Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2022 i Classic & Vintage Commercials

The second Tommy Williams’ Four Counties Lorry Road Run set off from Station Road, Llandeilo. Tommy fielded his entire fleet of five classic lorries (four Bedfords and an Austin ‘Birmingham Bedford’) as featured in our April 2021 issue. He drove the 1938 Bedford W flat fitted out as a coal merchant’s lorry himself, and invited friends drove the others. Other participants included Mike Chandler with his AEC Mercury, Gethin Thomas with his Foden and Eyrig Dyer with his Ford Cargo complete with BMC Mini tractor load. Starting from Llandeilo, the route included the A40 through Manordeilo and the twisty A4069 mountain road up to the ruins of the abandoned lime quarries and then down the Nant Garw to Brynamman where a left was taken towards Cwmllwynfell and the Afon Twrch…

The Rootes Archive Trust is hosting its first Rootes Heritage Day at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, on Sunday July 17, and they are keen for Commer and Karrier commercial vehicles to take part, along with ‘connected’ brands – and given just how far the Rootes Group’s tentacles extended back in the day, we aren’t going to try and list everything that might be eligible! Our Editor will also be there – but with his newly-restored 1958 Hillman Minx rather than a commercial. And for those who are also interested in Ford cars, the Old Ford Rally is running at the same time. Entries need to be pre-booked, via the British Motor Museum’s website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk and following the what’s on links to the date. Alternatively, call the bookings team…

As we reported last month, the 60th Historic Commercial Vehicle Society London to Brighton Run took place on May 8 and was, in a word, fantastic! Huge crowds came out on the way down and at the finish on Madeira Drive, and there was a great selection of vehicles out on this premier event for them to enjoy. One of the really good things about the Brighton Run is the way in which it includes old vehicles of all ages from the WW1 era right up to the 1980s and early 1990s. It is, though, currently much more expensive for vehicles under 40 years old to do the whole run, due to Transport for London’s refusal to allow any concession over LEZ charges. But returning to the positive, the other…

Sixty plus years ago Great Britain was not only self-sufficient in commercial vehicle production but was a leading exporter, earning vital revenue and employing thousands of skilled people. Lorries like this 1956 Foden FE6/15 two-stroke were the mainstay of many fleets both at home and abroad. Fodens Ltd of Sandbach were greatly admired for their engineering excellence. This superb lorry and trailer outfit of the Motor Packing Company is seen in Liverpool Docks back in 1965. The timber was to be made into export crates for the motor industry. Peter J Davies…

This story starts back in 2019 at the Austin A30/A35 Owners Club National rally held at Winchester, when the proposal to build an Austin A35 ice cream van was put to Andy Pitcher and his brother Martin by Richard Dracup, in the presence of wife Tracy, who indicated that Richard was not to purchase another vehicle! It seemed to be a non-starter until Andy offered up ‘Kenny’ as the project vehicle, thus paving the way for Richard as he was not actually buying another vehicle. ‘Kenny’ was in fact a 1956 Austin A30 Countryman (AP4). This was a three-way venture with Andy, Martin and Richard and it was agreed that the ice cream van would be built as a fully functional working van! Prior to suggesting the idea, Richard had…

Over the past few years, we’ve been impressed by the various preserved vehicles within the ‘Britaniacrest’ collection, a collection which pays tribute to the Foss family’s history in lorries, and represents the vehicles operated by Britaniacrest Recycling and, back in the 1960s, those run by Chairman Ray Foss’s father Charlie’s West London tipper firm Charles Foss and Co. Just under a year ago, we featured their newly-restored 1963 Thames Trader 6x4 tipper, which can be seen participating in this year’s London to Brighton run on page 26 of this issue. Here, however, we’re looking at one of the younger lorries in the collection, namely their 1988 MAN 30 331 eightwheel tipper. It’s absolutely stunning, and given the sort of life that lorries like this typically lead, it’s really good that…

Early on, Scammell considered alternative engine and driveline combinations for the Crusader 6x4. As well as the Detroit two-stroke 8V-71N, which became standard, it was planned to offer the Cummins V8- 903 with a gross output of 300bhp at 2600rpm. Both were to be aimed primarily at the overseas market while, for UK buyers, Scammell decided to offer the ill-fated AEC V8 with a 250bhp net output. The AEC V8 was coupled to an existing Thornycroft-built AEC 10-speed range-change gearbox designed by Edward Riddle. A few were built with this spec, including one for appraisal by Bass Charrington, and another for exhibition at the 1969 Scottish Show. One operator to run an AEC V8 powered Crusader was James Hemphill of Glasgow, said to be the first Crusader to enter revenue…

Converting this 1956 built former Civil Defence Bedford RLHZ Self Propelled Pump (AKA ‘Green Goddess’) fire tender into something the original manufacturers would never have dreamed possible may seem abhorrent to diehard enthusiasts. But with plenty of examples of these Cold War era vehicles still in existence this is, perhaps, one that can be forgiven, especially when one snatches a sneaky peek into the Tardis-like area living area and considers the overall quality of what’s been achieved. Derbyshire based Mitch Harrison bought PGW185 for £1500, in 2009 from Withams, who had been entrusted with disposal of the bulk of the remaining Green Goddess fleet. “I have a fascination for unusual machinery and really enjoy a challenge. This project certainly stretched my imagination and abilities, but I’ve been in the building…

We welcome photos of older lorries (15 years and older) that are still in ser vice for publication in this section. We can accept contributions by email – cvc.ed@kelsey.co.uk, or by post to The Editor, Classic & Vintage Commercials, PO Box 1243, SPALDING, PE11 9HE. Please provide as much (or as little) information about a vehicle as you are able and, before entering or taking photos on private property, please ensure that you have all the permissions that you need to be there, and to be taking photographs.…

In March 1938, Ford launched a new 10cwt semi-forward control van, the E83W. From the mid-1930s, Ford began branding all of their commercials as Fordson, not just the larger trucks as previously. Later the Thames name began to be adopted. The E83W thus appeared in catalogues under both the Fordson and Thames names. The engine was an 1172cc sidevalve unit from the Ford Model C Ten car. Easiclean (ie solid rather than spoked) wheels were fitted, initially 18in but later reduced to 16in. The rear wing shape was changed in 1946, extending to the back of the van body, whilst twin rear lights were fitted in September 1954, but the van remained otherwise largely unchanged until it was replaced by the Thames 400E in September 1957. When the real van…

Kelsey Media’s Spring Tractor World took place at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern over the weekend of May 21 and 22; a slightly later date in the year than previously. As in the past, the two-day show was supported strongly by the local classic lorry movement, and we were pleased to see a number of newcomers alongside old favourites. Though lorries are now welcome on both days, Saturday tends to be more for the hardcore tractor enthusiasts, with the H JPugh vintage auction among the attractions. Sunday is the day when the classic car display takes place, and is usually also when most of the lorry people turn up. Anyway, here are a few that we spotted on the day……

Finding a balanced selection of lorries and haulage firms from all over the country can sometimes be quite a challenge but I try my best to get an interesting mix of makes and types, some common-or-garden and some a bit rarer. Of course tastes vary as to what constitutes a classic but it is hoped that at least some of the following shots will ring a bell with readers.…

“The company was started by my great-grandfather Peter Tennant with a horse and cart,” John explained. “He collected and delivered goods round his home village of Forth. Back in those days there was a local railway station at nearby Wilsontown.” Though this was back when railways were king, the Tennant family was quick to recognise the potential of the new age of motorised vehicles, and John’s great-grandfather decided to invest in an early charabanc. These were dual purpose vehicles carrying goods throughout the week, and passengers at weekends. This was a business model that would serve the Tennant family for many years. By the 1930s Peter’s two sons Peter Jnr and Tom had joined the business, assisted by sisters Nance, Cath, and May. They ran a coach fleet alongside the…

The Morris Marina cars were hurriedly developed following the formation in 1968 of British Leyland, created by the merger of the Leyland Motor Corporation (which by then included Standard-Triumph and Rover) and British Motor Holdings (formed by the merger of BMC and Jaguar/Daimler in 1966). Design input came from Roy Haynes and then Harris Mann as well as Harry Webster. The new British Leyland management urgently needed a car to challenge the Ford Escort and Cortina in the fleet market and to replace the Morris Minor and Oxford ranges, both of which were now totally outclassed. Yes, there was a full range of BMC/BL front wheel drive cars, but many fleet buyers considered these too high-tech and preferred conventional rear wheel drive simplicity. The Marina was sized between the Minor…

Last time, we left the Amersham based Boughton group with its expansion to Devon and a spectacular new line of airport crash tenders. These went up to 3000 gallons plus foam and could accelerate to 80kph in under 45 seconds with top speeds up to 112kph. Most had rear mounted Detroit diesels in the 300-600bhp range and gradeability, fully laden, exceeded 50%. Soon over seventy airports around the world had single examples up to fleets of them, confirming that as many as 200 were ultimately built. The Bedford based Packhorse had fulfilled its role as a high mobility midweight for utility companies and local authorities. In 1978 expanding on this theme came a Ford A based 4x4 that looked like the Transit’s big brother but actually came with choice of…