Look out behind you!!!! Are we about to witness a terrible accident as an 18-tonner backs over the double bass player of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra? Thankfully not. What you see here is the brand-new, purpose-built, state-of-the-art instrument van supplied to the CBSO by those nice people at Scania dealer Keltruck about to depart on its maiden voyage to Santander in Spain, where the CBSO are performing at the Palacio de Festivales.
'But surely they don't make musicians from the CBSO travel to a gig in the back of a pantechnicon?' I hear you gasp. Of course not you daft apporth! The truck takes the instruments..err duh! THEY travel by...err...um...well I don't know how they travel, but clearly it's in a manner that befits their status as an internationaly-renowed orchestra.
Meanwhile, back in December 2006, Keltruck donated £15,000 per year for three years for the purchase and upkeep of the new rigid, which enables the orchestra to transport their instruments safely to the 120 concerts they perform at each year. Indeed, Chris Kelly, doughty battler of incompetent bureaucrats and boss of Keltruck tells me: 'Whilst it's always good to support local organisations the CBSO goes a little further than this in promoting the image of Birmingham, and the West Midlands generally, to a much wider audience. So I'm delighted that our association with the CBSO has helped to spread this message with the new Scania. I'm sure it will give many years of loyal service and carries with it the quality Scania image and back up from Keltruck. The CBSO has an image of perfection, which is something we also strive for." And quite right too says BLB
Ahh yes, now the 'Abbey Road' shot..and why not? It works for Biglorryblog who can also reveal that the smart new Scania, complete with living quarters. replaces the CBSO's old instrument van (an adapted coach, fondly nicknamed 'Big Bertha') which had provided 16 years of loyal service. Inside the latest body special rails hold the instruments securely in place, while the humidity and temperature is kept constant. After all you wouldn't want a Stradivarius to go wonky in the heat would you? I thought not.
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