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Showg round spectacular
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• All that's best in the truck world was on show at the East of England showground near Peterborough last weekend when the fifth annual Commercial Motor Truckfest broke all previous attendance figures with over 75,000 enthusiasts through the gate on the two days.
From the incredible four-axle Western Stary Lady Louise owned by Geoff Byford, to a charming little 1936 International tipper complete with original Clayton Dewandre tipping gear, entered by Osgerby & Son from Burton-uponHumber, the competition entries sparkled in the spring sunshine.
Entries came rolling in from the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Scotland, north Wales and the West Country — all in immaculate condition.
As ever, competition was intense, but that friendly rivalry helps to make Commercial Motor Truckfest Britain's best family trucking event.
One young couple, Roland and Carol Stephenson from Castleford, were married on the day before Truckfest, but still made it to the show.
The Sweeting family from the West Country brought their six immaculately liveried Volvos and Scanias, all lined up together and competing against one another for the top prize.
Youngsters
Three youngsters from Sherington, Bucks, Michael and Stuart Haynes and Martin Feasey, built their own vehicle to display alongside the C J Haynes fleet of Mercedes 814s. They welded two bicycles together and liveried them, together with company nameplate, in the C J Haynes colours.
Lady trucker Kim Rolfe entered her two-month-old Mercedes 16.17 rigid in this year's Best Kept Owner-Driver Vehicle competition.
On the front of the truck, Kim has painted the names Josie, after her mother, and Carrier, after her Grandmother.
This year Truckfest featured some important firsts. On the ERF stand was the very first ERF truck, pristine in finest grey livery with scarlet detail. By way of contrast, on the Seddon Atkinson stand was the
first Pegaso Ironer to be seen in this country in preparation for the vehicle's launch in the UK this summer.
AWD's exhibits included two new 17.18s making their first public appearance: one chassiscab and one with a Boalloy body. The Perkins Phaserpowered 17.18 is a goodlooking vehicle with a vital role to play in the development of the AWD truck marque.
In the arena, the record breaking continued, with some incredible displays of truck driving skills and sheer brute force. Steve's Murty's High Performer wheelie truck reared its re-built head around the quarter-mile circuit, while his Pro-jet Ford Cargo, powered by a Rolls Royce Avon 202 Aero engine, used its awesome, and very noisy, strength to topple mail vans.
All weekend the crowds thronged around the arena lapping-up the spectacle; the parade of street machines, car crushing by Sky High, truck driving by blindfolded mindreader Franklin, and the arrival by helicopter of dozens of celebrities.
Maria Whitaker signed hundreds of autographs on Commercial Motors stand during the weekend, and there were one or two lucky fans who even got a kiss.
This was Maria's second visit to Commercial Motor Truckfest and, judging by her reception this year, she is more popular than ever.
Biggest attraction at Truckfest, however, was definitely the amazing trucks. It is a tribute to the professionalism and care of drivers and operators in the industry that year after year hundreds of immaculately turned-out working trucks compete to make the grade at Truckfest.
LI Commercial Motor's Truckfest 89 was not only brim-full of visitors but also brim-full of contestants.
Demand was so heavy, all of the main award categories this year were oversubscribed months ago and the quality of entries is getting higher and higher.
Proper, full-time working trucks are the backbone of the show and when a national distribution company like Marley Roof Tiles enters a group of immaculate tractors, which have been so carefully resprayed that the paintshop proudly puts its own name in a small panel on the side door, things have got to be looking up for the overall image of the haulage industry.
COMMERCIAL MOTOR BEST KEPT WORKING TRUCK
The premier award this year went to Barry Jackson's unbelievably well-preserved, 10year-old Volvo rigid, owned and operated by ARC Conbloc of Bourne in Lincolnshire. "It's just incredible," said Jackson who has been to Truckfest every year since it began and has taken two previous second places.
The Volvo, registration number PBW 620T, has done more than a million miles and is just beginning life with a new engine. "I've had her from new", said Jackson, "and she works hard. I'm paid by the hour and
[get a bonus on the number of loads shifted." ARC's Baston Fen depot must be proud of the care and attention drivers like Barry Jackson put into their trucks.
Second spot went to Alison and Robert Scriven with their Volvo F12 which took first place in the owner-driver heat. A and R Haulage uses the truck to pull containers all over the UK. It was the Scrivens' first time at Truckfest. Well done.
Third prize was awarded to Michael Pigg's E-reg Mercedes-Benz 1635, owned and operated by Stiller Transport of Darlington in County Durham. This is Stiller's 25th anniversary year and Pigg uses his truck to pull every imagin able type of industrial load from steel to waste paper. He has been its driver since new.
BANDAG BEST KEPT FLEET
Neil Bartlett (Haulage) of Coventry was "amazed and thrilled" to take away the top fleet prize at this year's Trucklest. Neil has been to Trucklest four times before with his beautifully presented Volvo tippers, but he has never won anything.
The family-run company, from the Binley Industrial Estate in Coventry, works in the construction industry supplying aggregates like sand and gravel, as well as heavy-bulk loads like stone to building sites all over the West Midlands.
The company began life more than 21 years ago in Coventry, and Bartlett drivers at the show described the business as "one big family." The oldest Bartlett rigid on display at Peterborough was a Bregjstered Volvo F6 with an unliveried body.
Richard March from Bartlett also took third place in the best working truck competition in his E-reg Volvo FL6 tipper which has done more than 85,000km.
Like the rest of the Barlett fleet, it is kept in remarkable condition considering the rough and tumble construction sites it crosses every day. "Yeah, it's my responsibility to clean it and look after it," said March after accepting his prize, J A Hutchinson of Stibbington near Peterborough came home second in the fleet competition with a group of wonderful four and five-yearold ERF ElOs. Brothers Richard, Andrew and David run this general haulage company and they are Truckfest regulars. Marley Roof Tiles were third and driver Gary Dale accepted the trophy. The four Volvo F12s run from Marley's Burton-on-Trent depot and ranged from F-reg to A-reg in age.
EMINOX CUSTOM TRUCK OF THE YEAR
Trevor Streetor's Volvo E86 won this class hands down with a remarkable tale to tell, "No, I'm not in haulage, I'm a meat wholesaler from Bagshot in Surrey," said Streeter after tkaing his prize from Jimmy Savile. "I've never been to Truckfest before either."
Streeter saw the rusting hulk of his truck on the scrapheap in Bagshot when the impulse came to buy and restore it. The cream and maroon Volvo, registration number MPJ 682P, now looks new.
Paul Binns Haulage of Northampton was number two with a Scania 143M and Stuart Grant was third with a D-reg Scania 142.
SHELL SUPERTRUCK CHALLENGE
Old favourite Geoff Byford with his Western Star from Dallas, Lady Louise, romped home again in the supertruck challenge. Geoff refuses to put a price on Louise's head and covers about 25,750km (16,000 miles) a year in this magnificent tractive unit.
Byford only uses the unit for shows and keeps his Bury St Edmunds business on the road with 31 trucks, mainly Scanias.
Norwegian Arne Andersen was second with his Blue Warrior, a Volvo F12. This was Andersen's first-ever visit to England and was modest about his win. "Really, we are at Truckfest just to meet the people," he said.
Richard Rolls of Sawfords of Maidenhead (his grandfather founded the company) came third with a huge 1981 Peterbilt.
BEST VINTAGE AND RESTORED COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
Ken Thomas of Guyhirn near Wisbech, who has won several Truckfest honours in the past, took the top vintage spot with a 1944 Atkinson powered by an AEC he bought last October.
"Most of it is original. We stripped her down and completely rebuilt her," said Thomas. "All we added were the sideboards."
Derby-based F B Atkins and driver Bernard Hallam were second with a 1934 Foden Findonian. It took 13 trophies last year.
Third was Dave Chisholm's 1935 Model 51 Ford threetonner which he spent three years restoring. Dave is part of R D Chisholm of Wheathampstead in Herts.