)og in the Tianger
Page 39
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WAS AMAZED at Mr F. K. 'eachey's comments on .eeping lorry weights down CM, June 8). He claims his Niel peaceful street has been urned into a roaring hell by Drries carting away a demo13hed hotel, while other trucks 'Over materials for an extenion to a hospital.
One can sympathise to a cerain extent, but to take this selish attitude is beyond me. If Mr 'eachey, or any of his family, vere to fall ill, would he not then )e glad of the extension to the Iospital? If the trucks were able o carry more, then there would )e less of them passing his gate, Ind his nightmare (as he puts it) would be over that much ;ooner.
Mr Peachey also points to an idyert of Mercedes trucks to )ring his feeble point home. 14ercedes trucks are certainly lot the most aggressive or noisy :rucks on the road, so he can be :hankful that the -New Generation" are being used
It is people like Mr Peachey who stop this country's progress ay moaning and groaning about everything. Give us heavier trucks and we will contain costs. G. THOMSON, Glasgow
Bison claim so much bull
THE LEYLAND Bison of Thomas Randell (page 20. CM, June 15) is not the only Bison with underfloor tipping gear, nor the first.
I drive a Bison for H. Dean Ltd, Weybread, Diss, Norfolk, which was first registered on January 1, 1977. It is fitted with Wilcox alloy body, Edbro tipper gear. triple drop-sides, Atlas block grab and crane. The truck was supplied by Ford & Slater, Rowntree Way, Norwich. R. E. LAN HAM, Diss, Norfolk
Thus far, no further?
WE ARE a group of fitters for a local firm, They operate vehicles from Marina vans to 16-tonners.
What we would like to know is, when we take a vehicle for its annual test for over 1525kg unladen weight, do we need a log book, as the testing station is about 20 miles away?
We understand that there is now a three-mile testing radius and a new 50km (31-mile) radius for drivers not on regular services.
Now our local testing station is fully booked up, we are travelling to Grimsby which is about 35-40 miles away.
How do we stand? Our boss says that we do not need them. P. A. HOWE, Waddington, Lincoln
The Community Transport Rules (Exemption) Regulations, 1978, which came into force August 17, 1978 stipulates that driver's records must be kept for all vehicles over 1525 kg unladen weight, with the exception of a mechanic who is road testing a vehicle after repair or maintenance Taking a vehicle to a test station does not exempt a driver from keeping a record of the journey. — Editor.
Flourishing Leylands
I RECENTLY visited the Republic of Ireland, and was interested to see in CM (May 11), that Atlanteans are operating in Dublin and Cork.
These Leylands also operate in Limerick and Galway; but most interesting are the PD1s which operate alongside the Atlanteans in Dublin. Most of these must be at least 25 years old, but still chug happily along. During the recent prolonged strike of maintenance workers, there were, in fact, more of these still running than the later Atlanteans.
There are also a number of single-deckers — probably Tiger Cubs — still in service in Cork and Dublin, and all the Expre
ssway coaches, like the CIE tour coaches are also made by Leyland. In fact, up till now CIE does not operate any other make. I feel it would be of interest to know how many Leyland vehicles are in fact operated by CIE.
I wish some of those who seem to derive pleasure from knocking British products could see just how well some of these older vehicles still perform.
N. J. HALE, Lea Valley Coaches, Hertford
Rear lights regulations
IN CM (June 8, page 19) at the bottom there is an article which refers to lights being fitted to all new vehicles as of October 1.
I will quote you the regulations on rear fog lights: Regulation 7 — "on and after October 1, 1979, the provisions specified in paragraph (2) of this Regulation shall apply to every motor vehicle and trailer being used on a road."
R. E. GISSING, Artic Trailers, Lincoln.
The C and U Regulation covering fog lamps is No 1260, 1978, 5(1). It reads: "Save as provided in paragraph (3) of this Regulation, every motor vehicle and trailer manufactured on or after 1st October 1979 and first used on or after 1st April 1980 shall be equipped with either (a) one rear fog lamp marked with an approval mark or (b) two rear fog lamps each marked with an approval mark, fitted so as to form a pair." — Editor
Keeping abreast
AS A RESULT of an article in CM, the basic specification for the complete range of Duple Dominant bodies was changed so that the warning lights were clearly identified on all bodies built after September 1, 1978. The report of the CM's road test (June 8) on the nine-metre Dominant II /Ford T152 concerned body no. 828/4950 which was supplied in Au( 1978 to the 1977/ specification.
In other words, it was on the last bodies on which
• warning lights were not ic tified; so while we are indek to CM for pointing out the iginal shortcoming, we bet, that if you kept abreast of rent specifications, you wc avoid dropping the clan which some of the better formed had noticed commented on!
A. G. GIBBINS, Duple Coachbuilders, Blackpool
The passenger transport editor tacted Mr Mon tans of Duple before road test report to check details of and specification. He was not the) vised of any specification change 1978.
We are nevertheless grateful to our authority acknowledged — Edit
Unfair to provincials
I AM DISTURBED by wh detect as a movement to influential removal operator the London area at the expE of small and medium-si companies in the provinces.
Provincial removal opera are in the main long-establis family businesses which now being badly hit by creasing costs and the advel the "do-it-yourself"' fraterni.
Generally speaking, removals are for long-disV work and we need the as ance of BAR more than any I wonder how many provii operators feel, as I do, tha should form a long-distz group to assist each other fuel supplies, hiring local our, back-loading and o related services.
I consider this to be a important aspect of li distanFe furniture removal while, I would welcome BAR's involvement, I also like to hear from others wh like-minded.
NEIL McINTOSH, Clyde Place, Glasgow.