In this thrilling episode, we delve into the world of transport strikes and the lengths some will go to keep their business running. Mr. Cartwright, a self-made man in the heavy transport industry, faces a dilemma as a general strike halts all non-owner-driven transport. Desperate to get his truck to Birmingham, he enlists the help of Assignments Unlimited, a company that promises to do anything, anywhere, at any time. The task seems simple: drive a truck from London to Birmingham. However, the journey is fraught with danger as the driver, Carson, must navigate through pickets and potential violence from angry strikers.
As the plot unfolds, we discover a deeper conspiracy involving smuggling and deception. Cannon, another driver from Assignments Unlimited, takes over the mission after Carson is attacked. With the help of Ruby Long, a mysterious and well-dressed woman from Cartwright's staff, Cannon uncovers a smuggling operation using the truck as a cover. The episode reaches a climax as the police intervene, revealing a daring gold bullion heist disguised as a lead transport. Join us as we explore themes of loyalty, deception, and the fine line between legality and crime in the world of commerce.
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[00:00:02]
Unknown:
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[00:00:30] Unknown:
Latest report on the transport strike, mister Cartwright. General strikes throughout the Midlands and Southern Counties, sir, for all transport not owner driven. I've got to get truck 64 through tomorrow to Birmingham from London at all costs, Mona. Oh, there'll be pickets everywhere, sir. The drivers are in an angry mood. You won't find one volunteered in the entire business. Yeah. That's so. Well, you may be right, Muller. Not owner driven, Well, there's more than one way of skinning this cat.
[00:00:57] Unknown:
Take a look at this ad in the mail.
[00:01:00] Unknown:
Assignments unlimited, it says. Do anything. Make an appointment for me, mother. The address is 33
[00:01:07] Unknown:
Half Moon Street. Aubrey Mason, at your service. At Assignments Unlimited, we do anything anywhere, at any time. 33
[00:01:15] Unknown:
Half Moon Street.
[00:01:35] Unknown:
Mister Johnson Cartwright appeared to me to be a typical product of a hard school of modern commerce. Tough, unrelenting but nonetheless a shrewd rough down into the post war era in the heavy transport game where the rule was survival of the fittest. He was obviously affluent and it was equally apparent that he was a self made man and proud of it. His proposition was simple and straight to the point. Your hand in the paper says go anywhere, do anything, right? Well, that's the general idea. I want you to drive a truck for me tomorrow from London to Birmingham. I'll pay you £50
[00:02:05] Unknown:
It seems a large sum for such a simple task, Mr. Kerfrid. Not so simple. The man who tries it will need to be pretty resourceful. Anyone who breaks the strike is called a blackleg. That word blackleg has an unpleasant rig in the ears of trade unionists.
[00:02:18] Unknown:
You mean my man might be waylaid and beaten up? Yes. Hence the high fee. That's right.
[00:02:23] Unknown:
I believe that strikers have things they call pickets. They do. And in fact, pickets are already established along the main arteries to make sure that no unauthorized truck gets through.
[00:02:31] Unknown:
In fact, from the Midland South, heavy transport is in a standstill. Might I inquire how you expect one of my men to spirit a truck through the pickets? You may indeed.
[00:02:40] Unknown:
The strike calls for a standstill of all transport that is not privately owned. There's no restriction on an owner driving his personal lorry. It might occur to you that I might drive this truck on the Birmingham run since I own all the lorries. If I did so, it would be taken as a deliberate flaunting of the lorry driver's rights. When the strike is over, I never find another driver to work for me. I should make it clear, mister Cartwright, that we at Assignments Unlimited do not own any lorries. Not yet, mister Mason. I have a heavy 10 tonner that must get through tomorrow. Truck 64 in my Pell Street sheds.
The papers relating to this truck are in my briefcase here.
[00:03:14] Unknown:
All that's required is a signature from your driver and he becomes the owner. Oh, I think I understand. You transfer the truck into my operator's name. He drives it to Birmingham as a bona fide owner. And when the task is complete, he transfers it back to you. That's it in a nutshell.
[00:03:28] Unknown:
And you have my word that you'll not be doing the transport drive as a disservice. One truckload will not make the slightest difference to their cause. Oh, well, that's fair enough, mister Cartwright.
[00:03:38] Unknown:
If my man is safe from molestation, I see no reason why we shouldn't take on the job. Fine. I have the papers here.
[00:03:45] Unknown:
What's the man's name? Carson. Mhmm. First name? Carsons.
[00:03:49] Unknown:
Well, we know him as Crash Carson. Well, that's not good enough for a legal paper, of course. Hard eye. I never thought to ask him his real name. I'll send for him. Yes, mister Mason. Find Carson and send him in here, will you? Yes, mister Mason. I was right about mister Cartwright's affluence. He paid an advance. Carson duly arrived and signed the papers. For the first time, I discovered his real Christian name, but he swore me to secrecy. Suffice it to say that Carson's parents could have had no possible idea of what their offspring would eventually look like. It seemed a simple enough assignment. And so warning Carson not to display any belligerence with the pickets, I sent him about his business.
[00:04:39] Unknown:
Uh-oh. Stay up in front. Oh, no. Not another of those blasted pickets. Oh, well. Keep calm and in good temper. Here we go. Morning. Now you've got the wrong procession. Royal Carriage is driving down the mail. Funny man. We don't like black legs in transport in general. Me? A black leg? You need your bunks read. Owner driven. You wanna see my papers? We want to see you out of the cab. What? Right out here in the middle of the country. I get hay fever. Never work anyway except in the smoke. If you know what's good for you, you'll get out. Are you threatening me, Chum? If you like. Wanna make something of it? On another day, on another field of battle? You get in out of the cab or do we have to pull you out? For the sake of my small wife and large family, I'll comply with your request.
[00:05:33] Unknown:
Alright, Blackleg.
[00:05:34] Unknown:
For your information, buddy, this is the fourth picket I've been through. I'm no Blackleg. I'm an owner driver. I got papers to prove it. Now if you'll call your friend over here, the one with the teneers and the night scar on his mug. What's he got to do with it? My papers. He looks like he can read. You're quite a comedian, ain't you? Now give me the papers here.
[00:05:53] Unknown:
Well?
[00:05:54] Unknown:
I don't know. What don't you know? Apart from your antecedents, I mean. How's that? Never mind. Give me back my papers. I'll get on my journey.
[00:06:02] Unknown:
All right. Here you are. Thanks.
[00:06:05] Unknown:
Oh, don't stop the stagecoach. Dick Turpin might be a passenger.
[00:06:11] Unknown:
Here. Blimey, Jess. You you killed him. I just entered his skull with a blackjack. He'll live. Yeah. But why did you eat him so hard? It could be that I know what the word antecedent means.
[00:06:26] Unknown:
The first I heard of Carson's accident was from mister Cartwright. He telephoned and seemed agitated. It was of paramount importance that his truck 64 got through to Birmingham with the least possible delay. But at the same time, he showed a grave concern over Carson.
[00:06:41] Unknown:
I can't think what went wrong, mister Mason, unless your man deliberately caused trouble. I've arranged for Carson to be taken to the Haley nursing home, by the way. Is he badly injured? The doctor says he's a particularly rugged specimen. But for Haley? Well, that's at least five dinners a day. I'll pay all expenses, mister Mason. I've arranged to visit Carson tomorrow and explain. Well, thank you. The point is, do you have another man to take over? The truck is standing on the Coast Road near the Bristol Estuary. Bristol? I I thought you said he was going to Birmingham. Well, we plotted the circuitous route to avoid trouble.
Unsuccessfully, it seems. If your man takes the main road to the estuary, you'll see the lorry on the side of the road. The papers are in the glove compartment underneath Carson's sandwiches. Yeah. I'll get onto it right away, mister Cartwright. Good man. Seeing this job through, mister Mason. I can put a lot of business your way. Goodbye. Goodbye.
[00:07:30] Unknown:
Yes, mister Mason? Send in Canon. Will you tell him I've got a job that's just up his alley? Oh, and, miss Fairweather? Yes, sir. Tell him to make sure his life insurance policy is up to date. Fortunately for Cannon, my pessimism was unjustified. I dropped him at the abandoned truck, and he continued with the journey to Birmingham without instant. The staff car from the Cartwright organization brought him back to London where he paid a visit to the sick bed of Crash Carson in the Haley nursing home. Cheerful as always, Carson sat up in bed, his head swathed in white bandages.
[00:08:02] Unknown:
Hi. You open for business, Crutch? Oh, come in, cannon boy. Drag up a chair. Brother, you look like you're headed for trouble. How do you feel? Can't complain. Okay. Give me the load on what happened. Well, I got stopped a couple of times but the papers were in order so the piglets let me through. Then I get stopped by the estuary. I put your papers checked again and just as I was getting into the cab with my back turned to this keys and wham, I'm a noggin with a blackjack. Woke up here. Nice, ain't it? Why did the guy slug you? How should I know? I'll tell you just five minutes after I found him. Well, then again, in a way, he did me a favor. A favor? Yeah. Take a look at this note. It says for mister Cartwright, the Cartwright by name, and Cartwright by nature.
[00:08:43] Unknown:
Talking of my regret and the hope it will help your family while you're incapacitated. MC.
[00:08:49] Unknown:
Nicholas Cartwright.
[00:08:50] Unknown:
And what was the token? A hundred quid and fivers. Hey. That's, that's a lot of dough for a roughing up. Uh-huh. Unless you gotta pay your own bill here. Well, and he takes care of everything. Could he you add an uneventful trip? You know, Chris, there's, there's something here that just doesn't gel. When I took the truck through, he doubled up the money. That makes £200 for one journey plus the hospital expenses. And what was in that truck that could have been that important? Oh, who cares? What's up? You jealous? Look, Crash, I don't see why you should get attacked at all. And if the ownership papers gave you a passport to Birmingham, why go miles out of your way via the estuary? Then again, only thugs use blackjacks.
Now I know something about strikes. The pickets try and stop the black blades, okay? But all they wanna do is make sure the transport doesn't run. Why beat up a guy for no reason? Oh, don't think I haven't asked myself the same question a dozen times while I've been lying here. Come up with any answers?
[00:09:46] Unknown:
Demonstrators like to show their faces. Getting tough is just a set example. So why choose a lonely stretch Of Coast Road? We're getting in tune, big brother.
[00:09:56] Unknown:
Where you were hijacked there were no witnesses,
[00:09:59] Unknown:
Well, except perhaps anyone who was on the logger. On the what? Well, there was a sailing logger standing offshore right up at the place where they stopped me. Someone on board might have seen. Well, then again, well, what interest would a sailor have in a road transport strike?
[00:10:12] Unknown:
I'd like to have another look at that place you've got Lambert, friend. I'd like to take a good look.
[00:10:21] Unknown:
To assignments unlimited, Cannon asked if he might borrow the car to take a run down to the estuary. Unfortunately, I couldn't help him write their name. Carver's out on another job. But then fate took a hand in Cannon's favor.
[00:10:34] Unknown:
Yes? Mister Cartwright on the line, sir? Oh, put him through, William.
[00:10:38] Unknown:
Hello?
[00:10:39] Unknown:
Hello. Mason. Speaking. Have you seen the papers? Not yet. Why? The strike is still on and they've reached a deadlock. Well, this must be very trying for you, mister Cartwright. I have another assignment for you if you're interested. Truck 64. Yes. As a matter of fact, it's the Saint Laurent. Ten tons of merchandise for Birmingham via the estuary. I'd rather your man did take the roundabout route. There'll be no trouble this time, I'm sure. I've informed the police about the incident with Carson. I'm quite sure Noah will hang around that area for the duration of the strike. Well, what do you say? For Canon will be pleased to drive for you, mister Cartwright.
[00:11:11] Unknown:
Oh, and by the way, I have to thank you for the care you've taken of Carson. He showed me your note. Oh, I'd have done the same for any of my regular drivers.
[00:11:19] Unknown:
Well, then, the same depot, Hill Street, 6 AM tomorrow. He'll be there. Thanks again. Bye. Goodbye, mister Cartwright.
[00:11:27] Unknown:
Well, Canon, it looks as though you'll have your wish after all. That was Cartwright again, and he wants another load delivered to Birmingham along the same route. Oh, that's just dandy. Did I hear you say tomorrow morning? 6AM.
[00:11:38] Unknown:
I'll be there on the dot. If I drive fast, I can have half an hour to, case that joint by the estuary and still arrive in Birmingham on time. Tell me, why are you so interested in going over the ground where Carson was beaten up? I got a hunch, chief. I always like to play my hunches alone. And on this trip, I'll be all alone.
[00:12:00] Unknown:
Phage is, of course, precocious. But Cannon wasn't reflecting on that as he prepared to take over the truck and drive his lonely route to the estuary.
[00:12:14] Unknown:
Morning, mate. You the bloke taking out sixty four? That's me. Is she already? Yes. Loaded and waiting. But you got to see mister Cartwright first. He's over there in the office. Dispatch.
[00:12:26] Unknown:
Do you see it? I do. Thanks, old timer.
[00:12:34] Unknown:
You, you wanna see me, mister Cartwright? Oh, yes. Mister Cannon, all set for the journey? Well, to go. It won't be so lonely this time, mister Cannon.
[00:12:42] Unknown:
Oh?
[00:12:44] Unknown:
How come? My private car drivers have joined in the strike. I have a lady on the staff who must be in Birmingham by tonight. She'll be here in a moment.
[00:12:52] Unknown:
She will accompany you on the trip. Cannon disguised his disappointment and waited for the lady to turn up. His annoyance at having a passenger dissipated when he saw her. A trim figure was sheathed in an expensive hand tailored suit. Her flaming red hair swept over her neck by the practiced hands of an artist in Cuiffure. Cannon vaguely wondered what thought of job in the Cartwright business warranted a salary that could pay for this kind of ensemble. He attempted to find out during the drive towards the estuary.
[00:13:21] Unknown:
You, you worked for Cartwright a long time, miss? Twelve years.
[00:13:25] Unknown:
And I wish you can keep calling me miss. My name's Ruby. Ruby Long. Okay, miss Long. I'll make it short and call you Ruby. That's better.
[00:13:33] Unknown:
I, I can't think why mister Cartwright should send you all this way in a truck. You, you might have oiled up that nice suit. Oh, I had a little shivers clean the cab this morning early. Yeah. But I mean, it's, it's only a road strike. You could have gone by train and been really comfortable. That's true. But I have a special reason for coming by truck. You see, I have an aunt who lives near the estuary, and I want to call and have it a short while.
[00:13:53] Unknown:
Uh-huh. Well, how about mister Cartwright? He, he might jib at the delay. Well, he knows about it. That's why he let me come by truck. We'd have tea with her to break the journey for both of us. Whatever you say, Ruby.
[00:14:04] Unknown:
Oh, tell me where to turn off. It's not far from here. The house is on the hill by the main road just before it runs along the beach. Oh, yeah. I know it. You do? Yeah. That's where Carson got hijacked, down the road where it passes alongside the sea. I picked up the truck after the thug hit him and, I drove it the rest of the journey. Yes. Mister Cartwright told me about it. Master business.
[00:14:25] Unknown:
Then lower drivers are a rough lot. I should know.
[00:14:28] Unknown:
What's your occupation then, Ruby? In the business, I mean. I'm the confidential secretary to the bus.
[00:14:34] Unknown:
Look. There's the house now. See? Yep. Right on the top of the hill. And don't bother to try and turn into the drive. Just park off the road facing downhill, and we'll walk up to the house. That way, we can drive off easily after tea. Whatever you say, Ruby.
[00:14:47] Unknown:
18, did you say?
[00:14:49] Unknown:
Of course. You're an American. I'm sure my aunt will have something a little stronger. There. Here's a good place
[00:14:57] Unknown:
to pull
[00:15:05] Unknown:
in. What's the matter, mister Cannon?
[00:15:08] Unknown:
I,
[00:15:09] Unknown:
I don't see the key on the ring to lock the cab door. Why do you need a key to lock the door? Who want to steal a 10 ton truck?
[00:15:17] Unknown:
Yeah. Yeah. It's just what I was thinking. Who?
[00:15:37] Unknown:
Auntie's on the phone. She said to say goodbye for her. Shall we go? We'd, we'd better, Ruby. That's the longest tea party I ever sat in on. I'm sorry, mister Cannon. I haven't seen her for so long. There was so much to talk about. Yeah. So I noticed one hour. Well, those are clear now with a strike. I'm sure you can make up the time. And thank you for putting up with our gossip. It must be boring for a man. All in the line of duty, Ruby. You lead the way. Through here. Okay.
[00:16:06] Unknown:
Hey. The truck. Somebody stole the truck. Good heavens.
[00:16:13] Unknown:
There it is just down the hill.
[00:16:16] Unknown:
You must have left the hand brake off. Ma'am, I did not leave the hand brake off. If I had, it would have run down the hill the minute we'd left it. Yes. The regular drivers always put chocks under the wheels when they park on a downhill slope. I understand that the brake can work itself loose when the lorry is heavily loaded. Well, I just hope that the back doors are still sealed. That's all. If I goof on this job, I have to answer to my chief. And I'd rather face judgment day than him when he blows his top.
[00:16:42] Unknown:
The doors look alright.
[00:16:44] Unknown:
I'm sure it must have been the brake. Look. I told you. I put that brake on but good.
[00:16:49] Unknown:
Uh-huh.
[00:16:50] Unknown:
Are the seals intact? Yeah. Come on. Let's get into the cab. Yeah.
[00:17:00] Unknown:
There. What did I tell you? The brakes only half on.
[00:17:04] Unknown:
I don't get it. You know something, Ruby? I'd like to take a look around here. Well, there's no damage done, mister Cannon. We're very late. I I'm sure you wouldn't like me to get into trouble with my boss and he can throw a temper too. Well, it sounds to me like an instruction, Ruby. So if that's the way you want it, that's the way it's gonna be. And you know something, baby? When the play's right, I never ask questions. Get
[00:17:31] Unknown:
it? Delivered on time and was taken straight back to London. He still had his hunch. And to placate him, I called a round table conference in the office with Crash Carson, now out of the nursing home, but still nursing a grievance against his unknown assailant. I sat back and listened to them talking.
[00:17:48] Unknown:
The Sailing lugger I saw offshore was it was the kind of boat they use in the Channel Islands for shrimping and winkle drifting. You know, about 70 feet shallow giraffe, four and a half rig, dirty brown sails. That's the one. When I parked that truck outside Ruby's aunt's house,
[00:18:01] Unknown:
the same lugger was offshore at the same place. So what's your theory? Well, where I figure it, if somebody wanted that truck down by the lugger, all he had to do was to get in the cab, get off the brakes, and coast quietly down the hill. Uh-huh. There was no key on the ring to lock the cab door. All he had to do was to help himself. I wouldn't hear a thing. Yeah. But, why leave it down in the dirt? Well, don't you see? It's quiet countryside. If he drove it back again, I'd hear him coming up the hill. Oh, it might have been any truck you'd hear. Uh-uh. First, there's a transport strike. No other trucks. Yeah. Second, you have had to turn that truck so as to face the way I left it. Well, he could have backed it up. Mhmm. You ever heard a truck backing up a hill? Boy, I'd sure hear that. You see, Christ, the seals were intact on the doors, but that don't mean a thing.
If something was loaded onto that truck from the lugger and Ruby Long knew about it, what would be easier than to have the loaders carry new seals?
[00:18:55] Unknown:
Yeah. That makes sense, cannon boy. But look. If the lorry was empty when you started and full when you left the estuary, you'd have noticed it on on the springs or on the steering column. Yeah. Or was there any difference? Uh-uh. The truck was loaded all the way. That's what I don't get. If you'll forgive me interrupting, gentlemen, it does rather look as though you're both the victims of circumstance.
[00:19:14] Unknown:
You've read something ominous into a straightforward job. My suggestion you forget all about it. Except for one thing, chief. What's that? Something I said to Ruby Long. If there was a switch, she was in on it. So I said to her, Ruby, if the pay is right, I never ask questions. Never. Get it? Meaning what?
[00:19:34] Unknown:
If mister Cartwright should ever ask for my services again. Quite unlikely. The transport strike is over. Exactly what I mean, chief. Oh, I think I get the trend of what you're trying to say. Should mister Cartwright ever ask for your services when there's no strike, then it's possible that he has a nefarious motive since you've intimated that you can be trusted and, well, at a price. Chief, you hit the nail right on the head. Yeah. I'm not impressed. All I can say is
[00:19:58] Unknown:
yes? Is mister Canning with you, sir? Yes. He is. There's a call for him, sir. Should I put it through or will he take it in the outer office? Well, who is it? Oh, did they say? Yes, sir. It's a personal call. Mister Cartwright.
[00:20:13] Unknown:
Cannon made an assignation with mister Cartwright who simply wanted his services as a truck driver for two days. The truck was due to leave at 6AM, but my two operators decided to pay a nocturnal call on the sheds in Pell Street at 1AM.
[00:20:28] Unknown:
Well, here we are. Now then, can you see anything? Yeah. I I can see the truck.
[00:20:35] Unknown:
Old man's still there. Don't he ever sleep? Try the catch on the window. If we can open it, we can hear what's going on. Well, there's nothing going on. I'll try and open it anyway. Go on.
[00:20:51] Unknown:
Well, I, I won't ask you where you learned to do that. Oh, shh. Someone coming.
[00:20:57] Unknown:
Alright, you bet. If it's not ready. It's Cartwright.
[00:21:01] Unknown:
Who's that with him? Oh, that's the guy who slugged me with a blackjack.
[00:21:05] Unknown:
Are you sure it's alright to use the history again, boss? This will be the last time. Yeah. Well, how do you know you can trust this little cannon? I don't. Well, I've no fear. He'll be safely out of the way when we switch cars. You get a knowledge, boss? No. He's a crude. He'll You'll see nothing and you won't ask Christians. That's all it matters. Now get the bars on board.
[00:21:29] Unknown:
Hey. That, that looks like lead. So that's how it was done.
[00:21:35] Unknown:
They offload the bars of lead into the lugger and load up with whatever they're bringing into the country illegally. Oh, and we know where and when they're gonna do it. That's right, Boyel. Only this time, they'll have a reception committee in the form of the police.
[00:21:51] Unknown:
And so the trap was set. This time, there was no pretense about tea with Auntie. Ruby simply took him into a backroom of a house near the estuary and plied him with her charms and copious drafts of his favorite drink. Cannon was happy to play along. He didn't see the two men get into the truck and coasted down to the dip in the road near where the lugger stood offshore. The crew quickly and efficiently unloaded the truck of lead and substituted another load. But Cannon had been wrong. The lead was coming from the Lugar, and what had appeared to be lead was, in fact, gold bullion encased in lead.
The haul of a daring daylight robbery on an armored truck on its way to the Bank of England some months earlier. The police closed in and rounded up the whole gang, but not before one of them had, well, had an unfortunate encounter with Crash Carson. It was he, of course, who called this story blackjack for a blackleg.
[00:23:17] Unknown:
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[00:23:30] Unknown:
Auto parts.
What you're hearing is Hardie fiber cement siding living up to its reputation as the siding that handles hail impact with ease. James Hardie knows how important a reputation is, especially when you're a contractor. That's why Hardie's siding withstands severe weather better than vinyl siding, with styles to match its strength, so you can be sure you're providing your clients with the best. Protect your reputation with exterior products by James Hardie.
[00:00:30] Unknown:
Latest report on the transport strike, mister Cartwright. General strikes throughout the Midlands and Southern Counties, sir, for all transport not owner driven. I've got to get truck 64 through tomorrow to Birmingham from London at all costs, Mona. Oh, there'll be pickets everywhere, sir. The drivers are in an angry mood. You won't find one volunteered in the entire business. Yeah. That's so. Well, you may be right, Muller. Not owner driven, Well, there's more than one way of skinning this cat.
[00:00:57] Unknown:
Take a look at this ad in the mail.
[00:01:00] Unknown:
Assignments unlimited, it says. Do anything. Make an appointment for me, mother. The address is 33
[00:01:07] Unknown:
Half Moon Street. Aubrey Mason, at your service. At Assignments Unlimited, we do anything anywhere, at any time. 33
[00:01:15] Unknown:
Half Moon Street.
[00:01:35] Unknown:
Mister Johnson Cartwright appeared to me to be a typical product of a hard school of modern commerce. Tough, unrelenting but nonetheless a shrewd rough down into the post war era in the heavy transport game where the rule was survival of the fittest. He was obviously affluent and it was equally apparent that he was a self made man and proud of it. His proposition was simple and straight to the point. Your hand in the paper says go anywhere, do anything, right? Well, that's the general idea. I want you to drive a truck for me tomorrow from London to Birmingham. I'll pay you £50
[00:02:05] Unknown:
It seems a large sum for such a simple task, Mr. Kerfrid. Not so simple. The man who tries it will need to be pretty resourceful. Anyone who breaks the strike is called a blackleg. That word blackleg has an unpleasant rig in the ears of trade unionists.
[00:02:18] Unknown:
You mean my man might be waylaid and beaten up? Yes. Hence the high fee. That's right.
[00:02:23] Unknown:
I believe that strikers have things they call pickets. They do. And in fact, pickets are already established along the main arteries to make sure that no unauthorized truck gets through.
[00:02:31] Unknown:
In fact, from the Midland South, heavy transport is in a standstill. Might I inquire how you expect one of my men to spirit a truck through the pickets? You may indeed.
[00:02:40] Unknown:
The strike calls for a standstill of all transport that is not privately owned. There's no restriction on an owner driving his personal lorry. It might occur to you that I might drive this truck on the Birmingham run since I own all the lorries. If I did so, it would be taken as a deliberate flaunting of the lorry driver's rights. When the strike is over, I never find another driver to work for me. I should make it clear, mister Cartwright, that we at Assignments Unlimited do not own any lorries. Not yet, mister Mason. I have a heavy 10 tonner that must get through tomorrow. Truck 64 in my Pell Street sheds.
The papers relating to this truck are in my briefcase here.
[00:03:14] Unknown:
All that's required is a signature from your driver and he becomes the owner. Oh, I think I understand. You transfer the truck into my operator's name. He drives it to Birmingham as a bona fide owner. And when the task is complete, he transfers it back to you. That's it in a nutshell.
[00:03:28] Unknown:
And you have my word that you'll not be doing the transport drive as a disservice. One truckload will not make the slightest difference to their cause. Oh, well, that's fair enough, mister Cartwright.
[00:03:38] Unknown:
If my man is safe from molestation, I see no reason why we shouldn't take on the job. Fine. I have the papers here.
[00:03:45] Unknown:
What's the man's name? Carson. Mhmm. First name? Carsons.
[00:03:49] Unknown:
Well, we know him as Crash Carson. Well, that's not good enough for a legal paper, of course. Hard eye. I never thought to ask him his real name. I'll send for him. Yes, mister Mason. Find Carson and send him in here, will you? Yes, mister Mason. I was right about mister Cartwright's affluence. He paid an advance. Carson duly arrived and signed the papers. For the first time, I discovered his real Christian name, but he swore me to secrecy. Suffice it to say that Carson's parents could have had no possible idea of what their offspring would eventually look like. It seemed a simple enough assignment. And so warning Carson not to display any belligerence with the pickets, I sent him about his business.
[00:04:39] Unknown:
Uh-oh. Stay up in front. Oh, no. Not another of those blasted pickets. Oh, well. Keep calm and in good temper. Here we go. Morning. Now you've got the wrong procession. Royal Carriage is driving down the mail. Funny man. We don't like black legs in transport in general. Me? A black leg? You need your bunks read. Owner driven. You wanna see my papers? We want to see you out of the cab. What? Right out here in the middle of the country. I get hay fever. Never work anyway except in the smoke. If you know what's good for you, you'll get out. Are you threatening me, Chum? If you like. Wanna make something of it? On another day, on another field of battle? You get in out of the cab or do we have to pull you out? For the sake of my small wife and large family, I'll comply with your request.
[00:05:33] Unknown:
Alright, Blackleg.
[00:05:34] Unknown:
For your information, buddy, this is the fourth picket I've been through. I'm no Blackleg. I'm an owner driver. I got papers to prove it. Now if you'll call your friend over here, the one with the teneers and the night scar on his mug. What's he got to do with it? My papers. He looks like he can read. You're quite a comedian, ain't you? Now give me the papers here.
[00:05:53] Unknown:
Well?
[00:05:54] Unknown:
I don't know. What don't you know? Apart from your antecedents, I mean. How's that? Never mind. Give me back my papers. I'll get on my journey.
[00:06:02] Unknown:
All right. Here you are. Thanks.
[00:06:05] Unknown:
Oh, don't stop the stagecoach. Dick Turpin might be a passenger.
[00:06:11] Unknown:
Here. Blimey, Jess. You you killed him. I just entered his skull with a blackjack. He'll live. Yeah. But why did you eat him so hard? It could be that I know what the word antecedent means.
[00:06:26] Unknown:
The first I heard of Carson's accident was from mister Cartwright. He telephoned and seemed agitated. It was of paramount importance that his truck 64 got through to Birmingham with the least possible delay. But at the same time, he showed a grave concern over Carson.
[00:06:41] Unknown:
I can't think what went wrong, mister Mason, unless your man deliberately caused trouble. I've arranged for Carson to be taken to the Haley nursing home, by the way. Is he badly injured? The doctor says he's a particularly rugged specimen. But for Haley? Well, that's at least five dinners a day. I'll pay all expenses, mister Mason. I've arranged to visit Carson tomorrow and explain. Well, thank you. The point is, do you have another man to take over? The truck is standing on the Coast Road near the Bristol Estuary. Bristol? I I thought you said he was going to Birmingham. Well, we plotted the circuitous route to avoid trouble.
Unsuccessfully, it seems. If your man takes the main road to the estuary, you'll see the lorry on the side of the road. The papers are in the glove compartment underneath Carson's sandwiches. Yeah. I'll get onto it right away, mister Cartwright. Good man. Seeing this job through, mister Mason. I can put a lot of business your way. Goodbye. Goodbye.
[00:07:30] Unknown:
Yes, mister Mason? Send in Canon. Will you tell him I've got a job that's just up his alley? Oh, and, miss Fairweather? Yes, sir. Tell him to make sure his life insurance policy is up to date. Fortunately for Cannon, my pessimism was unjustified. I dropped him at the abandoned truck, and he continued with the journey to Birmingham without instant. The staff car from the Cartwright organization brought him back to London where he paid a visit to the sick bed of Crash Carson in the Haley nursing home. Cheerful as always, Carson sat up in bed, his head swathed in white bandages.
[00:08:02] Unknown:
Hi. You open for business, Crutch? Oh, come in, cannon boy. Drag up a chair. Brother, you look like you're headed for trouble. How do you feel? Can't complain. Okay. Give me the load on what happened. Well, I got stopped a couple of times but the papers were in order so the piglets let me through. Then I get stopped by the estuary. I put your papers checked again and just as I was getting into the cab with my back turned to this keys and wham, I'm a noggin with a blackjack. Woke up here. Nice, ain't it? Why did the guy slug you? How should I know? I'll tell you just five minutes after I found him. Well, then again, in a way, he did me a favor. A favor? Yeah. Take a look at this note. It says for mister Cartwright, the Cartwright by name, and Cartwright by nature.
[00:08:43] Unknown:
Talking of my regret and the hope it will help your family while you're incapacitated. MC.
[00:08:49] Unknown:
Nicholas Cartwright.
[00:08:50] Unknown:
And what was the token? A hundred quid and fivers. Hey. That's, that's a lot of dough for a roughing up. Uh-huh. Unless you gotta pay your own bill here. Well, and he takes care of everything. Could he you add an uneventful trip? You know, Chris, there's, there's something here that just doesn't gel. When I took the truck through, he doubled up the money. That makes £200 for one journey plus the hospital expenses. And what was in that truck that could have been that important? Oh, who cares? What's up? You jealous? Look, Crash, I don't see why you should get attacked at all. And if the ownership papers gave you a passport to Birmingham, why go miles out of your way via the estuary? Then again, only thugs use blackjacks.
Now I know something about strikes. The pickets try and stop the black blades, okay? But all they wanna do is make sure the transport doesn't run. Why beat up a guy for no reason? Oh, don't think I haven't asked myself the same question a dozen times while I've been lying here. Come up with any answers?
[00:09:46] Unknown:
Demonstrators like to show their faces. Getting tough is just a set example. So why choose a lonely stretch Of Coast Road? We're getting in tune, big brother.
[00:09:56] Unknown:
Where you were hijacked there were no witnesses,
[00:09:59] Unknown:
Well, except perhaps anyone who was on the logger. On the what? Well, there was a sailing logger standing offshore right up at the place where they stopped me. Someone on board might have seen. Well, then again, well, what interest would a sailor have in a road transport strike?
[00:10:12] Unknown:
I'd like to have another look at that place you've got Lambert, friend. I'd like to take a good look.
[00:10:21] Unknown:
To assignments unlimited, Cannon asked if he might borrow the car to take a run down to the estuary. Unfortunately, I couldn't help him write their name. Carver's out on another job. But then fate took a hand in Cannon's favor.
[00:10:34] Unknown:
Yes? Mister Cartwright on the line, sir? Oh, put him through, William.
[00:10:38] Unknown:
Hello?
[00:10:39] Unknown:
Hello. Mason. Speaking. Have you seen the papers? Not yet. Why? The strike is still on and they've reached a deadlock. Well, this must be very trying for you, mister Cartwright. I have another assignment for you if you're interested. Truck 64. Yes. As a matter of fact, it's the Saint Laurent. Ten tons of merchandise for Birmingham via the estuary. I'd rather your man did take the roundabout route. There'll be no trouble this time, I'm sure. I've informed the police about the incident with Carson. I'm quite sure Noah will hang around that area for the duration of the strike. Well, what do you say? For Canon will be pleased to drive for you, mister Cartwright.
[00:11:11] Unknown:
Oh, and by the way, I have to thank you for the care you've taken of Carson. He showed me your note. Oh, I'd have done the same for any of my regular drivers.
[00:11:19] Unknown:
Well, then, the same depot, Hill Street, 6 AM tomorrow. He'll be there. Thanks again. Bye. Goodbye, mister Cartwright.
[00:11:27] Unknown:
Well, Canon, it looks as though you'll have your wish after all. That was Cartwright again, and he wants another load delivered to Birmingham along the same route. Oh, that's just dandy. Did I hear you say tomorrow morning? 6AM.
[00:11:38] Unknown:
I'll be there on the dot. If I drive fast, I can have half an hour to, case that joint by the estuary and still arrive in Birmingham on time. Tell me, why are you so interested in going over the ground where Carson was beaten up? I got a hunch, chief. I always like to play my hunches alone. And on this trip, I'll be all alone.
[00:12:00] Unknown:
Phage is, of course, precocious. But Cannon wasn't reflecting on that as he prepared to take over the truck and drive his lonely route to the estuary.
[00:12:14] Unknown:
Morning, mate. You the bloke taking out sixty four? That's me. Is she already? Yes. Loaded and waiting. But you got to see mister Cartwright first. He's over there in the office. Dispatch.
[00:12:26] Unknown:
Do you see it? I do. Thanks, old timer.
[00:12:34] Unknown:
You, you wanna see me, mister Cartwright? Oh, yes. Mister Cannon, all set for the journey? Well, to go. It won't be so lonely this time, mister Cannon.
[00:12:42] Unknown:
Oh?
[00:12:44] Unknown:
How come? My private car drivers have joined in the strike. I have a lady on the staff who must be in Birmingham by tonight. She'll be here in a moment.
[00:12:52] Unknown:
She will accompany you on the trip. Cannon disguised his disappointment and waited for the lady to turn up. His annoyance at having a passenger dissipated when he saw her. A trim figure was sheathed in an expensive hand tailored suit. Her flaming red hair swept over her neck by the practiced hands of an artist in Cuiffure. Cannon vaguely wondered what thought of job in the Cartwright business warranted a salary that could pay for this kind of ensemble. He attempted to find out during the drive towards the estuary.
[00:13:21] Unknown:
You, you worked for Cartwright a long time, miss? Twelve years.
[00:13:25] Unknown:
And I wish you can keep calling me miss. My name's Ruby. Ruby Long. Okay, miss Long. I'll make it short and call you Ruby. That's better.
[00:13:33] Unknown:
I, I can't think why mister Cartwright should send you all this way in a truck. You, you might have oiled up that nice suit. Oh, I had a little shivers clean the cab this morning early. Yeah. But I mean, it's, it's only a road strike. You could have gone by train and been really comfortable. That's true. But I have a special reason for coming by truck. You see, I have an aunt who lives near the estuary, and I want to call and have it a short while.
[00:13:53] Unknown:
Uh-huh. Well, how about mister Cartwright? He, he might jib at the delay. Well, he knows about it. That's why he let me come by truck. We'd have tea with her to break the journey for both of us. Whatever you say, Ruby.
[00:14:04] Unknown:
Oh, tell me where to turn off. It's not far from here. The house is on the hill by the main road just before it runs along the beach. Oh, yeah. I know it. You do? Yeah. That's where Carson got hijacked, down the road where it passes alongside the sea. I picked up the truck after the thug hit him and, I drove it the rest of the journey. Yes. Mister Cartwright told me about it. Master business.
[00:14:25] Unknown:
Then lower drivers are a rough lot. I should know.
[00:14:28] Unknown:
What's your occupation then, Ruby? In the business, I mean. I'm the confidential secretary to the bus.
[00:14:34] Unknown:
Look. There's the house now. See? Yep. Right on the top of the hill. And don't bother to try and turn into the drive. Just park off the road facing downhill, and we'll walk up to the house. That way, we can drive off easily after tea. Whatever you say, Ruby.
[00:14:47] Unknown:
18, did you say?
[00:14:49] Unknown:
Of course. You're an American. I'm sure my aunt will have something a little stronger. There. Here's a good place
[00:14:57] Unknown:
to pull
[00:15:05] Unknown:
in. What's the matter, mister Cannon?
[00:15:08] Unknown:
I,
[00:15:09] Unknown:
I don't see the key on the ring to lock the cab door. Why do you need a key to lock the door? Who want to steal a 10 ton truck?
[00:15:17] Unknown:
Yeah. Yeah. It's just what I was thinking. Who?
[00:15:37] Unknown:
Auntie's on the phone. She said to say goodbye for her. Shall we go? We'd, we'd better, Ruby. That's the longest tea party I ever sat in on. I'm sorry, mister Cannon. I haven't seen her for so long. There was so much to talk about. Yeah. So I noticed one hour. Well, those are clear now with a strike. I'm sure you can make up the time. And thank you for putting up with our gossip. It must be boring for a man. All in the line of duty, Ruby. You lead the way. Through here. Okay.
[00:16:06] Unknown:
Hey. The truck. Somebody stole the truck. Good heavens.
[00:16:13] Unknown:
There it is just down the hill.
[00:16:16] Unknown:
You must have left the hand brake off. Ma'am, I did not leave the hand brake off. If I had, it would have run down the hill the minute we'd left it. Yes. The regular drivers always put chocks under the wheels when they park on a downhill slope. I understand that the brake can work itself loose when the lorry is heavily loaded. Well, I just hope that the back doors are still sealed. That's all. If I goof on this job, I have to answer to my chief. And I'd rather face judgment day than him when he blows his top.
[00:16:42] Unknown:
The doors look alright.
[00:16:44] Unknown:
I'm sure it must have been the brake. Look. I told you. I put that brake on but good.
[00:16:49] Unknown:
Uh-huh.
[00:16:50] Unknown:
Are the seals intact? Yeah. Come on. Let's get into the cab. Yeah.
[00:17:00] Unknown:
There. What did I tell you? The brakes only half on.
[00:17:04] Unknown:
I don't get it. You know something, Ruby? I'd like to take a look around here. Well, there's no damage done, mister Cannon. We're very late. I I'm sure you wouldn't like me to get into trouble with my boss and he can throw a temper too. Well, it sounds to me like an instruction, Ruby. So if that's the way you want it, that's the way it's gonna be. And you know something, baby? When the play's right, I never ask questions. Get
[00:17:31] Unknown:
it? Delivered on time and was taken straight back to London. He still had his hunch. And to placate him, I called a round table conference in the office with Crash Carson, now out of the nursing home, but still nursing a grievance against his unknown assailant. I sat back and listened to them talking.
[00:17:48] Unknown:
The Sailing lugger I saw offshore was it was the kind of boat they use in the Channel Islands for shrimping and winkle drifting. You know, about 70 feet shallow giraffe, four and a half rig, dirty brown sails. That's the one. When I parked that truck outside Ruby's aunt's house,
[00:18:01] Unknown:
the same lugger was offshore at the same place. So what's your theory? Well, where I figure it, if somebody wanted that truck down by the lugger, all he had to do was to get in the cab, get off the brakes, and coast quietly down the hill. Uh-huh. There was no key on the ring to lock the cab door. All he had to do was to help himself. I wouldn't hear a thing. Yeah. But, why leave it down in the dirt? Well, don't you see? It's quiet countryside. If he drove it back again, I'd hear him coming up the hill. Oh, it might have been any truck you'd hear. Uh-uh. First, there's a transport strike. No other trucks. Yeah. Second, you have had to turn that truck so as to face the way I left it. Well, he could have backed it up. Mhmm. You ever heard a truck backing up a hill? Boy, I'd sure hear that. You see, Christ, the seals were intact on the doors, but that don't mean a thing.
If something was loaded onto that truck from the lugger and Ruby Long knew about it, what would be easier than to have the loaders carry new seals?
[00:18:55] Unknown:
Yeah. That makes sense, cannon boy. But look. If the lorry was empty when you started and full when you left the estuary, you'd have noticed it on on the springs or on the steering column. Yeah. Or was there any difference? Uh-uh. The truck was loaded all the way. That's what I don't get. If you'll forgive me interrupting, gentlemen, it does rather look as though you're both the victims of circumstance.
[00:19:14] Unknown:
You've read something ominous into a straightforward job. My suggestion you forget all about it. Except for one thing, chief. What's that? Something I said to Ruby Long. If there was a switch, she was in on it. So I said to her, Ruby, if the pay is right, I never ask questions. Never. Get it? Meaning what?
[00:19:34] Unknown:
If mister Cartwright should ever ask for my services again. Quite unlikely. The transport strike is over. Exactly what I mean, chief. Oh, I think I get the trend of what you're trying to say. Should mister Cartwright ever ask for your services when there's no strike, then it's possible that he has a nefarious motive since you've intimated that you can be trusted and, well, at a price. Chief, you hit the nail right on the head. Yeah. I'm not impressed. All I can say is
[00:19:58] Unknown:
yes? Is mister Canning with you, sir? Yes. He is. There's a call for him, sir. Should I put it through or will he take it in the outer office? Well, who is it? Oh, did they say? Yes, sir. It's a personal call. Mister Cartwright.
[00:20:13] Unknown:
Cannon made an assignation with mister Cartwright who simply wanted his services as a truck driver for two days. The truck was due to leave at 6AM, but my two operators decided to pay a nocturnal call on the sheds in Pell Street at 1AM.
[00:20:28] Unknown:
Well, here we are. Now then, can you see anything? Yeah. I I can see the truck.
[00:20:35] Unknown:
Old man's still there. Don't he ever sleep? Try the catch on the window. If we can open it, we can hear what's going on. Well, there's nothing going on. I'll try and open it anyway. Go on.
[00:20:51] Unknown:
Well, I, I won't ask you where you learned to do that. Oh, shh. Someone coming.
[00:20:57] Unknown:
Alright, you bet. If it's not ready. It's Cartwright.
[00:21:01] Unknown:
Who's that with him? Oh, that's the guy who slugged me with a blackjack.
[00:21:05] Unknown:
Are you sure it's alright to use the history again, boss? This will be the last time. Yeah. Well, how do you know you can trust this little cannon? I don't. Well, I've no fear. He'll be safely out of the way when we switch cars. You get a knowledge, boss? No. He's a crude. He'll You'll see nothing and you won't ask Christians. That's all it matters. Now get the bars on board.
[00:21:29] Unknown:
Hey. That, that looks like lead. So that's how it was done.
[00:21:35] Unknown:
They offload the bars of lead into the lugger and load up with whatever they're bringing into the country illegally. Oh, and we know where and when they're gonna do it. That's right, Boyel. Only this time, they'll have a reception committee in the form of the police.
[00:21:51] Unknown:
And so the trap was set. This time, there was no pretense about tea with Auntie. Ruby simply took him into a backroom of a house near the estuary and plied him with her charms and copious drafts of his favorite drink. Cannon was happy to play along. He didn't see the two men get into the truck and coasted down to the dip in the road near where the lugger stood offshore. The crew quickly and efficiently unloaded the truck of lead and substituted another load. But Cannon had been wrong. The lead was coming from the Lugar, and what had appeared to be lead was, in fact, gold bullion encased in lead.
The haul of a daring daylight robbery on an armored truck on its way to the Bank of England some months earlier. The police closed in and rounded up the whole gang, but not before one of them had, well, had an unfortunate encounter with Crash Carson. It was he, of course, who called this story blackjack for a blackleg.
[00:23:17] Unknown:
Check engine light on? Take the guesswork out of your check engine light with O'Reilly VeriScan. It's free. Ask for O'Reilly VeriScan today. O. O. O. O. O'Reilly.
[00:23:30] Unknown:
Auto parts.
