I’ve just signed up for this forum to try and find out some information on a couple of old warhorses and something else (I’ll get to that in a bit!)
Firstly, I’d like to introduce myself - My name is Henry Smith, I’m not a lorry driver (driven them before but not as a job)) and I’m grandson of Henry Frederick Smith, a well known travelling showman who had Dreamland in Margate from 1970 - 1980 (any showman on here will more than likely know him or at least heard of him)
Alas, I’ve always been interested in anything with wheels thanks to my grandad but for some reason I’ve never looked up on the history of his old lorries he used to have. A couple of searches show up some old pictures, but nothing substantial. I’ve more or less come to an obvious conclusion that these old rickety beasts are no longer on the road, but I was hoping some of you on here may know where they ended up in their twilight years, or even now.
The first one will be a well known one to some of you, an Atkinson Venturer 6x4, reg JLD 704K - Part of the JLD batch of Pickford’s machines, fitted with a 240 Gardner. Through my searches, a page came up stating the owners of various Atky’s in the UK and 704K is still listed as being owned by H.F Smith (My Grandfather) so I’m very curious as to where the old girl went afterwards. There is still a few Borderers knocking about, but from what I’ve researched, not many Venturers left.
The second lorry I’m after info on is an AEC Mammoth Major, YPU 517L. Information on this old girl is fairly limited, the most I found was an old black & white picture of it, presumably before my grandad owned it. The word “Honer” was on the old picture, and was still on the front of the cab when grandad had it. I’ve tried to find some info on it, but turned up with nothing. I can only assume it was a haulage company of some sort.
Now, for the second part of my question -Tragically, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, which he fought with typical showman vigour, my grandfather passed away last week on the 12th Dec and I’m looking for an old showman’s lorry to put the coffin on for a little tour round Margate (Dreamland, seafront etc), on the way to the church. My first thought was a Venturer, which is why I started trying to find out if 704K or 517L was out there, but now I’m on the hunt for anything. He loved Scammells & Atkinsons, and was a through and through Gardner man (Even in his last months despite being nearly totally crippled, would reminisce about driving his old lorries and the sound of the 240!)
I’ve been in contact with a few people, but on my search for the Atky, I came across this forum and saw all the lovely old pictures, and clearly well informed people’s knowledge, so I’m putting this out here to anybody who could help, or point me in the right direction. I’ll also be attaching a few pictures of the old trucks as I’m sure you’d all like to look at them.
I’ve just signed up for this forum to try and find out some information on a couple of old warhorses and something else (I’ll get to that in a bit!)
Firstly, I’d like to introduce myself - My name is Henry Smith, I’m not a lorry driver (driven them before but not as a job)) and I’m grandson of Henry Frederick Smith, a well known travelling showman who had Dreamland in Margate from 1970 - 1980 (any showman on here will more than likely know him or at least heard of him)
Alas, I’ve always been interested in anything with wheels thanks to my grandad but for some reason I’ve never looked up on the history of his old lorries he used to have. A couple of searches show up some old pictures, but nothing substantial. I’ve more or less come to an obvious conclusion that these old rickety beasts are no longer on the road, but I was hoping some of you on here may know where they ended up in their twilight years, or even now.
The first one will be a well known one to some of you, an Atkinson Venturer 6x4, reg JLD 704K - Part of the JLD batch of Pickford’s machines, fitted with a 240 Gardner. Through my searches, a page came up stating the owners of various Atky’s in the UK and 704K is still listed as being owned by H.F Smith (My Grandfather) so I’m very curious as to where the old girl went afterwards. There is still a few Borderers knocking about, but from what I’ve researched, not many Venturers left.
The second lorry I’m after info on is an AEC Mammoth Major, YPU 517L. Information on this old girl is fairly limited, the most I found was an old black & white picture of it, presumably before my grandad owned it. The word “Honer” was on the old picture, and was still on the front of the cab when grandad had it. I’ve tried to find some info on it, but turned up with nothing. I can only assume it was a haulage company of some sort.
Now, for the second part of my question -Tragically, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, which he fought with typical showman vigour, my grandfather passed away last week on the 12th Dec and I’m looking for an old showman’s lorry to put the coffin on for a little tour round Margate (Dreamland, seafront etc), on the way to the church. My first thought was a Venturer, which is why I started trying to find out if 704K or 517L was out there, but now I’m on the hunt for anything. He loved Scammells & Atkinsons, and was a through and through Gardner man (Even in his last months despite being nearly totally crippled, would reminisce about driving his old lorries and the sound of the 240!)
I’ve been in contact with a few people, but on my search for the Atky, I came across this forum and saw all the lovely old pictures, and clearly well informed people’s knowledge, so I’m putting this out here to anybody who could help, or point me in the right direction. I’ll also be attaching a few pictures of the old trucks as I’m sure you’d all like to look at them.
Thanks in advance
Henry
Hi Henry, have you looked on Flickr ,there’s lots of showman’s trucks on there.
Les.
Hi Les, I have looked on flickr, couldn’t find a great deal. There is a groupd which I’m part of on there called Showmans transport, but the two trucks I’m after are not on there, only JLD 708 & 712K, the Aki’s sister ships.
Hi Henry, found everything but your Atki 705-6-7-8 even found a model with JLD704K on it, no luck with the AEC, hope you find what your looking for.
Les.
Hi,
Sorry to hear about your recent bereavement.i know nothing about the aec.though I took a photo of that very atki back in 1983 at the international air tattoo in greenham common air base.the atki was then owned by traylens fun fair.i thought? It was owned by carters of maidenhead now?good luck with your searching.
Regards andrew.
pete 359:
Hi,
Sorry to hear about your recent bereavement.i know nothing about the aec.though I took a photo of that very atki back in 1983 at the international air tattoo in greenham common air base.the atki was then owned by traylens fun fair.i thought? It was owned by carters of maidenhead now?good luck with your searching.
Regards andrew.
Hi Pete,
As far as I’m aware Traylens had 705K, but not 704. If you’ve got the the picture It’d be great to see it!
