Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2022 i Classic & Vintage Commercials

Unfortunately, due to a last-minute production glitch, our news story in last month’s magazine photo credit – all the photos used with the exception of the preserved Atkinson Borderer image which was taken by Les Wilson, were actually supplied by Alan F Graham. Alan also points out that Thorpes did not run only secondhand lorries but up until the early 1990s typically bought three or four new Atkinson 400, 401 and 411s and/or Leyland Roadtrains a year. He also points out that the ‘multicoloured’ fleet of latter years was a consequence of long-term in-house painter and bodyshop man Mick Travis retiring. Apologies for the error.…

Low-height ‘urban’ artics from the likes of Bedford and Ford provided the perfect answer to ease the driver’s workload when manually loading and unloading on local deliveries. Originally aimed at the brewery trade for pub deliveries they soon became popular in other trades. Earlier on, of course, we had Scammell Scarabs and Karrier Bantams which achieved the same thing and were popular with the mainline railway companies. This 1968 Ford D300 of Putterill’s Timber is an excellent example and is seen making a delivery to a DIY store. Ford marketed it as their ‘Ford-Hands Baby Artic’ which grossed just 10 tons and took a payload of around seven, Hands being the trailer manufacturer based in Letchworth, Hertfordshire.  Peter J Davies…

For most of the 1950s and 1960s. the British Motor Corporation (BMC) was the overwhelmingly dominant force in the British car market. Yes, there were others. But BMC was THE British make, and for most buyers the natural choice. And in no sector was this more true than the light van market. GM/ Vauxhall wasn’t in the sub-10cwt sector at all until 1964, and until the Anglia-based van arrived in 1961, Ford’s light vans were pretty archaic, though as vans were limited to 30mph except on motorways this wasn’t, perhaps as big an issue as it may sound. Rootes had their Commer Cob family, but though a good van, this was a bit dearer than BMC’s offerings, and the dealer network was smaller. BMC’s dealer network, by contrast, was vast.…

This could equally well be called Cabs Matter as either makes complete sense for drivers, operators and the firms that used to produce cabs. They were the one distinctive feature on most vehicles - or were they? As is well known, different chassis sometimes used similar cabs, which has caused a degree of confusion down the ages. A few years ago, I showed the dozens of American users of the Chicago Manufacturing cab that was best known on Internationals. We have our own classic examples here with the Briggs cab seen on Thames, Comet and parrot-nose Dodge. Then came all manner of variants on the Motor Panels of Coventry cab, used by many of the big players from the 1950s to the 1990s taking in along the way the LAD…

Back in the mid-1980s as a young lad, East Yorkshire-based Richard Turner was fascinated by lorries, and living where he did, was able to observe many different types and sizes on local agricultural-based work and more long-distance stuff. One, however, madeaspecial impression on him. 1985 Volvo F7 B707YAG was operated by Market Weighton-based J Dawson & Sons, used mainly with a bulker trailer on corn transport. Back then it was very much a modern, state of the art vehicle, and young Richard would often watch it coming out of Dawson’s yard from his bicycle. Fast-forward a few years and Richard not only retained his interest, but also become involved professionally, working as a commercial vehicle fitter for local repair specialists Charlotte Bradley Transport. The F7, too, had moved on, but…

Reworking the existing AEC AV760 engine into the turbocharged TL12 accounted for a large part of the Marathon’s development costs. The TL12 had the same bore and stroke dimensions as the AV760 but, following extensive development under AEC’s engine design team led by Keith Roberts, it was launched as a new power unit. The aim of the development programme was to produce a turbocharged engine with top reliability, long service life and sound environmental credentials. While the naturally-aspirated AV760 typically produced 206bhp net at 2000rpm and 585lb.ft of torque at 1500rpm, the TL12’s net output rose to 273bhp at 2200rpm with 780lb.ft torque at 1300rpm. Improvements were made to the cooling and lubrication systems to improve heat dissipation and to increase oil supply to critical bearing surfaces. Dispensing with skirt…

Traditionally, Bedfords were lightweight commercials; in fact, that was in many respects the brand’s Unique Selling Point. However, the KM was a totally different animal and hailed a new direction of travel for the marque. Launched at the 1966 Commercial Vehicle Show, the KM, despite sporting a (slight) variation on the TK cab was built upon a much bigger chassis with a more muscular drive train and took the company straight into the lucrative 16ton marketplace. Initially the KM was offered in three wheelbase lengths for general haulage work, a further three for tipper applications and two more as tractive units for 22ton gross weight operation. Axle capacity was rated purely to the gross weight with six tons on the front and ten at the rear. As a chassis-cab, the…

The 2022 East Coast Run was certainly a successful event, with 90 commercials making the trip from East Park in Hull to Sewerby Cliffs in Bridlington, with some new restorations to be seen. Again, large crowds gathered at each end of the run to view the vehicles, with grass verges attracting more observers to watch the vehicles pass by. It is not only the commercial vehicles that are the attraction though, buses and numerous vintage cars also taking in the sea air.…

SCAMMELL R8 Parry Davis’s latest project is a recreation of a Davis Brothers eight-wheeler, complete with classic Davis Bros patina! SCANIA 142 Peter Davies begins a two-part analysis of a very significant Swede… CARTERS FAREWELL 2022 was the last year on the road for Carter’s Steam Fair, and by the time this issue appears in print they’ll have pulled off the tober for the last time. We mark the occasion, and commemorate this great British Institution, with a special feature… CA COLLECTION Mike Neale gets up close to a couple of rather special gown vans – and reveals one of the Editor’s not-so-guilty secrets! PLUS: Part Two of Nick’s Baldwin’s look at and into cabs, Mouthorgan-cabbed Leyland models, Norwich Ackworth and Tyne-Tees show reports, all our usual features and, of…

Despite making a hugely successful comeback in 2022 after two years away due to Covid, the Great Dorset Steam Fair is to take a further break and the 2023 event has been cancelled due to, according to the organisers, massively increased costs and an uncertain financial outlook. In a statement issued by Show Director Martin Oliver on October 3, the organisers said that: “Following a thorough review of the 2022 show, it is with great sadness and disappointment that the Great Dorset Steam Fair Ltd Board of Directors have to announce that we will be taking a year’s break before running the next Great Dorset Steam Fair event, which will now be held over the August Bank Holiday weekend in 2024.” “This has been an extremely difficult decision for us…

We welcome photos of older lorries (15 years and older) that are still in service for publication in this section. We can accept contributions by email - cvc.ed@kelsey.co.uk, or by post to The Editor, Classic & Vintoge 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.…

Morris launched their semiforward-control 10cwt Series Y commercials just after the start of World War II in February 1940, initially in both van and pickup forms, replacing the Series II 10cwt commercials. The Series Y’s appearance was similar to direct competitor the Ford 10cwt E83W. The Series Y used the same 1548cc, 11.9hp sidevalve engine of its predecessor, off-set towards the passenger side, as evidenced by the position of the hole for the starting handle. The body was steel panelled with a traditional wooden roof clad in leathercloth. Easiclean wheels were fitted. The factory pickup truck was only built during 1940, but the van continued until 1948. Chassis cabs were available for coachbuilt bodies to be added. There was also a longwheelbase version produced during the war for military ambulance…