Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2024 i Heritage Commercials

Another book for your coffee table from Amberley Publishing and this one is all about the history of travel and transport in Glasgow. As the author explains, public transport in Glasgow has changed beyond recognition from when he was a boy. From when he travelled by trolleybus or a tram, a steam train and even a paddle steamer. The steam-powered railway gave way to electric and diesel, paddle steamers disappeared as did ferries, ships and shipyards. Modern buses took over from trams and trolleybuses, while the horse and cart were replaced by first petrol and then diesel vans and lorries. Having lived through a lot of these changes, the author gives the reader a nostalgic look back over more than 100 years of transport development in Glasgow, with the help…

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While my wife Anita and I were at the Jersey Joe event on 14 April, we met Jim Read, who invited us to another event he was organising the following weekend. This was at the Lodge Farm Caféjust off the A17 at Holbeach. As it’s only about an hour from where we live, we thought we’d go early and have breakfast in the caféand very nice it was too. It was just a small gathering compared to the previous weekend but nonetheless very enjoyable. It was nice to meet Mark Wilkes again who was there supporting his good mate Jim Read, and after spending time chatting with some of the lorry drivers along with Mark and Jim and giving my wife enough time to take some photographs we left after…

The starting point for this meet was of course Lymm Truckstop where the lorries gather ahead of their 90-mile journey through the Cheshire countryside while their owners compare notes over a bacon roll and a coffee. I was pleased to see one or two lorries which I hadn’t previously photographed at this event and as it’s one of the first big events on the calendar I have provided HC readers with a selection of some of my favourites.…

General Motors initially only assembled trucks in Britain from parts manufactured at its Canadian works, until November 1925 when CM purchased Vauxhall Motors, with production transferred in 1929 to Luton, Vauxhall’s headquarters. From then on, the vehicles still had something of a trans-Atlantic flavour and this was to set the tone for the early production vehicles. These AC and LQ light vans, produced at Luton dubbed ‘Chevrolet-Bedfords’ were produced from 1929 to 1931 at which point the Chevrolet badge was dropped and the first true Bedford lorry, a two-tonner, was built but visually was almost identical to its LQ predecessor. Its 11-foot wheelbase was joined by a 13-foot derivative and this in turn sired two bus chassis, designated WHB and WLB. All utilised the straight-six OHV petrol engine, so by…

When I reflect on the 1970s and my younger years, I always think it was a time when there was a real excitement in the Road Haulage industry as the Continental truck makers had started to make a real impact on the British HGV market, as Paul Fox explains. It was also a time when British lorry makers started to fight back. The scene was set for an era of operators having a choice of lorries all boasting driver comforts, tilt cabs with factory fitted sleeper cab options and power ratings of 240/290hp being common. DAF, Scania, Volvo, Mercedes, Fiat, MAN, Saviem, Berliet, Renault, Magrius Deutz et al, were offering models which were fitted with sleeper cabs that were more appealing to drivers. Ease of access, smooth gear changes, ease…

The sun was out, with blue skies and some rather nice lorries lined up ready to go. The route took in beautiful views, steep hills and sharp bends. I left my 92-year-old dad to travel in a rather nice Bedford while I went off to find a good photo location. After a short while the lorries came into view and what a sight they were with their beautiful liveries.…

The event was organised by Richard Pocock and the Berwick St John Country Fayre committee with proceeds going to the Berwick Charity, the Stars Appeal at Salisbury Hospital. The Berwick Country Fayre held every two years on the second weekend in September (14 and 15 September 2024) does not currently have a working field area. With the help of the Landowner, an area was provided for this purpose and the working event took place in April. The aim was also to bring people together as so many early season ploughing matches and outdoor events have been cancelled. A small selection of commercials had brought tractors to the event. One of the gems was a Mercedes Benz 704D owned by Dave Hunt from Romsey, Hampshire. This was previously a local truck…

Some of you may know I love truck publicity brochures from the 1970s, 1980s and through to the current day. They serve as a lovely reminder of the trucks I grew up with as a kid. Many of the brochures in my collection - which isn’t as big as I’d like or a patch on the serious collectors - I can still remember getting when they were new - either picking them up at the NEC Motor Show (which thankfully for me was close to where I lived at the time). Or others were acquired by writing grovelling letters to the manufacturers. I’ve lamented that all too often these days, publicity brochures are only downloadable, but DAF still produces quality and informative publications to show off its wares - you…

Regarding the query from John Crisp in the May Edition of HC, John has asked three separate questions. There are DVLA info sheets or forms which gives answers to each of John’s questions, but possibly not always the answers that John was looking for. The first question about the Historic Vehicle Tax is contained in the DVLA info sheet INF34 called ‘Taxing Historic Vehicles’. Basically a vehicle registered in February 1984 will be eligible to tax as an historic vehicle from 1st April 2025. One of the main exclusions is that a historic tax class vehicle can’t be used for hire or reward. Also that a vehicle can’t be used commercially in connection with a trade or business. The second question relates to vehicle testing. The list of vehicles that…

A service of remembrance for Alan Gordon Fry was held at The Church of St Margaret, Tintinhull, near Yeovil, Somerset on Thursday, 11 April. This was followed by refreshments at Tintinhull Village Hall and Committal at Yeovil Crematorium at 4pm. Alan Fry from Yeovil, Somerset was a well-known figure on the south-west rally circuit with his Showman’s traction engines and equally impressive Scania trucks and low loader transport. A level of this respect was reflected in two of Terry Sleeman’s steam traction engines ‘Onward’ and ‘Earl Haig’ coming from Cornwall and Martin Oliver from the Great Dorset Steam Fair giving the tribute. Alan was conveyed to The Church of St Margaret on a Lampert trailer owned by Steve Dunster and pulled by the Fry family’s old engine ‘Princess Royal’ now…

The Anglesey Motor Museum is more commonly known as Tacla Taid and is home to more than 100 classic vehicles dating from the 1920s. It has been featured on television several times, including comedian and presenter Gryff Rhys Jones’s program A Great Welsh Adventure. Anglesey has a long history, and its English name has been adapted from the Old Norse for “Hook Island”. It has other claims to motoring fame as in 1947 local engineer Maurice Wilks designed the first Land Rover. The iconic Series One was based on the Willys Jeep, and this four-wheel drive utility vehicle can now fetch premium prices. Staying on the motoring theme, the island has its own racing circuit at Ty Croes. Built on an old military base it plays host to a variety…