BIRDS EYE
Page 26
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by -I he Hawk
Fire and flagstone
Savings of £700 from paving New York streets enabled William Dobson, a 31-yearold Edinburgh emigrant, on his return to Scotland in 1879, to start a thriving group now known simply as Dobson of Edinburgh. It comprises five companies, of which the haulage business, William Dobson (Edinburgh) Ltd, is probably best known to the public. The group has published a fascinating and essentially human illustrated history to mark its centenary.
My favourite anecdote concerns irascible Charles Dobson, father of Bill, the present managing director. Visiting a site he saw a bunch of workmen clustered around a brazier. Enraged by this wanton idleness, he kicked the brazier over and roared to the foreman to give all the men their cards.
"Do you mean that lot in yon hut?" asked the foreman. "If you do, that would be difficult. They're not ours. They belong to the Water Board.'
Young warriors
When Charles Dobson retired in 1955 at the age of 74, his son Bill took over. Like his father, who went into the South African war while little more than a boy, Bill, a Territorial Gunner, was himself in France in 1939 at the age of 18. He was offocially too young for overseas service and was recalled. Later he fought in North Africa and Italy.
He was a founder-member in 1951 of the celebrated Ecurie Ecosse sports-car racing team, which won the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1956 and 1957. Bill drove Jaguars, BMWs and Ferraris. He is still a member of the British Racing Drivers' Club although he no longer races.
Less exciting activities include life membership of the Chartered Institute of Transport and chairmanship of the South of Scotland Training Centre Ltd.
The group that he takes into its second century deals in general road haulage, contract hire, storage, public works contracting and civil engineering. Fellow hauliers will wish him every success.
Living dangerously
Little horrors have been bribed not to beat up Glasgow bus crews by taking 100 of them from Blackhill to Balloch for a day's outing by bus. This was officially described as an attempt to establish ''a better relationship between PTE staff and local residents and help in the reintroduction of service 27 in the areas.
The service had been withdrawn because of attacks by children on busmen and their vehicles. This thuggery had, said discreet Neil Townsend, director of operations of the Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive, brought "little positive reaction from the public."
Two courageous bus drivers risked life and limb to drive the horde to the sea and six others acted as stewards. The Black Watch would be proud of them.
Surprise attacks
Not content with sponsoring a professional cycle race from London (South Mimms) to York, MAN-VW Truck and Bus Ltd is promoting four "speedway nights out" in Sheffield, Wolverhampton, Coventry and London (Wimbledon). There will be team matches, individual open event, vehicle displays and other attractions.
Bill Gilliham, marketing director, believes in the element of surprise. His aim is to promote MAN and VW vehicles in unusual atmospheres. There could hardly be anything more remote from a 32-ton lorry than a speedway race.
0.5m flanker
The Nissan Motor Co is giv £1.5m to create a new instit of Japanese studies at Oxf University in the heart of L land country. Apparently thi not a clever move to outfli Honda's plan for Leyland construct a Japanese car Britain.
According to Niss "Oxford University has loi been thinking of how besi strengthen studies on Japan affairs and has been seek assistance for the creation o' institute for such studies in operation with the Japan Embassy in London."
Some people in Oxford Cowley think they already kr far too much about Japanese motor industry.
Hot stuff
Sharp-eyed Edward Hirs northern manager of Commercial Motor, spot an advertisement for the of 77 double-deck buses "eight with BMW engin He commented: "GT hatchbacks, no doubt."