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Clifford Toyne
Page 54
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• Clifford C. Toyne could almost be called the father of the Ministry of Transport heavy goods vehicle annual test scheme. Although not responsible for its conception he has been responsible for its development from the start.
As an assistant chief mechanical engineer of the MoT and head of the vehicle inspection division formed last August, however, Mr Toyne's responsibilities are wider, involving overseeing management and operation of all MoT inspection activities. And this includes psv inspections, roadside checks and car tests.
Clifford Toyne is essentially apractical engineer, obviously a professional, who is fully aware of the importance of his role in improving the vehicle standards in this country. '
After an education which culminated in a BSc (Hons) from Manchester University, Mr Toyne served in the RAF, and also worked on liaison duties with the aircraft manufacturers.
He joined the MoT in 1947 as an assistant engineer in the traffic and mechanical engineering branch at headquarters and progressed to his present job through several posts including senior area mechanical engineer in the Metropolitan traffic area. One of his most interesting jobs, he says, was setting up the prototype car testing station at Hendon in 1956 which was the first purpose-built test facility of its type in the country. But it is for his work on the goods testing scheme that he will be remembered and he is justifiably proud of the fact that all but a few of the 91 test stations were operational and the whole complex organization working in only 30 months, Mr Toyne is one of Europe's top experts on vehicle testing—he has been invited to speak on the subject at an international conference in Amsterdam in the spring. He is also a member of the permanent bureau of the newly formed international committee for motor vehicle inspection in Brussels.
One of the best buys for the transport engineer's bookshelf in recent years has been the Tester's Manual, for which Clifford Toyne was responsible, and he has since found time to write Motor Vehicle Plating and Testing which gives information in question and answer form on the scheme; sales of over 4,500 since August say enough for its value.
Speaking of the future, Mr Toyne sees the emphasis of vehicle regulations on safety as a continuing trend. He believes that anyone who does not accept that fact, by keeping his vehicles in top condition, is burying his head in the sand. But there are no plans for more demanding standards being introduced. Clifford Toyne is happy that the present ones are just about right. T.W.