Next Week
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ENGINEERING features strongly in next week's CM, and for any operator in the market for new equipment our May 21 edition is a must. We report the Institute of Road Transport Engineers' conference and exhibition, and preview the Tipcon Show.
We are still getting phone calls about 38tonne operation and while we have written a lot about this topic, there remain things to learn; this subject will be highlighted at the IRTE exhibition at Solihull on May 1213.
Some manufacturers are still rushing to complete exhibits. Tr-axle trailers in particular are likely to gain a lot of attention in view of higher train weights. Full-length-van access is more often demanded as we move into the midEighties and this well be evident at this Show, and among other trends to be seen will be the one to improve productivity through the use of demounts.
• Engine design is one of the main topics at this year's IRTE conference with speakers from Cummins, Gardner, RollsRoyce, Perkins, Ford and Leyland. The Institute has also been carrying out a survey on wheel security with the results being published at the conference. Read Graham Montgomeriers report in next week's issue.
• TipCon, at Harrogate, May 20-22, is joined by "TankCon" this year, or as the Road Haulage Association names it, the Road Tanker Operators' Convention. Don't miss our reports of these two events in CM next week by our technical and news editors. Enlightening speeches on business are anticipated from Lord Gormley, former president of the NUM, and Ian MacGregor, chairman of British Steel. We also report on "38-tonne operation" by Dr Clifford Sharp, author of Living with the Lorry, and "Operators'
Licensing" by Reg Dawson, former head of the DTp's road freight division.
• Innovation and economy are both key words at Quest 80 in Telford where a range of unusual but not impractical bus and coach chassis have been designed and built. Noel Millier has been to Quest to talk to the people and look at their products. He found some interesting ideas that could well lead to a more cost-effective form of bus public transport.
• A London brewery replaced its complete fleet of delivery vehicles at one go last autumn. It also decided to switch to automatic transmission, but the final purchases were considerably different from the demonstrator first shown. What alterations were called for? Why were these necessary? How is the new fleet coping in operation? Bill Brock has been along to talk to the company's transport engineer and inspect these vehicles; they comprise the largest single vehicle order placed by a private company in the UK last year. In CM next week.
• Also, John Durant has been to Preston to watch the Foster Tachographs bureau service in operation and report on what some customers feel about its advantages. In CM next week.