Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2025 i Classic & Vintage Commercials

Until 1962 the Mk.1 cab hadn’t changed significantly but the company evidently thought it was time to modernise their image and they announced what they described as the ‘Full-front De-Luxe’ version, later dubbed the ‘Bodyline’. This did away with the outside radiator and just had a small slatted grille. It also featured four headlamps. While the new style cab wasn’t that popular it sold in modest numbers while the old ‘outside rad’ version continued in production. One Bodyline feature that did survive was its four-headlamp arrangement which was then adopted across the range. Still eager to advance its cab designs, Atkinson launched a completely new alternative to the Mk.1 in 1964, called the ‘Guardsman’. Once again it failed to take off and was promptly dropped. The last attempt, perhaps marginally…

The annual Buxton Boys Run started out some years ago as, basically, a few lorry-owning friends going out for the day. Since then it’s grown, under the stewardship of Julie and Andy Dyson, into a larger event attracting 30-40 participants, while still retaining the atmosphere of a fun run out for friends. For 2024 a new route was used, starting and finishing at Stadon Lane in Buxton, and taking in Whaley Bridge, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Peak Forest and Bakewell, before finishing back at the Buxton start-point. Vehicles taking part ranged in age and size from a 1928 Ford Model T to a 1995 ERF EC14; here’s a selection of them.…

After WW2, the prewar bonneted Commer Superpoise went back into production. This had an upright grille with separate headlights to either side. 2-ton Q2 and 3-4-ton Q3 versions had a Commer six-cylinder 20.92hp sidevalve petrol engine developing 80bhp, whilst the 15cwt Q15 and 25cwt Q25 had a four-cylinder 13.95hp sidevalve petrol engine. A MkII Superpoise was launched in 1948 with more rounded styling and headlamps faired into the front wings. Like its predecessor, it had a single piece windscreen. There were two wheelbases, 10ft 2in and 12ft 11in, with 2-3-ton, 3-4-ton and 4-5-ton versions. The 1951 MkIII was fitted with a 4139cc 6-cylinder OHV petrol engine developing 85bhp, shared with the Humber Super Snipe MkIV, or a Perkins diesel, and there was a four-speed gearbox and servo-assisted Girling hydraulic brakes.…

Many readers are probably familiar with the Enfield Pageant of Motoring, which has been running for 45 years. This is the main fundraising event for the Whitewebbs Museum of Transport, which is housed in a former Pumping Station building in Enfield, and is well worth a visit, with commercial and emergency services vehicles making up a significant part of the collection, as well as cars, motorcycles, model railways and vintage toys. The story of the museum goes back to the 1960s, when a small group of car enthusiasts formed the Enfield District Veteran Vehicle Society, meeting once a month in a pub in Ponders End. This grew, and at their AGM in 1978 they agreed to set up a Trust with the aim of building a museum and workshop to…

With spring on the way, many of our thoughts turn to light summer evenings which bring with them the prospect of evening old-vehicle events. These have increased in number in recent years, and one which also attracts commercials is the Thornes Park gathering in Wakefield. Organised by the Fleur-de-lys Classic Vehicle Society, this Friday evening July event had been absent from the calendar for a couple of years, but made a very welcome return in 2024, with vehicles spread out over the park as far as the eye can see. There are literally hundreds of onlookers enjoying the spectacle, and of-course there are some commercials to be admired too. Here are some of the vehicles seen on the field that evening.…

Back in 1964, London was undergoing extensive development, as this wonderful period image of Euston Road shows. For those unfamiliar with our capital, Euston Road runs from King’s Cross station in the East to Great Portland Street in the West, passing Euston Station in the way. The current Euston station was being built when this photograph was taken, a project resulting in the demolition of the old station’s Doric Arch and Great Hall, and which was condemned widely. Anyway, in this view we see a typical British Railways Scammell Scarab and semi-trailer of the era, engaged on moving parcels between London termini. Behind that we have a pair of Thames Traders while a little further down there’s a Bedford A and, just visible behind the taxi, we see the windscreen shape…

AEC MATADOR New restoration by a young but highly skilled enthusiast! THAMES ET6 Peter Davies begins a new in-depth look at this popular Ford product. TANKS A LOT An interesting 1980s selection, courtesy of Carl Johnston ALFA ROMEO PICK-UP Yes, really! And it had a twin overhead cam engine as standard! PLUS: Milkman’s memories (held over from this issue) another selection of Papworth Coachworks images, Pt2 of Commer Superpoise models, all our regular features plus a couple of surprises and the start of the 2025 Events Diary! These features are all planned at the time of going to press. We reserve the right to make changes and amendments if necessary.…

EAST COAST FLOODS Reading about and seeing the images of the North Sea Flood on the UK’s east coast in 1953 reminded me of my late father’s involvement in the event. At the time, he was driving for British Road Services at Outlane, near Huddersfield, which was the former depot of Gee’s Transport that had been nationalised. BRS had substituted four of Gee’s ageing tipper lorries with new Seddons, powered by the dependable Perkins P6 diesel. The loads carried were varied, from coal, redash, and road construction to bricks, bulk cement, and building site work. However, all of this was put on hold due to the flooding and the tippers and drivers were sent to the BRS depot in Grantham to draw diesel and perform maintenance for the duration of…

I recently caught up with Simon Lewis from Abergavenny in South Wales who has been the proud custodian of this Ford Escort Mk2 van for over 35 years. HDW 351W was registered 1st October 1980, with DW confirming its Welsh heritage, it was one of the last Ford Escort Mk2 vans to roll off the production line, late August 1980. The van was an ‘Escort 45’ powered by the 1300 (1298cc) engine making it the 9-cwt van version. The original purchaser was British Gas and the van was destined to be used in the South Wales area, Simon has established it saw service based in and around Newport, Gwent. British Gas (or ‘Nwy’ in Wales) was privatised in 1986, using its ‘Tell Sid’ advertising campaign. This van, however, was sold…

Each year, the August bank holiday Shrewsbury Steam Rally is a must for the enthusiast, with over 1000 exhibits on display representing all forms of transport. As the name implies, the main emphasis is on steam. But it also attracts strong support from all other sectors of road transport preservation; cars, bikes, buses and tractors are all there too. But the commercials are also an extremely important part of the show with well over 100 on site this year. Many of these are locally-based, including some which aren’t seen that often outside the immediate area. Others, however, travel some distance to take part. Anyway, here are some of the highlights of the superb display.…

Awonderful piece of heavy haulage from times past! 1962 is the year, and we see an 85ft long absorption tower being hauled through the Dukinfield, near Manchester, by Edward Beck & Sons 1959 Foden S20 heavy duty ballast tractor. This was the pride of their fleet and known as ‘The Big Bopper.’ The tower is near the start of a long and slow journey from its manufacturers Woodhall Duckham to the Coleshill coal preparation plant near Birmingham. Here coal was washed, crushed into manageable sizes and stored prior to sale. Its working life was, however, short as it closed in 1967, a year before the mine that was its principal source of product. By contrast, the Big Bopper, despite being written off following fire damage in 1967, still exists today.…