ramone:
ERF-NGC-European:
NMP0
Apparently they were a good firm to work for in the day Robert or so my dad told me , they were a Bradford firm i think . Les P would know more he’s years older than me
Oi! less of the old 
, good firm and proper wool wagons side and rear ratchets, Joe “Scouse” worked there your dad would have known him, lived up Oaks Lane. Les.
les-p:
ramone:
ERF-NGC-European:
NMP0
Apparently they were a good firm to work for in the day Robert or so my dad told me , they were a Bradford firm i think . Les P would know more he’s years older than me
Oi! less of the old
I thought i’d got away with that one Les 
, i knew Joe in fact he worked at Colemans for a while with me . That’s how the Italian work came about Joes son Terry ran Du Forest Trafford Park
Can anyone tell me if this would have been tractor unit or rigid when it left the factory, also
how difficult would it be register in the UK.
ebay.co.uk/itm/AEC-Mercury- … 1438.l2649
dave docwra:
Can anyone tell me if this would have been tractor unit or rigid when it left the factory, also
how difficult would it be register in the UK.ebay.co.uk/itm/AEC-Mercury- … 1438.l2649
0
Gingerfold will have the best information but I would assume it was built as a rigid. The picture poses a question whether that is the original cab or not. The front panel is an early version with those indicators yet the front wings appear to be Leyland rather than AEC - not so wide. Can’t help regarding registering in UK
What a shame.I am guessing that has been re imported then left?
Here is the only picture I have of Dad’s Mercury circa 1970. Dad driving that day with his driver probably on holiday. It was new in '69 and arrived and was used for a week or two in the faun primer. If I remember rightly the AEC complete with alloy dropside and Telehoist underfloor rams cost a little under £4K. Dad was livid when he went to collect it from the paint shop as they had painted the alloy body. The head board was shortened by taking out a couple of alloy boards as it would not go under one of the bins in the local gravel pit. As a 10 year old my favourite job on a Saturday afternoon was helping Dad go over the truck, pumping the grease gun for him. Sitting on the driver’s seat (sometimes with the cab tilted) pumping the brakes to drop the pressure to allow the tank bungs to be unscrewed and drain moisture. I felt I had really arrived when allowed to check for neutral and press that starter button to build pressure again. Of course my right foot, only just reaching the accelerator pedal would give it the odd blip much to Dad’s annoyance. I don’t think I ever really appreciated what a good Dad I had until quite late on.
Can someone remind me of the shift pattern of the 6 speed?
Peter
Six speed D197 for Mercury & Marshal
124
R356
Six Speed D203 for Mammoth Major/Minor and Marshal Major & Mandator
1246
R35
cav551:
Six speed D197 for Mercury & Marshal124
R356Six Speed D203 for Mammoth Major/Minor and Marshal Major & Mandator
1246
R35
You have to realise that 50 odd years ago top in the Mercury was away and back for the 10 year pretend driver
That little Mercury Tipper was very similar to the first Ergo cabbed AEC I set eyes on while on a trip with my Father, it was plain dark blue and being very new looked lovely, they definitely stood out from other motors at the time and seemed years ahead of Dad’s Seddon 30:4:6LX even though I loved that too. I didn’t know then I’d later work on the AEC marques many of which I can’t recall now but I have strong memories of that little tipper, why didn’t I have a camera back then! Franky.
Frankydobo:
That little Mercury Tipper was very similar to the first Ergo cabbed AEC I set eyes on while on a trip with my Father, it was plain dark blue and being very new looked lovely, they definitely stood out from other motors at the time and seemed years ahead of Dad’s Seddon 30:4:6LX even though I loved that too. I didn’t know then I’d later work on the AEC marques many of which I can’t recall now but I have strong memories of that little tipper, why didn’t I have a camera back then! Franky.
For my Dad it replaced a Dodge 500 which I think grossed at a little less. The AEC was little big lorry! If I remember rightly Dad had on test a Seddon with the Motor Panels cab which was not as nimble as the AEC and a Dennis which he did not like. Settled on the AEC which gave good service for about 4 years. Replaced by a Foden/Gardner 180 S80 6 wheeler in 73. Sadly, at around twice the price of the Mercury 4 years on, the Foden was not as impressive as it looked.
Lawrence Dunbar:
N M P.
NURSE…quick, the screens.
grumpy old man:
Lawrence Dunbar:
N M P.NURSE…quick, the screens.
Calm down GOM, You had the pleasure like myself of driving these MK 5s, So just relax my friend & have a couple of Single Malts, Well thats what Im doing right now & thinking about the days running to South Wales with fire bricks for The Margam Steel works, Happy days Eh, , Take care & stay safe, Regards Larry.
What a smart line up!
essexpete:
What a smart line up!
Hiya,
Have driven mk3s pulling a drawbar and mk5s solo but always wanted
a go in the latter with a drag on but alas I never did.
harry_gill:
essexpete:
What a smart line up!Hiya,
Have driven mk3s pulling a drawbar and mk5s solo but always wanted
a go in the latter with a drag on but alas I never did.
I were like a dog with two tails when i got my MK5 Mammoth Major in 1971,a big step up from a MK3. 
This looks the part.
Oily
oiltreader:
This looks the part.
Oily
Handsome
Harry mentioned Mk 3’s with a drawbar, I was just a van lad at the time but we had 3 x Mk 3’s with Dyson drawbars at Harrisons of Dewsbury (London trunk at night, shunting locally during the day). Regular loads were bailed rags out of London docks for delivery locally up here. When I was put on 'drivers mate duty the experienced drivers would let me try to push (front pushing bar) the Dyson into a tight mill yard, I never did quite master the art. 
grumpy old man:
oiltreader:
This looks the part.
OilyHandsome
Harry mentioned Mk 3’s with a drawbar, I was just a van lad at the time but we had 3 x Mk 3’s with Dyson drawbars at Harrisons of Dewsbury (London trunk at night, shunting locally during the day). Regular loads were bailed rags out of London docks for delivery locally up here. When I was put on 'drivers mate duty the experienced drivers would let me try to push (front pushing bar) the Dyson into a tight mill yard, I never did quite master the art.
Hiya,
I’ve heard wag and drag men who’ve boasted they’ve never resorted to
having “hung one on the nose” to get into the odd tight spot, all I can
say is they haven’t delivered to many of the old Lancashire cotton mills
or those back street rag shops of Manchester or the Dundee jute works.
Oh’ I did once do an off duty move for Billy Smarts Circus this was made
up of an old Octopus and two drawbars fortunately it was straight off a
showground onto another showground no shunting required “phew”.
So come on chaps. How is the arthritis in your left knee?
