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London—Glasgow in 2 Hours By Hovercraft!

4th August 1961, Page 22
4th August 1961
Page 22
Page 23
Page 22, 4th August 1961 — London—Glasgow in 2 Hours By Hovercraft!
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

ARE hovercraft anything we should take seriously as a competitor or not? Opinions seems to vary and, as might be expected, the opinion of Mr. Geoffrey Cockerel), the inventor, is decidedly pro-hovercraft. The Worshipful Company of Carmen thought sufficiently highly of hovercraft to present their Viva Shield (presented annually for outstanding contributions to transport) to Mr. Cockerel]. and last week the Master, Mr. Raymond W. Birch, presented the shield, plus a gold medal and illuminated address, to Mr. Cockerel].

was an interested witness of this pleasant ceremony, at which Mr. Cockerell spoke of his high regard for the hovercraft. He pointed out that a " tracked " version (one running on its own way, like a railway) could—at the present stage of development—make the London/Glasgow run in two hours.

Hovercraft already in existence can carry 60 passengers or 2 tons of freight. This, gentlemen, I submit is a potential threat. Might it be an idea to remember someone's immortal words " If you can't beat it. buy it "?

Rare Honour

AT the Carmen's lunch I met, very briefly, Mr. C. R. Hodgson. the East Midlands Licensing Authority, who tells me (and wild tipper drivers wouldn't drag the name of the company from my lips) that he recently received a letter from a solicitor who bad appeared before him, thanking Mr. Hodgson for his

A20 decision (which. I need hardly add, was in favour of the solicitor's client).

I also gather it was the first time Mr. Hodgson has ever been accorded such a pleasant, and rare, honour. Ile is, Mr. Solicitor, very pleased.

Lucubration

ALOT of people—myself included--are suckers for the art of word-dropping. We love nothing more than to clasp tenderly to our bosom a new sound, and then casually drop it where it will make the most noise.

Just such a word came my way the ether day via Mr. Alban Ford, the indefatigable Public Relations Officer of the British Omnibus Companies' Public Relations Committee. I phoned Alban on the evening last week when Mr. Selwyn Lloyd announced his intention of adding 3d. to the white man's burden. I phoned almost indecently late, and apologized—only to be told Mr. Ford was "lucubrating," so it was quite all right.

If you want to know what it means, my dictionary defines this act as "study by lamplight." Was it, I wonder, in his case an oil lamp?

Farewell, Sir John TT is not often that railwaymen appear in The Commercial Motor's pages—except when taking exception to some harmless application by a road operator to serve his customers better! But I cannot allow the news of Sir John Benstead's impending retirement on September 30, next, as deputy chairman of the T.C., to pass without a small tribute to this most charming of charming men.

Once-a-railwayman-always-a-railwayman is not a fair ticket to pin to Sir John. He has built a considerable reputation since joining the Commission in 1947 (he has been deputy chairman for 12 years) as a man who is genuinely interested in transport—not just one sector of it. Our transport sphere ould do with hundreds like Sir John; he will genuinely be missed.

haggy Dog Bid ?

N applicant for a new licence states that he wants to carry dogs to and from shows and "felt hats to and from utdoor workers."


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