Transport » Lorries

Pickfords for the real heavy jobs, started with Donkeys I understand

http://www.pickfords.co.uk/pickfords-history

Albion lorries always worked well.

http://rides.webshots.com/album/550601365zhJkUJ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Albion...ugust,_2008.jpg

We always ran Bedfords TK's KM's & TL's. In forty years don't think we had any great problems with them. When near retiring my Uncle started looking for a vintage lorry to mess around with in his retirement. I could never work out why but he bought an Austin K2. I asked why he hadn't bought a Bedford and he just replied that he had seen enough of them. Mind you he was always more hands on with the transport than I.

Now if I had been inclined that way, then these are the sort of vehicle I would have been after.

Phil

When I worked at the pub I sometimes went with my mate. He drove a Mandator (AEC I think) It was the noisiest damn thing on the road. Although we were only about two feet apart we had to really shout at each other.

Before we had the LWB Rover pick up, we had a Commer Karrier tipper a little Bantam similar to the one in the photo. We used it like a pick up truck because it wasn't much bigger and couldn't carry much more of a load. Like Uncle Dave's vintage Austin we could carry it about on the back of one of the other trucks.

I thought it was a wonderful little truck and hated to see it go when we had the Land Rover.

Phil

Phil I notice your Commer truck had the engine in the cab. Was it noisy some similar vehicles I have been in usually were?

SB

A little noisy depending on the insulation and age of the vehicle, but it was warm in the winter.

Phil

I used to drive around in a Commer Van.
It broke down once in a rainstorm due to water in the distributor. We just sat there in the dry while I took it apart and dried it out. The rain was running like a river under the van. We were away again in a few minutes and no one got wet.
VM

We used to have a Commer Van as a crew vehicle. While they were quite a good tool, I could never get used to having nothing in front of me. The chap that drove it was like a maniac. I don't think he knew the meaning of the word fear. I have been sitting in the front of the van while he was driving up the motorway at 70 mp.h. less than a foot away from the vehicle in front. I could have leaned out of the side window and touched the vehicle in front. I travelled with him in the van as little as possible.

Phil

Perhaps being in the transport game for most of my life has turned me against lorries as unlike my uncle I have no great affection for them. Not even vintage ones as I have said before I think. But these are a different kettle of fish, its strange because trains, tractors and rollers hold no fascination for me. These however are just great.

Phil

Brilliant Phil I would imagine that they took someone special to drive them.