AEC Mercury 4x2 tractor unit Reg No 470 OTB Fleet No 54 was a brand new addition to the W & J Riding fleet in 1960.
Nicknamed ‘Our Tom’s Baby’ it was bought in preference to a Super-Comet and was in fact the only AEC ever to enter service with W & J Riding.
Tom Riding recalls… "Fitted with a 5 speed gearbox and 2 speed axle it had excellent brakes and was very nice to drive.
Unfortunately, in my experience, the AEC engine could not take the same pain as the Leyland or Gardner engines and engine life was always it’s problem which resulted in us only ever having this single AEC in our fleet".