Your truck looks good Mark .
A Commer removal van of John Mason from Liverpool, delivering furniture to the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2
in John Brown shipyard at Clydebank, prior to entering service in 1969.
A Bedford artic of John Mason from Liverpool, leaving the M.V. Empire Cedric Roll-on,Roll-off vessel.
Empire Cedric was built in 1945 as a LTS, " Landing Ship Tank " for the Royal Navy. It was later owned
by Atlantic Steam Navigation Company, and converted for civilian Roll-on, Roll-off use. Its regular use
for many years was on the Irish Sea, Preston to Larne, and Preston to Belfast,
JAKEY:
Your truck looks good Mark .
Hi Steve,
Thanks…that was taken a couple of years back when she was around 10 months old…I clocked the guy snapping me on the walkway over the M5 just before Strensham services…she a little more worn now.
How’s things Steve you still just mate ?
marktaff:
JAKEY:
Your truck looks good Mark .Hi Steve,
Thanks…that was taken a couple of years back when she was around 10 months old…I clocked the guy snapping me on the walkway over the M5 just before Strensham services…she a little more worn now.How’s things Steve you still just mate ?
Busy it should have read Steve 
Carl Williams:
marktaff:
This Lovely ERF was posted by Dean…hope you dont mind me using it Dean.
You can see the body is a Marsden or maybe a Vanplan…the Showman as done lovely job of suiting the body to the old ERF…love where he as cut the luton out to still show the bill board…don’t know if Carl Williams could tell us if it’s a Marsden or Vanplan body…be interesting to know.I had been looking at that, and like you said whoever cut and styled the bodywork did a wonderful job. Perhaps they had missed a calling in life. Like you say it is probably impossible to say whether Vanplan or Marsden. At first look I would say it has been off a non-tilt cab as there would appear to be no flap so ex TK comes to mind, but the body shape round the cab doesn’t seem to indicate a Bedford. In fact you would think the shape had been designed to fit the old ERF, which would be most unlikely. I think who ever altered the body did a lot more than would be initially obvious.
I sold a lot of our vans to showmen, in fact at one time there was a waiting list. The smaller stall holders (Like the rifle ranges bingo etc) loved the Bedfords but the larger ones liked anything with a Gardiner engine. In many cases they would paint them & often letter themselves outside & the results were awesome.
Hi Carl,
Hope you are keeping well !
Yes who ever put that body on that old ERF did a fine job…like you say missed there calling in life…yes noticed the body was not built for a tilt cab so Bedford TK came to mind with me to…love how they cut out around the Luton to still reveal the Bill Board on the ERF.
Yes the old removal vans were and still are a favourite with the showmen…I remember some of the South Wales showmen buying many of the Griff Fender vans when they were at the end of the life.
Hello Mark , yes busy ,busy , if we have a slack day its because some one has changed there dates ,but plenty to do here . are you flat out ? have you spoken to John ? how is he ?
marktaff:
marktaff:
JAKEY:
Your truck looks good Mark .Hi Steve,
Thanks…that was taken a couple of years back when she was around 10 months old…I clocked the guy snapping me on the walkway over the M5 just before Strensham services…she a little more worn now.How’s things Steve you still just mate ?
Busy it should have read Steve
Hi mark,that guy takes pics at Tewksbury,Worcester ,the m5 corridor I messaged him a while back he is on Flickr ,he snapped me heading to j9 on the m5 from the garage by Asheville
Ray Smyth:
A Bedford artic of John Mason from Liverpool, leaving the M.V. Empire Cedric Roll-on,Roll-off vessel.
Empire Cedric was built in 1945 as a LTS, " Landing Ship Tank " for the Royal Navy. It was later owned
by Atlantic Steam Navigation Company, and converted for civilian Roll-on, Roll-off use. Its regular use
for many years was on the Irish Sea, Preston to Larne, and Preston to Belfast,
Nice to see you mention “The Atlantic Steam Navigation Company” Ray ! 
I dont know if you knew but they were the first roll on roll off ferry service for road vehicles.
They actually chartered 3 LST’s from the Ministry of Defence,nos 3519,3534 and 3512 at the end of the war in 1945.
They were names MV Empire Baltic,Empire Cedric and Empire Celtic. They all had to have various conversions to make
them suitable for carrying passengers etc.The first ever sailing was on 11th September 1946 on there first route Tilbury
to Rotterdam.Like you say they also operated the Irish routes.The MV Cedric joined the fleet in 1948.
Both routes are covered in old British Transport Films that are worth a watch. Infact they may be on utube if you have a look. 
DEANB:
Ray Smyth:
A Bedford artic of John Mason from Liverpool, leaving the M.V. Empire Cedric Roll-on,Roll-off vessel.
Empire Cedric was built in 1945 as a LTS, " Landing Ship Tank " for the Royal Navy. It was later owned
by Atlantic Steam Navigation Company, and converted for civilian Roll-on, Roll-off use. Its regular use
for many years was on the Irish Sea, Preston to Larne, and Preston to Belfast,Nice to see you mention “The Atlantic Steam Navigation Company” Ray !
I dont know if you knew but they were the first roll on roll off ferry service for road vehicles.
They actually chartered 3 LST’s from the Ministry of Defence,nos 3519,3534 and 3512 at the end of the war in 1945.
They were names MV Empire Baltic,Empire Cedric and Empire Celtic. They all had to have various conversions to make
them suitable for carrying passengers etc.The first ever sailing was on 11th September 1946 on there first route Tilbury
to Rotterdam.Like you say they also operated the Irish routes.The MV Cedric joined the fleet in 1948.Both routes are covered in old British Transport Films that are worth a watch. Infact they may be on utube if you have a look.
0
Hi Dean, Thank you for the information on Empire Cedric. Judging by the size of the vessel, I don’t expect they could
carry many lorries, I wonder if they were “Stern Loading” to allow lorries to drive through. My first ever journey on a
Roll-On, Roll-Off ferry was early in 1982, I sailed from Hull to Rotterdam (Europoort) on North Sea Ferries “Norland”.
The above journey was just before my 38th birthday, the first time I had set foot on foreign soil, I was a late starter
in going abroad, I used to get a 1 year passport at the Post Office, not knowing when my next “Over the water” would be.
About 3 months later, Norland was sent to The Royal Navy Dockyard at Portsmouth where some alterations were carried
out on the ship, and soon after, it was loaded with Troops, lorries, armoured vehicles and helicopters, and set off to the
South Atlantic as part of the “Task Force”. After the Falklands had ended, Norland was used as a Hospital ship, and also
to return Argentine prisoners home. Norland stayed in the South Atlantic until some time early in 1983, and then set off
back to Hull in “Shxt Order”, to a tremendous welcome by the people of Hull. Following major work to bring it back to
its original condition, it re-entered service, Hull to Rotterdam. Later in the 1980s, Norland was cut in half, and had a
large section put in the centre to increase its deck lengths and vehicle capacity. The next time I sailed from Hull was
early in 1992, by which time, Norland had been moved to the Hull-Zeebrugge route. Regards, Ray.
smallcoal:
marktaff:
marktaff:
JAKEY:
Your truck looks good Mark .Hi Steve,
Thanks…that was taken a couple of years back when she was around 10 months old…I clocked the guy snapping me on the walkway over the M5 just before Strensham services…she a little more worn now.How’s things Steve you still just mate ?
Busy it should have read Steve
Hi mark,that guy takes pics at Tewksbury,Worcester ,the m5 corridor I messaged him a while back he is on Flickr ,he snapped me heading to j9 on the m5 from the garage by Asheville
Hi John,
Hope all went well with your dad’s funeral mate !
Yes i have seen that that guy on the walkway a few times since he snapped me there…I think he caĺls himself Harry’s in the road…hope he don’t mind me using is pic…I would of thought he wouldn’t seeing we are in it mate
Your truck looking nice mate…so many of those Clarke trucks on the road John…but yours is slightly unusual to the others I see.q
JAKEY:
Hello Mark , yes busy ,busy , if we have a slack day its because some one has changed there dates ,but plenty to do here . are you flat out ? have you spoken to John ? how is he ?
Hi Steve,
Text John last week…hope all went ok for him with is dad’s funeral.
Yes busy with us to …I think everybody trying to get things down before Christmas mate. …you working in between Christmas Steve ?
Hello Mark , we will be on shut down from the 23rd (or if any one ■■■■■■ me off the 24th) to the 2nd ,although i be in 
,plenty on the first week of January .
Robinsons are in so i might act as a emergency replacement !!!
A large section of the Cunard Building at the Pier Head in Liverpool was being vacated by I.C.I. Ltd.
John Masons, Colemans, and Pickfords were involved in this major operation. Ray Smyth.
JAKEY:
Hello Mark , we will be on shut down from the 23rd (or if any one ■■■■■■ me off the 24th) to the 2nd ,although i be inRobinsons are in so i might act as a emergency replacement !!!
Steve you got to take advantage of the time off to recharge the batteries mate…looking forward to the time off me
Ray Smyth:
A large section of the Cunard Building at the Pier Head in Liverpool was being vacated by I.C.I. Ltd.
John Masons, Colemans, and Pickfords were involved in this major operation. Ray Smyth.
Hi Ray,
That’s a grand looking photo there of Masons…Pickfords and Coleman’s together. …that must have been some move there…anymore info on the move what was involved ?
Would love to know.
marktaff:
Ray Smyth:
A large section of the Cunard Building at the Pier Head in Liverpool was being vacated by I.C.I. Ltd.
John Masons, Colemans, and Pickfords were involved in this major operation. Ray Smyth.Hi Ray,
That’s a grand looking photo there of Masons…Pickfords and Coleman’s together. …that must have been some move there…anymore info on the move what was involved ?
Would love to know.
Hi Mark, Thank you for your comments. Have a look on " Bootle History Forum ", some great pictures and info on there. Cheers, Ray.
I hate to think how many van bodies Marsdens built for us from 3.5 ton GVW Transits Bedford CF, and Leyland FGs through to boxvans and Luton vans a hell of a lot integrals through to 40 ft trailers. Here is an advert they put when we opened our new depot on Green Lane Industrial Estate Spennymoor way back in 1973
