R. Thompson, ingenious representative of Pease Trans
port. E.J.M.
RESULTS OF SOUTH
END COMPETITION CLASS A—tip to 16 ft. and from 22.5 cwt.: I. R. Keech (Express Dairies, Ltd.). Morris. 70 penalty Points; 2, R. Jepson (S.P.D. Ltd.), Austin, 167; 3, C. StaMes (II, Garon, Ltd.), Austin, 227, CLASS R-16-19 ft.: I, V. Priest (Byford Bros.. Ltd.), Morris, 97; 2, F. Kirby (S.P.D., Ltd.). Commer, 134; 3, J. Morris (Express Dairy Co., Ltd.), Karrier, 145.
CLASS C.-19-22 ft.: 1. V. Lucas (H. Caron. Ltd.), Albion, 59; 2. D. Colvin (Express Dairy Co., Ltd.), B.M.C.. 71; 3, W. Pallant (Pease Transport. Ltd.), Bedford. 124,
CLASS D-22-25 ft.: I. A. Pickets (Thomas Hedley and CO., Ltd.), Bedford. 63; 2. L. F. Payne (Shell-Mex and 13.P.. Ltd.), A.E,C, 99; 3, A. H. Campbell (National Benzine Co., Ltd). B.M.C., 104. CLASS El—Over 25 EL, two axles: 1. R. Read (Alstons, Ltd.). Dennis. 150; 2, P. Ball (Harris Lebus, Ltd.), Bedford, 1167;. 3, V. Ely (Alstons, Ltd.), A.E.C.„ 199.
CLASS E2—Over 25 ft.„ more than Iwo axles: I. P. Bones (Shell-Hex and B.P., Ltd.), A.E.C.. 74: 1. D. Randall (Pattens Transport, Ltd.), Albion, 13; 3, W. Addison (Drapers Transport, Ltd.), Todge, 94, CLASS Fl—Artic., tractive unit under 4-tons. lat or sided semi-trailer up to 30 Pt: 1. A. R.
Thomason (Pease Transport, Ltd), Bedford. 116; 2, E. G. Walford (Pease Transport, Ltd.), Bedford. 204; :3, T. Holliman (Express Dairy Co., Ltd.). Commer. 268,
CLASS F2—Artie., tractive unit under 4 tons, box or tanker semi-trailer up to 30 ft.: I, R. A. Wilton (Shell-Mex and B.P., Ltd.), Leyland. 143: 2, T. Bunning (Shell-Mex and 13.P., Ltd.), Leyland, 160; 3, A. F. Gee (Pease Transport, Ltd.). Bedford, 226.
CLASS G—Artic., tractive unit under 4 tons, flat or sided semi-trailer up to 30 ft.: 1. R, Keeble (Drapers Transport, Ltd.), Leyland 409; 2, 1, W. Francis (Pease Transport, Ltd.), A.E.C.. 424.
CLASS 11—Artic., tractive unit over 4 tons, box or tanker seml-trailer: I, E. Laza (Shell-Mex and 13,P., Ltd.), Seam-nen. 96; 2. K. W. Nichols (ShellMex and B.F.., Ltd.), Seammell. 123; 3. L. W. Smith (Shell-Mex and B.P., Ltd.), A.E.C., 125,
CLASS S—Standard Army vehicles, 19-24 ft.: I. Craftsman T. S. Reeves (161 Inf. W/S R,E.M.E. (TA)). Ford, 136; 2. Cpl. Plumstead (R.A.F. Wattisham), Bedford, 268; 3. Sgt. Gooderham (161 Inf. W/S R.E,M.E. (TA)), Ford. 365,
Oterall Winner, Craftsman T. S. Reeves (161 Inf. WIS 11..E.M.E. (TA)), ford.
Team A emdl S.P.D.. tad.