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Lorry Driver of the Year Competition
Page 72
Page 73
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Light Van Driver the Winner
ALL the winners from the regional rounds of the Lorry Driver of the Year Competition met in the final at the R.N.A.S. Station, Brameotc, last Sunday, when the day-long contest produced E. Jury as national champion. He was driving an Austin light van operated by A. and E. Chapman, Ltd., Portsmouth.
The hbnour of being among the leaders was supplemented for two of the 'finalists by the opportunity of a trip to Paris to compete in an international lorry drivers' competition on October 7. Those who are eligible to represent Britain are Jury and R. Mason (Austin, Standard Motor Co., Ltd:), who was champion in the articulated class.
The international competition is the first of its kind to be organized by Le Routiers, of Paris. There will he two English, two American, two Spanish, two Italian and two German contestants, and possibly a Swiss, who will compete against French drivers. All will drive standard Continental left-hand-drive lorries and 'the two Englishmen will be lent vehicles and allowed time to practise.
Jury and Mason were selected by Mr. Gilbert Lesage, British representative of Le Routiers, who was introduced to the organizers of the Lorry Driver of the Year Competition by The Commercial Motor. They will have five days in Paris with all expenses paid.
Sixty-six finalists at Bramcote had been produced by eliminating contests at Portsmouth, Leeds, Coventry. Oxford and Slough. There was no separate Services section and the four military representatives in their classes faced rivals in somewhat more tractable vehicles. However, their separate results were taken into account to determine a Services award.
E6 The weather was fine and warm as the men commenced the series of four tests which constituted the preliminaries.
First came the task of drawing as close as possible to the kerb in-a
vehicle length space between two obstacles. Marks were lost for stopping too far from the kerb.
Then there was the judge-your-width test, combined with the job of reversing through a barrier and continuing back through another barrier placed out of line with the
first. Third tame an oblique reverse up ,a narrow hay with a bend in it. Penalties were inflicted for being any excess distance from the rear barrier and for not being square to it.
The fourth test was to move forward to stop by the near-side kerb, reverse to stop with the off side of the vehicle to the kerb on the other side of the
road," move forward again and reverse with the off side to the kerb.
In all cases there were debits for touching kerbs or other markers. A standard time was set for each class by taking the average of the best 50 per cent. of correct performances, and there were penalties for exceeding the figure.
Every test bore a direct similarity to situations encountered in everyday driving, and in every instance the penalty of incorrect performance was greater than if the test had been carried out correctly but more slowly.
There was a series of shocks for the over-25 ft. class. at Test 13 for the first half-dozen were disqualified for faults. Particularly good here were J. F. Howbridge (B.R.S., Stockton-on-Tee Leyland Octopus) and G. Rockall High Wycombe, Leyland), Howbridge was also first-class on the third test, but lost heavily on the fourth. Rockall was disqualified on the third.
Best in the class proved to be R. W. Parkes (B.R.S. Cheapside, Bristol), who was unpenalized on Tests 11 and IV and performed creditably elsewhere Second was R. J. Cox (Lincoln Electric Co., Leyland Comet), who had one clean" test and no heavy losses of marks.
In the 22-25-ft. class, E. Docker (West Midlands Gas Board, Thames) looked like being a winner, but cancelled out two clean sheets and another excellent performance by a disqualification. Most of this class ran into trouble on the last test, where 88 marks were dropped by the class-winner, H. Rrownridge (Guy), a driving director of Benn and Sons (HX). Ltd. He had a clean" on Test II.
A high standard of performance was achieved by competitors in the 19-22-ft. class, the best of whom was J. Johnson (Standard Motor Co., Ltd., Austin) with a couple of " cleans " and a singlemark loss on another section. S. M. Smith (Broadhead Transport Co., Ltd., Albion) was second.
Heavy Losses In the 15-19-ft. category losses were on thp heavy side, K. Cottingham (Stanley Works (G.B.), Ltd., Austin) being first with 85 points lost and E. C. Taylor (Southern Gas Board, Morris) second with 101. In Class A, Jury had a good lead, losing only 10 points, compared with 60 by R. V. Riley (Ernest Batley Ltd., Commer).
Disqualifications look great toll of drivers of articulated outfits, but Mason was absolutely decisive, with four clean sheets, Next was G. F. Coff (Crow Carrying Co., Scammell). Honour in the "Queen Mary" class went to A. Bosworth (Sir W. G. ArmstrongWhitworth Aircraft Co., Ltd., Commer). Class winners were informed what times they had recorded and for the final were required to repeat those figures as nearly as possible.
In the final, errors earned not disqualification for a single test, but for the whole competition, a fair arrange ment, as one error in driving is one too many. Johnson failed to carry out Test III correctly. Brownridge overran a kerb on Test T. Mason handled his outfit splendidly on Test II, but touched a pylon on Test III and Parkes also was eliminated.
Jury took the little Austin through in a manner that would not have disgraced a car rally. His total penalty was 100 points, against 153 by Cottingham.
RESULTS Class A: Up to 15 R.
1-E. Jury (A. and E. Chapman. Ltd.. Austin), 10 marks. 2-R, V. Riley (Ernest Batley, Ltd.. Commer), 60 marks. 3-D. E. Broomhead (G.P.O., Morris), 109 marks.
Class B: Over 15 ft., up to 19 ft.
l-K. Cottingham (Stanley Works (G.B.), Ltd. Austin), 85 marks, 2-E. C Taylor (Southern Gas Board, Moat..), 101 marks. 3-W. Spoonei (British Oxygen Co., Ltd. Dennis), 115 marks.
Cla.ss C: Over 19 ft., up to 22 ft.
I-1. Johnson (Standard Motor Co,, Ltd,. Austin), 13 marks. 2-S. M. Smith (Broadhead rransport Co... Ltd., Albion), 29 marks. 3-i Danuns (A. Marriott, E.R.F.), 49 marks.
Class Dr Over 22 ft.. up to 25 ft.
1-H. Brownridge (Berm and Sons (HX), Ltd.
Guy), 86 marks. F. Gee (Pease Transport, Ltd., Foden), 98 marks. 3-1. W. Hognrth (Rockware Glass Co., Sentinel), 99 marks.' Class E: Over 25 ft.
1-R. W Parkes (B.R.S., Cheapsicle, Bristol). I) marks. 2-R. J. Cox kLineoln Electric Co.. Leyland Corner), 25 marks. 3-J. F. Howbridge (B.R.S., Stockton-on-Tees Leyland Octopus), 80 marks Class F: Articulated 1-R. Mason (Standard Motor CO., Ltd.. Austin), 0 marks. 2-G. F. Cuff (Crow Carrying Co., Scammell), 216 marks, 3-.J. Spalding (B.T.C.. Leeds, Bedford), 240 marks.
Class G: "Queen Mary" 1-A. Bosworth (Sir W G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Co.. Ltd Cominer). Remain ing competitors disqualified.
Armed Services 1-Sgt Gateciide (.A.S.C., Leeds. Austin), 80 marks Lorry Driver of the Year 1-E. Jury. 2-K. Cottingham. 3-R. Mason.
Diesel Drivers' Awards 1-11 W, Parkes. 2-R, J. Cox. 3-.S. M.
Smith. Best C-licence Driver E. Jury.
Oldest Driver to Gain "The Commercial Motor" • DIPloma C. A. Russell (49 years).
Winners of "The Commercial Motor" Diploma
The Commercial Motor Diploma of Merit for all gaining 75 per cent, of marks or over: E. Jury, R. V. Riley, L. Damms, K. Cottingluun, S. M. Smith, 3. Johnson, Sgt. Gateclifre, A. F. Gee, I. W. 14ogarth, H. Brownridge, R. J. Cox, I. F. Howbridge. CA. Russell, R. W, Parkes and R. Mason.