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South wins NCL contest
Page 41
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• National Carriers' Top Driver of the Year award travelled from the far north to the deep south on Sunday, when in NC L's national finals at King's Cross, London, R. P. Biddlecombe from Southampton depot gained the title which last year went to Scotland.
Drivers who had won through from area heats and finals came to London to drive their own vehicles in five classes for rigids and artics, and there were 35 runners in allcheered on by large NCL family contingents from all over the country.
Reg Biddlecombe normally drives a 12ton artic, and has been driving commercials for 13 years (including three years on buses) but this was his first driver contest. He's been with NCL and its predecessor for the past four years, but drove on and off for the railways before that.
Concurrent with the driver test was a fork
lift truck competition involving picking up and setting down loaded pallets in confined spaces. Winner was L. A. S. Toms from Bristol, 116pts (max. possible 120), and runner-up was B. F. Sandell from Norwich, 114pts. The prize for a loading guide test, in which entrants had to select the right distribution depots for addressed consignments went to P. Broadhead, of York (but NCL managing director Harry Kinsey was highest scorer, with 16 out of 17-which should provide useful ammunition for area managers trying to improve staff geography). B.C.
RESULTS: Class winners: Rigid vehicles, H. Cochrane (Exeter) 62 penalties: Three-wheeled tractor, artic, A. Walsh (Manchester) 68; Fourwheeled tractor, artic up to 5 tons capacity, D. J. Curcher ICroydon) 75: Artie, 6 to 10 tons capacity, T. Go!die (Glasgow) 77: Artie, over 10 tons, R. P. Biddlecombe (Southampton) 118. FINAL RUN-OFF: 1, R. P. Biddlecombe, 137; 2, T. Goldie, 126; 3, D. J. Curcher, 171: 4, H. Cochrane. 260; 5, A. Walsh, 462.