BIRD'S EYE VIEW BY THE HAWK
Page 44
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• Burglar Anthony Davison made a big mistake when he robbed a house in broad daylight in Tyneside — instead of bolting for a waiting getaway car, he fled the scene of the crime by waiting for a bus with the swag under his arm. Neighbours even gave police the number of the bus.
Before Davison was awarded a nine-month suspended sentence his lawyer said: "It is difficult to comprehend a more inept burglar It beggars belief to choose the number 745 bus as a getaway vehicle." The Hawk is not prepared to reveal which routes might be more efficient for the purpose.
• In a year which marks the 35th anniversary of the Routemaster bus, the Hawk hears from Derek Cartmill, a Routemaster owner from Belfast, contesting the belief that Douglas Scott, who died in October, designed the revered passenger vehicle.
Douglas Scott, writes Derek, was commissioned by London Transport in the 19,50s to make a contribution to the vehicle's overall appearance. He was, for instance, involved with the interior design and the warm, welcoming and durable colours of yellow for the ceiling and the maroon moquette seating. He also participated in the unpainted Routemaster experiment in the early 1960s where a weight saving of 3cwt (152kg) could be made if the bus was finished in bare aluminium.
Derek contends that the Routemaster's design was a "team effort" led by London Transport engineers Eric Ottaway, JW Wicks and AM Durrant, as well as mechanical engineers based at the Chiswick depot.
The Hawk awaits clarification from LT...
• Copies of the Scania Transport Trust Awards 1991 video will soon be en route to the three winners of the Hawk's Scania competition (CM 28 February-6 March). They correctly identified the original products of Vabis and Maskinsfabrik as railway wagons and bicycles respectively. The two companies merged to become Scania. Happy viewing to RM Tew, Bugbrooke, Northants; P Rogers of Deeside, Clwyd and RD Palmer of St Neots, Cambs.
• "The Ultimate in Vehicle Security has landed" proclaims the sales brochure of Oscar Alarm Systems, a Manchester-based firm which is determined to do well in troubled times — buttering up dealers to the extent of topping each purchase order with two tee shirts; two sweat shirts, a baseball cap and an Oscar golf umbrella. At least if the buyers fall victim to vehicle theft they'll have a change of clothes.
• The newly formed Thornycroft Society reports a resounding success at its inaugural meeting in Basingstoke on 9 March, with 125 delegates attending.
• Readers will recall this picture (CM 14-20 March) of Miss Whale, the gorgeous, pouting temptress scratching her head on the cover of Whale Tankers house magazine, Tanker Talk. At the time the Hawk wondered if "some young women.., might be less than flattered to be addressed as Miss Whale".
Unfortunately, feathers were ruffled at Whale Tankers, whence Keith Palmer — minder to Miss Whale — despatched the following missive: I have been asked by Miss Whale to express her mortification at your reference to her in the Bird's Eye View column.
The following is an extract from correspondence with her solicitors Gonnan Dunn it & Co.
"... Miss Whale, who is known for her easy going manner, finds nothing whatever strange in being named after the world's premier tankers — indeed she's rather proud of the connection. Insult, she says, is added to injury by criticism from such an unlikely source as the Hawk. How is it possible, she wonders, that her name can be criticised by someone who is himself named after a predatory vulture writing a column with a name strangely reminiscent of a fish finger..."
Nevertheless, demonstrating her real femininity, she thanks you for drawing attention to her and hopes you'll come up and see her sometime.
That is an offer the Hawk can hardly refuse — if only in the interests of meeting the woman behind the legend. Watch this space...