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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/nov/17/david-plowie-or-basil-salty-doncaster-asks-public-to-name-gritters
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| David Plowie or Basil Salty? Doncaster asks public to name gritters | David Plowie or Basil Salty? Doncaster asks public to name gritters |
| (14 days later) | |
| South Yorkshire council runs competition to give names to new additions to fleet of bizarrely titled gritting vehicles | South Yorkshire council runs competition to give names to new additions to fleet of bizarrely titled gritting vehicles |
| Martin Belam | Martin Belam |
| Fri 17 Nov 2017 10.34 GMT | Fri 17 Nov 2017 10.34 GMT |
| Last modified on Tue 30 Jan 2018 08.06 GMT | |
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| With winter fast approaching in the UK, local councils are gearing up for the annual task of keeping the roads moving with salt and grit. And what better way to prepare than adding two gritting lorries to the fleet? | With winter fast approaching in the UK, local councils are gearing up for the annual task of keeping the roads moving with salt and grit. And what better way to prepare than adding two gritting lorries to the fleet? |
| That’s what Doncaster council is doing – with the added twist of asking the public this week to help name the newcomers. | That’s what Doncaster council is doing – with the added twist of asking the public this week to help name the newcomers. |
| Voting has reached the final stage and Twitter users are choosing between Spready Mercury and Gritsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti-slip Machiney and Basil Salty and David Plowie. | Voting has reached the final stage and Twitter users are choosing between Spready Mercury and Gritsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti-slip Machiney and Basil Salty and David Plowie. |
| The social media team at Doncaster have obviously been enjoying the process – going so far as to stage a live broadcast of the draw to decide the finals in the traditional format of ping-pong balls with numbers on them. | The social media team at Doncaster have obviously been enjoying the process – going so far as to stage a live broadcast of the draw to decide the finals in the traditional format of ping-pong balls with numbers on them. |
| THE LIVE DRAW: https://t.co/2gdIoQTvCk#DoncasterGrittingWorldCup | THE LIVE DRAW: https://t.co/2gdIoQTvCk#DoncasterGrittingWorldCup |
| Given the experience of other authorities asking the public to name vehicles, Doncaster council began by asking for public suggestions, but stating: “Keep ’em clean and be original – we’d prefer not to spend the next few days trawling through responses of Gritty McGritface and Gary Gritter.” | Given the experience of other authorities asking the public to name vehicles, Doncaster council began by asking for public suggestions, but stating: “Keep ’em clean and be original – we’d prefer not to spend the next few days trawling through responses of Gritty McGritface and Gary Gritter.” |
| 😱*Puts on tin hat* 😱 We would like your name suggestions for two of our new gritting vehicles, please. Keep em clean and be original - we'd prefer not to spend the next few days trawling through responses of Gritty McGritface and Gary Gritter. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/rCH9HneHJe | 😱*Puts on tin hat* 😱 We would like your name suggestions for two of our new gritting vehicles, please. Keep em clean and be original - we'd prefer not to spend the next few days trawling through responses of Gritty McGritface and Gary Gritter. 🙄 pic.twitter.com/rCH9HneHJe |
| The suggestions were then shortlisted by the council’s “comedy panel” of civil servants, and put to a public vote. | The suggestions were then shortlisted by the council’s “comedy panel” of civil servants, and put to a public vote. |
| Names that fell by the wayside included Gritney Houston, Lionel Gritchie, Fern Gritton and Rule Grittania. | Names that fell by the wayside included Gritney Houston, Lionel Gritchie, Fern Gritton and Rule Grittania. |
| The new gritters will join a fleet that includes Brad Grit, Gritney Spears, The Subzero Hero, Mr Plow and Usain Salt. | The new gritters will join a fleet that includes Brad Grit, Gritney Spears, The Subzero Hero, Mr Plow and Usain Salt. |
| Public naming competitions via social media have hit new heights since Boaty McBoatface won a poll in 2016 to be the name of a polar research vessel. | Public naming competitions via social media have hit new heights since Boaty McBoatface won a poll in 2016 to be the name of a polar research vessel. |
| The Natural Environment Research Council eventually named their ship RRS Sir David Attenborough, but equipped it with a new type of autonomous underwater vehicle bearing the public’s choice. | The Natural Environment Research Council eventually named their ship RRS Sir David Attenborough, but equipped it with a new type of autonomous underwater vehicle bearing the public’s choice. |
| This month Sydney announced plans to launch a ferry called Ferry McFerryface which was reported to have won a similar public naming competition, but which, it emerged, had been specifically named by Andrew Constance, the New South Wales transport minister. | |
| Voting for the names of Doncaster’s new gritters closes at 4.45pm on Friday. | Voting for the names of Doncaster’s new gritters closes at 4.45pm on Friday. |
| Updated at 4.45pm: The winners were Gritsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti-Slip Machiney And David Plowie | Updated at 4.45pm: The winners were Gritsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti-Slip Machiney And David Plowie |
| This article was amended on 30 January 2018 after it emerged that Ferry McFerryface had not won the public vote to name Sydney’s ferry, it had instead been named by Andrew Constance, the New South Wales transport minister. | |
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