1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160 
Tatlock triumphs once again
Page 63
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
DESPITE near gale force winds, and some sleet during Saturday's tests, the standard of driving in the National Coach Rally at Blackpool last week-end was as high as one would expect from so many experienced drivers.
For the third time—and the second in succession—Mr. Noel Tatlock, of Mills and Seddon Ltd., Radcliffe, Lancs., was National Coach Driver of the Year. He was driving a 1958 Bedford Duple 41-seater, in competition with 60 other coaches, over half of them registered this year.
Coach of the Year was a Cummins-powered Daimler Plaxton operated by Black and White Motorways Ltd., of Cheltenham. Runner-up was the Evan Evans Tours Ltd. executives' coach, The Black Knight, also a Daimler Plaxton.
In the mini-section, the Concours d'Elegance was won by an Austin Walker Fineline, operated by Royalist Mini-Coaches, of Feltham, Middx. The driving section in this class was won by Mr. B. Dyson, of Dyson's Mini-Coach Service, from Redditch, in a Ford Transit Deansgate conversion.
Although COMMERCIAL MOTOR last year advocated the redesigning of tests for this year, there were no changes, and previous experience appeared to be an advantage. The road section, which started from Wigan on Saturday morning, did differ however, in that it included a stretch on M6. The only casualties during Saturday afternoon's eliminating tests and Sunday afternoon's finals were two marker bollards placed on the tests on the Middle Promenade.
There were two women entrants, Mrs. J. Dunford, of Alver Coaches, Wakefield, who won the Ladies' driving section, and Mrs. Hackett, of Fieldsend's Ltd., Salford, who was runner-up.
The five other finalists who took part in the deciding tests on Sunday besides Mr. Tatlock were: Mr. B. L. Rowland, driving his own vehicle, a 1966 Bedford Duple; Mr. E. Stott, in a 1964 Bedford Plaxton of Holt's British and Continen tal Tours Ltd.; Mr. T. Prime, of Stott's Tours (Oldham) Ltd., with a Leyland-powered Bedford Duple; Mr. J. E Leigh, of Leigh's Coaches, Bolton, also with a Leyland-powered Bedford Duple, and Mr. W. P. Bostock, of E. J. Bostock and Sons, Congleton, driving a Leyland-powered Bedford Plaxton.
Awards were presented by the Mayor of Blackpool, Mr. Robert Br:erley.
Mr. A. Gorton. chief engineer of Black and White Motorways Ltd.. holding the trophy he has just received from the Mayor of Blackpool. Standing with them in front of the National Coach of 1967 is driver D. F. B. Hamlett.