Thought I would post this picture here, it is was a prime candidate for preservation at the time. Used regularly with a fun fair, aluminium body and all original as far as I could see at the time. Originally owned by the Whitbread Brewery so it would have had regular servicing no doubt…BUT…I believe it ended up as scrap unless anyone out there knows different. The picture was taken in the early 80’s in Bassetts Park, Wellingborough, Northants.I also agree, the Mk 5 was a superb looking motor (and I’ve mentioned before on TN) it changed lorry design and everyone followed the trend. The Mk 5 had a step in front of the first axle wheel, a simple modification to the normal thinking of heavy lorries, no more climbing up the wheel to gain access to the cab. The windscreens were very low giving better visibility for the driver and the gearbox was situated further back which meant the gear stick wasn’t along side your leg but tucked away at the back of the cab. Most modern day lorries cab designs have the AEC Mk 5 to thank for ease of access, the idea still works perfectly and it would be hard to better it now.
Superb looking lorry. Coincidentally the same age as my Mercury artic. In my opinion, AEC were about the best designed and best engineered vehicles of their period.
Just had a thought- why was it that the Ergo AECs seemed so superior to the Leyland and Albion (same thing, I suppose) versions? They seemed much smoother, somehow.
Retired Old ■■■■:
Superb looking lorry. Coincidentally the same age as my Mercury artic. In my opinion, AEC were about the best designed and best engineered vehicles of their period. Just had a thought- why was it that the Ergo AECs seemed so superior to the Leyland and Albion (same thing, I suppose) versions? They seemed much smoother, somehow.
Retired Old ■■■■:
Superb looking lorry. Coincidentally the same age as my Mercury artic. In my opinion, AEC were about the best designed and best engineered vehicles of their period. Just had a thought- why was it that the Ergo AECs seemed so superior to the Leyland and Albion (same thing, I suppose) versions? They seemed much smoother, somehow.
You’ve answered your own question ROF.
But were they quieter? Their double-deck bus counterparts in the Regent V were damned noisy affairs, though I have to say the Reliances (coaches) were much quieter… Robert
Robert nobody, except the profoundly deaf, could have described the ergo Mandator as quiet.
Also AEC had mastered a really clever trick that made the steel engine cover where your knee hit it freezing cold in the winter and red hot in the summer. It would have been so nice the other way around.
David Miller:
Robert nobody, except the profoundly deaf, could have described the ergo Mandator as quiet.
Also AEC had mastered a really clever trick that made the steel engine cover where your knee hit it freezing cold in the winter and red hot in the summer. It would have been so nice the other way around.
David
Thanks for that, David - most reassuring! For a nasty moment I thought I might have to switch allegiances from '70s lorries to '60s ones . It was only the deafening row in the cab that put me off them in the first place. Never mind, they’re beautiful to behold on the outside. Robert
Nice Mr. Thompson had radios fitted in the Mandators, by AEC, in a box that included the speaker fitted to the back of the engine box. It was very nice of him and they were great when parked-up but if you tried to use them underway they had to be a max volume and the wierd effect of loud noice cancelling other noise meant that only about 10% of the music was audible. Very relaxing.
I had a similar set-up in an S-type Bedford, not that the engine was all that noisy but the valve radio that I begged from my cousin only pushed out four watts. I had to find a lay by when the Isle of Man TT commentary came on!
robert1952:
I always like rigids with over-cab platforms - a sort of open Luton! Good for straw cartage. Robert
There’s a chap I’ve met recently,in his 80’s,who has an immaculate 1952 MG 4 door saloon in origional condition (well he has put a Sierra 5 speed box into it) well he was a trailer mate on Longs as teenager then he eventually got a start as a Bus driver on West Yorkshire Motor Traction (I think it was ?) Great bloke to chat to about old cars and motors.Cheers Bewick.
Did you get his name Dennis , the drivers mate my dad worked with was John McGowan
. It was only the deafening row in the cab that put me off them in the first place. 
Never mind, they’re beautiful to behold on the outside. Robert 
