Services Driver Triumphs at Woolwich
Page 39
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A BRIGHT, sunny day, good organiza tion and frustration for the writer While attempting to take photographs are the main impressions left from the second day of the London (Woolwich) eliminating round of the Lorry Driver of The Year competition—not to mention the excellent lunch put on by the ,N.A.A.F.I., a welcome change from the cold buffet so often encountered on these occasions,
The efficiency of the marshals kept the course reasonably clear of spectators and helped towards an early eompletion, the last test being over just after 3.30 p.m.
There were, nevertheless, one or two things to spoil the smooth running, one beim; the apparent misunderstanding of the rules on the part of a number of drivers. This concerned the widthjudging test (Test 2) where some drivers, seeing they were about to collide with, or touch the pylons (having set the gap too narrow), brought their vehicles to a halt, thereby incurring the penalty of 50 points over the worst correct performance in the class. Had they kern their vehicles moving they would have lost only 40 points per touch. Strictly speaking. the marshals should have been on hand to move the pylons in such cases.
A correction was also made to the results following the announcement of the best performances by Aand B-licensed drivers. Following an objection, J. Morrison of Turners (Soham) Ltd., one of the contestants on the first day, was announced as being the victor.
In view of the heading to this page, to record a disappointing display on the part of Services' drivers must seem an anomaly. The truth is that Cpl. P. A. Garner put up such an excellent performance that he was not only class winner, but also justifiably overall winner of the two days. As an additional comment on his achievement, one feels bound to comment that the large wheels and crosscountry tyres of the Army vehicles must have made their manoeuvring a very tiring business. Furthermore, the tiny mirrors fitted to these vehicles would be no help A singing lorry driver may not be a novelty, but one who writes songs surely roust be—especially when he wins his
class in the eliminating round two years running! The gentleman is J. F. Brennan and he was driving a Leyland artic with platform semi-trailer to earn a score of 248 penalty points (compared with 286 last year). Mr. Brennan has written a song about driving entitled " The Night Drivers" which extols the virtues of the night lorry drivers. This has been set to music and recorded.
Last year the winner of Class H managed to earn less than 200 penalty points, hut this achievement was not made this year. Lowest score for the largest articulated units Was 38 over the 200 this time, still a good performance--last year's national winner of Class H scored as many as 310, and the national winner of Class G scored 274. The successful driver was B. Trout of Shell-Mex and B.P. Ltd.. handling an A.E.C.-powered articulated-tanker unit The best team award went to the S.P.D. team (drivers Kirby, J. St. Clair England and M. James) with a combined penalty of 543, and the best C-licence driver was J. Nunn of Beecham Foods Ltd., who scored 89.
Undoubtedly the bravest performance was that of Tom Crawford, who brought his loaded Atkinson tanker straight from the cross-Channel ferry to the contest at Woolwich. Driver Crawford was returning from the Continent on one of his regular runs for Crow Carrying Co. Ltd. and soon after completing his course he was heading away northwards on delivery! Crawford's score was 320, not too had for a fellow returning from such a long trip. v