Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2025 i Classic & Vintage Commercials

The British road haulage industry underwent some fundamental changes in the mid-sixties. The old order gave way to the new and the most significant change of all was an increasing trend towards articulated vehicles. After British-built eight-wheelers had dominated the long distance haulage scene for decades, new legislation brought about a surge in demand for 32ton artics and a consequent flood of European imports from the likes of Volvo, Scania and others. It has to be said that British manufacturers had had it all their own way for so long that a certain degree of complacency had set in. Consequently they found themselves struggling to adapt to the new world and they were hampered further by ill-thought-out weights and dimensions laid down in the new 1964 C & U Regulations.…

YORKSHIRE AND LONDON I read with interest Peter Davies’ piece on the Yorkshire lorry in the November 2025 issue. Though the lorry seems to have been short-lived, I believe that the brand may have continued through into quite recent decades as a manufacturer of municipal vehicle hardware. I recall seeing the name among the exhibitors at annual dustcart shows I attended. The operator’s name R Cornell on the Maudslay ballast tractor on page 23 also caught my eye. I don’t recall ever coming across that name before, other than that of one of the Kray twins’ murder victims. Ronnie Kray shot George Cornell, a member of the rival Richardson gang, in the Blind Beggar pub in 1966. The fact that R Cornell Ltd worked in and around the London Docks,…

The Bedford CA 10/12cwt Van was launched in 1952, with a 90in. wheelbase, 16in. road wheels and a split windscreen. There was a small external bonnet flap, with a large lift-off engine cover inside the cab for most maintenance access. The engine was a 1507cc Vauxhall Wyvern E-type unit, replaced in 1957 by the engine from the Vauxhall Victor F-type, also of 1507cc, at which point 15in. wheels were fitted. In 1959, the CA was restyled with a single piece windscreen and new grille, plus a longer wheelbase version was offered, with a 15cwt van option. It was facelifted again in 1964 to become the Mk2 with a bigger windscreen, bigger bonnet flap and pressed alloy grille, and the 1594cc Vauxhall Victor FB engine was fitted from 1965. Production ended…

Last month I began our look at AEC Mk II & III lorries with the traditional vertical grille. As well as the mass-market producers, this sector of the market was also covered by several of the low volume specialist model manufactureres. Locotech A model of an AEC four-wheel flat lorry was made by Locotech, probably representing a MkII Matador of the late 1930s. It was sold as a resin kit in 1/43 scale, making its cab bigger than on the other models listed here. My example has been painted in a plain brown and red colour scheme. I haven’t been able to find out much about Locotech, such as who established the company or when, although I understand that they were based in Herne Bay and that the range was…

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“I am not an owner driver. I am an owner operator.” That was Robert Wakefield’s response when, at the start of our interview for this feature, I asked him to tell me how and why he decided to become a self employed owner driver. However, he quickly went on to explain why the two are different, and why he falls into the second category. “An owner driver works under contract to one company who set the rate and provide the work. An owner operator will work for anyone who accepts his price for doing the job, and also chooses his work.” How widespread that understanding of the difference is I wouldn’t really like to say, but I do totally get how Robert sees it. As is so often the case,…

Cheffins finished off their trio of Vintage Collective Sales at Sutton, Cambridgeshire on 17-18 October 17-18, writes Peter Love. As usual, there was a significant commercial vehicle entry, and while not everything sold, a good number did find new homes. It all started with a 1995 Iveco Cargo 7.5 recovery N526DPP with winch and good cab and no reserve was got away at just £700. Things got better from there on when the 1999 Foden Alpha 2000 ex Hughes Enterprises 16ton flat with beavertail sold for £4200. Next on was the 1977 Ford D series long wheelbase with metal grain tipper bodywork in T Frances & Sons blue colours. With good tyres all-round and a sound cab it got to £4000. It contrasted with the dry stored, but bashed about…

Early September saw the three day Heart of Wales Run take to the roads of North Wales. Starting from Shrewsbury, the route headed north to Wrexham before heading west through Coedpoeth before heading to Ruthin and Debigh. That was followed by a scenic trip along the A543 to Pentrefoelas, a route known as The Roof of Wales. After a lunch stop, it was on to Llanberis with the second day offering the chance to visit Halen Mon, the Anglesey Sea Salt factory as well as a trip on the train to the summit of Mount Snowdon. The final day saw the vehicles return to Shrewsbury, with the main challenge being the climb up the Llanberis Pass with a stop at the Glan-y-Gors racing circuit providing a welcome break. All in…

It came as something of a surprise to realise that it is now 60 years since the Ergo cab came on to the commercial scene. I do believe that my employers at the time, the Pointer Group of Norwich, were among the first to acquire a fleet of vehicles with this new revolutionary cab. I started working for Pointers in 1960, in the maintenance department at Guardian Road, Norwich. The workshop was directly behind the Group’s head office. At that time the fleet was a bit of a mixture; I recall that we had AECs, Guys, Leylands and probably more, but nothing especially outstanding. However, in the mid-1960s a change happened. The fleet expanded significantly, and an order was placed with Leyland for 104 new Beaver tractor units, all with…

JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS! MERCEDES 1417 Fabulous restoration! COMMER VC8 When Robert Wakefield isn’t using his 2003 MAN to earn, he spends much of his spare time driving and looking after this fine TS3-engined Commer tipper… AUSTIN VA Back in the days before Amazon or Evri, this was how many Christmas presents were delivered. MORRIS MINOR Mike Neale tells the story of an even older Post Office Morris. PLUS: Pt2 of our Scania LB110-140 analysis, a fabulous final selection of images from the Alan Robinson/Papworth Coachworks archive, more working old lorries then and now, all our usual features and, because it’s Christmas, one or two more surprises than usual! These features are all planned at the time of going to press. We reserve the right to make changes and…

Following their massively successful dispersal auction of the McGovern Collection last year, Doncaster-based CVA held another off-site dedicated sale on Saturday October 11, this time in March, Cambridgeshire. Lead vendors were John Thomas who was offering several lots from the well-known Ken Thomas collection, and Craig’s of Denny, a firm with whom Ken Thomas have enjoyed a friendly relationship for many years. There were also several entries from other companies and private preservationists. The core of the Ken Thomas and Craig’s of Denny entries was superbly restored vehicles that have become well-known on the show circuit, with the top seller being 1987 DAF 2800 Ati turbo 4x2 sleeper tractor DAF10V. Absolutely stunning throughout, the subject of a last nut and bolt restoration and a rather rare lorry to boot, it…

As we saw last time, the D-Series represented a massive change in direction for Ford’s commercial vehicle operation. Not only was the lorry itself new, but Ford’s whole approach to it was different. Ford in America had given Ford GB the resources they needed to do the job, but they had also made very clear indeed that the days of half-hearted sales and marketing of commercial vehicles were over. No longer were the Thames range (prior to 1965, Ford GB didn’t even use its own name on its commercial vehicles) to be an also-ran, with a sales operation that consisted basically of taking orders for the cheapest lorry possible. It was now all or nothing; if Ford UK wanted to be in the commercial vehicle business it needed to do…

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The first weekend in October is the traditional date for the Jolly Boys Run with the 2025 event seeing approaching 30 vehicles take to the road in Derbyshire. This year saw a new starting point, namely The Moorlands Restaurant at Owler Bar, a few miles south-west of Sheffield. From here the route headed through Bakewell and Buxton before heading along the challenging Long Hill Road towards Whaley Bridge. From there it was on to Glossop, and skirting Sheffield itself before heading back towards the finishing point at The Tap Room, part of Thornbridge Brewery in Bakewell. All in all some 107 miles. Again there was plenty of scenery to enjoy, with a few climbs thrown in for good measure, making this a run that is well worth a visit.…

The date is August 1989, the location is the M6 motorway and while we can’t be 100% certain, we think this photograph was taken just west of Sphagetti Junction. Look closely, and you can see why the Mitsubishi Gallant has come to a halt; the nearside front tyre is flat. It was, however, one of many vehicles to suffer that fate on that day, as a motorcycle dispatch rider had inadvertently dropped a load of hypodermic needles all over the carriageway, resulting in punctures and queues galore. Lorry wise, it’s interesting to note that there’s still a significant presence of British lorries evident, starting with the ERF C series eight-wheeler operated by Besblock of Telford. They are still around, and still operating a fleet of orange lorries, though the business was…