Jury Wins at Portsmouth
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ENGLAND'S title holder and international champion, E. Jury, secured the premier award in the Portsmouth round of the Lorry Driver of the Year Competition, last Saturday. By coincidence he opened the manceuvring tests arid, for a start, inserted his Austin A35 van through a space 5 ft. 3 in. wide, both forward and in reverse, without a moment's hesitation. His performance in the other two tests was equally impressive.
His total marks were, however, only 375.4 out of a possible 500. Low scorine was, indeed, a feature of the event. In one case, 217.5 marks gained a class Another surprising aspect was the generally poor performance put up by drivers of articulated vehicles.
Maintenance was, however, of a high order. The examination was again superbly organized by the 'Traders' Road Transport Association and inspectors reported that competitors had obviously benefited by last year's experience. Many small faults had been corrected and the chief failing was loose spring shackles.
A big Scammell tanker, entered by Shell-Mex and 13.P., Ltd., and driven by R. Dirnmick. had a triple success. gaining the prize for the best maintained vehicle, the best vehicle over five years old and the best C-licence entry.
A good vehicle deserves a good driver Ind it certainly had one in Dimmick,
although he spoiled an otherwise splendid example of kerbside parking by lightly touching the rear barrier. His performance in test 3 was applauded by a windswept audience.
This was the "local" test and involved driving forward on the right of a line of pylons arid reversing along the left of it, coming to rest in a box set at an angle on the driver's blind side. The back of the vehicle had to be parallel with the rear barrier and within 3 in. of it.
With his tanker running at tick-over speed, Dimmick, looking like a ship's pilot, darted from one side of the cab. to the other, peering out of the window, while his vehicle crept into its berth.
Another driver who earned applause in test 3 was F. Curtis (South Western Tar Distilleries, Ltd.) in a Foden. He gained first place in class E.
The only "Queen Mary " in the event
(class H) was a Bedford entered by R.N.A.S., Leeon-Solent, and driven by A. Hughes,who, with 268 marks, goes forward to the final unopposed.
Many drivers touched tht rear barrier, in the kerbside parking test, but meritorious performances Were put up by J. Buckley (Guy, B.R.S., Poole-Yeovil), J. Sleep (Foden tanker, South Western Tar Distilleries), F. Gale (Leyland artic.," B.R.S., Portsmouth), and E. Sturgess in a Portsmouth Corporation S.D. refuse collector. K. Busby (A.E.C. tanker, Shell-Max and B.P Ltd.) was among those who excelled in estimating the minimum width through which their vehicles would pass.
A. Jarman (Morris, Southern Electricity Board) headed class B with 281.4 marks. Low scoring was a feature of
Examiners in the Highway Code reported favourably on the result. Some drivers had learnt it by heart.
RESULTS Class A, Up to 15 11.
1—E. Jury (Austin, A. and E. Chapman, Ltd.). 375.4 markS; 2—L. Cunningham (Austin, Southern Gas Board). 359.2 marks.
• Class B, Over /5 ft., Up to 19 ft.
L—A. Jarman (Morris, Southern Electricit!, 130arri), 281.4 marks; 2--D. F. Broomhead (Morris. G.P.O.), 273 marks.
Class C, Over 19 fl., Up to 22 ft.
I—H. Starke (Bedford. R.N.A.S.). 348,5 marks; 2—J. Hockley (Guy, B.R.S., Poole-YeoviO, 337.1 marks.
Class D, -Over 22 ft., Up to 25 ft.
1—L. Briggs (Bedford. Fraser and 'White. Ltd.). 356.5 marks; 2—C. Fletcher (Morris, Fraser said White, Ltd.), 337.8 marks.
I—F. Curtis (Rader], South Western. Tar Distilleries, Ltd.), 310.9 marks; 2-3. Machin (Atkinson, Regent Oil Co., Ltd.). 256,4 marks.
Class F, Articulated, Tractor Under 3 Tons 1—D. Malone (Morris, George Cohen 600 Group, Ltd.), 217.5 marks; 2—A. Haynes (Bcdford-Seammell, Shell-Meg. and B.P., Ltd.), 162,6 marks:\ Class G, Arlienlaled, Tractor Over 3 Tons
I—I'. Lewis (Commer. George Cohen and Sons, Lid.), 239.6 marks; 2—F. Gale (Leyland, !I.R.S., Poi Tsmourh), 209.7 Maas.
Class 1, Standard Army Load Carriers
1—Sgt. Pixion (Bedford, Army M.T. School). 755 marks; 2—Misc. Jackson (Redford. Roys) Marines), 278.9 n-.arts.