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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 1688.PDF
t-V itmt Yet they call it driving rain! Such a description might amuse the driver of this Shell tank lorry as he peers through the almost blinding sheet of rain. Nice weather for ducks, perhaps, but not for driving heavily-laden lorries. But he presses on. His cargo is aviation fuel and his destination is Niamey, a major airport across the Niger in West Africa. Niamey needs supplies in bulk all the year round ; yet each delivery means an 800-mile journey from the nearest supply port at Lagos — 800 miles through sub-tropical forest, dense bush and barren plain in all extremes of weather from scorching drought, to lashing rain. The fuel is first shipped by lighter from Lagos 120 miles across the lagoon to Porto Novo. It then travels 300 miles north by rail wagon through jungle swamp to Parakou. From there tank lorries slog out the final gruelling 375 miles to Niamey. Many problems have had to be tackled to get supplies through on schedule. For example, the ancient ferry over the Niger- the treacherous track which, when the rains come, can quickly change from hard corrugated ruts to a sea of mud. At one time the lorries got bogged down frequently and supplies had to be sent by rail to Kano and then by- road to Niamey — some 1,200 miles to supply a point only 620 miles from the coast! But one by one the problems have been overcome and the route improved. Local interests have built 120 miles of bitumen roads (bitumen from Shell). A bridge has now replaced the antiquated ferry over the Niger. Niamey never has, and never will, run short. Wherever an airfield is situated, Shell will supply it — whatever the difficulties may be. you can be sure of Shell
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