DEANB:
Found this pic in truck magazine Paul.
Thanks for that Dean, note that it’s a P Reg Atkinson Borderer which is very unusual.
Amongst other things the article referred to Atkinson Borderer 4x2 tractor unit Reg No JTB 888P Fleet No 25 ‘Bright Star’
In his own words and in fine detail Tom Riding recalls the full story behind Reg No JTB 888P …
"Originally our Atkinson Borderer 4x2 tractor unit Reg No GRN 137N Fleet No 86 ‘Splendid’ was registered new by us on the 1st of November 1974 at a cost of £9,415.21p plus vat.
Powered by a Gardner 240 engine it unfortunately caught fire in 1981 while climbing the long assent on the M62 between Junctions 21 and 22 near Rochdale.
The fire was caused by sound insulation material dropping on to the hot exhaust manifold resulting in the vehicle being totally burnt out and warping the chassis.
To all intents and purposes it should have been scrapped except that the engine and running units only suffered superficial damage and were repairable.
I looked around and discovered that D & F Services of Bamber Bridge, who i had used for years, had in fact a rolling chassis, minus the cab, identical to the warped one i needed to replace.
This chassis turned out to be ex Suttons 4x2 tractor unit Reg No JTB 888P which had been registered new to Suttons on the 13th of November 1975 making it virtually one of the last Atkinson Borderer’s before the launch of the ‘400 Series’ hence the late ‘P’ registration plate.
I duly bought it complete with its logbook and using parts we had about us at Longridge, including a spare cab, it was rebuilt for a total of £3,765 and put back into service as Fleet No 25 named ‘Bright Star’.
After three years service with us i then sold it on to John Killingbeck of Blackburn for £3,000 plus vat in February 1984.
My Lords Ladies and Gentlemen this is the true record and the true story regarding Atkinson Borderer Reg No JTB 888P.
We just loved to bugger about with Atkinson’s".