240 Gardner:
Looks like Battersea Park, the start of the HCVS London to Brighton Run - 1988?
As ever Chris your right.
Peter Davison sent me the picture below back in 2009 which he took in Battersey Park London at the start of the London to Brighton HCV run.
He told me at the time he was there with Bowker 47 along with yourself Chris.
Thank you Paul, I remember it well - it was our first trip to Brighton, and we had a great time. Of course, we didnât fully engage with the whole judging scene, and the shiny vans and buses.
If I remember rightly, that was the year we camped out on Paddington Wharf in my trailer tent on the front of the trailer, and which gave rise to one or two amusing incidents with the locals.
This stunning colour photograph, taken in 1960, shows Leyland Comet Reg No 60 DTE Fleet No 40 parked up on the right.
Registered new in October 1957, and driven from new by the late Tommy Bagot, it is seen here in W & J Ridingâs yard at Longridge.
Note all the sheets and ropes on the cab roof prior to loading up later in the yard with drums of triclorethylene.
On the left is 1948 registered four wheeler Leyland Beaver Reg No NVT 460 which was purchased in 1954 when six years old with itâs âSâ licenses from Preston BRS at Water Lane.
Ridingâs ran this vehicle for eight years as a draw-bar trailer outfit until 1962 when it was taken into Ridingâs own workshops and cut down and transformed into this 4X2 tractor unit pictured here belowâŚ
Operated on contract to Ridings by R J & I Wells Ltd of Great Eccleston ERF E14 6x2 tractor unit Reg No F240 YFR was named âFlyde Coasterâ.
Powered by a â â â â â â â 32O engine it was supplied brand new to R J & I Wells Ltd by W & J Riding on the 10th of February 1989, replacing Seddon Atkinson 401 series Reg No D720 LVU that they also had on contract.
Highly rated by its owners Reg No F240 YFR completed 800,000 km in the six years it was working for Ridingâs after which time, in 1995, it was sold on to K & P Iddon of Leyland
moomooland:
0Operated on contract to Ridings by R J & I Wells Ltd of Great Eccleston ERF E14 6x2 tractor unit Reg No F240 YFR was named âFlyde Coasterâ.
Powered by a â â â â â â â 32O engine it was supplied brand new to R J & I Wells Ltd by W & J Riding on the 10th of February 1989, replacing Seddon Atkinson 401 series Reg No D720 LVU that they also had on contract.
Highly rated by its owners Reg No F240 YFR completed 800,000 km in the six years it was working for Ridingâs after which time, in 1995, it was sold on to K & P Iddon of Leyland
Reading that article it dosenât surprise that Ridings switched to Atkinsons for the next 30 + years Wishing you a Happy and Peaceful New Year Tom ! Kind Regards Dennis.
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver 4X2 tractor unit Reg No TTE 540D Fleet No 51
was registered new on the 1st of February 1966 at a cost of ÂŁ3,129 6s 9d.
Powered by a 680 engine with 2 stick gearbox it was driven from new by the late Jimmy Holden who
was another long time serving Ridingâs man.
Pictured above in the depot at Longridge, coupled to one of Ridingâs standard 33 foot Crane Fruehauf
trailers, it was later sold on to Walter Southworth of Rufford on the 28th of February 1974 for ÂŁ950 plus vat.
Walter Southworth eventually went on to buy all of Ridingâs old tilt cab Beavers.
We know itâs a long shot but Tom Riding and myself have been looking for the âHoly Grailâ of Ridingâs.
A picture of either Reg No LTD 780F or KTF 280F which were the only two Atkinson rear steers that Ridingâs ever ran in their fleet.
Unfortunately although over the years Tom took many pictures of the vehicles in his fleet for some unknown reason he never took a picture of either of his rear steers and would love to see one if possible.
moomooland:
0 We know itâs a long shot but Tom Riding and myself have been looking for the âHoly Grailâ of Ridingâs.
A picture of either Reg No LTD 780F or KTF 280F which were the only two Atkinson rear steers that Ridingâs ever ran in their fleet.
Unfortunately although over the years Tom took many pictures of the vehicles in his fleet for some unknown reason he never took a picture of either of his rear steers and would love to see one if possible.
Obviously Tom had an inbuilt aversion to three axle units ! I hope we arenât embarking on another 8LXB/ Big J âthingyâ !! One is quite enough without Mr. Tom setting another hare running !! Well the Big J 8LXB has been running for over 10 years so why not a âRidings 6 X2â 'Ology !! Cheers Dennis , and Oh! All the Best to you both for 2019 .
moomooland:
0 We know itâs a long shot but Tom Riding and myself have been looking for the âHoly Grailâ of Ridingâs.
A picture of either Reg No LTD 780F or KTF 280F which were the only two Atkinson rear steers that Ridingâs ever ran in their fleet.
Unfortunately although over the years Tom took many pictures of the vehicles in his fleet for some unknown reason he never took a picture of either of his rear steers and would love to see one if possible.
Obviously Tom had an inbuilt aversion to three axle units ! I hope we arenât embarking on another 8LXB/ Big J âthingyâ !! One is quite enough without Mr. Tom setting another hare running !! Well the Big J 8LXB has been running for over 10 years so why not a âRidings 6 X2â 'Ology !! Cheers Dennis , and Oh! All the Best to you both for 2019 .
Well yes! In the 38T era he had only the one 6x2 tractor, and that was a conversion.
With so many brilliant photos in his collection, Iâm amazed that these two have slipped through his net!
moomooland:
0 We know itâs a long shot but Tom Riding and myself have been looking for the âHoly Grailâ of Ridingâs.
A picture of either Reg No LTD 780F or KTF 280F which were the only two Atkinson rear steers that Ridingâs ever ran in their fleet.
Unfortunately although over the years Tom took many pictures of the vehicles in his fleet for some unknown reason he never took a picture of either of his rear steers and would love to see one if possible.
Obviously Tom had an inbuilt aversion to three axle units ! I hope we arenât embarking on another 8LXB/ Big J âthingyâ !! One is quite enough without Mr. Tom setting another hare running !! Well the Big J 8LXB has been running for over 10 years so why not a âRidings 6 X2â 'Ology !! Cheers Dennis , and Oh! All the Best to you both for 2019 .
Well yes! In the 38T era he had only the one 6x2 tractor, and that was a conversion.
With so many brilliant photos in his collection, Iâm amazed that these two have slipped through his net!
PS Happy New Year Dennis! 3rd FebâŚ
And same to you Chris, well for the next eleven months at least, assuming of course the first month was uneventful !! Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
Questionâ did Tom ever run Coil Carriers ? I can recall plenty of the heavy flat stuff but canât recall ever seeing any Coilers ! Cheers Dennis
Yes he had 28 in total.
One Crane Fruehauf two M & G and 25 Municipal
All except the Fruehauf were converted 40 footers with tri-axle bogeys.
It probably was a silly question asking in the first place but of all the shots of Tomâs motors Iâve looked at on TNUK I canât recall seeing a Coiler ! Then Bingo MML produces one ! Cheers Dennis.
The mention of Municipal Trailers jogged my memory so does the name James Walmsley ( a.k.a. âPugwashâ) ring any bells with Tom. Jim Walmsley was in earlier years, I understand, Sales Director at BTC who mainly built 4 in lines. Iâm not just sure when Municipal started off at Bamber Bridge but Jim used to call on us in Milnthorpe but I never fancied their product though. IIRC he left Municipal and started flogging , and fitting , supplementary oil filters supposedly to extend oil changes by improving filtration which was alien to my idea of oil changes but I did try a couple on two â â â â â â â 220âs but took them off after a while as I had no confidence in the idea ! Cheers Dennis.
1972 registered Atkinson Borderer 4X2 tractor unit Reg No GTC 30K Fleet No 79 âFaithfulâ was powered by a standard Gardner 180 engine.
Pictured above while parked up in Keighley West Yorkshire it spent its first four years of service coupled to a Crane Fruehauf powder tank after which time it was relegated to the general haulage fleet were it is seen here coupled up to a tandem axle Municipal coil carrier.
Atkinson Borderer 4x2 tractor unit Reg No RTJ 640M Fleet No 4 âUnapproachableâ was powered by a Gardner 240 engine in line with an eight speed range change David Brown gearbox and Kirkstall D85 hub reduction axle.
Registered new by Ridingâs on the 1st of December 1973 at a cost of ÂŁ7,665.50p plus vat it was driven from new by Ted Bamber and spent its life running daily between Lancashire and the North East.
In June 1983, after ten years service, RTJ 640M was withdrawn broken up and scrapped but it is more than likely that, today, the reliable Gardner engine is still powering a junk somewhere in Hong Kong harbour.
Atkinson Borderer 4x2 tractor unit Reg No RTJ 640M Fleet No 4 âUnapproachableâ was powered by a Gardner 240 engine in line with an eight speed range change David Brown gearbox and Kirkstall D85 hub reduction axle.
Registered new by Ridingâs on the 1st of December 1973 at a cost of ÂŁ7,665.50p plus vat it was driven from new by Ted Bamber and spent its life running daily between Lancashire and the North East.
In June 1983, after ten years service, RTJ 640M was withdrawn broken up and scrapped but it is more than likely that, today, the reliable Gardner engine is still powering a junk somewhere in Hong Kong harbour.
It had been in a minor skirmish before this photo was taken, I think!
Cheers Dennis.
