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Bird's Eye View .

7th September 1962
Page 88
Page 88, 7th September 1962 — Bird's Eye View .
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

A COMPANY who are very, justly proud of a unique "record are F. Perkins, Ltd., the Peterborough diesel engine manufacturers. On Wednesday, as reported elsewhere in this issue, they became the first diesel engine makers to export a million power units, and deserve every praise for such a splendid achievement. Although by no means all these million engines were for commercial vehicles, a good proportion nevertheless were.

In fact, Perkins diesels now go to at least 166 overseas countries. They 'exported number one in 1933, a year . after they were founded. That engine went into a Commer for the Gwalior Transport Co., in India.

Vision Paid Off

IFT Ow the vision and purpose of Frank Perkins has paid off! He stands now on the touchline, as honorary president of the Group but possessing a wealth of experience in his chosen game, and will always be held in great affection by his countless friends in every field that his engines cover.

The drive now comes from one of the liveliest men I know, 47-year-o1d Monty Prichard, the group managing director. He was born, and spent much of his younger life, in the same country to which the first Perkins export engine went—India. After education in England, he returned to India in 1936 to work for R. A. Lister and Co. His wartime service as a Lt.-Col. in the Royal Engineers embraced the whole of the Far East, and afterwards he again worked for Listers out there. In fact, he did not come to England again until 1950.

What is quite obvious is that he has all the drive and fire that has always characterized Perkins. bet they don't wait 29 years before the second million is chalked up!

No Suppliant

TAO SE many municipal transport managers who are, or

have been, engaged in preparing cases for fares revision to go before the Traffic Commissioners undoubtedly have reason to envy, Mr. .1. Mackie, general manager of Belfast Corporation Transport. As there are no licensing courts in Northern Ireland Mr. Mackle is spared any such obligation. The fixing of the undertaking's fares is entirely in the hands of the corporation. Although any body which feels aggrieved regarding a fares rise can take the corporation before the Northern Ireland Transport Tribunal, who would have to rule whether the• charges were reasonable, there seems only one example of such a situation ever arising.

Estimates for the 1962-63 year show the likelihood of Belfast having an almost microscopical net surplus but I understand that the transport committee have decided to continue the fares structure unchanged for the present. They have just started their trolleybus replacement scheme, which may seem odd at first sight when one knows that Belfast buses lost £82,810 last year and the trolleys made a profit of nearly £25,000. The answer, as you will have guessed, is that the trolleybuses are on the more remunerative routes.

An unusual feature of the Ulster capital's financial arrangements is that under the controlling corporation act thu committee of the undertaking is responsible for ensuring

B42 that they budget each year to meet in full the expenditure for that particular period. Those few undertakings in Britain which have statutory obligation to pay their way can, I believe, spread any loss over a number of years.

Another. Back Door?

AATITH the announcement of the new Alvis Stalwart " amphibious 5 tormer for " civvy street" (see pages 63-65 in this week's issue) one can perhaps envisage yet another " back door" being opened up to people wanting to enter the haulage industry. For those who are concerned with the effects of the Arnold appeal judgment or the Tribunal's pronouncement that goods-carrying " minibuses " are orthodox, here is really something to worry about.

Does an operator with this type of vehicle require a carrier's licence to carry goods up or down river between, say, London Bridge and Oxford? Applyiñg. the principles recently announced for sea-travelling Hovercraft, the answer must surely be No." On •the same basis, what is to stop a trunk service between Manchester, via the Ship Canal to Glasgow using these vehicles, or a service between Newcastle and London?

The only thing stopping all this is the cost of the vehicle. I understand that it's cheaper to buy, outright, a couple of lorries and A licences—but, you never know.


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