Wigan Album

I suspect BRS is now defunct.

I suspect an old Goodyear and the wish for a happy new Goodyear.

I suspect you've Dunlop have you!

Is it a 1122.5 no it's 1000x20 tubed tyre with split rim.

Happy New Year everyone ! I think this is one of the AEC Mercury's that an old neighbour used to drive, like most lorry drivers I've known, a fine fellow.

I suspect a replacement on HP.

It may be just a shunt motor Ray, or at least I would like to think so, or possibly the ' punishment motor ' for recalcitrant drivers, but I would hate to think that I was setting off on a Sunday afternoon for a fortnight, tramping around the country with that shed, although a lot of the stuff we used to drive wasn't that much better was it really?, probably worse in many instances. I realise that this motor dates back to the 60's, but if there's anyone out there that's still looking for reasons why the continental truck manufacturers wiped the floor with the Brits, then look no further than this splendid example of what Southall could produce.

Well said Ozy, Yes, this lorry would have been new approx.
1964/65, and this picture, in my opinion, will be from the
early 1970s, when it was approaching the end of its life.
The FG Depot code was Northampton, and its appearance suggests that BRS Kitt Green used it as a local shunter.

This is a day cab not a sleeper cab.

Not only truck manufacturers but cars vans etc.
These trucks never went on nights out.

Alan...When this AEC Lorry was new in the mid 1960s,sleeper
cabs were virtually unheard of. This type of AEC Lorry would
have been one of the main choices of vehicle for long distance work. Arthur...In my early days of long distance
work, It was quite common for a driver to stay overnight in
"Transport Digs", some were good, some were dreadful,up to
10 drivers in one room, no en suite facilities. I created my
own bed in the cab,as did hundreds of drivers. For example,
if I had booked "Known" decent digs in say,Stirling, and because of unavoidable delays during the day, and if I did
not have enough legal driving time left, I would have to park up, and stay overnight in the cab...At least I knew that my sleeping bag was squeaky clean.

The first wagon that I ever drove that was equipped with a proper sleeper cab was a forward control 1418 Merc that was allocated to me from new in 1974. The registration was RBA 68 N, a Manchester reg. In the years prior to this, we often had little option other than to sleep across the engine of wagons with day cabs, as digs very often weren't always available. It wasn't as bad as it may sound though, as we always carried short lengths of board and pieces of sponge cut to size, which were stored in the passenger foot well and on the passenger seat. It was just a case of being prepared for any eventuality, and myself and many other drivers besides, have spent many a night out in wagons fitted with day cabs.

Now look at the typically British idea of a fuel gauge on the tank of this A.E.C. As late as 1984 I was driving a Leyland Octopus with an ergomatic cab, the TL11 engine and a Spicer gearbox. AFT 41 V , registered in Newcastle in 1979. A great motor to drive, when it wasn't in the workshop having some problem or other sorted out, which was pretty much every other week. The damn thing would have bankrupted an owner driver. This wagon also had one of those useless fuel gauges on the side of the tank, and this on a motor that was registered as late as 1979. It also had a day cab, until I found a professionally made fold down bunk in a breaker's yard in Widnes, and fitted it myself. Prior to that, in the summer months at least, I'd stretch a sheet from the headboard over the boom of the Hiab, and kip on top of the load. I found it quite enjoyable actually, a bit like being paid for going on a camping holiday. But please don't try to tell me that day cabs weren't used for tramping, as you're just displaying your ignorance.

I do hope you both slept well !!!!
Not for me!
Home every night and bed.

I suspect most of us had a proper job, home every day.

Alan and Howard did you both have steaming mugs of Horlicks awaiting your arrival home from work - just a thought?!

Which job would that have been Howard, operating the bacon slicer at the co-op, or polishing the prams at Mothercare ?

Put it this way: I never got my hands dirty and home every day, oh and got well paid.
I suspect you might say I've done ok. I retired at 59...
With a very good pension.

Ha ha well said Howard.

I suspect that a never ending round of work followed by tele followed by bed followed by work would become very tedious after a while.
No one wants to work all the time. Humans are basically lazy. Necessity wasn't the mother of invention, laziness was. Even Howard P retired early.

I didn't get my hands dirty either and I worked 4 years beyond retirement - loved every minute of it. I 'suspect' we are all different - theres nothing wrong with getting down and dirty working on wagons either -classed as highly essential work in delivering goods! Where would the country be without them?!

He he he. I suspect jealousy could be in order.
These days I'm more busier than ever.

Howard, you really are a lucky rascal. Nothing to do all day except count your money, wash your hands and make cups of Horlicks. I don't know how you can stand all that excitement I really don't.

I 'suspect' Howard receives free supplies of Horlicks on retirement until he reaches the stage of 'The Big Sleep'!

Ho ho ho, now Veronica is at it now I suspect.

" These days I'm more busier than ever. " ..... mmmm, let me ruminate on this for a moment...." More busier than ever " .....by Jove, I think may I have it.... Howard, you're obviously a lecturer in English grammar at one of this country's red brick universities. This would explain the clean hands, the early retirement and the generous renumeration. It would also explain the image that I have of a slender, plastic tipped, one metre long length of flat metal, used to check the oil level in an internal combustion engine. The name of which will no doubt come to me the very second I press the submit button.

' Dipstick ', that's the word I was trying to think of,....' dipstick '..... Isn't it always the same?, you struggle for ten minutes to think of the word, then five seconds after you click on submit, you suddenly remember the word you were trying to think of, as if by magic. But that's the one, dipstick, no doubt about it.

Most later cars including HGVs don't have dipsticks anymore, they have computer dashboard levels.

I'm trying to think of something used to maintain Hgvs, no doubt that ozy bloke has use it sometime or other. I just can't think if it. You know what it reminds me of him. When I click off, it will come to me I'm sure.

What did I tell you, well it's come to me. Swarfega Duck oil, that it, "Swarfega Duck Oil".

Cant remember last time checked me oil??
I've changed it.

My car is a Mercedes and don't have a dipstick.

Ozy..you wrote " I think may I have it"

It should say "I think I may have it"

Well there's quite a few more grammatical mistakes amongst that lot Alex for correction purposes. I don't think Howard was a Journalist either!!!

My car has a dipstick. Two if you count the one behind the wheel.
I wouldn't say I'm a bad driver, I usually get where I'm going and sometimes I even get back. It's the bit in between that causes the trouble!

I don't suspect Veronica is perfect, not by a long chalk.

Well said Howard.

Er...you're not related to Howard by any chance are you Anne?

Pity Howard can't compose a sentence without the word 'suspect' !

Yes Howard is my friend.
D Tease, are you related to ozy and veronica.

I suspect on this account you could be right Veronica.

Just asking Annie, no need to go on the offensive and no I'm not related to Ozymandias or Veronica. In fact I have never met either of them.

That's a pity really DTease, even though I can never actually envisage it happening, I daresay we could all have a reet good laugh if we got together...I'm including everyone here by the way. It seems such a pity that in the relatively short lifespan that we are allocated, we should spend such a large proportion of this time engaged in unproductive quarrelling....Ray posted a photo of a wagon, but yet only about half a dozen comments out of 41 so far have been about the wagon. This leads me to suspect that personalities may be beginning to eclipse the core issues. I consider myself to be no less guilty in this respect than anyone else, The time, quite possibly, may have arrived to remove the tumour that is threatening the overall wellbeing of the site. I hasten to add that this statement must not in any way be considered to represent a white flag, but I will concede that it may be considered to represent an olive branch. Let's try to get things back on an even keel eh?...... and..... One...Two...Three...Oh, I will if you will so will I,... yes if I will if you will so will I,.... Oh if you will then I will, I will if you will,....if Garry's having a sherry so will I. ( sung to the tune of ' she'll be coming round the mountain when she comes ") , or ' Stars and Stripes forever ' by Sousa, if that particular tune should just happen to float your boat.

Regards. Ozy.

I must say Ozy, Dtease and some others who shall remain nameless- I'm drawn to the ones who write interesting and witty comments- I suppose you could say not so much friends as 'kindred spirits' in a sense. We could pass each other on the streets of Wigan and not know we had. So much for being 'friends'! Apologies to Ray for using his photo as a vehicle.

Veronica...Thank you for your comments earlier today. I have
just posted another lorry photo, A Reed Transport Scania artic which dates from 1973. I hope that some former Reeds drivers see it, and perhaps root out some Reeds lorry photos
from the 70s, including the blue "Reed Corrugated" lorries.

Good for you Ray! I'm sure you will get a response from all the ex drivers.

41 comments and only half a dozen about the truck..well because Hgvs are boring that's why.