Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2023 i Heritage Commercials

Welcome to the August 2023 issue of Heritage Commercials. To start this month off, Brian Culpan writes about a rare Ford 11Y closed cab truck, which is then followed by the final part of Michael Marshall’s feature on recovery lorries from years gone by. Ed Burrows is next with his piece on another fantastic restoration job by Ken and Ray Walsh, this time it’s a 1941 spec Leyland Beaver. After that, we have a plethora of show reports sent in by Joseph Lewis, Patrick Boniface, Russ Harvey and Mat Ireland featuring: The High Weald Steam Working Weekend, the Wrotham Classic Transport Rally, the Festival of Transport (Barry Island), the Cuckoo Fayre at Laughton and the Hadlow Down Traction Engine and Historic Vehicle Rally. After all that, Mike and Julie Blenkinsop…

The Transport Museum Wythall has launched an appeal to help restore a rare Guy Arab. Wolverhampton Corporation Transport SUK 3 is a Guy Arab, but an Arab with a difference. This bus has an early MCW Orion body but as far as its engine is concerned, it’s rather different, a wolf in sheep’s clothing! The standard Arab engine was a Gardner in either 5LW 7 litre or 6LW 8.4 litre form. However, the bigger units available in the AEC Regent and Leyland Titan PD2 had not gone unnoticed at Guy. Next door to Guy was the Meadows engine factory while, over the road, was one of the depots of Wolverhampton Corporation Transport (WCT). Constructive talks between the two resulted in the development of the Meadows 6DC, a powerful 10.35 litre…

In 1955, an MoD directive pronounced a need for a wireless-house body for the Humber FV1600. Marshall Motor Bodies of Cambridge were tasked with producing a house-type pod to create a wireless truck; around 400wereretrofitted to Humbers which had their general service cargo bodies removed. A set of steps was strapped to the back to provide access to the interior and aerial mast-pole support brackets were fitted to the sides of the exterior. They were designated FV1604 (A) and weighed in at 3,980kg (approx. 4 tons) and 5,200kg fully kitted-up (5.2 tons). It seems that the later production vehicles were chosen from chassis number 43300 although this is not ‘cast in stone’, as we personally owned chassis 43376 which theoretically should have been a radio van but was fitted with…

I love the Kelsall show, there’s always so much to see, where a healthy smattering of brand new trucks line up alongside classics from all decades. But there is also a field set aside for a display of ERFs and Fodens, with the emphasis on the former. The previous record for ERFs on show here was 248 in 2019. Then came the pandemic – 2020’s show was cancelled as was 2021’s while 2022’s was a little subdued. But 2023 had really made up for it, and this year’s saw the show break the record for the number of ERFs on display in one place. And it means one place – that’s the number of ERFs in the same field – there were a few others dotted around elsewhere in the…

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Cancer Research UK was the main beneficiary of a wonderful weekend of steam engines at Tinkers Park in East Sussex for the 57th Hadlow Down Traction Engine and Historic Vehicle Rally. The charity has been at the heart of this event for many years and visitors and exhibitors have achieved the astonishing total of in excess of a quarter of a million pounds so far. This year’s event was blessed with fine weather that drew in thousands of visitors to see the behemoths of steam together with vintage road transports. This year’s event attracted many vehicles including the beautifully displayed 1940 Bristol K5G open top bus. This bus was built with a Gardner engine and ECW bodywork and was delivered new to Brighton Hove and District Bus Company but with…

It was 1956 when Austin announced an addition to its commercial range in the shape of the A35 pick-up. Assembly commenced during December at Longbridge, Birmingham with deliveries to dealers being dispatched from the factory early in 1957. The utility came with the then new 948cc A-series motor, it was independently sprung using coil springs at the front, plus hydraulic shock absorbers all round. It sat on some pressed-steel disc wheels that were painted black, shod with cross-ply tubeless tyres. I caught up with Harry Douglas custodian of the Austin A35 pick-up that you see before you, in Thatcham, in Berkshire. Harry, as well as being an active member is the Secretary of the Austin A30/35 Owners club. His utility (pick-up) carries body number PU175, with chassis number AK5 LCS…

Minor 1000 Pick-ups Two lovely examples of the Morris Minor 1000 pick-up. The maroon/burgundy one is owned by a spectator who was watching the Beamish Reliability Run at the Bainbridge lunch stop in June. The blue one was spotted at a Ripley Castle event. Nina Smith Hebden Bridge CHARLIE WATERS hc.ed@kelsey.co.uk Heritage Commercials, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent. Mystery Lorry – Further Identification We have another confirmation that the mystery Military lorry pictured on page 15 of the June issue of Heritage Commercials (see image) is a Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer, ex-military. Manufactured in Austria by Steyr-Daimler-Puch. This was sent in by Nina Smith, Hebden Bridge. PHOTOS WANTED We’ve had a letter in from Tim Oxtoby, who is really struggling to find some photos of a wagon…

Following-on from my previous article on recovery lorries; or wreckers or breakdown vehicles as they are also known; I thought that I would provide another selection of images from my archives. As before, this selection is taken from vehicles I have encountered on my travels from years gone by. Also, like my previous article, it includes former Army vehicles which found their way into civilian hands when sold-on into commercial use from military service. It features a Scammell Explorer 6x6 dating from the early fifties, which was still in Army use when I photographed it in 1982. These photographs were taken by the author at various locations over the years and it should be remembered that most of the photographs included here were taken a long time ago, so many…

“The latest news, Ed, is that our infamy knows no bounds,” boasts Ken Walsh. “A chap found his way to The Den. Apart from local council records, its address doesn’t appear anywhere – which showed his determination. “Bill Aldridge, his name. He said he knew of us by reputation. He wanted to know if we’d be interested in restoring a truck for the East Lancashire Railway.” Ray Walsh kept silent, thinking to himself: ‘A railway truck? What’s this chap on about? We restore vehicles that run on rubber tyres on tarmac – not steel wheels on steel track.’ Ken continues: “Bill Aldridge went on to explain that he is an East Lancashire Railway volunteer. The truck is actually a type TSC 18 Leyland Beaver flatbed, assembled in 1941 from spares.…

The Cardiff Transport Passenger Group (www.ctpg.co.uk) were behind organising this annual event. Marketed by them as a Fun Family Day Out. The event took place on Sunday 11th June 2023, in their advance publicity said… “Come to Barry, free to enter, see Heritage and Modern Buses, Classic Cars and enjoy a free Heritage Bus trips from the Island to the local Barry bus depot… sand, sea, and more!” What more could you ask for, sunshine? Well we had plenty of that too. The only thing missing was the lack of commercials, plenty of buses, loads of cars but very few vans. That said there was a stunning Thames (Anglia) van owned by Andrew Davey.…

The annual CVRTC show at the Heritage motor museum was held at the start of June. Blazing sunshine was found throughout the weekend, ironically making a photographer’s job a bit of a nightmare! This year, there did not seem to be quite as many exhibitors outside, and with a lot more modern trucks in the parking some grumbles were certainly noticed. Personally however, it filled the spaces up a little more. The standard of restorations was exceptionally high, with a few I have not seen on the circuit before. There is also a huge model show that happens each year held inside the hall, with modellers travelling from as far as Denmark and the Czech Republic to attend and compete. With its laid back atmosphere, fantastic weather and also entrance…