Buzzer:
Sunshine Sunday, Buzzer
No recollection of having seen that Austin Princess during my eight-year stay in London (1965-73). It looks like a “low-cost” Rolls-Royce; were many produced?
mushroomman:
I noticed the sign for the M62 so I presumed that the photo was taken after the 14th of October 1971 after the motorway opened.
The corner shop is still there.earth.google.com/web/search/Lit … OUdHUUEQAg
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Yes you are correct on both counts, I hadn’t noticed the M62 sign, we lived next door but one to that cornershop but the shop that I referred to was on the opposite corner, it was an off licence.
Froggy55:
Buzzer:
Sunshine Sunday, BuzzerNo recollection of having seen that Austin Princess during my eight-year stay in London (1965-73). It looks like a “low-cost” Rolls-Royce; were many produced?
You sum the Princess up correctly. It used a lorry engine that lacked any finesse and was indeed the (relatively!) poor mans Roller, Not too many sold as I recall.
Ray Smyth:
Buzzer:
Sunshine Sunday, BuzzerGreat pictures again Buzzer. I cant make out what the BRS AEC with a Suffolk number plate is loaded with.
I reckon that most of todays HGV drivers would " Throw a Wobbler " if they had to load and unload that lot.
Cheers, Ray.
Loaded with boxes of flowers by the looks of it. It’s Fordham BRS near Ely and I think reverted to Turners Transport in later years.
Froggy55:
Buzzer:
Sunshine Sunday, BuzzerNo recollection of having seen that Austin Princess during my eight-year stay in London (1965-73). It looks like a “low-cost” Rolls-Royce; were many produced?
There were plenty around, I worked at a dealership and we sold/serviced many of them. Our town mayor had one for many years (MRD 1) and they were well equipped with built in hydraulic jack’s, a partion and a drinks cabinet etc. Hearse’s was another popular use, there were also Ambulance conversions which we also repaired and they could do the ton + and replaced Morris LD Ambulances. They had the reliable Austin 4 litre engine with a black ‘crackle finish’ to the rocker cover and a carburettor the size of a dustbin! 
Rolls Royce vehicles from that period were not as reliable as folk imagined they were, I was pally with a Rolls fitter at a dealership! 
NMP
Pete.
Buzzer:
Monday magic, Buzzer
The Millers Merc brings back a memory as I believe it will be the same H. Miller ( Hughie Miller IIRC ) and he was an O/D from Leyland who ran an Ergo Comet and tandem axle trailer in the late 60’s. He ran down to London every Sunday and always digged at the big manky Cafe just up the A5 from J9 M1. He was one of the old school “A” licence O/D’s and his regular load south was always Leyland Paints but I’m not sure what his back loading was . Cheers Bewick.
Lawrence Dunbar:
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That Harry Gill certainly has style, going to a reunion at The Labour Club in that. 
Dipster:
Froggy55:
Buzzer:
Sunshine Sunday, BuzzerNo recollection of having seen that Austin Princess during my eight-year stay in London (1965-73). It looks like a “low-cost” Rolls-Royce; were many produced?
You sum the Princess up correctly. It used a lorry engine that lacked any finesse and was indeed the (relatively!) poor mans Roller, Not too many sold as I recall.
When I started driving in London 1965, me and my mates ran around in all manner of bangers, even at 17 you could get insured on most things as long as they weren’t LHD or sports cars. One mate had a Princess limo, with a load of us in the back, used to take great delight in hanging the back out and drifting round roundabouts.
Bernard
windrush:
Froggy55:
Buzzer:
Sunshine Sunday, BuzzerNo recollection of having seen that Austin Princess during my eight-year stay in London (1965-73). It looks like a “low-cost” Rolls-Royce; were many produced?
There were plenty around, I worked at a dealership and we sold/serviced many of them. Our town mayor had one for many years (MRD 1) and they were well equipped with built in hydraulic jack’s, a partion and a drinks cabinet etc. Hearse’s was another popular use, there were also Ambulance conversions which we also repaired and they could do the ton + and replaced Morris LD Ambulances. They had the reliable Austin 4 litre engine with a black ‘crackle finish’ to the rocker cover and a carburettor the size of a dustbin!
0NMP
Pete.
Talking of Rollers we used to maintain a recent (at the time) 1966 Silver Shadow for a local stone mason. We did his trucks, he was happy with us, and so entrusted his Roller to us. No real problems except the spares prices, even service items, which were outrageous. To the point where we felt we had to invoice them at cost as it would have been too much to add anything for service mark-up as we usually did. He was an important customer for us.
Anyhow one day the bloke came to question his invoice, purely on the parts costs. We showed him the invoices proving he had the spares at cost. He immediately decided that Rolls Royce were taking the mick on spares prices, got shot of the Roller and replaced it with a brand new Oldsmobile of similar size (an 88 I think), despite it being LHD! He said he liked it more and never regretted changing.
The last photo of the uplifted mini van must have been taken in the midland red area the single deck bus facing away from the photographer is a midland red s14 with single rear tyres.
robinswh:
The last photo of the uplifted mini van must have been taken in the midland red area the single deck bus facing away from the photographer is a midland red s14 with single rear tyres.
I hope his load was secured correctly, being checked by the very nice men in their smart white coats.
Dipster:
windrush:
Froggy55:
Buzzer:
Sunshine Sunday, BuzzerNo recollection of having seen that Austin Princess during my eight-year stay in London (1965-73). It looks like a “low-cost” Rolls-Royce; were many produced?
There were plenty around, I worked at a dealership and we sold/serviced many of them. Our town mayor had one for many years (MRD 1) and they were well equipped with built in hydraulic jack’s, a partion and a drinks cabinet etc. Hearse’s was another popular use, there were also Ambulance conversions which we also repaired and they could do the ton + and replaced Morris LD Ambulances. They had the reliable Austin 4 litre engine with a black ‘crackle finish’ to the rocker cover and a carburettor the size of a dustbin!
0NMP
Pete.
Talking of Rollers we used to maintain a recent (at the time) 1966 Silver Shadow for a local stone mason. We did his trucks, he was happy with us, and so entrusted his Roller to us. No real problems except the spares prices, even service items, which were outrageous. To the point where we felt we had to invoice them at cost as it would have been too much to add anything for service mark-up as we usually did. He was an important customer for us.
Anyhow one day the bloke came to question his invoice, purely on the parts costs. We showed him the invoices proving he had the spares at cost. He immediately decided that Rolls Royce were taking the mick on spares prices, got shot of the Roller and replaced it with a brand new Oldsmobile of similar size (an 88 I think), despite it being LHD! He said he liked it more and never regretted changing.
Thanks to all of you for the comments and informations on the Austin Princess! Whe never had such cars in France!
Froggy55:
Buzzer:
Sunshine Sunday, BuzzerNo recollection of having seen that Austin Princess during my eight-year stay in London (1965-73). It looks like a “low-cost” Rolls-Royce; were many produced?
I remember the time when Ron Amey ( Chairman, Amey Group) came into Sutton Courtenay whilst i was re fuelling my car and asked me to fill up this demo Austin Roller for him, i told him it was steaming from underneath did he know, he was never short of words ,needless to say we never saw it again, i would also like to know how many were actually sold- -toshboy
There must be something about potato merchant lorries, they always seem to look like they’ve just been washed. This is a photo of one Huggins lorries from near Warboys, I remember them from a child delivering potatoes to the back of the local greengrocer (remember them!) near my mums old house. It was a dodge 4 wheeler, always immaculate.
toshboy:
Froggy55:
Buzzer:
Sunshine Sunday, BuzzerNo recollection of having seen that Austin Princess during my eight-year stay in London (1965-73). It looks like a “low-cost” Rolls-Royce; were many produced?
I remember the time when Ron Amey ( Chairman, Amey Group) came into Sutton Courtenay whilst i was re fuelling my car and asked me to fill up this demo Austin Roller for him, i told him it was steaming from underneath did he know, he was never short of words ,needless to say we never saw it again, i would also like to know how many were actually sold- -toshboy
Between 1947 when production began until 1968 when it ended around 12,000 models of the various types were produced.
Pete.