That was the year...
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CM was launched in 1905; for our centenary year we're bringing you stories from years gone by. This week we're back in 1921 and 1971.
1921
Modern Turkey is founded and Albert Einstein wins the Nobel prize for"Services to theoretical physics"— but his golden year, during which he published four seminal papers including his Special Theory of Relativity, was 1905; the year of CM 's birth. Charlie Chaplin's seminal tear-jerker The Kid is one of the top films of 1921.The real news,however.is that Australia wins three test matches against England, including one at Lords where, sadly. rain didn't stop play...
Unfair competition: 1
Commercial Motor asked:"Is the man who owns one hire veh icle, which he drives himself, a menace to larger hiring concerns '?"The author, identified as'Vim' thought not. adding:"From time immemorial it seems to have been natural in man to be fearful of any kind of competition." Especially it seems, from owner-drivers.
Unfair competition: 2
This time CM was less than impressed by the Safeguarding of Industries Bill which some MPs saw as a long overdue measure to protect home vehicle manufacturers from dumping, while others declared it "a crushing blow to free trade." Guess who won the day?
HERE'S ONE
Under the heading 'Here's One' came the following gag that just about passes the test of time:"Sorry I'm late sir," said Driver Sam with assumed cheerfulness,-but better late then never!"The trouble with you Sam," said the boss."Is that you're never better than late..."
1971
Ray Tomlinson, a computer scientist at an engineering firm in America, writes the first e-mail program, bringing @ into daily use. Sony launches the VCR, spawning a generation of technophobe parents who rely on the kids to program it. Our boys did slightly better Down Under: Ray Illingworth was the first captain in 16 years to regain the Ashes for England.
Same old same old
John Payton, Minister for Transport Industries, stated that the arguments for limiting access of lorries and cars to city centres "are now being weighed up by the government". While in a banner headline CM revealed: "Tipper traffic is going metric!" Knowing UK hauliers it was presumably doing it inch-by-inch.
All on his own
CM technical editor Gibb Grace was photographed at the wheel of the latest 32-tonne Scamtnell Crusader on a deserted dual carriageway "somewhere in England". A fullpage picture revealed that apart from a car and a van heading in the opposite direction Grace's 220hp Rolls-Roycepowered Crusader was literally the only vehicle on the road. Congestion? What congestion?
Whatever happened to...?
Tucked away in a report headed -Environmental legislation dictates designwas a picture from the Kelvin Hall Scottish Motor Show of a 16-tonner called an Argyle Christina. It was made by the Argyle Manufacturing Company of East Kilbride and powered by a Perkins 6.354 engine.