Frankydobo i used to drive that Thames van at aw ellis just before you started it was a nightmare stuck in the middle of the toon picking parts up getting soaking lying underneath sporting the rods out
dayvhu wrote;
Frankydobo i used to drive that Thames van at aw ellis just before you started it was a nightmare stuck in the middle of the toon picking parts up getting soaking lying underneath sporting the rods out.
Ha ha it always seemed to do it in bad weather too, don’t suppose you have any photo’s from Ellis’ I thought one or two might have showed up on here by now but not a sausage, any names you recall too? Franky.
Sorry no pics franky mechanics who I can remember were Jackie heads,Billy,Roy driver Jimmy Pearson who drove the aec Chinese six also Ian a mechanic
windrush:
toshboy:
Does anyone remember a van which had a Ford 4d diesel amidships connected to a compressor which also connected to the drive axle for road use ( red fuel). my thoughts are a Ford but thinking vaguely about a Standard Atlas ,i know it had a column change because i had to deliver it some where and remember it was noisey as well . ? no i hav’nt been on the xmas drink.Yes I remember those, same as the 15cwt Ford 400E but called a POWERTRUC. The Powertruc name was on the front instead of the Ford badge. They had no rad grille as they didn’t need one!
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Pete.
Yes you’re right Pete.Regarding Ford supllying vehicles in company colours.Not sure about Traders but possibly and of course Trader’s were supplied with a silver painted chassis.Transits were available in various company colours and probably still are.if there was enough vehicles ordered then they could be painted as requested through S.V.O. ( Special vehicle Options).In fact in a S.V.O.data info there were various colours avaiable.Derbyshire County Council had all their Transits supplied in their funny orange colour and other councils had the same arrangement.We had about 5 Transits to sell at Derby in Green which were from Sheffield or some electricity board.No extra price.I think many manufactures offered this service but certainly L.D.V. did but the only way they could sell most of their motors was to the Royal Mail.Second Class Ha Ha
moomooland:
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Bass Ran a lot of these in a nice coloured blue and most or all of them were supplied by Len Astle a retail Ford Dealer in Burton.They did go to him via The Universal Car Company ( now T.C.Harrison).
Nice bloke Len
Tony
I ran an ex Royal Mail LDV 200 converted to 11 seats on school contracts and various other jobs feeders etc within my full size coach fleet for a good number of years without any problems at all. It had a Perkins 4 cylinder engine which gave good economical service and preformed well plus the original paintworks stood well for many years unlike the wishy washy stuff they paint the Royal Mail with these days.
Cheers, Leyland 600
Dayvhu wrote;
Sorry no pics franky mechanics who I can remember were Jackie heads,Billy,Roy driver Jimmy Pearson who drove the aec Chinese six also Ian a mechanic.
The Fitters when I started were Freddy Jones the Foreman his dad was a driver too, Ian Forrest, Roy Moon, Davey Burns, Bill Luntley and you probably mean Tommy Heads, all great lads and fitters, Oh and old Alfie the Painter. The only other Apprentice was a lad called Paul Sore almost finished his time. They started three of us although I never knew until we turned up the first day, I was surprised to see two of my mates from school, Phil Webster (who owns Webster Plant Haulage now) and a lad called Richie Hewitt. About three other fitters came during my couple of years there before Ellis sold out to Crows, I went to Hodgson’s AEC dealers after that. Cheers Franky.
I was only a goffer and when i passed test they told me there was a driving job on the Formica contract driving a trader box van hung on for while but started for jr Holland driving a trader then a d800 started up for myself with a couple of ex vaux breweries d800s and a Bedford kg
dayvhu:
I was only a goffer and when i passed test they told me there was a driving job on the Formica contract driving a trader box van hung on for while but started for jr Holland driving a trader then a d800 started up for myself with a couple of ex vaux breweries d800s and a Bedford kg
Hi Dayvhu you seem to be from the old school when you mention Freddie Jones & the late Billy Luntley, So why not pop into the Labour Club in The Toon & have trip down memmory lane on the 28th, There will sureley be someone you know there, Hope you can make it, Regards Larry.
What school i went to thomas Addison at longbenton and then moved to walker wharrier street
moomooland:
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My first motor was a Trader reg No 6637 EH and came from Stoke. Cheers Bewick.
1958 Motor Show.
Look at the other British products available at this motor show. Guy bottom lhs. BMC Morris mid lhs with a LD series van visible and a Land Rover fire appliance, Commer Karrier middle, AEC top rhs. with Sheffield Corporation double decker middle with a left hand drive Regent V double decker for Tehran or Baghdad possibly plus multi axle goods chassis
Cheers, Leyland 600.
moomooland:
01958 Motor Show.
I’d have that LWB Trader and fit it with a 20ft wood/ali flat ! Luvverly jubbly, I wonder if had the Eaton axle and 5 speed box ? even better ! 
Cheers Bewick.
Many of you may know already but there were 4 prototype " Ford - Thornycroft PG/60 which married the Trident PG 13ft 6 inch W.B. frame to a Ford D-Series 6D engine and Trader cab and controls.The other three were on a long wheelbase,tipper and tractor chassis.It would seem it would extended the Ford range and also provide much needed volume production for Thornycroft.Borrow or buy the Thorneycroft book by Alan Townsin from the Ian Allan Transport library and read page 126.Would have been quite a conversation piece at the time.
Tony
