Our man expanded the conversation by talking politics. What did
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the driver think of the possibility of a new Government nationalizing long-distance road transport? "It would be the worst thing that could happen to us. It could put hundreds of us out of work."
What about the possibility of C-licensed vehicles coming under some form of stricter control? " That would be tragic," said the driver. "My boss often has me running empty on a• return run and yet he must make it pay or else he would get the A or B boys to do it."
How would you like to drive a fork-lift truck 1,000 miles? Nor would 11 But it's now being done, on a diesel model with automatic transmission made by Yale and Towne. The truck, in the durable (I hope) hands of Harry Davis, 37-year-old sales services director of the company, set out from John O'Groats last Friday on its long, long journey to Lands End, which it is scheduled to reach next Tuesday. The truck is then due to roll up to Earls Court and go on show at the Mechanical Handling Exhibition.
The idea of this marathon is to show how liftle strain is imposed on the operator using this standard Yale Series 51 truck in the absence of gear changing and abrupt speed changes. I hope, for Mr. Davis' Fork Marathon I understand that at the time of writing only a handful of firm entries have been received for, the London round of the L.D.O.Y. competition which is to be held at A.E.C. Works, Southall in July. Whilst Mr. Teer, the organizing secretary, is not unduly worried about this (some firms are not sure of the drivers who will be entering and hold on to the last moment) [ gather that next year a tear-off slip will be provided at the bottom of the covering letter sent out to prospective competing firms, so that the organizers will at least know of the numbers they propose to enter.
Closing date for the Southall heat is May 30, by the way.
London L.D.O.Y.