Heritage commercials may_2014

Archive Album
Magirus-Deutz
hAulAge comPAny history
Central Transport Services
Working dAys oF the leylAnd bison
Archive Album
Magirus-Deutz
hAulAge comPAny history
Central Transport Services
Working dAys oF the leylAnd bison
COMMERCIALSA WORLD OF CLASSIC LORRIES, TRUCKS AND VANS
Back
Road!
on the
PrototypeJensen
Freighterrestored
AtomiC
ArtiCs
Scammell S24
DAring to be Different
Dutch specials
No.292 May 2014 £4.20
1952 Austin DevonWorking Classic –

WorldMags.netWorldMags.net
WorldMags.net

Stephen pullen
spullen@mortons.co.uk
Never tempt fate
B
ack in the early 1980s I went to work
for a small mechanical engineering
firm. Although I was there as a
mechanic it was expected that all
staff had to be flexible and help out with other
jobs as required. Now, one day our van driver
came in and said he’d backed into a parked car
in the firm’s Bedford KB26 pick-up, and
smashed a back light. ere then followed much
merriment, particularly when he tried to get out
of trouble by blaming the other car, as it was
parked illegally. I must admit I took the mick as
much as everybody else. Aer all, I’d never do
anything so stupid. But that was obviously too
much temptation for ‘fate’.
A new light was obtained for the Bedford and
quickly fitted, and I was then asked to deliver
some hydraulic parts to an agricultural
engineering firm near Boston. To this day I’m
still not sure quite what happened next. I was
driving down a narrow lane, it was raining
heavily and suddenly I was nose down in a
ditch. Brilliant! Now, back then mobile phones
were non-existent, so I locked the cab and set off
walking. I hadn’t got far before a bloke in a
Cortina stopped and asked if it was my pick-up
he’d just seen. He seemed quite chuffed when I
said yes, as it turned out his brother owned the
local village garage. Anyway, he gave me a li to
the garage where a cup of tea calmed my nerves.
en I had to phone the boss. Surprisingly he
was very concerned for my welfare, and asked
the garage owner to retrieve the stranded
Bedford.
I went with him to drag it out of the ditch
with his Range Rover. I’d never been in one
before but I was so impressed by it that I’ve
been a ‘Rangie’ fan ever since. Anyway, with the
Bedford recovered I returned to work – where
this time it was my turn for ridicule.
It’s been said that there’s more to this world than meets the eye. Now, I’m not
superstitious, but I learned long ago that you should never tempt ‘fate’ – it might just
teach you a lesson.
e ‘lesson’ didn’t end there though. e
Bedford was duly repaired, and a few days later
I was sent out on another delivery. And while
driving along, an Audi in front suddenly
slammed its brakes on, as the driver was looking
at a car for sale on the roadside. A quick skid
and a crunching noise followed and the Bedford
now had almost exactly the same damage as
before!
e boss wasn’t quite so sympathetic now. I
didn’t get the sack, but fortunately found
another job and moved on. But I did learn one
thing – never take the mick out of other peoples’
mistakes. It’s far too tempting for fate to ignore.
These photos from a 1981 brochure show
Bedford’s KB26 pick-up, which was actually a re-
badged Isuzu. It had a 1.6-litre petrol engine,
column gearchange, a bench seat – and no radio!
WorldMags.net

06 Ignition
A quick look at what’s happening around
the classic commercial world and what
events are coming up.
10 Your say
Five pages of your memories, observations
and queries.
18 One man and his shed
You never know what classics you’ll find
lurkinginDavidCrouch’ssheddownindarkest
Leicestershire. Bob Tuck went for a look.
24 Subscription form
Save money and get your copy of HC
delivered early by subscribing.
26 A look back – part 1
Alan Barnes trawls the archives to come up
with the history of Atkinson.
32 Red Rover rarity
The Austin Maestro vans were once ten a
penny – but now they’re far rarer than
you think.
36 At your service – part 2
Richard Tew completes the story of haulier
Paul Riches.
42 Archive album
This month’s theme is Magirus Deutz. Did
you drive one?
46 Ford Thames
Roger Hamlin tracks down another superb
restoration while on his recent New
Zealand safari.
48 Walsh Bros’ bonus
Go to the workshop of these enthusiasts
and you’ll find far more than you
bargained for.
50 Blackburn rover
Bob Weir visits a demobbed Watford
warhorse that’s still hard at work.
26
Contents
MAY 2014
36
32
18
54 Commercialcombinations
There are lightweights, and then there are
lightweights! Have a look at a different way
of moving goods.
60 Roaming Bisons
Leyland’s Bison was once the ‘standard’ six-
wheeler of many fleets. Here’s a look at
some at work.
66 On location
Dean Reader hunts for commercials at
Birmingham’s NEC.
WorldMags.net

March 2014 5
68 peter the plumber
If you’re a local trader and want to get
yourself noticed, the answer could be to
get yourself a classic slice – or three - of
English heritage.
74 Variations on a theme –
part 2
Norman Chapman continues his look at the
lesser known side of Ford’s Thames Trader.
78 cover story
The Walsh Brothers certainly know how to
steal the show each year. Here’s their latest
unusual offering.
82 Holland’s heritage
Over the years Dutch truck makers have
certainly dared to be different. Here’s a
quick look.
90 My leyland days – part 1
Dennis Brooks tells the story of his
working life as an engineer with Leyland
Group vehicles in the harsh conditions of
1960s Australia.
96 central transport ltd
Michael Marshall looks into the history of a
family haulage firm that spanned more
than half a century.
107 Hc Marketplace
The place to buy or sell anything related to
classic commercials.
114 Final word
Some of last month’s mysteries cleared up.
subscribe
save money and get HC delivered
to your door page 24
54
IncorporatIng classIc truck
50
82
WorldMags.net

THE BEDFORD Enthusiasts’
Club was launched on June 30
last year and has recently enrolled
its 100th member. e club is for
all Bedford enthusiasts, whether
they are owners or not, and
covers lorries, trucks, coaches,
buses, military vehicles, camper
vans, fire engines, ambulances –
you name it.
So if Bedfords, or GM related
vehicles, are your interest, this is
the club for you. Visit
www.bedfordenthusiastsclub.com
or phone 07745 873491.
Visitorsareadvisedtocontact
theorganiserbeforetravelling.
Wecannotbeheldresponsible
foranyerrorsinthislisting.
6 Heritagecommercials.com
Send your StorieS to Stephen pullen spullen@mortons.co.uk
HeritageCommercials,MortonsHeritageMedia,POBox43,HorncastleLN96JR
ignition
April 19-20
KirKBy Stephen & BrouGh
ClASSiC CommerCiAl
VehiCle rAlly
Cumbria, CA17 4Qs & CA17 4AY.
enquiries to: Will hamer, tel 01539
623254
eASter VintAGe
GAtherinG
stoke Prior sports and Country
Club, Weston hall road, stoke
Prior, Bromsgrove , Worcestershire
B60 4AL. enquiries to: Keith
shakespeare, tel 01527
575003/07808 173400
April 20-21
27th WeSton pArK
trAnSport ShoW
Weston Park, Weston Under Lizard,
shropshire TF11 8Le. enquiries to:
Mr G Price, tel 01922 643385
medWAy feStiVAl of
SteAm & trAnSport
The historic Dockyard, Chatham,
Kent Me4 4Te. enquiries to: Alana
Marie Almond, tel 01634 823816.
April 26
linColn AutojumBle
Former rAF Base, hemswell,
Lincoln, Lincolnshire Dn21 5TJ.
enquiries to: Chris randall, tel
07816 291544.
April 26-27
Colne VAlley rAilWAy
VintAGe rAlly
Yeldham road, Castle hedingham,
essex Co9 3DZ. enquiries to:
Damien and Alison stabler, tel
01787 461174.
riVerSide SteAm &
VintAGe VehiCle rAlly
southport new road, Banks, near
southport, Lancashire Pr9 8DF.
enquiries to: Alan Atkinson, tel
01772 748800.
WeStBury trAnSport &
VintAGe GAtherinG
Top Field, Flowers Farm, Westbury
road B3098, Bratton, Westbury,
Wiltshire BA13 4TT. enquiries to:
Keith B Miller, tel 01373 864166/
07516 599179.
ACKWorth SCAmmell
SpeCtACulAr & hiStoriC
VehiCle ShoW
Ackworth Water Tower, A628
Ackworth road, Pontefract,
Yorkshire WF7 7eT. enquiries to:
John Brook, tel 01977 617327
EVENTS
2014
Bedford CluB SuCCeSS
There’s soMeThinG about a
proper leather tool bag that just
adds to the classic vehicle
experience. new to the Gunson
range is this classic leather
example, part no 77127,
generously sized, strong and
robust, and a perfect addition to
any enthusiast’s collection.
The approximate size is 150 x
145 x 380mm and it is made
from heavy duty leather with
stitched and metal riveted seams.
The bag is secured with three
straps and high quality buckles
and features an adjustable
shoulder strap.
Classic vehicle owners will find
this indispensable for keeping all
those essential tools tidy and safe
and it is an ideal accompaniment
to the new Gunson range of
traditional leather combination
spanner rolls: 77124
(Whitworth), 77125 (metric) and
77126 (imperial).
Available now for a typical
price of £72.55 (including VAT)
but remember to check your
local supplier for the best prices
and special offers.
More details from
www.gunson.co.uk
Bedford enthusiast? Then
join the club Photo
StePhen Pullen.
Gunson tool bag
WorldMags.net

May 2014 7
more mystery motors
While lost in our archives the
other day searching for pictures of
motorcycle commercials, i came
across these two old photos.
Unfortunately there was no
information with them, but i’m
sure somebody out there will be
able to identify the vehicles.
e first shows a lorry, perhaps
a Daimler, owned by Maple & Co,
driving past a garage called e
Motor house. e car on the le
of the photo appears to be fitted
with early trade plates, while the
other car looks very sporty with
its pointed radiator grille.
e second photo, dated
August 31, 1912, is in very poor
condition. it shows a van owned
by Francis & son ltd, which had a
large department store on Brixton
Road in london until 1930. e
vehicle carries the registration
number lF 3639. Any help would
be much appreciated.
spalding model
engineering & hobby show
Spalding Event Centre, Spalding,
Lincolnshire PE12 6ET. Enquiries to:
D A Webster, tel 07743 524260.
sandbaCh transport
FestiVal
The Commons, Sandbach Town
Centre, Cheshire CW11 1EG.
Enquiries to: Elsie Alcock, tel 07789
921977.
april 27
the Cheshire run
Starting from Poplar 2000 Services
Lymm (adjacent to J20/M6),
Cheshire WA13 0SP. Enquiries to:
Maurice White, tel 01925 652647.
Chase transport show
Longford Park Wellington Drive
Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 1PU.
Enquiries to: Helen Borton, tel
01543 500926.
may 2-5
abbey hill steam rally
Yeovil Showground, Dorchester
Road, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 9RA.
Enquiries to: Maria Tucker, tel
01935 863199.
may 4
53rd london-brighton
historiC CommerCial
VehiCle run
Start: Crystal Palace 7-9am. Finish:
Madeira Drive, Brighton 10am-
5pm. Enquires www.hcvs.co.uk
16th Catton hall ClassiC
Car & transport show
Catton Hall, Alrewas, near Lichfield,
Staffordshire DE12 8LN. Enquiries
to: Mr G Price, tel 01922 643385.
15th annual abingdon
air & Country show
Abingdon Airfield off Barrow Road,
Shippon Abingdon,
Oxfordshire OX13 6JQ.
Enquiries to: Colin or Neil, tel
07769 689823.
ClassiC VehiCle rally &
Country Fayre, earsham
hall
Bungay, Suffolk NR35 2AN
Enquiries to: Michael Gardiner, tel
07599 935113.
44th ipswiCh-Felixstowe
historiC VehiCle run
Start: Christchurch Park, Ipswich, to
the Promenade, Felixstowe, Suffolk
IP3 9JD. Enquiries to: Ipswich
Transport Museum, tel 01473
715666.
lambourn Vintage
maChinery soCiety
spring Country show
Lowesden Works, Lambourn
Woodlands, Hungerford, Berkshire
RG17 7RY. Enquiries to: Mrs J
Mitchell, tel 01488 71964.
the ripon spring ClassiC
VehiCle show & Jumble
Ripon Racecourse, Boroughbridge
Road, Ripon, Yorkshire HG4 1UG.
Enquiries to: Mark Woodward, tel
01697 451882.
WorldMags.net

May 4-5
sHAnes cAstle MAy dAy
steAM rAlly
Antrim, Co Antrim BT41 4NE.
Enquiries to: Walter McNeill, tel
02894 464648/07712 769072.
strAdsett pArk 38tH
vintAge rAlly
Stradsett, King’s Lynn, Norfolk
PE33 9HA. Enquiries to: Gordon
Carson, tel 01945 880091.
BAkeWell sHoWground
spectAculAr
Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1AQ
Enquiries to: Michael or Jeremy, tel
07770 993769.
truckfest peterBorougH
East of England Showground,
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
PE2 6XE. Enquiries to: Live
Promotions, tel 01775 768661.
May 3-4
steAM & Historic veHicle
rAlly
Ellenroad Steam Museum,
Elizabethan Way, Newhay,
Rochdale, Lancashire OL16 4LE.
Enquiries to: David Pope, tel 07789
802632.
MonMoutH steAM &
vintAge sHoW
Monmouth Showground, Vauxhall
Fields, Monmouth,
Monmouthshire NP25 5BA.
Enquiries to: Barrie James, tel
07985 052454.
May 3-5
llAndudno trAnsport
festivAl
Bodafon Fields, Llandudno, Conwy
County LL30 1BW. Enquiries to:
Len Ricketts, tel 01492 545053.
fir pArk 999 sHoW
Fir Park, Market Rasen Lincolnshire
LN8 3YL. Enquiries to: Peter & June
Crossley, tel 07767 092615
May 11
spring trAnsport sHoW
The British Commercial Vehicle
Museum, King Street, Leyland,
Lancashire PR25 2LE. Enquiries to:
tel 01772 451011
BAsingstoke festivAl of
trAnsport
War Memorial Park, Basingstoke,
Hampshire RG21 4AG. Enquiries
to: Tim Briston, tel 01256 468421.
May 10-11
Bronte vintAge
gAtHering
Haworth Road (B6144),
Cullingworth, near Bradford,
Yorkshire BD13 5EE. Enquiries to:
Mrs A Thompson, tel 01535
275535/07721 578190.
ignition
vintage lorry driver
Riding a dead horse and other stories...
Pete Sharpe
geoffrey cuttler– 1932-2013
iF you were a driver back in the
‘good old days’ – or want to
know what it was like if you
weren’t – you’ll love this book.
Pete Sharpe spent 52 years as a
driver, doing all sorts of jobs
from driving ornycro Mighty
antars in the British army to
working in the Sahara with a
DaF. He also spent several years
driving in australia, so you know
he’s got a few tales to tell.
e book is full of anecdotes
and will bring memories of times
past flooding back for those who
were there. roping and sheeting,
loading coal with a shovel,
starting handles – all tough jobs
that Pete didn’t mind doing,
because driving wasn’t just a job
to him, it was a way of life. Sheer
nostalgia and worth every penny.
Vintage Lorry Funerals
took scrap man geoff Cuttler
on his final journey, to Canley
Crematorium, Coventry, on
January 14, 2014.
geoff was born in
Birmingham in august 1932,
attended King edward’s School
and then completed a farming
apprenticeship at Morten
Morrell. in 1957, he married
Margaret and they bought a
smallholding in north
Warwickshire.
initially things didn’t work
out too well on the farm and the
debts kept mounting. Lesser
men would have thrown in the
towel but geoff was determined
to succeed. He supplemented
his farm income by selling
chopped firewood and went
poultry plucking during the
winter. geoff refurbished his
old rotavator and found work
on new housing estates
preparing gardens, which led to
lawn laying, patio work and the
laying of driveways around
tamworth and Sutton
Coldfield.
one of the by-products of
farming and landscaping was
scrap metal and in 1970 geoff
decided to concentrate on
taking in scrap vehicles and
salvaging spare parts. By 1972
the barns and cowshed had
been transformed into
workshops and a secure vehicle
compound for accident
recoveries. geoff’s first
recovery vehicle was an austin
gipsy which continued his
long association with historic
vehicles. is was the reason
why his family chose David
Hall’s 1950 Leyland Beaver
rather than a hearse.
e family’s only floral
tribute was a stock car, which
reflected geoff’s success in
stock car racing, becoming all
england Champion using a
Morris in 1960. in 1971, geoff
raced a Vauxhall Victor at
tamworth grass track and won
the club championship two
years running. Besides motor
racing, geoff loved playing
cards and joined Coventry
Bridge Club. He also enjoyed
golf and table tennis, as well as
going dancing with his wife.
geoff’s decision to close the
scrapyard when he retired in
1997 wasn’t easy. He moved to
Coventry and used his spare
time to help people who were
disadvantaged. e needs of a
group of villagers in Malawi
were very close to geoff’s
heart, particularly the building
of a maize mill, which helped
women avoid carrying heavy
loads on their heads.
geoff is deeply missed by his
wife Margaret, sons David and
richard and their families.
if you want to know more
about the 1950 Leyland Beaver
give David a ring on 01225
865346 or alternatively visit
www.vintagelorryfunerals.co.uk
Price: £12.99
Available direct from
the author. Email:
pete_sharpe@hotmail.co.uk
May 17-18
Historic WHeels
The Heavy Horse & Country Show,
East Byshee showground, off A22
at Lingfield, opposite the Wildlife
Centre, Surrey RH7 6lF. Enquiries to:
Jackie Shearman, tel 01737 645857.
Bidford-on-Avon vintAge
gAtHering
Big Meadow, Honeybourne Road,
Bidford-on-Avon, Warwickshire B50
4PQ. Enquiries to: Mark Smith, tel
01789 778248.
cAstle coMBe steAM &
vintAge rAlly
Castle Combe Racing Circuit,
Wiltshire SN14 7EY. Enquiries to:
Dennis Marsh, tel 01454 294117.
Anglesey festivAl of
trAnsport And
MAcHinery
Anglesey Showground, Mona,
Gwalchmai, Anglesey LL65 4RW
Enquiries to: Derek Griffith, tel
07776 006111.
pickering country fAir &
trActor sHoW
Pickering Showground, Yorkshire
YO18 8EA
Enquiries to: Richard Ashworth, tel
01751 200839.
six Hills steAM & fAMily
sHoW
Paddys Lane near Wymswold, Old
Dalby, Melton Mowbray,
Leicestershire LE14 3LY. Enquiries
to: Dave Hoyles, tel 07901
984627/01159 135823.
tHree okefords
preservAtion society
AnnuAl rAlly & sHoW
Blandford Road, Shillingstone,
Dorset DT11 0SQ. Enquiries to:
Percy Guppy, tel 01258 861473.
Bill tArgett MeMoriAl
steAM & vintAge rAlly
Highbridge Farm, Allbrook,
Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 6HN
Enquiries to: John Pragnell, tel
01794 512331.
May 18
cHiltern Hills vintAge
veHicle rAlly
Weston Turville Rugby Club,
Buckinghamshire HP22 5RV.
Enquiries to: John Masters, tel
01296 681530.
WoodHAll spA country
sHoW
The Show Field, Green Lane,
Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire LN10
6QY. Enquiries to: John Michael, tel
07714 951131.
tHe 1940s relived
Brooklands Museum, Brooklands
Road Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0QN
Enquiries to: Donna Hopton, tel
01932 857381.
gArstAng AutojuMBle
Hamilton House Farm, on A586, off
A6, Garstang, Preston, Lancashire
PR3 0TB. Enquiries to: Ian Sherrard,
tel 07836 331324.
WorldMags.net

In the late
1960s before
sleeper cabs, and
curtainsiders
(what’s one of
them? Maybe I will get to drive
one, one of these days), I was
tramping from the north to the
south of Wales, during a really
cold winter, so I could not book
in at a bed and breakfast.
So, one evening when I arrived
at my destination, I dropped my
trailer and went searching for
digs in the tractor unit as we
called them up north. It was a
freezing foggy night in Aberdare.
I had no night heater, demister,
day heater or radio, only a plank
to go between the two cab seats. I
really didn’t want to spend the
night in the cab, so I really had to
find a B&B.
en suddenly in a council
estate I saw a sign in a window –
‘B&B’. So I pulled up outside,
jumped down from my cab and
excitedly ran down the long path
to the front door. As I did I
heard another unit pull up and
park behind mine. I looked at it
to see the name of the company
on the side, as I might have
known its driver. But I didn’t
recognise either the company or
driver, who by now was also
walking down the path. now I
had to win the race to the door,
which I did. I knocked on the
door and it opened just as this
mystery driver arrived by my
side. I asked the lady if she had
any beds, and she smiled, looked
at both of us and said yes. I was
very pleased but before I could
even put a smile on my face she
said: “I have one, but it’s a
double”. I was not going to sleep
in the ‘cab hotel’ tonight, so I
turned to my new mate, because
it was my bed, and
asked him what he
thought? he seemed all
right about it – well what choice
did he have?
Anyway, we went in, had a
nice dinner and watched a bit of
television, but he was not very
talkative at all. now, being me I
had planned that when it was
time to go to bed I would take off
my boots and overalls and lie on
my back on one side of the bed –
because I was not in the other
camp, as they say up north. Well,
when I got into the room he had
done the same. Perhaps he
thought the same as me – or
perhaps not! at night I was
comfy and warm but I never
slept, trying to keep a big gap
between us. We arose next
morning, had a nice big breakfast
and went our different ways. I
have oen wondered what he
remembers about that night.
Anyway, the next day I met up
with a load of the other tramping
drivers from our company, so we
could have dinner and find back
loads. Our oldest driver was
called Jim, and all us ‘youngsters’
used to look on him as ‘dad’.
Anyway, he asked us all where
we’d stayed the previous night,
and one by one they told him.
All the time I was hoping he’d
forget me, but he didn’t, so I told
him exactly what happened.
“Oh”, says Jim, “you could easily
have got out of that. All you had
to do was roll over the bed and
kiss him goodnight, and you
would have had the whole bed to
yourself!” now that’s experience!
anks dad!
Pete Sharpe
Via email
And there’s no substitute for a
good story. Have this month’s
prize – Ed.
Star
Letter
★
Winner of a reVeLL MoDeL KiT ToqualifyforoneofEd’sfabulousprizes,sendhimalettertoday
For further information visit www.revell.de/en
Stephen pullen spullen@mortons.co.uk
HeritageCommercials,MortonsHeritageMedia,
POBox43,HorncastleLN96JRYoursay
Nosubstitute
forexperience
“It was a freezing foggy night in Aberdare. I
had no night heater, demister, day heater or
radio, only a plank to go between the two
cab seats”
WorldMags.net

NotaFodenfan
After seeing on page 37 of
the January edition of HC the
foden LKX 493P, operated by
Dependable Delivery, then
again seeing it in the March
issue as a fairground truck, i
thought i’d tell you a bit
more about it.
A company i worked for in
the early 1980s called
Johnson Bros of Moreton,
Wirral, bought this foden,
together with three others,
and my mate, steve Doyle,
actually drove that one. We
had a mixed ﬂeet of B series
erfs and fodens, and i drove
a B series erf with a 265 rolls
which went like a rocket.
Unfortunately, one day it was
oﬀ the road for repairs and i
was unfortunate enough to
be given LKX 493P to go to
tesco in scarborough. it took
me all day to get there as it
wouldn’t even pull you out of
bed!
getting to scarborough
too late for the delivery and
parking up until the next day,
i couldn’t get back to the
yard quick enough to get my
own truck back. even pulling
empty there was no guts in it,
but the photo of it certainly
brought some fond
memories back.
Eddie Williams
Moreton,
Wirral
May 2014 11
I really enjoyed reading the
archive album article in the
april edition of Heritage
Commercials, especially looking
at the albion Sugar lorries. I
have become the custodian of a
collection of old photographs
taken by the late edward James
Beazley and thought you might
like to see two pictures from his
collection showing the lorries in
the article but in colour. NGC
890K was taken on the Great
West road, london, in July
1975 and NGC 892K was taken
at e archway, london, in
May 1974.
Jim King
Billericay,
Essex
Sweetchariots
WorldMags.net

TheVolvo’sload
The February 2014 issue,
which has just arrived in
australia, shows a Volvo F88
on page 14, with a history by
David Greenway. however,
some readers may be
interested in its load.
The container belonged to
associated Container
Transport – one of the first
operators between the uK
and australia, and at the
time owned by blue Star Line
and Cunard ellerman Lines.
The container shown was
one of the first 8ft 6in (high)
general containers (until
then all containers were 8ft),
and the ‘patches’ on the
front wall indicate it had
been converted to a
‘fantainer’ for the annual
season of exporting onions
from Tasmania to european
ports.
During conversion, a
three-phase fan was fitted at
the upper hole, with a
‘return’ vent below. The unit
was plugged in on board the
vessel’s journey and, on
discharge of cargo, the
‘blanks’ were fitted to return
the container for general
purpose use.
This circulation of fresh air
greatly improved the
condition of onions on
arrival in europe.
I was the equipment
maintenance manager for
aCT australia, responsible
for the conversions in
Tasmania. Sadly, aCT was
taken over by P&O
Containers in 1991, and P&O
itself was swallowed up by
Maersk some years later.
Roy Lindsay
Yarragon,
Victoria,
Australia
Yoursay
I’d just like to make a few
comments on the February issue
of HC.
Firstly, the ET7 at the foot of
page 24 carries Kent issued trade
plates, and I’m pretty sure that
BICC had a factory in Stroud. I
believe, however, that the
locality is Godston in Surrey.
at’s a fantastic picture on
page 28, but would suggest that
the load is not all Bond cars. e
van at the front would be, I
suggest, a Sharps Minivan, as at
that time all Bond commercial
vehicles were marketed as
Sharps, the manufacturers of all
Bonds being Sharps
Commercials of
Preston. It was not, I
think, until the Marks F
and G, and the 875S,
that the vans were
called Bonds. Of even
more interest than the
van is the other light
coloured vehicle. I am
certain that this is a
Sharps Minitruck, with
3cwt payload. It differs
from the cars in that
there is a squarer
roofline and more
vertical rear, giving
more space. e two
cars are either Marks A
or B, the main
difference for
recognition purposes
being that the B had a
frame along the top of
the windscreen,
whereas the A did not.
e Minitruck would
always have been a
rarity, as would the
Family Safety Saloon,
which was really the
van with windows in
the side and a small
bench seat in the rear.
I learned a lot from
the Morris-Commercial
article. Perhaps your
contributor would be
able to answer
something that has
puzzled me for years.
One of my collection of
motoring books is the history of
Tallin buses, but it is in Estonian
which I cannot read. ere is a
picture of what appears to be a
CV with a bus body, and is
captioned as being built by the
bus operators. Could this have
been a captured British Army
wagon, or were chassis exported
to Estonia?
I really enjoyed Dean Reader’s
article on the Singer van. e
Danish postal authorities used
Singer vans in the 1930s, as did
the London Evening News. e
1928 model pictured was, I seem
to recall, a visitor to rallies in the
1980s. All manner of companies
better known for their cars
made light commercials in small
numbers in the 1920s and 1930s
including AC, Riley, Alvis,
Morgan, Rover and BSA. I also
saw a rarity at a rally in Detling
a couple of years ago – an early
1950s Lanchester LD10 with a
Hooper van body, just like a
scaled down version of the
Daimler ambulances of the time.
Lewis Burrell
Risca,
South Wales
February
feedback
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Haulingby
Haulmaster
I am writing regarding the
‘From our archives’ feature
in the march issue of HC,
about the Foden
Haulmaster. We operated
several of these vehicles,
mainly eight-wheelers but
also some tractors. If you
look on our website
www.warcuptransport
.co.uk you will see in the
gallery top right a
photograph of PKH 749W, a
Gardner 180 eight-wheeler
fitted with a Wilcox bulk
Blower body for the
delivery of animal feeds to
farms throughout Yorkshire.
This was a reliable
vehicle, with good payload
because of the low chassis
weight and the low
maintenance rubber
suspension. The front
bumper had rubber corners
so in tight farms any
contact with gate posts etc.,
did not destroy the bumper.
The chassis was a good
configuration for fitting
blowing equipment –
plenty of available space
not like the modern chassis
today.
They were a ‘hard’ ride,
especially when empty on
country roads.
The glass fibre cabs were
easy to repair when slight
damage happened. But no
synchromesh on the
gearbox, so it meant double
clutching all day!
Foden’s would build the
chassis to your required
spec which was very helpful
in our applications.
Customers could go to the
factory and watch the
vehicles being built.
We went on to be Foden
service dealers under
Pelican Engineering from
1988 until the mid-1990s.
Our fleet at that time was
about 60% Foden, some of
which are in the website
gallery.
Today we operate mainly
Scania but some Volvo and
maN.
Clive Warcup MBE
Clive Warcup Transport
Ltd. Driffield,
East Yorkshire
May 2014 13
RichaRd’s find is a hUG
Roadbuilder. is was made in
illinois by c J hug, a road
building contractor who, in 1921,
became dissatisfied with the
trucks on the market so decided
to make his own. e first was the
Model T, which was a two-tonner
with pneumatic tyres and a top
speed of 45mph.
Two larger versions were made
over the years of 3½ tons and 4-6
tons and just over 4000 had been
made by the time production
ended in 1943.
following the articles on
concrete mixers featured in the
June and July 2013 issues of HC, i
thought readers would be
interested in my recent find. We
have just returned from eight
weeks in the Usa, and while
looking online in a motel for
something else, my partner came
across Keystone Tractor Museum
in Virginia. having visited, it’s
worth going to the Usa just for
this outstanding place alone!
having visited collections all over
the world this one must be the
very best ever.
i was a motor mechanic who
became a motor vehicle lecturer
in 1970 until retirement. e job
was not a good payer so for the
eight week break every summer,
for some years i worked and
drove for RMc, Ready Mixed
concrete, in and around cardiff,
so i lean towards trans-mix trucks
Richard LC omas
Via email
Museummixers
WorldMags.net

Yoursay
I am writing regarding the
strange railcar featured on page
30 of the December 2013 issue of
HC. The vehicle was made by
michelin in 1931 to test the idea
of fitting trains with tyres, and
was christened the ‘micheline
Type 5’.
The boss of the company,
andre michelin, believed that
tyres were the future for railway
rolling stock. However, the
railway companies weren’t so
enthusiastic given the small
contact area each pneumatic tyre
would have with the rails. So the
Type 5 was built using a 46hp
Hispano-Suiza car and a cabin
from a Wibault passenger aircraft.
The railcar was tested between
Paris and Deauville on September
10, 1931, where it averaged
66mph, and reached up to 81mph
on some stretches.
Despite this success the rail
companies just didn’t trust
pneumatic tyres, and so the idea
was consigned to the history
books.
John Sims
York
I was born in Glasgow in 1940
and immigrated to australia in
1963. I’m a vintage car owner
and restorer, not with cheque
book but hands on! I do all my
own mechanical repairs, spray
painting and motor trimming. I
have a 1929 Chrysler Tourer,
1924 Dodge Ute, 1956 Commer
Truck and 1962 Triumph
Herald sedan.
Coming from scotland, I
thought perhaps I should build
something from the homeland,
an albion. so, I found myself a
1922, 20hp albion 1½ ton truck
wreck. e vehicle had been
retrieved from a scrap dealer but
had been sat in a transport
company yard for 20 odd years,
which didn’t help with its
condition. It must’ve been used
as a donor vehicle as the
cylinder head was off and the
pistons and rods removed;
fortunately the rain ran straight
through as there was no sump.
It’s had a very hard life. e
rear axle had been moved back
on the chassis 12in to get more
length to the tray, and a front
spring leaf had been turned
upside down on one side to even
up the truck!
still, back to the subject.
Having an engineering
background I’m familiar with
nuts, bolts and threads but did I
ever get confused with this
project!? First of all the truck has
pneumatic 20in by 7.00 tyres
and steel wheels. e stud
thread size is 18mm le and
right hand. It’s strange having
metric on a British vehicle; the
wheels may have been made and
imported by Michelin. e
cylinder head studs are ½in
whitworth – okay. But the small
studs and screws on the block
and mudguards – ¼in BsF? No,
they may be metric because the
wheels studs are.
No – well what! Goodness
me, they’re ‘O’ Ba of all things,
6mm are almost the same but
different pitch. Now for the
hinge bolts on drive sha hand
brake – oh what a strange
diameter! ey must’ve made
their own thread for this one…
weeks later the penny
dropped… would you believe
it’s a plumbing thread on a bolt
3
⁄8in BsP? It gets even better. e
thread on the valve lier tappet
adjustment is ¼in BsP. Radiator
top and bottom tanks are ¼in
BsF nuts and screws. Yet
another thread size. Bonnet
Latches handle to tube body 7
⁄8in
x 26TPI BsB (Brass).
My theory on the Ba screws
and studs is maybe because the
vehicle would’ve been designed
1918-19 but was made in 1920-
25; perhaps the company
bought up tons of war surplus
nuts and bolts for next to
nothing at auctions. Maybe
other readers will know?
I’d like to hear from other
20hp owners as I’m making
parts for this vehicle and don’t
want to be reinventing the wheel
if someone is already making
parts.
David Dewar
Victoria
Australia
IsthishowAlbionscrewedup?
It’stheMicheline!
WorldMags.net

May 2014 15
Events
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Events
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May 2014 17
Events
WorldMags.net

shed
Onemanandhis
If you go down to the shed today (that’s David Crouch’s shed in Leicestershire) you’re in
for a big surprise. There’s certainly some massive Scammells lurking in the gloom but the
biggest part of the surprise is you might not see what was in there yesterday. And the
contents might even have changed by tomorrow. Bob Tuck gets a ﬂeeting look at this
ever changing tableau and discovers a rare pair of emerging classics.
Classic collection
Words & Photography: Bob Tuck
You really never know what you’ll
ﬁnd lurking in David’s shed.
WorldMags.net

May 2014 19
I
suppose it’s a guy thing. It’s expected
that (most) men like to have their own
space/room/garage/shed in which they
are allowed to pass the hours enjoying
their own particular accumulation of what
they feel is priceless memorabilia.
David Crouch is no exception to this rule
although one of the many diﬀerences to the
Crouch example is that David has lots of
sheds. In fairness, most of these are utilised as
part of the company business – the long
established Crouch Recovery concern which
has its HQ at Kibworth in Leicestershire. It’s a
reasonable excuse (by David) that he needs all
manner of ancient bits and pieces to make
their diverse recovery work that much
easier, so that’s the reason he has so many
sheds scattered round the county.
at’s his story and he’s sticking to it
because in support he can quote lots of
examples where his ancient tackle has come
to the rescue of brand new (and far more
expensive) machinery. We featured David
and his front line working ancients in the
November 2010 issue of Heritage Commercials
and also got a tantalising glimpse into one of
his sheds that houses part of his general
vintage vehicle collection. But even then, we
were warned that the dealer lurking inside
David might certainly move some of that
metal on – if the price was right. So as soon as
we heard that David had just acquired two
very special heavy haulers, we knew we had to
make a bee line for his Market Harborough
haven to see for ourselves. And as it turned
out, we were just in the nick of time as one of
these two ‘new’ specials was just about to
change hands and drive out the door.
WOW FACTOR BY THE
BUCKET LOAD
Sometimes, life can knock you sideways –
just when you least expect it. And to me, it
was like being hit by a train. I was pottering
up the access road to the Crouch premises
when I topped a small incline and the vision
which appeared slap bang in front of me just
took my breath away.
Seeing that the production operation ended
26 years ago in 1988, all Scammell devotees
love to see any example of Watford’s ﬁnest
still in one piece. But when you see a brace of
240 ton Contractors, a 6x6 crew cab
Constructor in Pickfords’ colours and then a
stunning pair of 6x4 S24s all lined up together,
it almost makes you cry. e Crouch team
had obviously been up for hours easing some
of the contents of (one of) David’s sheds out
into the daylight and presenting them at their
best. And somehow, they managed to arrange
a pocket of January sunshine to brighten up
the gloom of a winter’s day. Can’t life be
great?
Of course, we had seen a couple of this
stunning quintet before and I may well have
actually driven the Wynns’ liveried
‘Musketeer’ when it was in Graham Booth’s
ownership. PUC 475 has also been around for
a year or two but the brightly painted orange
WorldMags.net

Contractor was a new one for me. It looked as
though it had seen life in Ireland but the fact
that it was now adorned in Crouch colours,
suggested it was going to remain in David’s
ownership for some time to come. So I felt
comfortable enough with the knowledge that I
could come back – another day – and spend
more time with this mind-blowing mega
mover.
What was destined to move on (quicker
than we could have thought) was one of the
white pair of S24s. And while technically
speaking both were of course carrying
Unipower badges (and perhaps even a shade
too young to be featured in Heritage
Commercials magazine) this was one duo
which had to be reported on. And while
David Crouch said he knew almost nothing
about them (seeing it was less than two weeks
since they’d been collected from Scotland and
transported south) we were fortunate that ex-
Scammell/Unipower man Chris Sawyer was
able to fill in some of the earliest parts of these
6x4s story.
SMALL BUT PERFECTLY FORMED
Unipower (Universal Power Drives) trace its
history back to 1934 and the manufacture of
very distinctive 4x4 logging tractors. In more
recent times (1988 – when Leyland and DAF
merged and the Scammell Watford plant was
closed) Unipower was awarded the contract to
support the Scammell heavy haulers then in
service around the world. It was also allowed
to build the bonneted range of S24s although
of course (crazily) wasn’t allowed to use the
Scammell name.
Headed up by Howard Barnes, Unipower
established an offshoot based at Green Hill
Crescent, Watford. Chris Sawyer was one of
the ex-Scammell employees who were almost
head hunted to create this operation: “I always
reckon we were the smallest complete truck
builder in the World,” says Chris about the
team of around 50 people who worked
together for the next 10-12 years and in that
time produced around 200 specialist
vehicles – with crash tenders and BR90
bridging vehicles being their biggest sellers.
Classic collection
‘Torness Reiver’ and ‘Torness Clansman’ saw 23 years service in the nuclear industry. They were
replaced in 2013 with two new DAFs.
G60 SYS ‘Torness Reiver’ when brand new.
The interior is in very good condition – but the
lorries are very low mileage. We love the little
cages put round the diff lock switches to stop
them being engaged at the wrong time.
WorldMags.net

May 2014 21
is little offshoot of Unipower did so well
that Alvis took them over about 1994 and
changed the name to Alvis Unipower Ltd. But
once they were unable to win the contract for
the replacement of the British Army’s
Scammell Commander tank transporter fleet,
Unipower was allowed to gradually fade away.
Among the early Unipowers Chris was
involved with was the quartet of S24 flask
carriers built for (what would be) Scottish
Nuclear. ese units carry a 100 tonnes gross
plate but in typical Scammell style, they were
probably more than capable of running at
125-150 tonnes gross without much problem.
“ey were built well over spec’,” recalls Chris,
“as I don’t think they grossed much more
than 80 tonnes. And because they were just
going to the relevant local rail heads, the
mileage they did was very small.”
Although built for purpose, this batch
followed a fairly standard build used
previously by Scammell. ey had the
Cummins 400 engine and Allison HD750
fully automatic transmission. Chris recalls that
Unipower were able to source parts from the
old (Scammell) suppliers and this included
finding some G cabs that were originally used
by Leyland’s (BLMC) Bathgate plant and then
also used on Clydesdale and Reiver general
haulage models. In hindsight, Chris recalls the
cab was the only so spot for the vehicle:
“ey were an old cab and our concern was at
how they’d stand up over time with the effects
of corrosion.”
Unipower foreman at the time was Len
Cramer and Chris recalls ‘Mick’ as the S24’s
electrician and ‘Charlie’ as being responsible
for the tractor’s air lines and plumbing. “Len
Cramer would probably have had a team of 5-
10 fitters working on these vehicles which I’m
sure were built two at a time. And as it took a
while to get the bits altogether, they probably
took about three months to build.”
NORTH OF THE BORDER
At the end of the 1980s, Scotland had just
opened its second nuclear power station at
Torness near Dunbar. eir first – on the
North Ayrshire coast at Hunterston – was
officially opened during September 1964 and
rather fittingly, their first nuclear flask carrier
back then was based on a Scammell Junior
Constructor operated in artic form.
e two S24s David Crouch bought both
came from Torness but it’s believed that one
of these – the older ‘G’ reg one – may have
started life at Hunterston. “I’m sure we got a
brand new one,” says Neil Dempster who’s
been involved in various guises at Torness for
18 years, “but I think the other one was about
a year old and it might have been used first at
Hunterston.”
is plant in Ayrshire was to subsequently
operate the two Unipower S24s G828 SGE
and J466 KUS, while the Torness pair was
G60 SYS and H404 DGB. Almost identical in
livery and specification, they did share similar
short distance work-loads. However, the pair
at Torness were personalised and given a bit
more polish: “I’m sure it was John omson’s
idea to give the trucks individual names,” says
Neil.
John – who has now retired – was planning
and general services engineer at Torness but
had a huge so spot for all the trucks on site
and the two S24 flask carriers in particular.
e Unipowers were given the names of
‘Torness Clansman’ and ‘Torness Reiver’ and
while most of the country’s nuclear flask
carriers were hardly seen by Joe Public
(because of the short time they spent on
public roads) these two were an exception.
John was keen for them to be used
whenever possible to promote the good name
David’s driver Roman Michaelwecz puts one of
the Unipowers through its paces. When we visited, this ex-military Foden was being loaded up to be sold on.
ThisTM-cabbedScammellContractoriscurrentlyintheshedforrestoration.Thisphotowastakenin1991.
WorldMags.net

of Scottish Nuclear and they also proved to be
regular entrants to the annual Scottish
Truckfest held near Edinburgh. While being
so immaculately turned out, there was no
surprise when they regularly appeared in the
finalists ring at the end of the show.
e S24s may have looked the part but they
weren’t every driver’s favourite motor. Neil
reckons drivers like him had to be careful
when manoeuvring: “With the weight of the
flask being set back and the truck having a
long bonnet out front,” he says, “there was a
tendency for the tractor to want to go straight
on.”
Drivers got used to that quirk but it was the
passage of time – and the original concern
with cab corrosion – that eventually caught up
with the Unipowers. If circumstances allowed,
the tractors could have been stripped down
and given a total refurbishment/restoration
but Neil reckons the demands of time and
work schedule would never have allowed for
that.
Instead, at the end of 2013 – and aer 23
years service – the Torness duo (now adorned
with EDF Energy livery) was replaced with
brand new DAF 6x4 tractor units. Shipped off
south by low loader, one small link they le
behind was their names: “We did think about
taking their names off,” says Neil, “but
instead, the plates were le on and the new
DAFs given the names of ‘Torness Clansman
II’ and ‘Torness Reiver II.’ It seemed quite
fitting.”
BACK INTO THE SHED
e ‘Torness Two’ may have been too old to
keep on carrying flasks but as part of the
Crouch ensemble, they are positive
youngsters. We’ll come back to the contents
still inside David’s Market Harboro’ shed in a
minute but first thing is a ride up the track
and back in the S24 ‘Clansman.’
Showing us the ropes is David’s driver
Roman Michaelwecz although in fairness
there are not a lot of ropes to be shown about
this Unipower. It’s a really easy (three seater)
cab to get into and having a two pedal
transmission it’s a peach to drive. Click the
Allison gear lever into the 2-5 notch, let the
spring parking brake off, apply some gas and
you’ll hear a so burbling from the upright
Classic collection
As David has put this Scammell
into his colours it looks like it
may be around for a while.
The contents of David’s shed looks great.
WorldMags.net

May 2014 23
stack as the Cummins engine brings
everything to life.
I want a go but of course the bumpy
confines of the private access road prevent
much of a speed above walking pace but the
S24 has a super driving position with all
round vision being excellent. And this is great
– albeit in solo, unladen form. Yes, returning
this fabulous piece of British engineering to its
waiting new owner is to come far too soon.
We’ll keep you posted as to what awaits this
S24 but with David and his team keen to get
back to work (and put everything back under
cover) we scuttle inside the shed to check out
some of the contents which (currently) have
difficulty moving. As we explained at the
outset, motors come and go from David’s
collection and one notable absence from the
last time we looked in is a superb ornycro
Antar which just drooled a presence and
character all of its own.
However, there’s plenty of presence and
character with what remains and every lump
of metal in the shed has some great stories to
tell. Biggest head turner is of course the
Scammell Contractor adorned with a cab that
looks as though it started life on a Bedford
TM. It’s more than 20 years since we last saw
this distinctive 6x4 and while time has taken
its toll, it has the look of some restoration
work in progress.
We could stay in the shed for hours but we
sense our man is keen to tidy things away. But
like any good story, we save the best bits to
last. Good bit No. 1 is watching the Watford
giants go back into the shed or – more
correctly – listening to them. Yes, the
Unipowers sound great and the Rolls-Royce
engine in the big Pickfords 6x6 Constructor
sounds as sweet as they come but the real
sound of the day comes from the two crew
cab Contractors. Probably still in their original
14-litre 335bhp form, they have a grunt and
bark all of their own. Magic.
If you don’t believe me then you can of
course come and hear for yourself as that’s the
second bit of good news. “Loads of people
have asked if they can come and see my
collection of motors,” says David Crouch,
“and I’m going to try and organise an open
day. Any monies collected will be for charity
but I think many would enjoy seeing what
we’ve got here.”
is promise isn’t cast in stone as David
and his crew do have a business to run. But as
and when he finds the time to officially open
his doors, we’ll let you know the arrangements
through our magazine/website/Facebook
pages.
It will be part of the attraction that you
won’t know precisely what you’ll see when
that day dawns. We know for a fact it won’t be
exactly the same as what we saw on this visit.
at’s the biggest surprise of being invited to
see what’s in this man’s shed.
This Thornycroft Antar
was in the shed on our
last visit in 2010.
This TM was another motor up for sale. The area
around the Caribbean like these things apparently.
How much longer will the Unipowers be part of
David’s shed?
Unipower S24
Chassis No: 100014 and 100030 Year: First registered on 10.5.90 and 3.6.91
Registration: G60 SYS and H404 DGB Engine: 14-litre Cummins NTE 400bhp
Train Weight: 100 tonnes (design) Fuel return: 4-5mpg
Gearbox: Allison HT750 5-speed fully automatic
WorldMags.net

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James Voysey’s 1988 ERF E14.
Photo DaviD Craggs.
WorldMags.net

the output from the Kendall Street works was
limited to a few trailers but in 1931 the
company announced that it would be building
oil engined lorries, a significant departure
from Edward Atkinson’s ‘steam only’ policy.
However, by June 1933 only two or three
chassis had been built and the main work of
the company involved chassis conversion
work, the repair of existing steam wagons and
the supply of spare parts.
Edward Atkinson died in January 1932 and
later that year the directors of the company
entered into discussions with W G Allen, a
London businessman whose father had
started the Nightingale Garage & Engineering
Co Ltd in Balham, and he agreed to buy the
remaining assets of Atkinson Lorries Ltd. A
new company Atkinson Lorries (1933) Ltd
was formed and with increased financial
support and further managerial changes the
scene was set for Atkinsons to enter a new era.
Initially there were few changes and the main
part of the business continued to be chassis
conversions on various types of vehicle and
the supply of spare parts. By offering low cost
and reliable chassis conversions the company
created for itself something of a niche market
which proved to be very successful. As well as
chassis conversions the company also offered
pneumatic and servo assisted brake
conversions for early petrol engined lorries.
Demand grew rapidly and the Kendall Street
works proved to be far from adequate to
handle the increasing volume of work. New
and larger premises were taken at Marsh Lane
in Preston and the subsequent move to the
new works also marked the end of the
company’s involvement with steam. e
wagon repair service was also ended and all
the remaining stocks of parts and equipment
were sold.
Development of the ‘Atkinson’ lorry
proceeded fairly slowly following the initial
announcement which had been made in
September 1931. Two designs had been
presented, a 6-ton four-wheeler and a 12-ton
six-wheeler, both with rigid chassis. e first
of these new vehicles to be completed was the
six-wheeler which was designated the ‘A1’ and
from details published at the time the lorry
Atkinson was fortunate enough to be awarded contracts to supply lorries
to the civilian market during the Second World War, such as this 1944
eight-wheeler. Photo GyleS cArPenter.
Bees’ Transport four-wheeler pictured in the early 1950s. Photo
Stilltime Archive.
Manufacturer’s history
WorldMags.net

May 2014 29
would appear to have been constructed from
any available spare parts which were at the
works at the time. e lorry was powered by a
six-cylinder Blackstone BMV6 engine paired
with a 4-speed gearbox and a dry plate clutch.
What could be regarded as the first Atkinson
diesel lorry was built in 1932, a bonneted
four-wheeler powered by a Dorman 4 RBL
engine with a Meadows 4-speed gearbox and
a Moss rear axle. e only other lorry to be
built before 1933 was another four-wheeler
with a forward control cab which rather
bizarrely had been ordered by the Italian
Ministry of War. e performance of the
vehicle was apparently far from satisfactory
and no further vehicles of the type were
constructed.
Gradual development
As a vehicle manufacturer the new company
developed slowly and by the outbreak of the
Second World War in 1939 only 50 lorries had
been built. During these formative years leading
up to the outbreak of the war plans for a range
of vehicles had been developed and these
included both four and six-wheel rigid chassis, a
four-wheel tractor unit and a bus chassis. e
Gardner engine had become the preferred
option for the lorries while the bus was fitted
with a Meadows 4-cylinder diesel. e designs
had all stemmed from the first four-wheel
chassis built in 1932 and although both
bonneted and forward control versions came off
the drawing board only the forward control
models would eventually enter full production.
e planned range of lorries comprised five
models a 7-ton four-wheeler, 10-ton six-
wheeler, 10-ton twin-steer six-wheeler, 12-ton
six-wheeler and an 18-ton eight-wheeler. e
drive set a standard which the company
would use for many years with Gardner diesel
engines combined with a 4 or 5-speed David
Brown gearbox and a Kirkstall worm drive
axle. e chassis were bolted construction
with high tensile steel side members and
heavy duty pressed steel cross members, and
to reduce vibration both the engine and the
radiator were mounted on flexible rubber
pads. However, plans for these models to
enter full scale production were hampered by
the outbreak of hostilities in 1939.
Early in 1935 the company had announced
details of its new 6-7-tonner a four wheeled
12 6in wheelbase chassis with either a
Gardner or Dorman 4-cylinder diesel engine
with a platform body as standard. e basic
price for the chassis only was £1000 and a cab
was available for an additional £50. e March
1, 1935, edition of Commercial Motor carried
full details of the lorry commenting in detail on
the design of the cooling system: “the
construction of the radiator being especially
interesting. Instead of the usual single block the
cooling surface has been divided into four
equal rectangular cells, each of which is
connected to a common header tank by a
flanged coupling. If one block is damaged the
engine will run reasonably satisfactorily on the
other three with the offending cell blanked off.”
Details of the 10-ton six-wheeler were
announced in the summer of 1936 and a
review of the new vehicle appeared in a July
edition of Commercial Motor. e lorry was
described as a “Sturdily built Gardner engined
oiler, incorporating modern ideas in chassis
layout, fast hill climbing a notable
performance characteristic. Of straightforward
design with sturdiness as a prominent
characteristic the six-wheeled 10-ton lorry is a
typical example of what can be done by
employing well tried and tested components
and assembling them into a chassis”. e
review concluded that: “this Atkinson is a
good all round vehicle built of high grade
components which should give long service
without trouble.”
e eight-wheelers were also announced in
1936 with three models all based on the
existing six-wheel chassis with the addition of a
second steering axle and powered by the 8.4l
six-cylinder Gardner 6LW engine. Short,
medium and long wheelbase versions were
offered and designated S1486, M1586 and
L1586 respectively. ey were available with a
works fitted coachbuilt cab with split
Atkinson started producing buses in 1950.
They were designed in collaboration with
the North Western Road Car Company and
Lancashire United Transport.
PhotograPh Stilltime archive.
1951 L1586 eight-wheeler taking
part in the 2011 Trans-Pennine
Run. Photo gyleS carPenter.
1951 L1586 in preservation. PhotograPh alan BarneS.
A four-wheeler undergoing testing in 1953. PhotograPh Stilltime archive.
WorldMags.net

windscreens, and the driver’s side windscreen
also featured an opening top section. e
exposed radiator was surrounded by a polished
metal shell although the first vehicles built did
not include the ‘Big A’ badge on the front. It
would appear that the first L1586 to be
completed was built in March 1936 and
delivered new to a haulier in Darlaston in
Staffordshire who also took delivery of a second
vehicle a month later. An L1586 chassis was
exhibited at the Earls Court Motor Show in
November 1936 and this may well have been
the first appearance of the new bright metal
radiator badge which featured a large capital ‘A’
surrounded by a ring. e 15 wheelbase
S1486 appeared to be discontinued at the end
of 1938 as it no longer featured in the
advertising literature but the 16 6in wheelbase
M1586 was re-designated the S1586 in 1939.
Wartime production
Despite shortages of components the war did
present the company with an unexpected
opportunity. With a pressing need for vehicle
manufacturers to turn their facilities over to
producing vehicles, arms and munitions for
the war effort, the government imposed
restrictions on vehicles being produced for the
domestic civilian market. However, towards
the end of 1940 the Ministry of Supply
awarded Atkinson a contract to supply 60
vehicles for civilian use and the company
became one of two companies, the other being
ERF, which were allowed to build for this
market during wartime. e order was for the
standard six-wheel rigid chassis powered by a
Gardner 6LW engine. e following year
Atkinson was awarded a second contract, this
time for a further 100 vehicles, again for the
six-wheel chassis, but these were fitted with an
AEC 7.7-litre engine. is was soon followed
by a third contract for another 100 eight-
wheelers, again powered by the AEC engines.
is substantial order from the Ministry of
Supply not only brought the company much
needed business but also allowed it to develop
and refine its methods of production which
would stand them in good stead for the
demands of the postwar period. However, as
with many manufacturers, the problem of
component supply caused considerable
difficulties with suitable gearboxes being a
particular difficulty. To overcome this
problem Atkinson began the development of
its own gearbox and the firm’s own five-speed
box was introduced in 1946. e unit was
manufacturer’s history
Atkinson started diversifying into
‘one-offs’ and specialist vehicles
such as this 25-ton crane carrier.
Tony Price PhoTograPhy.
WorldMags.net

May 2014 31
housed in a cast iron casing and replicated
best industry practice at the time with ‘crash’
gears running on either ball races or plain
bushes with splash lubrication from the lower
laysha which was continuously immersed.
e large Ministry order and increasing
postwar demand put strains on the
production capacity of the Marsh Lane works
and it became evident that new facilities were
required. In 1947 the company moved its
production to a new purpose-built production
factory at Walton-le-Dale a couple of miles
from the centre of Preston, while the premises
at Marsh Lane remained in use as a service
centre until 1957. e new facilities allowed
an immediate increase in production and in
1948 a total of 180 chassis of all types were
completed. As well as lorry chassis an
increasing number of bus and coach chassis
were also being produced in a direct response
to the increasing market demand. Although
this was a highly competitive market the
company was confident that it had a sound
reliable product and was gaining a good
reputation which it understandably wanted to
build upon. In collaboration with two local
operators, the North Western Road Car
Company and Lancashire United Transport,
development work began on the ‘Alpha’
chassis, which was fitted with a horizontally
mounted Gardner engine combined with
either a David Brown 557CM five-speed
gearbox or Atkinson’s own HO556 five-speed
unit. e first two chassis, Numbers 394 and
395, were ordered by North Western and were
built in 1950 although the new vehicles did
not actually enter service until August 1951.
e initial enquiries originated largely
because the operators wanted Gardner
engined chassis but the principal builder of
buses with Gardner engines was Bristol, and
its supply became restricted to THC
companies aer nationalisation. Atkinson bus
production would eventually span some 14
years with vehicles being exported to a
number of countries all over the world
including Portugal, Spain Australia and South
America. Production of buses came to an end
in the early 1960s and by that time the
company had produced some 170 vehicles of
varying designs including one for a double
decker bus.
However, in the event only two double deck
chassis were actually built and only one bus
was completed, UMA 370 which has survived
into preservation. e other chassis is believed
to have been exported to South Africa and
fitted with a lorry body. e last bus chassis to
be built by the company were the three for the
Sunderland Corporation which were
completed in 1963 shortly before the
company announced that it was to cease
passenger chassis construction completely.
Two of these buses, WBR 246 and WBR 248,
have also survived into preservation.
By the late 1940s the fortunes of the
company had arguably been transformed and
what had been a company plagued by
financial difficulties in the early 1930s had
now turned itself into one of the country’s
leading commercial vehicle manufacturers
with a strong domestic market and a steadily
increasing export business. e 1950s were to
see the company diversifying into specialised
vehicles, even one-offs, to satisfy the
requirements of its customers as well as
producing its ‘standard’ range of vehicles. e
foundations for this ‘customised’ business had
been laid with the development of its range of
bus chassis with some operators having more
specialised requirements which the company
responded positively to meet.
Special order truck chassis had been
produced in the late 1940s as a response by
the company to a perceived gap in the market.
With most of the large manufacturers geared
up for mass production of their standard
range of vehicles they were loath to devote
development time or production facilities on
limited market specialised vehicles. Atkinson
was geared up to meet individual customer
requirements and early examples of bespoke
vehicles included a batch of four-wheel chassis
with outrigged frames for pantechnicon
bodies built as an export order destined for
use in South Africa.
Next month we continue the story of
Atkinson’s continued rise to the top.
A nicely restored 1954 example. PhotograPh gyles CarPenter.
A Taylor of Worcester artic pictured in 1955. PhotograPh stilltime arChive.
Superbly restored 1956 T746 tractor unit. PhotograPh
gyles CarPenter.
WorldMags.net

RedRover
RaRity
Classic lightweight
WorldMags.net

May 2014 33
What’s a Maestro van doing inHC? After all they’re
modern, and still a common sight on our roads – aren’t
they? Actually there are only six petrol Maestro 700 City
vans still on the DVLA computer. Dean Reader went
for a look at one such survivor.
Words & Photography: Dean Reader
S
ince I last paid a visit to Quality
Motor Services three years ago, the
Maestro van that was the subject of
my attention has changed very little.
At the time it was the company daily
workhorse, going out to breakdowns and
sometimes even recovering a stranded vehicle
but now it leads a rather less active life, simply
coming out of the workshop in the morning,
driving around the corner to the nearby car
park simply to stay parked up all day, maybe
with the odd jaunt out to take a customer
home or collect a part – but it is a great
advertising tool.
I noticed that there are more dents on what
was truly straight bodywork but we can
forgive the owner Dave Jones and his staff
because it is an ‘old van’, yes old van even
though it was built in 1990, simply because it
is a working vehicle – sorry was. ere are the
odd tell-tale signs of age creeping in too with a
few rust blisters starting, especially around the
rear rain gutter, and some of the paint on the
roof has faded but this is still a remarkable
survivor of a modern classic van.
e inside is pretty much as it has always
been – car-like naturally but somehow still
commercial, and who cannot notice the
period radio cassette player; also behind the
seat is a child’s lunchbox depicting the late
Eighties cartoon M.A.S.K, this holding a
handful of cassette tapes. e livery of the
garage is also still complete, having been done
with modern plastic rather than traditional
signwriting, but would this ‘olde worlde’ style
of art work on such a modern body? Probably.
Out On the rOad
Climbing in, the seats are still firm and the
door shuts with that typical BL/Rover sound,
denoting rather thin metal doors, and Dave’s
son, Mark, starts it up. I have to say, the van
actually pulls quite nicely and Mark quickly
tells me that it is still on the original clutch,
having only done just under 42,000 miles, but
it does feel rather light up front, Mark
confirming that if they do load it up (more-so
when towing) it does get rather ‘skippy’ fore of
the cab. We only had a drive around the local
roads so I could not experience it properly but
it reminded me of my old Ital – but in new
clothes. is isn’t that surprising as both
vehicles were sold alongside each other for a
short while. And despite the jokes and the
problems that bogged-down both the Maestro
and its predecessor, the ‘new’ van was a very
capable workhorse that did the job it was
designed for, which was the point wasn’t it?
But how did Dave come by this example,
and why choose a Maestro? He tells me: “I
worked in a local Austin-Rover garage for 22
years as a mechanic, so I had a lot of experience
with BL tin.” And it was for this reason that
many owners, including myself, went to him
with our Allegros, wedge Princesses and the
like, especially to get the suspension pumped
up. Not many local garages had the pump for
this old suspension system.
While Dave was employed at the AR
dealership, a plumber – who Dave’s father-in-
law worked for – bought the Maestro 700 City
van new. Dave actually fitted the number
plates and did the pre-delivery inspection, and
he also bought the plumber’s old Minor van,
as it happens. e Maestro van was serviced
and maintained at the garage, so Dave got to
know it well and I guess developed a so-spot
like we all do – sad aren’t we?
In the mid-Nineties, Dave started up his
own business with his son, Mark being taken
on as an apprentice mechanic. e plumber
retired in 1998 and it doesn’t take much to
figure out who bought his van, changing it to
suit the business. As a promotional tool, it
works. Most of the other garages in the area
are doing their duties in moderns, so when
this ‘old’ red van appears, everyone knows
whose it is. I am particularly glad that Dave
has resisted the temptation to fit MG alloys or
a Vanden Plas interior or even a later Rover
engine which I am told can improve these
vehicles quite a lot.
Once they were
everywhere, but now
there are only six petrol
Maestro 700 City vans
in existence.
The van is now just on ‘light duties’ and is more of a mobile advert than working vehicle.
Owner Dave Jones has known the van since new – in
fact he did its pre-delivery inspection back in 1990.
WorldMags.net

Maestro – the history
lesson
In case you didn’t know, last year (2013) the
Maestro celebrated its 30 year birthday,
having first appeared in 1983, but the plans
were actually being drawn up back in 1979.
Surprise, the stylists had conflicting ideas and
what it should look like, so even then, this
new car designed to replace the ageing Maxi
and Allegro was the subject of some
argument. However, the idea was sound – a
compact, front-wheel-drive car, dispensing
with Hydragas suspension and instead using
tried-and-trusted MacPherson struts and
trailing arms. Engines were the traditional
1275cc A-plus series and the bigger 1598cc R
series (a development of the old E series as
seen in the Maxi).
Sadly, while the Maestro was a new and
fresh car for the Austin Rover Group, the old
problem of minor faults soon reared its head
– windscreens leaked, there were high noise
levels, build-quality issues and that famous
electronic talking dashboard malfunctioning.
Poor-running, even on the hot hatch MG
version, did not help the car’s reputation, but
through various updates and improvements
(including the disappearance of the Austin
badge in 1988), the vehicle soldiered on until
1994. It then spent many years in production
in China, as did the van, and the Ital before
it.
While the Maestro van featured a large
rear opening with two doors, the actual
interior load space was down on the Ital van.
e light commercial vehicle derivative was
also the first Maestro to feature a diesel
engine, in 1986. ere were also the two
petrol engines of 1275cc and the 1600cc.
e van was a success and popular with
many businesses and fleet-buyers such as
British Telecom and even the AA, an
example of which you can see at many
shows. ere were two known variations on
the theme too. On the first, the van
bodywork was fitted with a higher roof to
form the Tandy micro-camper, converted by
Tandy Industries on the Isle of Wight and
while slightly cramped, they did offer a great
opportunity to enjoy a weekend away.
en there are the fabled, and indeed rare,
pick-ups. With just a van being made, a gap
in the market was lost so at least one
dealership sought to fill this. e Bletchley
Motor Group (BMG) had several
branches, and in 1985, they built the
Maestro Camion (they previously did a
Metro version too) and from the pictures I
have seen, you can certainly tell that it was a
cut-down van with a rather flat rear window
with some strengthening bars; other minor
changes including a specific ‘Camion’ badge
were added.
e other known user of pick-ups was the
Forestry Commission who had several built
by an outside coachbuilder, simply because
at the time it did not have facilities in its own
workshops to do this and at least one of these
survives today and is currently under
restoration. Unlike the BMG version, these
had small rear buttresses behind the cab and
on to the rear body, making it a bit more
aesthetically pleasing to the eye. But as I said,
these are rare so should you discover an old
Maestro pick-up that has a chunky bull-bar
on the front and possibly in a dark green,
then it means you have found another from
the Forestry Commission.
My thanks go to Dave and Mark Jones for
their time helping with this feature.
Two different petrol engines were offered by Austin Rover. The Maestro van was also the first
Maestro to be offered with a diesel, back in 1986. Dave’s is the 1275cc petrol.
The interior is clean and tidy – and original. We
love the period radio-cassette player.
Classic lightweight
Traditional British small garage, complete with traditional British small van.
WorldMags.net

Life in transport
serviceParttwo
Atyour
Richard Tew continues the story of a ‘tailboard monkey’ done good!
Words: Richard Tew Photography: Richard Tew/Paul Riches
WorldMags.net

May 2014 37
P
aul was soon asked to put another
eight-wheeler on the lime job, so
GAV 99N, another ERF eight-
wheeler joined the fleet. Aer a
while the decision was made to dispense with
the artics and just run the tippers.
Unfortunately, this idea started to go pear
shaped when the driver of the original eight-
wheeler le, and his lorry was sold. e
second eight-wheeler, GAV 99N, tipped over
and was written off by the insurers, its
condition not helped when it was pushed
upright by a Cat D8 dozer!
Now it was back to artic work, using a
second-hand M&G flat trailer bought for
£100. Vauxhall Motors at Luton was a good
source of work at the time, shiing old
machinery out of the factory when it was
being replaced.
A new ERF was ordered on the strength of
work for Rank Hovis McDougall, however, it
was then taken over by Dalgety, which
dispensed with owner-drivers; another blow.
Paul then went on to pulling tilts out of
Felixstowe for Cargocare, which was okay, but
he was feeling disheartened by the whole
business, so the big decision was made to
cease being an owner-driver. All the
equipment was sold off and Paul went self-
employed driving for other people.
Disappointed that all his hard work had
come to this, as a consolation, he opted to use
the money from the equipment sale for a
house extension. A skip was needed and
ordered from Wildmans, a Bedford-based
company, which told him it would be a week
on Wednesday before he could have one. is
statement proved to be a turning point for
Paul’s career path. Aer some serious thought
for a couple of weeks, he decided to go into
the skip-hire business.
is was the start of a whole new chapter in
the story, with humble beginnings in the
shape of a Bedford KM and three skips.
e Bedford was familiar to Paul, as it had
been operated from new by EC Smith, a
company known to him, and it had always
looked all right. However, the old saying
‘never judge a book by its cover’ was never
truer, as mechanically it was in very poor
condition, with the brakes and clutch needing
urgent attention, a faulty regulator causing the
batteries to boil and myriad other faults.
A phone call was made to Charlie at EC
The Dennis compactor,
complete with guard dog.
WorldMags.net

Smith asking to cancel the sale due to its poor
condition, whereupon Charlie said: “what
would you give me for it?” Paul half-jokingly
replied £1100, which was promptly accepted,
so he had to take it on.
It was taken to a rented area in Watsons
yard, where, with the aid of Mick the fitter,
two weeks were spent bringing it up to
scratch. As the Bedford came with only three
skips, more were needed, so a trip was made
to London to buy five more. Somehow Paul
managed to stack them on the Bedford to
bring them home – using a gallon of engine
oil in the process!
Onwards and upwards
Two of the skips were immediately rented out
to other businesses in the yard, so Paul Riches
Skips were up and running. However, despite
an ad in the local paper, the business got off to
a slow start, but it steadily built up, leading to
the purchase of another 10 skips from Trio
Containers.
Aer a while the workload was sufficient to
warrant the purchase of another truck, so a
new ERF, reg E69 HEW joined the fledgling
business in 1987. An ERF was chosen because
of Paul’s previous good experience with the
marque: “it does what it said on the tin”.
e business was gradually moving down
the recycling route, with two or three skips
being tipped into a 12-yarder to cut down on
trips to the tip. e metal was removed for
recycling, and the wood was burnt to reduce
volumes being tipped.
With Paul driving the Bedford, and his
brother on the ERF, it was decided to
purchase another ERF. e first one had a six-
speed box and was too high geared, leading
eventually to the propsha twisting like a
corkscrew. ERF stood by its product, and
offered a nine-speed gearbox, heavier duty
clutch and propsha, all for £600 fitted. In
Life in transport
Paul with one of his Foden skiploaders. An early fleet shot showing two E series ERFs, TL and the Dennis.
The second E series in
action at Elstow tip.
WorldMags.net

May 2014 39
conjunction with a lower diff ratio, this
reduced the top speed from a heady 76mph to
66; a great improvement.
e second new ERF was delivered with a
better spec more suited to its purpose.
Working on a ratio of 40 skips per vehicle,
more skips were purchased, and the business
was moving along nicely. Premises were being
leased from Supreme Concrete, but with lease
costs constantly increasing, the search was on
to buy a suitable piece of land.
e present site was looked at and deemed
okay, but the agent had said it had just been
sold. However, a few months later, Paul
received a phone call to see if he was still
interested, so an offer was made and accepted.
He was now the proud owner of half an acre
of scrubland, eventually expanding to two and
a half acres aer purchasing more land.
e ground was levelled off, hardcored and
fenced off with the help of one of his
customers. A three bay workshop and offices
were later built on the land.
Further expansion
With the Environment Agency introducing
more stringent rules for rubbish disposal, Paul
decided to up his game and concentrate more
on the recycling side, so a second-hand 6x4
Dennis with compactor was purchased.
Incoming skips were now tipped in the
yard, anything recyclable removed, and the
remains compacted in the Dennis which
reduced the number of journeys and expense
of tipping at landfill sites. is idea worked
fine for a couple of years until tipping costs for
compacted rubbish were increased, so the
Dennis was sold.
In order to also offer mini skips, a second-
hand DAF 7.5 tonner was purchased, fitted
with a box body complete with tail-li, the
body and tail-li being promptly sold before
the chassis cab was despatched to Webbs at
Acton in Suffolk to be fitted up as a skip
loader.
Webbs was the preferred supplier of skip
loader equipment, being a family firm, and
building strong dependable gear.
As the recyclable material was increasing,
Paul opted to move up the weight scale, and
buy an eight-wheeler roll-on-off truck to
deliver the recyclables more economically. A
second-hand 8x4 Foden, fitted with a 250
Cummins and nine-speed transmission was
sourced from Smiths, a local scrap merchant,
and a number of suitable bins purchased. On
occasions, these bins were so well loaded that
the Foden struggled to pick them up, so
assistance had to be given by the Weatherill
loading shovel!
However, the brakes on the Foden lacked
bite which led to a few near misses, including
having to take to the footpath on one
occasion, so they were stripped down, and it
was discovered that all the linings were glazed,
so a new set of drums and linings were fitted,
transforming things completely.
Unfortunately, the Foden’s reign came to a
premature end aer getting stuck on a golf
course job in north Bedfordshire. It was
pulled out at an angle by a loading shovel,
twisting the chassis and cracking the
bellhousing, following which it was written off
by the insurance company.
Fortunately, while running the Foden, an
ERF eight-wheeler had been bought from a
dealer in Glasgow, so it was not as big a
disaster as it could have been.
e next acquisition was a second-hand
4x2 ERF, fitted with a curtainsider body. e
dealer removed the body and shortened the
chassis to suit its new role.
It then went to a Telehoist at Cheltenham
to be fitted out with skip loading gear, as the
preferred supplier Webbs was busy at
the time.
The Foden 8x4 hook loader as bought from Smiths, and the same vehicle after a tidy up and respray, loaded with a 20cu yd bin.
LEFT: The Bedford TL skip loader after
overhaul and spray job.
ABOVE: The two DAF mini skippers.
The 45 on the left was displayed at the
waste management show by Webbs
which built the skip loader.
WorldMags.net

Webbs was, however, able to supply the
equipment for a 13.5 tonne gross DAF LF,
bought as the 7.5 tonner could only manage a
2.5 tonne payload. Paul wanted an automatic
gearbox in the DAF, but was put off by the
£9000 asking price.
Another new purchase was an ERF ECX
eight-wheeler, equipped to do grab work and
also handle roll-on-off containers.
Unfortunately this also met a rather
ignominious end when it rolled over on a
railway crossing near to the yard, spilling the
contents of the body.
e Sennebogen material handler
from the yard was swily despatched
to the scene. e hook that held the
body was cut off so the Senne could put
the bin back upright and reload it so it
could be taken away. e ECX wasn’t so
fortunate, needing a new cab among other
things so it was written off by the
insurance company.
e eight-wheel ERF bought while the
Foden was in use was then part exchanged
against a nearly new DAF CF eight-wheeler
from C&W Commercials.
A MAN for All seAsoNs
Another-eight wheeler to join the fleet was a
new MAN with 420bhp engine and ZF auto
gearbox. is has proven to be a sound buy,
an initial traction problem being quickly
sorted by a tweak to the electronics by the
dealer. Further proof of the MAN’s
popularity is the fact that it cost £300 to get
through the last MoT against nearly £3000
for the DAF.
Meanwhile, the four-wheel skip trucks
hadn’t been neglected, with a unique ERF
joining the fleet in 2000. Paul’s idea for the
life in transport
LEFT: The ECX 8x4 hook loader that was written
off after an accident.
ABOVE: Rear view of an ERF hook loader with
one of Paul’s slogans.
The favoured MAN
8x4 hook loader.
WorldMags.net

ideal skip truck would be a low cab with easy
entry and exit, an automatic gearbox, a
Cummins engine and preferably an ERF
badge on the front, so ERF was approached
to see if it could build what he wanted.
e solution was to fit a shortened version
of the EX lowered cab from the dustcart
range which has two large steps ahead of the
front wheels for easy access. With a Cummins
engine and Allison auto box, the new truck,
registered V10 PRS, ticked all the boxes.
Aer an initial problem with wandering
steering, rectified by ERF changing the
steering box, the truck proved to be popular
with the drivers, and a reliable addition to
the fleet – in fact it is still in use as a spare.
With the demise of ERF, Foden was the
next logical choice, especially as it was
prepared to fit an Allison gearbox, so in
2004, two new 250bhp Foden 4x2 skip trucks
joined the fleet. ey were followed in 2006
by two more, all fitted with Webbs skip
loading equipment.
e trucks are well liked by the drivers,
their condition belying their age. It is
Paul’s intention to keep them as long as
possible, however, when they eventually have
to be replaced, MAN will be a strong
contender based on the reliability of the 8x4
roll-on-off.
Finally, it’s nice to note that the old
vehicles have not been forgotten, with MJE
370R, the Bedford KM skip truck that started
it all currently in the workshop undergoing a
rebuild, with one of the ERFs being next on
the list.
It’s all a long way from being a 14-year-old
tailboard monkey!
The unique ERF built to Paul’s requirements.
Part of the current
fleet ‘at your service’.
WorldMags.net

archive album
This Milcox Motors Ltd
demonstrator was
photographed at the
Leigh Delamere
services on the M4.
We’ve no date for the
photo but it’s safe to
assume it’s brand new
so it’s probably 1974.
Adrian Cypher/NA3T
photo CX00975-26.
An Arcade Motors Ltd 90.M.75 about
to load an accident damaged Volvo
estate car on January 17, 1980. Note
the trade plates that most recovery
vehicles ran round on back then.
NA3T photo JS00234-01.
A brand new 232.D.30 on
display at the 1979 Tipcon
exhibition. The 8x4 ‘Magi’
was actually developed in
Britain, and ended up
being sold all over Europe.
NA3T photo JS16347.
German air Force
is month’s theme is Magirus-
Deutz lorries, famous for their
air-cooled engines. e origins of
this company go back to the 19th
century. Deutz was started in
1864 by Nikolaus Otto, the
inventor of the four-stroke
internal combustion engine.
Magirus started in 1866 making
firefighting equipment, and
actually made the world’s first
steam-powered self-propelled fire
engine. Magirus was eventually
taken over by Deutz in 1936. By
the way, the famous M badge
used by the firm was actually a
stylised image of Ulm cathedral,
the city where Magirus was
based.
Anyway, as per usual, we have
very little information with these
photos, so if you can help fill in
the gaps please email or write in –
the addresses are on page 45.
WorldMags.net

I love this lorry! It was operated by Mutch Recovery of Perth and I must admit I’ve never seen one before. It’s
obviously an ex-military 6x6 vehicle, but note that it’s right-hand drive. The lorry was civilian registered in
1988 but hasn’t been on the road since 1994 according to the DVLA. Shame. NA3T photo JLC00095-01.
This is London’s Embankment on June 28, 1979, and this J Perkins Ltd of Taunton 232 shares the road
with a Volvo F86, a Renault 5 and a brace of Fords – Cortina and Escort. NA3T photo VS01700.
WorldMags.net

Archive Album
Entress of Swansea was quite well known for operating Magirus-Deutz lorries back in the 1960s/70s. However,
this one was photographed with one of the ﬁrm’s F86 Volvos. We’ve got no date or location for the photo, but the
lorry is loaded with Guernsey tomatoes. Adrian Cypher/NA3T photo CX00393.
Magirus-Deutz sold quite a few normal control lorries for work where overall vehicle length wasn’t an
issue. This McGovern example was photographed in June 1980. NA3T photo JS00313-01.
WorldMags.net

This is Maidenhead in April 1980, and
another McGovern Magi loads up. At ﬁrst
glance it looks like a new lorry in a
publicity photo – it doesn’t even appear
to be taxed. However, note the damaged
rear wings. The lorry does have a sticker
for the maker’s ‘Mag-Net’ back-up
network though. NA3T photo JS00271-09.
This Trident Airfreight Services 90.M.75 was passing London’s
Marble Arch in July 1980. Note the ‘ﬂags of all nations’ strung up
in the window – very popular back then. NA3T photo VS01647.
Do any of these photographs trigger old
memories? Perhaps this used to be your
lorry or you recognise the company name
or someone in the photograph. Don’t be
afraid to write to us...
Stephen Pullen
Heritage Commercials, Mortons Heritage
Media, PO Box 43, Horncastle LN9 6JR
email: spullen@mortons.co.uk
We end with a very sorry
looking lorry. We’ve no date
or location for the photo,
but we do know this 1966
tractor unit was operated by
Pentus Brown. The lorry is
obviously a useful supply of
parts for somebody. Adrian
Cypher/NA3T photo
CX00372.
NA3TROAD TRANSPORT
PHOTOS
- EST 1996 -
Archive Album
- Sponsored by -
Colour and Black & White
downloads from 50p
Wet processed prints from 80p inc P&P
Transport negative collections
purchased. Land sea or air
www.na3t.org
www.transportphotos.org
Email: info@na3t.org
Phone: 01903 235167
SAE: NA3T (HC), 14 Gannon Road,
Worthing BN11 2DT
WorldMags.net

OldFords
NEVErDiERoger Hamlin reports on another superb restoration
he found on his recent trip to New Zealand.
transport heritage
Words: Roger Hamlin Photography: Roger Hamlin/Tony Kendall
The Thames is a real
credit to Tony and his
son’s craftsmanship.
F
ive years ago at the annual Christmas
parade at Pahiatua on New Zealand’s
North Island, I came across a 1955
Ford ames on display that was in
the first stages of being restored.
e ames had originally been owned by a
man in Feilding, but aer many years’ use had
just parked it up in a shed on his land and le
it. ere it stayed until rescued a few years ago
by a bloke who intended to restore it.
However, like many people, this idea came to
nothing, so the project was offered to prolific
lorry restorer, Paul Gleeson, in 2008.
However, as he’d just restored a similar lorry,
he offered it to his friend, Tony Kendall.
Tony is a panel beater by trade and was no
stranger to old vehicles, having restored
several classic tractors. He’d been looking for
a truck to restore for a while and so he
jumped at the chance of buying it, particularly
when he found out it only had two previous
owners.
GettinG started
As soon as the lorry arrived, Tony started
work by removing the cab and wings. With
the cab removed, the extent of the corrosion
could be seen, with the worst areas being the
sills, doors and below the back windows.
However, this was no problem for a skilled
panel beater.
e engine was removed and the chassis
sandblasted. It was then painted and work could
start on the engine. is was quite a rarity in
New Zealand as it’s a Ford four-cylinder diesel,
and not many of these ‘oil burners’ were sent
down under. A strip-down revealed that new
liners were required, but everything else seemed
okay, so it was soon reassembled, fitted to the
chassis and up and running.
He wasn’t so lucky with the radiator
though, as it was unrepairable, but Tony was
lucky enough to buy another complete lorry
to act as a donor vehicle. With the radiator
removed, the donor was then sold on to
another restorer.
e four-speed gearbox was found to be
in good condition, as was the front and rear
axle. However, the prop-sha needed to be
replaced, as did the complete
braking system and kingpins.
WorldMags.net

May 2014 47
The day Tony acquired
the lorry back in 2008
The truck was totally stripped and rebuilt. The
cab required quite a bit of metalwork.
Tony certainly seems very happy with the
finished lorry.
Time for a new project – an engineless 1955 Austin.
e cab took a little while to finish as it was
only being worked at in Tony’s spare time.
Jobs included fitting new rubber seals and
glass, repairing the rust and repainting. It was
then reunited with the chassis. e wiring
loom turned out to be perfectly good, but the
cab interior did need quite a bit of work
doing. By the way, the speedo read just 64,000
miles which seems very realistic.
Next job was the deck, which was made by
Tony’s son who is an engineer. is is an all-
steel dropside.
Now that the ames is finished, it appears
Tony has certainly got the truck restoring bug,
as he’s just got hold of another project in the
shape of a 1955 Austin. Work will start very
soon – so watch this space.
WorldMags.net

When Dave Bowers
travelled to Manchester
to see the Walsh brothers’
latest restoration (page
78) he found a couple of
‘bonus’ lightweights fresh
from the workshop.
Classic lightweights
Words & Photography: Dave Bowers
The Renault Estafette was first introduced in 1959
and was produced in France, Algeria, Romania
and Mexico. It was available as a van, minibus
and pick-up. The last was produced in
Mexico in 1986, six years after
French production had ended.
The Walsh brothers’ Renault was originally used
by a fire brigade near Paris.The interior of the front-wheel drive Renault.
The Morris J4 is owned by Tony Cheetham and had been in the workshop for bodywork and
structural repairs.
I
n addition to the Jensen prototype, the
Walsh brothers have been busy restoring
a Renault Estafette that was last used by
a fire brigade in Vernfuil near Paris. is
was a bit on the tatty side when purchased,
requiring attention to the rear quarters.
ey have also been helping out with a
Morris J4 van owned by Tony Cheetham as a
‘filling in job’. is has required new inner and
outer sills, a new front valance and repairs to
the camper roof.
And as for what’s coming up next, one is a
Simca Aronde pick-up that came all the way
from Arizona. It certainly makes yet another
oeat vehicle to join the ever increasing
Walsh brothers’ fleet!
Walsh
Brothers
Bonus
WorldMags.net

May 2014 49
NEED A NEW WIRING HARNESS?
Specialists in one-off looms or small production runs
AIRFAWN
CONSULTANTS LTDUnit 3, Hillside Ind Park, Draycott Cross Road, Cheadle,
Stoke-on-Trent, ST10 1PN
Tel: 01538 750788 Fax: 01538 751511
Email: alan.cliffe@btconnect.com
Website www.airfawn.com
WorldMags.net

BlackburnThe Scammell S26 was a
military vehicle designed
for the battlefields of the
Cold War. Craig Dymock
from Bathgate in West
Lothian has recently
acquired one of these
leviathans, to help with his
vehicle recovery business.
Working classic
Words: Bob Weir
Photography: Bob Weir / Craig Dymock
C
raig’s fleet of breakdown vehicles
has been a familiar sight since the
early 1970s. ey currently operate
from a depot in Blackburn Road, on
the outskirts of the town.
“I started the business with £300 back in
1973,” he explained. “I had just finished a five
year apprenticeship as a diesel technician with
one of the local garages. e garage also ran
an aer-hours breakdown service, and I was
put in charge.”
Craig then heard a rumour that the garage
was about to be taken over by one of the
national car dealerships. He said: “I had a
discussion with my father, and we decided that
it might be the right time to start my own
vehicle recovery business.”
As he made preparations for moving away
from the garage, Craig began to acquire some
vehicles. ese included an old SWB Land
Rover, and a 330 Bedford J-Type.
“I had hidden both vehicles away at a
friend’s farm just up the road in Linlithgow,
and was starting to do them up,” he recalls. “I
was also able to acquire a Leyland WF 1160,
which had been damaged in a road accident.
One of my friends helped me to straighten out
the chassis, and my father agreed to design the
liing equipment.”
Once Craig was up and running, e J-type
was immediately put into service. “In the early
days I got most of my business via the police and
motoring clubs,” he said. “But things really
started to take off, when they decided to close my
old garage. I faced a bit of competition but the
other outfit did not have my mechanical
experience, which turned out to be a big
advantage.”
Back in the 1970s, Craig was working out of
the old railway sheds near the centre of Bathgate.
He stayed there for 25 years until the lease
expired, and he relocated to his current premises.
WorldMags.net

May 2014 51
Rover
Developed by Scammell in Watford, the
S26 was produced in Leyland, Lancashire.
Scammell S26
Year: 1991
Chassis No: L060595
Registration: J806 YSC
Engine: Rolls-Royce Eagle 350LM
Capacity: 12l
Transmission: ZF 6-speed automatic
Top Speed: 55mph
WorldMags.net

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