It seems odd now seeing the back end of a trailer like this as we’re so used to the under run, it wasn’t too much of a problem until the Mini was released and reports of them running under trailer back ends became more frequent in newspaper articles. Franky.
In this photograph we see one of Riding’s original 26 foot Crane built trailing arm tandem axle trailers in a spot of bother on the quayside at Preston Docks.
When the trailer was disembarking off the ferry, and the angle of the ships drop down ramp to the landing floor was beyond a certain angle, the suspension on the trailer could flick over as can be seen in this instance above.
Loaded with 16 tons of Plas Bins the only way to put it right was the removal of one set of wheels and then flick the suspension back over.
moomooland:
1In this photograph we see one of Riding’s original 26 foot Crane built trailing arm tandem axle trailers in a spot of bother on the quayside at Preston Docks.When the trailer was disembarking off the ferry, and the angle of the ships drop down ramp to the landing floor was beyond a certain angle, the suspension on the trailer could flick over as can be seen in this instance above.
Loaded with 16 tons of Plas Bins the only way to put it right was the removal of one set of wheels and then flick the suspension back over.
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Intresting pics Paul. Did Tom take them or a driver ?
Cant believe how short the wheel base is on the Leyland beaver pic you posted further up the page,although i suppose it
was standard at the time.
Happy New Year chap. 
DEANB:
Interesting pics Paul. Did Tom take them or a driver ?
Cant believe how short the wheel base is on the Leyland beaver pic you posted further up the page,although i suppose it
was standard at the time.
Happy New Year chap.
Hi Dean,
Yes Tom took the pictures on Preston Dock, only half hour drive from Longridge.
Tractor units back then did look very short unlike those today due to the increases in trailer length over the years.
All the best to you and yours for the New Year. 
moomooland:
DEANB:
Interesting pics Paul. Did Tom take them or a driver ?
Cant believe how short the wheel base is on the Leyland beaver pic you posted further up the page,although i suppose it
was standard at the time.
Happy New Year chap.Hi Dean,
Yes Tom took the pictures on Preston Dock, only half hour drive from Longridge.Tractor units back then did look very short unlike those today due to the increases in trailer length over the years.
All the best to you and yours for the New Year.
0 Here’s Longridge depot shot from 55 years ago taken in 1965 before it really started to expand.
Cheers Paul, nice pic.
Article featuring Tom from “The Atkinson magazine Spring 1967”.
Pic quality is poor.
Click on twice to read.
Thanks for that Dean have a copy of that test somewhere.
Below is another shot taken during the fuel and performance exorcise i remember Tom Riding telling me he went up to Carlisle on the old A6 and came back down the motorway and forget the results but said it was a good day out.
moomooland:
Thanks for that Dean have a copy of that test somewhere.Below is another shot taken during the fuel and performance exorcise i remember Tom Riding telling me he went up to Carlisle on the old A6 and came back down the motorway and forget the results but said it was a good day out.
0The gentleman on the left is Mike Listbrain from the Atkinson publicity department while on the right is Denton Winter Atkinson’s development engineer (ex Leyland)".
No worries chap,thats a better quality picture.
Great article MML and it demonstrated how far ahead Tommy was with regard to trying a different G/box for better gearing other than the, then, bog standard DB 6:600 but David Browns attempt to develop a range change box was an unmitigated failure as they couldn’t match the Eaton Fuller 610 or 609 boxes never mind the heavier 9509’s which appeared lated. The Fuller boxes were bomb proof and from a personal view point I ran an ERF “A” Series 180LXB with the Fuller 609 box ( 8 speed and crawler ) and it could out perform both the 6:600 boxes in the Seddon 32/4 's and also the Guy Big J’s with the 6 speed boxes. Oh! and as a matter of historical accuracy !! Tommy would return to Longridge on exactly the same route as he went North on as that time in 1967 the M6 still was only built as far as Carnforth. Regards Dennis.
DEANB:
Article featuring Tom from “The Atkinson magazine Spring 1967”.Pic quality is poor.
Click on twice to read.
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Interesting read Dean, it’s no wonder there was a queue for them
Interesting fuel mpg figures in the article considering it was over 50 years ago. Comparable modern day mpg results from my 26 vehicle fleet of 22 DAFs and 4 Mercs show that we cannot beat the Gardner of that era. Since early November my fleet mpg has been consistent at 9.4 to 9.5 mpg, except for the last two weeks when i got 9.8 and 9.9 mpg. I put the increase down to much less heavy traffic on the roads during the Christmas and New year period, so less congestion. Of course nowadays we’re running at higher gross weights than in 1967.
This tidy little unit 150LX/DB6:600/Kirkstall BDR regularly managed 9 mpg running at 32ton in both directions on our trunk operation.
W & J Riding driver Archie Ryan passed away on the 22nd of February after losing his battle with cancer.
Archie worked from out of Riding’s Wishaw depot in Scotland for my many years.
His funeral will take place on Tuesday the 3rd of March at 1pm at Daldowie crematorium in Glasgow.
gingerfold:
Interesting fuel mpg figures in the article considering it was over 50 years ago. Comparable modern day mpg results from my 26 vehicle fleet of 22 DAFs and 4 Mercs show that we cannot beat the Gardner of that era. Since early November my fleet mpg has been consistent at 9.4 to 9.5 mpg, except for the last two weeks when i got 9.8 and 9.9 mpg. I put the increase down to much less heavy traffic on the roads during the Christmas and New year period, so less congestion. Of course nowadays we’re running at higher gross weights than in 1967.
…at a higher average speed than 30mph (one would hope!). The frontal area of a box trailer is far greater than those Commercial Motor concrete flats, and I bet an Atki would kick any modern brick out of the wind tunnel*. Your results seem favourable, considering all that.
*I would love to see that- a comparative wind tunnel test, between a modern tractor unit, and an Atki. They would both be hooked up to a modern box van, and the '70s motor would be allowed a period wind deflector. Do it please, Commercial Motor.
Interesting article in this weeks commercial motor by Bob Tuck on Tom Riding Should be a very good read
Sorry to burst everyone’s bubble but these are not an actual paintings they are computer generated images on photoshop using parts of original photographs on the Riding’s website, one of many knocking about at the moment…
