Now here's an interesting thing....thanks to the October edition of 'Moving On' the newsletter from Vosa for HGV and PSV operators, I learn that it's 40 years since the MoT annual test for commercial vehicles was created. And pictured above is the first ever truck being tested at the MoT test station at cCalne in Wiltshire. Is it still there I wonder? And what's that truck? And no wise cracks please about it still being in the queue OK?
Anyway, the bloke that started it all was no-lesser personage that Ernest Marples, Minister for Transport, who insisted that once a year " all lorries are capable of meeting a minimum standard of machnical condition." At the time the MoT test scheme for CVs had a huge impact onthe national truck parc and, to quote Vosa, it's since become the cornerstone of road transport safety. Now click through here for another pie quiz and more historical facts on the MoT scheme ...
And cna you tell what truck that is too? Meanwhile, thanks to 'Moving On' I learn that back in 1978 some 90 test stations were built from scratch "...to provide access within 30 miles to all operators. The majority of these remain in service today, though some have ben replaced by more modern facilities..." So have you got a test station within 30 miles?
Once upon a time if you wanted to book a test you had to use a paper-based system and send off your test application,. together with a covering cheque, to Swansea well in advance of the required test date. Now it can be done on line....how times have changed.
Anyway Biglorryblog says well done Vosa and Happy Birthday annual CV test.
the first truck is a thames model et6 about late fifties to earlt sixties.the other one is athames trader which was the following model.
It's a Thames Trader in the second pic!
Anyone know when front-wheel brakes became mandatory on Commercial Vehicles? The car testing manual refers to 1st Jan 1968.