Lorry Anti-Jacknife Device (1967)

Bedfont, Middlesex. Various shots of a lorry driving down a hill and skidding to a halt on a slippery stretch of road; commentator talks of ’jack-knifing’ as when “an articulated lorry’s back end tries to get in front“. A lorry is seen on a side road, practically split in half after an emergency stop. Several shots show men at Fred Hope’s workshop fitting together components as they make anti-jackknife devices; commentator tells us the device has the effect of making the whole lorry rigid, technically called a damping effect. Several shots show lorries coming down the hill and onto the slippery stretch of tarmac; they have the device fitted to their kingpin coupling and all come to a safe halt. Note: on file is a press release about Clayton Dewandre Co. Ltd., who were “the largest manufacturer of power braking equipment in the United Kingdom“ at this time! It is not stated how or if Fred Hope was connected to the company. FILM ID: A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, B