not the beautifullest thing i,ve seen ,altougt havn,t seen any live i think . it,s a bit like homemade ,like the SISU cab from home, seen even on DENNISON
the metal angle on the door was to keep the dirt of the windows when i get time i will load more pic’s
I always thought the Marathon was a handsome lorry even though it was “cobbled up”,it could have been much better with a little investment ,it was a massive improvement on the ergo it was based on
Another Marathon on international duties…
Hi All
Does anyone remember this old Marathon which was abandoned in the Londra Camp Istanbul in the late 80’s.
My good Swedish friend Goran “Magnum” Ekblad is posing next to it…
GS
abandoned one looks ex the dutch firm that ran them,had a yellow bit on the door with g o and t on,there are pics on google but dont know how to move them on here.
id love one of these,wonder if its still there 
Hi
wasn’t this pic from an old, Long Distance Diary in TRUCK magazine ?
Jerry
Mark R:
Another Marathon on international duties…
Yes, your right Jerry, it was…
Mark R:
Yes, your right Jerry, it was…
look’s like one of Ron blackman and sons from Alton Hants he did low loader work but also did traction for A>S>Rawling’s to Italy yellow in colour.
Iam sure that one of Rons stayed on Italian work
Cheers Rich
thechink1968:
john Arth
Thats how it should have been badged from the factory but without the L word and the dodgy rear axle 
This one taken from the Norfolk Line thread NCW732P ex Leyland publicity motor i think and i think was in Astran brown? Paul.
postman paul:
This one taken from the Norfolk Line thread NCW732P ex Leyland publicity motor i think and i think was in Astran brown? Paul.
It was Astran brown Paul mate,it’s the one that they ran and was the same one in Destination Doha
Hi NZ JAMIE,
No it was the one used in the publicity photo’s not the Destination Doha one,that was SLO 707R. Paul
postman paul:
This one taken from the Norfolk Line thread NCW732P ex Leyland publicity motor i think and i think was in Astran brown? Paul.
Hi Paul & NZJamie
This one was the " original " Leyland demonstrator WTJ120L - it was serial No: 001 and used on a filmed publicity trip by Astran trip to Tehran pulling my rental trailer.
A BBC cameraman accompanied them and it was filmed for BBC TV. The drivers were Jeff Ruggins & ■■■■ Snow - I believe ■■■■ Snow was, at that time, employed by B.L. as demo driver.
There are a couple other photo’s of same journey on page 6 of this thread (24/8/2011)
Regards OzzyHugh
Paul and Hugh,thanks for the info fellas.
Paul mate,you dead right,after you said,the penny dropped and I realized that it was SLO that was used in the Film.
Here’s another couple of pics of NCW
So did Astran ever run it or was it just used for some publicity photos?
It looks like they did in the top photo.
Hi All, They did not Own any but I am sure Ashley “Astran” can confirm…Paul
NZ JAMIE:
Paul and Hugh,thanks for the info fellas.
Paul mate,you dead right,after you said,the penny dropped and I realized that it was SLO that was used in the Film.
So did Astran ever run it or was it just used for some publicity photos? It looks like they did in the top photo.
Astran never owned any Marathon’s. But they “used” 3 different ones.
WTJ 120L was the first one. It only did 1 trip to Tehran as a “test run” (which Hugh described). The drivers were Jeff Ruggins (astran man) and ■■■■ RIVERS (BL test driver). It wasnt ■■■■ Snow, Hugh.
There may well have been a photographer at some points on that trip, but unfortunately Rivers, Ruggins and Williams (who they pulled out a ditch in Turkey) have all passed away so there is no one to confirm that. Martin Sortwell was accompanying ■■■■ Snow in his Scania 140 when they came upon Williams in the ditch. Sortwell and Snow stayed with Williams until the Marathon arrived, then they all helped to pull Williams out. Sortwell does not recall there being any photographer with the Marathon.
BTW: It would have been very awkward living and sleeping with 3 in the cab!
This photo taken by BL as a “publicity shot” in Astran yard, Addington. Driver of Marathon unknown.
Marathon 2 was NCW 732P and seems to be a “complete mystery” to anyone in management at Astran!!! I have spoken to Peter Cannon (Transport Manager) and he cannot recall ever using it, never mind seeing it! I have spoken to Bob Paul (Transport Director) and he is the same as Cannon. No recollection of it. That just leaves Michael Woodman (owner/MD at the time). Unfortunately, Woodman will not contribute anything to do with Astran. So; we are at a loss as to how the publicity pics were made.
Marathon 3 was SLO 707R and was supplied by BL complete with driver ■■■■ Rivers. Used in the film Destination Doha, then sent it “straight back” to BL…after a repaint and various demo’s, it ended up in later years on for Hayes Transport Fareham.
