Ray Smyth:
This Austin LD 1ton van, Reg.No. BEK 878, would have been new to Brian Nichols (Shopfitters)
about 1955. It was probably bought from H.H.Timberlake, the Main Dealer for Austin cars and
vans in Wigan. Picture is courtesy of Trucknet member "xkopite/Dave. Regards, Ray Smyth.
It’s an LD20. They were surprisingly lovely to drive in their day. I had one. 
. Robert
ERF-NGC-European:
Ray Smyth:
This Austin LD 1ton van, Reg.No. BEK 878, would have been new to Brian Nichols (Shopfitters)
about 1955. It was probably bought from H.H.Timberlake, the Main Dealer for Austin cars and
vans in Wigan. Picture is courtesy of Trucknet member "xkopite/Dave. Regards, Ray Smyth.It’s an LD20. They were surprisingly lovely to drive in their day. I had one.
Yes, I always enjoyed working on LD’s myself. Easy to work on, the engine came out through the passenger door. We repaired a few of the County ambulances and had to test them for missfires at around the 80 mph mark, quite exciting as they became rather lively at those speeds. They were fitted with high ratio crown wheels and pinions, we replaced the old low ratio ones fitted in the familiar split rear axle casings which had offset diffs to allow for low entry at the rear.That was way back in 1966 when I were but a lad aged 15 and Dennis Smith was well on the way to his first million! 
Pete.
oiltreader:
Thanks to Punchy Dan, DEANB and Buzzer for the pics
School kids in Scotland are on their fortnights “tattie holidays” at the moment, a bit of a misnomer nowadays, tho’ I remember it well, a shilling or two a day and backache, long gone.
A comparison, then and now.
Oily
Spud harvesting?
Todays picture from FB, in years gone by it was common to have a company picture with the drivers standing in front of there steeds, Buzzer.
windrush:
ERF-NGC-European:
Ray Smyth:
This Austin LD 1ton van, Reg.No. BEK 878, would have been new to Brian Nichols (Shopfitters)
about 1955. It was probably bought from H.H.Timberlake, the Main Dealer for Austin cars and
vans in Wigan. Picture is courtesy of Trucknet member "xkopite/Dave. Regards, Ray Smyth.It’s an LD20. They were surprisingly lovely to drive in their day. I had one.
Yes, I always enjoyed working on LD’s myself. Easy to work on, the engine came out through the passenger door. We repaired a few of the County ambulances and had to test them for missfires at around the 80 mph mark, quite exciting as they became rather lively at those speeds. They were fitted with high ratio crown wheels and pinions, we replaced the old low ratio ones fitted in the familiar split rear axle casings which had offset diffs to allow for low entry at the rear.That was way back in 1966 when I were but a lad aged 15 and Dennis Smith was well on the way to his first million!
Pete.
I used to drive one when the local grocer’s regular driver was on holiday. My stint was usually arranged when a collection of potatoes was due from a farm- handball both ends but luckily it was only a ton!
Ray Smyth:
This Austin LD 1ton van, Reg.No. BEK 878, would have been new to Brian Nichols (Shopfitters)
about 1955. It was probably bought from H.H.Timberlake, the Main Dealer for Austin cars and
vans in Wigan. Picture is courtesy of Trucknet member "xkopite/Dave. Regards, Ray Smyth.
After leaving he buses and before getting a lorry on car delivery spending a few months on trade plates I remember(not too fondly) delivering from Cowley a Morris LD front end to Beadles of Dartford, cold frosty morning 5.00amish, wouldn’t start, lit paraffin soaked rag, air filter off and bingo, a front end sometimes called a scuttle, windscreen and drivers seat, that was it, took forever to thaw out after a trip, the good old days…yes
Oily
Hi Buzzer, I can remember those Pattulo Barr from Dundee Albions passing through Carlisle frequently back in the late 1950s probably taking seed potatoes south, a lot were grown around Dundee and a great deal of care was required to cover the load with straw and then two sheets to protect them from frost. I once loaded 14 tons seed tatties on my ERF 66GX about 1970 from the Dundee area back to West ■■■■■■■■■■ Farmers depot at Cockermouth which I seem to remember took place one day in November with the risk of frost overnight.
Cheers, Leyland 600.
Thanks to DEANB for the pics
Neat trailer load.
Oily
DEANB:
I assume this was someone elses sleeper pod rather than Volvo’s ■■ I have never seen one ?1
0
You need to examine my old thread on Long-Haul Cab Packs! Here’s the link:
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=118844&hilit=long+haul+cab+packs
Robert 
A sequence of pics of a wind turbine blade being moved from Cairns to Mount Emerald in Far North Queensland. The blades are 57 metres long. Dolly wheels at rear have a hydraulic power pack for steering. There are 169 blades to be shifted, one per day, so will take until next April or May for the lot. They have to be transported a long way round as the shortest roads are too winding. Obviously a Mercedes prime mover. Also caught the Kenworth 8 wheel stock feeds truck passing.
Defo past, sends shivers down the spine
My long time friend Peter Walsh of Bootle, Merseyside, driving for Bogg Transport of Hull in 1966, aged 21.
When he was aged 19, he started work as a driver with Jarvis Robinson Transport of Bootle, at first driving
a little Commer that weighed under 3 tons unladen. The “Krona” pictures are from 1984, when Peter was
driving for Van Den Berghs & Jurgens at Bromborough, Wirral. Regards, Ray Smyth.
Thanks to Silverdale, coomsey and Ray Smyth for the pics
The lugged treads don’t appear to wear well on tarmac.
Oily
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