BIRD'S EYE
Page 61
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The Hawk V EW By Big Yanks A month or two ago, colleague Ron Cater wrote about the big tilt-cab Kenworth which York is using in this country. This aroused quite a lot of interest and now a second big transatlantic artic has landed here: but this time it's a model. Playcraft Toys have introduced a Ford Model H tractive unit and tandem-axle semi-trailer in their Corgi Major series, and it really is one of their best yet.
The cab tilts, the landing gear retracts, the mirrors swivel and the sliding doors on the big van semi really slide. And the detail on the tractive unit is excellent. The outfit— in blue, red, silver and grey—is 9+ in. long and costs 25s.
In view of the TGWU's continued resistance to basing drivers' schedules on the 40 m.p.h. speed limit, is it not time that some authoritative transport body organized a pilot survey to prove one way or another the validity of the union's case? It is surely probable that some widely used vehicles could safely operate at higher speeds; other models, perhaps, could not.
If the Prices and Incomes Board, or Mr. Gunter, not to mention Mr. Tom Fraser, mean business, what are they waiting for? Action Wanted Fine Records No less than 1,908 employees
of Midland Red have now qualified for awards for 25 years' service and upwards, and included in this number are 357 40-year awards and 17 50-year awards. The service represented by these is no less than 52,875 years.
My informant, the company's general manager, Mr. D. M. Sinclair, says it is interesting to record that of the :..735 persons employed by the company 2,5 years ago, 82S (or 14.4 per cent) are still with the company. This is quite a record and to mark the occasion, the company's chairman, Mr. John Spencer Wills, was present at a dinner recently where he presented employees who had qualified for long-service awards during the preceding 12 months with gold watches or similar gifts of their own choosing. BR in Trouble I have little doubt that British Railways' appearance at Eastbourne last week following the impoSition of two immediate GV9s profoundly shocked the organization. Four senior engineers attended the hearing, accompanied by the Southern Region cartage manager and Press officer, Gloria Pearson.
Maj. Gen. Elmslie thought the publicity would hurt BR more than vehicle suspensions and confined the penalty to a severe reprimand. But BRS were not let off so lightly in the Eastern area in the spring, when Mr. Ormond suspended some vehicles for six weeks.
I wonder how many vehicle operators (with clean records so far) thought "there, but for the grace of God, go I "?
Plan for Growth "We still don't realize how big this market is and how fast it is growing—it is expected that car growth will be 90 per cent in the next nine years, and I suggest that few of us have planned for this increase." This was said last week by the president of the Garage Equipment Association, Mr. T. It Hardman, speaking to his guests at the usual dinner given by this body during the period of the Motor Show. "We must think big—and we must plan for the future he warned us. And speaking of a "mood of optimism" in the trade, he expressed the opinion that "natural growth will level off any recession In the next 12 months ".
Theory and Practice Two items in my. Monday morning paper caused me to ponder. Their contrasting impact was heightened by appearing on the same page.
Item one: The TGWU is stepping up its drive for more productivity pacts. A conference of regional officers called for this week is seen as the first step towards involving union officials and shop stewards in initiatives to increase both productivity and pay packets. But it objects to 40 m.p.h. lorry schedules.
Item two: Japan's express trains will start travelling at 140 m.p.h. from tomorrow.
Because of the differing mediums the contrast in speeds is invalid. But to my way of thinking the contrast of the words in italics remains only too valid.