The date eptember
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programme shows quite a sprinkling if companies that are new to LDoY so there could be a dark horse among the drivers who could surprise everyone.
He will have to beat some experienced, proven competitors though, including last year's champion Wynne Phillips of Western BRS, 1978 champion Tom Kerr of Esso and 1977 champion Reg Withers from Midlands BRS. Owner-operator M. Wevell deserves special mention for having yet again won through to the finals with his tipper — probably the competition's most consistently successful small operator. There is one woman finalist at Cranfield this year, Miss Dawn Franklin, of the Post Office, who won Class A in the S. Wales regional heat.
What else is happening apart from the driving itself? Well, to begin with, all the major commercial vehicle manufacturers will be represented by their dealers who will be exhibiting the various ranges of models. Many of the vehicles will also be available for test drives around the runways at Cranfield and so potential buyers get the chance to examine and try some of he latest offerings.
There will be a very impressye collection of historic commercial vehicles provided by the Commercial Vehicle and Road Transport Club. This will include between 100 and 150 vehicles ranging in age from around 1910 up to 1960 and if last year's display was anything to go by, it will be extremely popular. They don:t make them like that any more!
During the morning a team of Venture Scouts will be demonstrating parascending, which appears to be a form of parachuting in reverse — one aims to go up rather than down. Land-Rovers, not aircraft, provide the motive power. Should be interesting.
In contrast, the RAF will be doing the real thing by demonstrating target jumping. This is really very precise parachuting with brave souls leaping out of aircraft somewhere in the outer stratosphere and hopefully, landing on a sixpence in Cranfield. This is sponsored by Freightliners.
Still up in the air, there will be a number of hot-air balloons floating over the site, among them one sponsored by Esso and another depicting our feathered friend of the telephone wires, Buzby, who is there doing a little Sunday overtime for the Post Office.
One of the vehicles most definitely not taking part in the driving tests is Pierre the Clown's Crazy Model T Ford, appearing on behalf of National Benzole. This is the car that ejects its mudguards and Other panels with alarming frequency and suffers a variety of other mechanical mishaps. Should keep the off-duty vehicle examiners busy. ..
Ford is present in a more up to date fashion by running a mini-driving competition with cars rather than lorries.
Getting even smaller, there will be another mini driving competition, but this time using radio-controlled model lorries. This will be over on the Conoco display, For the men who are still boys at heart there is also a model racing circuit, so start flexing your thumbs.
On a sporting theme, DAF Trucks are running a penaltykicking competition where would-be footballers can try to beat Nottingham Forest's goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Tottenham's Osvaldo Ardiles will be on hand to show how they do it at White Hart Lane.
For those who fancy som, thing a little less strenuous BR will be supporting a darts con est in the unusual venue of curtain-sided trailer. Here, a corners can take on the or, fessionals in a pro-am tourn ment run by the British Dar Organisation.
Goodyear Tyres will be ru fling a tyre/wheel changir competition so there's one for the tyre fitters.
Michelin will have its vintal style bus there, complete wi its quota of roly-poly Michel men who will pose with you f photographs if you wis "That's me on the right-.
The Professionals will I there in the form of the Roy Corps of Transport, displayii some heavy military transport John Wells tells me that thE will be ample catering faciliti on the site, including licenc bars for those who don't want miss their Sunday lunchtir pint. There's also plenty of c parking space at a cost of which does include the entran programme. Coach parki costs £5.
..Cranfield Institute of Techr logy is in the village of Cranfil in Bedfordshire. Easiest w there for most people is via i Ml, leaving the motorway junction 14 if you're comi from the North or junction from the South. Cranfield about five miles from thE junctions and extra signpost will be up on Sunday to pc the way.
Fingers crossed for go weather and may the best ri (or woman!) win.