Top prize for Furness
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THE TOP prize awarded by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers goes this year to a man who has been involved in automotive engineering at a senior level for 35 years. John Furness, director and chief mechanical engineer at the Department of Transport's London headquarters since 1976, is to receive the James Clayton Prize for 1983 at a formal presentation at IMechE's headquarters on October 24.
The prize carries a cash award, currently worth £5,000. It is given to institution members in recognition of meritorious contribution to modern engineering, originality in engineering design, or for services to engineering. Mr Furness receives it for outstanding services to automotive engineering in the drafting and negotiating of motor vehicle design regulations at an international level.
After 10 years with the Bristol Aeroplane Company, Mr Furness joined the British Transport Commission's Road Haulage and Road Passenger Transport Executives in 1949. From 1952 to 1954 he worked for British Road Services' South-East division.
When he started his DTp job he was responsible for the three divisions of the Vehicle Safety Directorate — vehicle inspection, vehicle and component approval and vehicle standards and engineering. Since reorganisation in 1979 and the formation of a Vehicle Engineering Development Unit he has been less concerned with day-to-day line management and more involved in engineering policy, vehicle technology, energy conservation, alternative fuels and methods of propulsion.