gingerfold:
We’ve seen this Mk.V in black and white, here’s the colour version.
The MK5 really was a good looking wagon Graham.
This photo of two Hemphill MK5s appeared on fb,but not credited to anyone,maybe a publicity shot as the vehicles are not registered?
What were those Mk 5’s like to drive Chris, we had some in pre Tilcon days but some drivers didn’t like the seating position as they were rather cramped and they had to ‘half stand’ in the cab to drive them as there was no leg room? They didn’t look very deep (front to rear) to me.
Pete.
windrush:
What were those Mk 5’s like to drive Chris, we had some in pre Tilcon days but some drivers didn’t like the seating position as they were rather cramped and they had to ‘half stand’ in the cab to drive them as there was no leg room? They didn’t look very deep (front to rear) to me.Pete.
I have to take issue with Chris , TWO brand new mark fives , our member for Dewsbury will be having all kinds of crises when he clocks those , think about his poor old heart . Probably gone back to bed to recover . As to driving them , in my limited experience They were as good as anything else at the time but I was only 6feet one in my boots .
windrush:
What were those Mk 5’s like to drive Chris, we had some in pre Tilcon days but some drivers didn’t like the seating position as they were rather cramped and they had to ‘half stand’ in the cab to drive them as there was no leg room? They didn’t look very deep (front to rear) to me.Pete.
I’ve only driven a preserved Mk.V Mandator but I thought that the cab was roomier than I expected it to be. I think that the large windscreen gave it a spacious feel. Compared to a drive in a preserved Mk.111 Mammoth Major, the Mk.V was much better. In the Mk.111 I had to bend my neck to see under the windscreen top rail. I’m 6’ tall.
gingerfold:
windrush:
What were those Mk 5’s like to drive Chris, we had some in pre Tilcon days but some drivers didn’t like the seating position as they were rather cramped and they had to ‘half stand’ in the cab to drive them as there was no leg room? They didn’t look very deep (front to rear) to me.Pete.
I’ve only driven a preserved Mk.V Mandator but I thought that the cab was roomier than I expected it to be. I think that the large windscreen gave it a spacious feel. Compared to a drive in a preserved Mk.111 Mammoth Major, the Mk.V was much better. In the Mk.111 I had to bend my neck to see under the windscreen top rail. I’m 6’ tall.
Octopus drivers had a had a habit of regularly asking our traffic office as to when “their” new Mk5 would be arriving. The standard answer was, “When you’ve worn out your Leyland”!
rigsby:
windrush:
What were those Mk 5’s like to drive Chris, we had some in pre Tilcon days but some drivers didn’t like the seating position as they were rather cramped and they had to ‘half stand’ in the cab to drive them as there was no leg room? They didn’t look very deep (front to rear) to me.Pete.
I have to take issue with Chris , TWO brand new mark fives , our member for Dewsbury will be having all kinds of crises when he clocks those , think about his poor old heart . Probably gone back to bed to recover . As to driving them , in my limited experience They were as good as anything else at the time but I was only 6feet one in my boots .
The member from Dewsbury is in shock after reading criticism of the magnificent AEC Mk 5.
I’ll recover soon but I would ask that members who criticised the machine…please moderate your tone. 
… 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sorry about upsetting you GOM, go and have a lie down for a while. It was just what I had been told (and also read) that the driving position was ‘strange’ compared to other vehicles of the time and required a semi-standing position for short drivers and they preferred the Ergomatic cab? Obviously they were all wrong as yourself, being a Yorkshireman, couldn’t possibly be! 
Pete.
The road was very badly rutted and the AEC could only average 10 mph. (And we complain about potholes in UK roads!)
Really good article about the cattle trucks and general freight units and i can comfirm we still have some roads that are in poor condition and 10mph is still a speed used to cope without damage.
Cheers Dig
windrush:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Sorry about upsetting you GOM, go and have a lie down for a while. It was just what I had been told (and also read) that the driving position was ‘strange’ compared to other vehicles of the time and required a semi-standing position for short drivers and they preferred the Ergomatic cab? Obviously they were all wrong as yourself, being a Yorkshireman, couldn’t possibly be!
Pete.
Well,being a Yorkshireman,all I can say is that at 5ft 9" the MK5 was good enough for me,and like Graham says,far better than the MK3 where tall lads had to bend a bit to see through t’screen. The MK5 was a huge step up from a MK3,just like going from a MK5 to a tilt cab.
Tha knows. 
Lawrence Dunbar:
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Well this good old Mk 5 was flat out at 37 MPH, But it went up hill & down dale at the same speed, The only thing that was a problem was when running down to London on a Sunday or any other day, I prefered running to South Wales over the Heads of the Valleys, Loaded both ways was a real treat, I earned very good wages from Smiles for Miles in those good old days, I still keep in touch with some of my old work mates from those long gone days, Regards Larry.
ERF-NGC-European:
Carryfast:
gingerfold:
Lennox Heavy Haulage of Sydney Mammoth Major Six Mk.III with an interesting trailer arrangement. How many points of articulation are there?[/attachment]Can only logically be two but can’t see the exact coupling and pin positions ?.That semi trailer + dolly + tractor unit set up always looks wrong to me and is really just a poor man’s version of a ballast tractor and trailer outfit.
I agree, two. It seems to me that the whole point of this exercise is to drastically spread the weight of the load, which presumably is too heavy for an artic or a ballasted tractor and dolly (of the day). Ro
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That set-up is to get maximum load on each axle group. It would have complied with the “bridge formula” of the day. A prime mover, dolly and trailer is more efficient and versatile than a ballast truck and dog trailer. Why cart fifteen ton of ballast, two ways, that generates no revenue?
The two “posts” are the pivot points for the “greasy plate” an early form of turntable that had no jaws.
There’s an AEC Monarch 1947 coming up for auction on the 3rd October at Mathewsons at Thornton Le Dale. (Bangers and Cash tv programme) There’s a few others too a 53 Leyland Comet unit and an Atki Borderer plus a few more.a
ramone:
There’s an AEC Monarch 1947 coming up for auction on the 3rd October at Mathewsons at Thornton Le Dale. (Bangers and Cash tv programme) There’s a few others too a 53 Leyland Comet unit and an Atki Borderer plus a few more.a
What spec might the Atki Borderer be “ramone” ? Spec 1) 240LXB/95909 Fuller/ Kirkstall D85. 2) RR220/DB6:600/Group axle ? Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
ramone:
There’s an AEC Monarch 1947 coming up for auction on the 3rd October at Mathewsons at Thornton Le Dale. (Bangers and Cash tv programme) There’s a few others too a 53 Leyland Comet unit and an Atki Borderer plus a few more.aWhat spec might the Atki Borderer be “ramone” ? Spec 1) 240LXB/95909 Fuller/ Kirkstall D85. 2) RR220/DB6:600/Group axle ? Cheers Dennis.
No idea Dennis but its on the Mathewson website they mainly auction cars but there’s a few lorries too it’s a late one
The Aki is a 71 reg 180 Gardner and Davey Brown box, recently restored. £10,000. There is also a nice day cab Seddon 301 again £10,000. Franky.
There’s a brief history on Spiers of Melksham in this months Heritage Commercials , interesting and some good photos of their working fleet
Unfortunately this Bright Steels of Malton AEC MM8 photo will not enlarge and retain clarity, but worth looking at as it is.
