The IRTE Northern Centre again attended the Leisure Lakes Steam Rally near Southport by invitation of the organising committee in June.

IRTE Northern Centre L Lakes

Each year a delegation of committee members scrutinises the commercial vehicles that are on display and give an award for the vehicle judged to have the best presentation and engineering standards.

This year the award was given to Robert Wellock from Otterburn near Skipton, who was displaying his ERF E16 tractor unit.

The Gardner 6YLT-powered vehicle was instantly recognised by the committee as having undergone an extensive and very comprehensive overhaul to a very high standard. The owner told the committee that the work was carried out over the past five years.

This year the Northern Centre committee decided that the award would be called the John Ashcroft Commercial Vehicle Award in memory of their fellow committee member who had passed away earlier in the year.