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Bird's eye view
Page 58
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by the Hawk * Green for a cop
Red, green and blue balloons will be used as distress signals under a new plan in the USA. Road users will display a red balloon for medical services, green for police assistance and blue for mechanical, help or fuel. There was a proposal to use banners or handkerchiefs instead, but the balloon-men won.
Fortunately this is one American trend we are not yet following. But what if we did? Can you imagine the consternation on MI on Sunday, September 8 when Ford release their balloons in the giant race from the LDOY final at Bramcote?
*Follow my leader
"Driver following studies on the M4 motorway"—now there's a confusing statement. I took it to mean that the author had followed drivers on M4 and studied their driving! Not so. In fact it is the heading on a report issued by the Road Research Laboratory on close-following traffic which, I understand, is the cause of too many accidents.
While on the subject of safety, I must say that lately I have been sorry to see a number of poorly sheeted loads with ropes trailing, sheets flapping and loads shifting. It cannot be over-emphasized that the technique of building a safe load is an essential part of driver training.
*Part-time to Frankfurt
The Rev. John Prescott, a Glasgow minister, is also a part-time bus driver. He drives a 15-year-old Albion on church outings and due to the good offices of Sir Donald Stokes his touring party will shortly be making an 1,800-mile trip to Frankfurt am Main.
The trip almost had to be cancelled, however, when the engine collapsed on an Easter trip to Westmorland. A letter from the minister to Sir Donald brought a replacement engine with the BLMC's chiefs compliments.
*Education enthusiast
Frank Simpkins, IoTA chairman, who is a member of the Transport Managers' Licence Committee, is an education enthu siast. He was particularly pleased last week when he told me that the RTITB had complimented the Institute on its examination syllabus. Frank is one of today's managers who believes that education should be linked to experience.
*Enter the ogre
Cordial relations, I am happy to report, exist between the West Yorkshire Road Car Co. Ltd. and the Worth Valley Railway Preservation Society. Things might easily have been otherwise for the society's application for a Light Railway and Transfer Order was opposed by West Yorkshire who had an eye to the possible abstraction of traffic. When the BR Worth Valley branch was finally closed six years ago the field of public transport was left very much to West Yorks.
Then along came the awful spectre of this preservation society and the bus interests reacted smartly. An amicable agreement was reached on the basis of the society promising not to charge fares below those of the buses and not to reduce them within five years.
*Worthwhile
Society chairman G. R. Cryer tells me that in Worth Valley's first six weekends of running (they operate on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays) 1,000 passen gers were carried. West Yorks were good enough to supply Setright ticket-issuing machines to assist in the good work. Trains run from the BR station at Keighley to Oxenhope, with stops at Ingrow, Damens, Oakworth and Haworth.
In contrast to many preservation societies, who confine themselves to steam locomotion, Worth have some diesel rail buses among the interesting rolling stock of former days that is to be seen at Haworth Station. The little Yorkshire community, famed for its association with the Brontë family, thus has a second claim to fame and to its place in the coach tour schedules.
*Be prepared
Any mention of vehicles in publicity for excursions invariably errs on the side of optimism but, if this is a fault, it is not one of which Ulsterbus can be accused. I base my statement on the bills which advertise day tours on Mondays and Fridays to Rathlin Island, off the coast of Co. Antrim. Ulsterbus coaches run to Ballycastle, then passengers take to the boats. The tour of the Island, says the bills, is by tractor and open trailer. "There is no shelter from the weather and passengers should therefore take raincoats, etc., with them. . . Space is limited to 11 passengers per tour."
All praise to the Ulster organization not only for their frankness but also for their enterprise in venturing into the less orthodox fields.