Sir Peter crash lands on LT
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SIR Peter Masefield has crashlanded on 55 Broadway, Westminster, but his long experience in air transport should equip him admirably for his new short-term chairmanship of London Transport. He should know all about frustrated passengers, delays. discomfort and extortionate fares on publicly owned services.
When I first knew him 40 years ago he was the singleminded young technical editor of The Aeroplane. He was a hard driver who pushed all before him and was clearly heading for higher things. He has made the big time and I am still a humble journalist, which is all I ever wanted to be.
It was he, I believe, who coined the still-born word "transportant" to describe a transport expert. But at 66 he is still young enough to live it down. could see vehicles being assembled.
Mentioning this friendly gesture, Stig Arne Olson, managing director of Volvo Trucks (GB) Ltd, who has a puckish sense of humour, commented: "It was a pity they couldn't talk about the pay settlement at the same time!"
After he had announced the company's E51/2m order for 100 Volvo Ailsa double-decker bus chassis with Alexander 117-seat bodies to be shipped knocked down from Irvine to Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, a journalist asked him: "Are you trying to get into London Transport?"
"No," he laughed, "we can't afford it!" Bill Aitken, AUEVV divisional organiser, who confirmed the good relations between management and workers, added that the employees would survive any short-time cutback. He was anticipating the possibility that if the market does not improve by the end of September, it may be necessary to introduce a three-day week.
This will make a nasty dent in output, which has been running at the rate of 1,400 vehicles a year, and British component makers, with whom Volvo will spend a record £125m this year, will feel the pinch. masters with Gardner engines.
The upshot is that Robe Saunders now has eigf patriotically painted red, whii and blue Fleetmasters on col tract hire from Midlands Britis Road Services, who managing director, Steve AIDE is an old acquaintance of Joc So auld acquaintance will not t forgot.