MANCHESTER'S CIVIC WEEK MOTOR PARADE.
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The Annual C.M.U.A. Event Forms Part of the Attractions on the Opening Day. A Full List of Prize-winners at the Parade.
TENS OF thousands of people lined the streets of Manchester on Saturday, October 2nd—the first day of Civic Week Celebrations—to view the transport parade. It was one of the most spectacular demonstrations ever held in the provinces, and, whilst its local importance was of the first order, it provided an illuminating sidelight on the resources and potentialities of Manchester in relation to national commerce and industry.
About 350 vehicles, nearly all of them mechanically propelled, participated in the route parade, which took about 1?.:
hours to pass a given spot. The parade was organized in three sections, to indicate the development of road transport. First there was an historical review showing the evolution of road transport from the days of packhorses, then there was a section set aside for road vehieles bearing typical loads of Manchester merchandise, and thirdly there was a competitive section, composed of vehicles participating in the sixth annual parade of the Commercial Motor Users Asociation.
The parade was not without its element of humour. A vehicle used for helping cars which have broken down at the wayside blazoned the slogan, " 'reek 'em ; we fetch 'em." Another comnany had in the parade a tractor hauling a mammoth steam boiler, which carried a printed poster saying, "Stop me and buy one."
On the historical side there were many features of interest. Jewsbury, Ltd., concentrated on depicting the evolution of travellers' transport by showing a packhorse of 1726, a horse-drawn carriage of 1826, and a modern fleet of Ford vans. This was a very telling and simple story of transport development. The Manchester Corporation showed an old horse tram, an old horse bus, one of the primitive electric trams, a modern tram, and, finally, some of its modern vehicles of various types now in use. Past and present modes of transport constituted a theme that made a striking appeal to those participating in the parade. Burgess's Dairy, Ltd., of Manchester, showed an old horse milk shandry beside their latest and beautifully decorated Vulcan van.
In the class composed of vehicles bearing typical loads of Manchester merchandise, ample opportunity was provided for creating an exhibit having many features of interest to the public. For instance, the corporation gas committee and the baths committee utilized a series of lorries on which to display apparatus and machinery used by the respective departments ; a butcher showed cattle in course of transit; timber merchants, big logs being transported on powerful steam lorries;
Transport (Owners) Association, Ltd., of which Mr. H. Howard Robinson, Minst.T., is the secretary.
So far as the competitive part of the parade is concerned, there was a total entry of 130 motor vehicles, '
J. T. Lawton, Ltd., well-known prizewinners at the Manchester parade, again triumphed in retaining not only the silver challenge cup presented by the C.M.U.A. for the best steam fleet, but also the Swain silver challenge cup for the best single vehicle. The petrol team challenge cup, presented by the "C.M.U.A. for the best fleet of three petrol vehicles of any make, was won by the Co-operative Wholesale Society -with a fleet of three Dennis machines. The Swain silver challenge cup for the best petrol vehicle on parade was won by Simpson and Godlee, Ltd., with a 1907 Austin.
The list of prizewinners in the respective classes is as follows :—
Steam Vehicles, any type.-42 entries. (1) J. T. Lawton, Ltd., 1920 Foden (driver, Bracegirdle) ; (2) J. T. Lawton, Ltd., 1909 Foden (driver, Burton); (3) Topham Bros. (M/c.), Ltd., 1926 Sentinel (driver, Norbury) ; (4) J. T. Lawton, Ltd., 1912 Foden (driver, Lud
gate) ; (5) Openshaw Brewery Co., Ltd., 1926 Foden (driver, Snelson).
• Teams of Three Steam-driven Vehicles.-8 entries. (1) J. T. Lawton, Ltd., Fodens, 190, 1912 and 1909 (drivers, Bracogirdle, Ludgate and Burton) ; (2) Topham Bros. (M/c.), Ltd., Sentinels, all 1926 model (drivers, Norbury, Wilkinson and Lang). The runners-up were :--Port of Manchester Road Service, Ltd., Sentinels, all 1921 models (drivers, O'Leary, Handley, etc.).
Steam Tractors.-5 entries. (1) N.E. Box, Ltd., 1926 Fowler (driver, Efarben) ; Bleachers Association, Ltd., 1918 Garrett (driver. Thompson). Runners-up :—N. E. Box, Ltd., 1918 Fowler (driver, Calvert).
Heavy Petrol Vehicles 13 tons or over).-38 entries. (1) British Petroleum Co., Ltd., 1922 Leyland (driver, Martin) ; (2) Wilson's Brewery, Ltd., 1919 Thornyeroft (driver, Stead) ; (3) Glico Petroleum Co., Ltd., 1921 Karrier (driver, Wilson) ; (4) Glico Petroleum Co., Ltd.., 1924 Leyland (driver, Jenkinson).
Light Petrol Vehicles (under 3 tons). —32 entries. (1) Simpson and Godlee, Ltd., 1907 Austin (driver, Robert
chew) ; (2) Simpson and Godlee, Ltd., 1912 Albion (driver, Bohanna) ; (3) Wilsons Brewery, Ltd., 1926 Thornycroft (driver, Roberts) ; (4) Simpson and Godlee, Ltd., 1923 Albion (driver, Lees).
Teams of Three Petrol Vehic1es.—.11
entries. (1) -Co-operative Wholesale Society, Ltd., three Dennis, all 1920 models (drivers, Smith, Wolstencrodt and Shorrocks) ; (2) British Petroleum Co., Ltd., Sarriers, 1923, 1920 and 1921 (drivers, Autrobus, Hayfield and Iartin). Runners-up :—National Benzoic Co., Ltd., 1923 Thornyeroft, 1926 Leyland, 1926 Thornycroft (drivers, Baden, Leyland and Aldred); and Simpson and Godlee, Ltd., 1907 Austin 1912 Albion, 1923 Albion (drivers, Austin,
Bohanna and Lees).
Driver having Longest Service with One Firm.—Driver Carter, employed by the Bleachers Association, Ltd.
Driver having Clean Licence of Longest Standing.—Driver Carter, employed by the Bleachers Association, Ltd. It is worth noting that at last year's parade, the driver with the longest service with one firm and with a clean licence of longest standing was also employed by the Bleachers Assn., Ltd.