We ran five in total. Two 1964 Guy Otter rigids with luton van bodies with Gardner 120 4 cylinder and one 1965 the same and two Big J tractor units with 180 Gardners.
The biggest problem we had was cab rot on the Otters, but one thing we discovered that caused us to carry on using them was the availability of parts. During the same time we ran Leyland group vehicles and parts were always problems, even ordering VOR. Service at the Leyland franchise parts departments were dreadful, and we dealt with many throughout the UK, however this was not the case with Guy which still traded as an independent company.
With regard to the Otters we were initially worried how we would locate spare parts when we needed them,as it was a relatively rare vehicle with not many buit, but soon found that we could open an account directly with Guy at Wolverhampton. When we wanted anything we just went down, or got a driver, who was passing to call at the factory in Wolverhampton and always everything was there directly off the shelf.
At the same time I remember we had a new Lynx that had gearbox problems and was towed into Ford and Slater at Leicester. We were greatly enthused to hear them tell us that they had six other vehicles parked up waiting for gearboxes and delivery was quoted at six months. Michael Edwards had just taken over at BL and appointed a new managing director (I forget his name) at Leyland trucks and that week there was an article in Commercial Motor saying how he intended to sort things out. My dad telephoned him; booking a person to person telephone call which was a service promoted by British Telecom at that time. Strongly within about half an hour dad was telling him our problem and he assured dad that there would be a gearbox at Ford and Slater within seven days, which there was.
However Guy had all parts available off the shelf. Leyland had so much to learn from Guy, but it was fools paradise in Lancashire as the company that ruined the British Commercial vehicle industry thought they had everything right, closing the likes of AEC and Guy.