What was so good about Atkinsons?

5thwheel · 10 February 2011 10:42

Dave the Renegade:

A 1954 Atkinson belonging to Sharples of Eardisley,Herefordshire.

Hi Dave,

More interested in the old flatbed in the background,any idea what it is?

Take it easy,

Rgds,

David

dave_the_renegade · 10 February 2011 12:42

5thwheel:

Dave the Renegade:

A 1954 Atkinson belonging to Sharples of Eardisley,Herefordshire.

Hi Dave,

More interested in the old flatbed in the background,any idea what it is?

Take it easy,

Rgds,

David

Hi David,
The vehicle seen in the background is Praills of Hereford Wrecker,the picture was taken on the site of Praills new workshop,so Jean Sharples told me.I don’t know what make the wrecker was.
Cheers Dave,

240_gardner · 10 February 2011 22:41

road-ranger:
do we no the date that the last atki was made? mine is about 1000 trucks differernt to this one and mine was made in 1975, and put on to the road in late 1975.

If I can find that actual newspaper cutting in the archives, I could tell you! It was during April, I think.

marky · 10 February 2011 22:58

Don’t ask me how I’ve managed to remember this, or who told me (probably Chris) but I can’t get the last week of April 1975 out of my mind as being the time the last Atkinson (29941) left the factory. When Chris mentioned April , that sort of confirmed it to me - I wasn’t comfortable posting it until he said it too.

Again, this may/may not be accurate, but I seem to recall that the pictures of the first 10 400-series tractors lined up in the factory car park were taken at the same time. Some of these wagons were in the picture behind 29941 on the line.

toxic_gas_man · 11 February 2011 03:14

Hi all,I suppose from the point of view of the younger drivers on here,there is not a lot of praise for the Atkinson.When i started on the road in 1954 as a trailer mate on an Atki 8 legger and trailer there was quite a lot of prestige attatched to working on an Atki.Although there was no heater no indicators no powered steering,just a6LW GARDENER doing 31 M.P.H.it was still a great lorry.Later on down the the road in1964 i had an Atki on night trunk to Scotland for three years with a 150 Gardener never let me down once,they were a great lorry in their time,but things change fast,Atkinson didnt. Cheers TED.

dave_the_renegade · 11 February 2011 12:51

There is a feature about the Atkinson Borderer in this weeks Commercial Moter Mag,als quite a few pictures and quotes from various people.

wheel_nut · 11 February 2011 14:58

marky:
I’ve managed to find the pictures I was on about earlier, and here’s the wagon in question - with the 400s following it down the line. The chassis number 29941 can be seen chalked on the bumper.

It looks like Edwards of Hull took their livery design straight from Oldham!

Bubbspic

marky · 11 February 2011 18:43

err - Walton-le-Dale actually, but I see what you’re saying…

bewick · 11 February 2011 20:11

marky:
err - Walton-le-Dale actually, but I see what you’re saying…

IIRC the Sed/Atks were built at both W-le dale and Woodstock,Oldham and there ensued the argument that the W-le-dale chassis were always “better put to-gether” than the Oldham builds!!!Bewick.

marky · 11 February 2011 21:12

Bewick:

marky:
err - Walton-le-Dale actually, but I see what you’re saying…

IIRC the Sed/Atks were built at both W-le dale and Woodstock,Oldham and there ensued the argument that the W-le-dale chassis were always “better put to-gether” than the Oldham builds!!!Bewick.

Nah - it was definitely Walton-le Dale Dennis.

bewick · 11 February 2011 21:23

marky:

Bewick:

marky:
err - Walton-le-Dale actually, but I see what you’re saying…

IIRC the Sed/Atks were built at both W-le dale and Woodstock,Oldham and there ensued the argument that the W-le-dale chassis were always “better put to-gether” than the Oldham builds!!!Bewick.

Nah - it was definitely Walton-le Dale Dennis.

But what you didn’t do “marky” was go into a boozer in Oldham on a Friday night and suggest that the W-le-Dale lads built a better motor than the ■■■■■■■■ at Woodstock!

marky · 11 February 2011 21:29

Bewick:

marky:

Bewick:

marky:
err - Walton-le-Dale actually, but I see what you’re saying…

IIRC the Sed/Atks were built at both W-le dale and Woodstock,Oldham and there ensued the argument that the W-le-dale chassis were always “better put to-gether” than the Oldham builds!!!Bewick.

Nah - it was definitely Walton-le Dale Dennis.

But what you didn’t do “marky” was go into a boozer in Oldham on a Friday night and suggest that the W-le-Dale lads built a better motor than the [zb] at Woodstock!

You’re absolutely right Dennis - I didn’t.

Did you??

bewick · 11 February 2011 21:47

marky:

Bewick:

marky:

Bewick:

marky:
err - Walton-le-Dale actually, but I see what you’re saying…

IIRC the Sed/Atks were built at both W-le dale and Woodstock,Oldham and there ensued the argument that the W-le-dale chassis were always “better put to-gether” than the Oldham builds!!!Bewick.

Nah - it was definitely Walton-le Dale Dennis.

But what you didn’t do “marky” was go into a boozer in Oldham on a Friday night and suggest that the W-le-Dale lads built a better motor than the [zb] at Woodstock!

You’re absolutely right Dennis - I didn’t.

Did you??

I should have done because I had a legitimate reason as we had one or two "bad uns"which was put down as they were Woodstock built!!probably by Cannon and Ball I would have thought!!! Dennis.

bigr250 · 11 February 2011 22:01

toxic gas man:
they were a great lorry in their time,but things change fast,Atkinson didnt. Cheers TED.

Hi Ted, spot on I believe. The way I see it is that the Atki was a GREAT truck ‘of it’s day’ but ubfortunately ‘it’s day’ had passed while it was still in production. I did drive one for a while and did have nights out in day cabbed example, not the best nights I’ve had in a truck cab, but not the worst either.

Ross.

wheel_nut · 11 February 2011 22:46

Atkinson merged with Seddons of Oldham in 1970. The last “true” Atkinson, a Defender 8-wheel rigid bearing chassis number FC29941, was built at Atkinson’s Walton-le-Dale works in 1975. It went to G & B McCready of Newcastle-under-Lyme and carried the registration KVT 604 P. Today it rots in their yard.[citation needed]

Alongside Seddon’s facility at Oldham, the Atkinson works assembled the Seddon Atkinson 400 Series and also the first batch of the new 401 model, before closing at the end of 1981.

There we go, but I have to concede that the last 8 wheeler was built in Walton le Dale. No excuse for painting new lorries a muddy brown and beige

moomooland · 13 February 2011 20:27

Atkinson’s as far as the eye can see

harry_gill · 13 February 2011 20:42

moomooland:

Atkinson’s as far as the eye can see

hiya,
And guess who had the audacity to park a LAD cabbed Leyland unit amongst them way back in the sixties Toms Dad was’nt amused though and made me shift it after i’d clocked out and ready to drive out of the gate, and for nowt i did ask should i clock back on he told me not to be cheeky.
thanks harry long retired.

stanfield · 24 February 2011 10:12

One of Broadhurst’s from Stalybridge early motors.

kevmac47 · 24 February 2011 19:37

Stanfield:
One of Broadhurst’s from Stalybridge early motors.0

great shot of a classic motor John,lets wait for the flysheet polis give out a £60 or three points for the ropes. regards kevmac47.

bewick · 24 February 2011 19:41

kevmac47:

Stanfield:
One of Broadhurst’s from Stalybridge early motors.0

great shot of a classic motor John,lets wait for the flysheet polis give out a £60 or three points for the ropes. regards kevmac47.

This very “untidy” sheeting and roping job has already received a critical coat of “going over” on an earlier post Kev! Say no more—unless you’d like to,of course!!! Bewick.