Lay-by is where CMtakes a break from the serious issues
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and our correspondent The Hawk takes a sideways look at road haulage. If you have suitable tales, charitable works, or quirky vehicles, drop The Hawk a line at Commercial Motor, Lay-by, Rm 11203, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 SAS, or fax him on 0181 652 8969.
ALBION MEMORIES
The Hawk is not too big a chap to admit to his mistakes, and was very pleased to hear from Sim Wilkinson of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, who wrote to point out that in his review of The London Brick Company by Bill Aldridge, the Hawk omitted any reference to the Albion. In his defence, the Albion got very little mention in the book, which seems a bit of an oversight for, as Jim explains, the LBC had a fleet of 100 FT37L Chieftain flats and 34 FT37 ANT Chieftain tippers. Jim writes that four of these were based at British Rail Park Lane Goods Yard, working out of the railhead, and some also worked out of Billingham, Teesside. He adds that the LBC had the first production FT37 Albion Chieftain Tipper (chassis 72801A), which was bought on 16 August 1949. Jim has been an avid CM reader for over 70 years; The Hawk readily doffs his hat to Bill's superior knowledge.
CHEERS TO TIPCON!
Decked out in their best bib and tucker, the members of the TipCon committee raise their commemorative tankards in a toast to the last TipCon exhibition in Manchester before it joins the SMMT and IRTE for the unified show at the NEC in Birmingham next year. Seen here with RHA National Chairman John Bridge OBE (Centre, front row) are (back row, left to right) John Marshall, Malcolm Stewart, TipCon chairman Clive Warcup, George Cunningham and John Rayner; (second row) Miles Fox and Garth Robertson; (front row) John Goodier, John Bridge and John Myers. HmmP The Johns were out in force that night. Still, it makes life simple if you're planning on getting tanked up—lessens the odds on offending fellow revellers by getting their names wrong.
REVERSING FORTUNES
You may remember it was reported in these pages that a group of Irish truckers would be driving backwards for charity (CM 22-28 April). Well, the deed is done and the lads have raised an astonishing 197,400 which will be shared between the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice Foundation and the Galway Hospice Foundation. This act of temporary insanity took place on the Mayo/Galway border between the villages of Clonbur and Cong. Six timber truck drivers showed they know how to handle an HGV by reversing their 60ft drawbar rigs round seven miles of the finest hairpins bends North Connemmara has to offer. Cynthia Clampett, the administrator and fundraiser of the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice Association, is delighted: "This was an unforgettable occasion," she says. "We are extremely grateful to Those men for offering to take on this brave and difficult challenge, giving of their time to raise funds for the hospice...we are overwhelmed by the response and generosity of all those who contributed." And which stupid fool said they were all stark staring honkers? Er...me. Excuse me, I'm just off to eat my words.
MOUNTY MAN
Champagne, smiles and warm handshakes were the order of the day when Martin Baker of Derek Lynch was named the overall winner of the Moffett Mounty driver challenge at Truckfest '99 in Peterborough.
Martin saw off stiff competition during the two-day challenge, with more than 60 truckmounted forklift drivers taking part. Moffett UK general manager Caroline Courtney presented Baker with a cash prize, a bottle of bubbly, a Moffett Mounty cast iron model and a weekend for two in Ireland.
A bit of a result, I'd say.