Frankydobo:
Probably because they thought the Ergo cab was good enough for the needs even by the mid Seventies and once it did seem to need an upgrade the decision was firmly in the hands of Leyland, remember the merger of the two companies began in 1962 so by the mid 70’s the struggling Leyland concern would have considered the demise of its partner and competitor for a good few years, and hardly likely to throw money at AEC it didn’t have. I suppose the V8 Mandator, could be said to have an improved version of the cab, which basically was an excellent working environment for the driver in its original build anyway. There were some changes over the years to the Ergo AEC models but mainly to driveline, chassis components etc and not much to the cab you would notice. I wonder if, had Leyland been took over by AEC what differences there would have been to the two marques and if AEC management would have made a better job of it. Franky.
Well to be fair to Leyland and i dont like being fair to them, AEC took over a few companys and discontinued their ranges with Thornycrofts becoming badge engineered for a time
Probably important to note that the Marathon was somewhat of a stop gap (designed by AEC) as development of the T45 Roadtrain was underway but slowed due to financial problems amongst others and intended to be the follow on from the Ergo range. Nationalisation mid 70’s due to Leylands decline enabled money to be put into this programme and successful as the Roadtrain range was the writing was on the wall for Leyland by the time of the T45 release.
Well to be fair to Leyland and i dont like being fair to them, AEC took over a few companys and discontinued their ranges with Thornycrofts becoming badge engineered for a time
That’s true and I suppose this happens eventually with any organisation that takes over another, Seddon being a good example, although they took over and didn’t merg or were taken over by Atkinson as some seem to think, they did have the sense to realise the good name of Atkinson could help future sales, proved even more so later by returning the big A badge to the grille in an attempt to hang onto and appease previous Atkinson customers. I’m probably like you and see AEC as the good guys with the white hats and Leyland as the baddies with the black hats, likely a hundred miles away from the truth but everything you read seems to put it that way.
Frankydobo:
Probably important to note that the Marathon was somewhat of a stop gap (designed by AEC) as development of the T45 Roadtrain was underway but slowed due to financial problems amongst others and intended to be the follow on from the Ergo range. Nationalisation mid 70’s due to Leylands decline enabled money to be put into this programme and successful as the Roadtrain range was the writing was on the wall for Leyland by the time of the T45 release.
I remember reading a road test in 1 of the magazines in the late 70s of a Marathon i cant remember which engine it had but would guess the E290 with the headline "No mere stop gap model" ,going back to your earlier comment on what would have happened if AEC had taken over Leyland well look how much time and money AEC had to produce the Marathon and how much Leyland had to produce the Roadtrain.I once watched a programme on tv i think it was called Designers and one episode covered the T45 range ,one of the designers went on about how they had designed certain parts of the dashboard with sausage shaped inserts that matched the grill on the Roadtrain, i thought to myself well if hes in charge and thats an important factor ffs why bother ,then to cap it all they had a driver who they interviewed whilst he was driving a Roadtrain and all he kept saying was the gearbox was too slow and he was beating it everytime ,i think what he really meant was he couldn`t drive the Spicer!!!
Hi Ramone,
I’ve been following this AEC thread and it seems to me that it favours the Ergo model above the others. I’ve covered a few miles in what I consider to be one of the best models, the Mark V, but I have never driven an Ergo cabbed version, of any make. My question is have I missed out , are the Ergo’s a better truck. In driving enjoyment was the Ergo better than the Mark V ? Is it matter of personal taste?
Hiya…i have a mk 5 and love her. the ergo was a massive leap forward in my eyes.
the ergo was much quieter for a start. to drivers the ergo was a new shape.(everyone wants new)
the driving position was second to none at that time.if you got a mandator(ergo) with the fuller gearbox
you had a mean machine. i did know a chap who run a v8 (in the 60,s) out of hulland products at 32 ton
he was uncatchable. if AEC had made an all steel insulated mk5 cab that did,nt rattle and tilted like the ergo
everyone would have wanted one…especially with the V8 in it…(now i am day dreaming).
when the ergo came out in 65, remember their was still 1930,s lorries running about. if you got
the chance of a ergo you,d jump at it.
John
3300John:
Hiya…i have a mk 5 and love her. the ergo was a massive leap forward in my eyes.
the ergo was much quieter for a start. to drivers the ergo was a new shape.(everyone wants new)
the driving position was second to none at that time.if you got a mandator(ergo) with the fuller gearbox
you had a mean machine. i did know a chap who run a v8 (in the 60,s) out of hulland products at 32 ton
he was uncatchable. if AEC had made an all steel insulated mk5 cab that did,nt rattle and tilted like the ergo
everyone would have wanted one…especially with the V8 in it…(now i am day dreaming).
when the ergo came out in 65, remember their was still 1930,s lorries running about. if you got
the chance of a ergo you,d jump at it.
John
Your right there John,I recall the first Ergo that Brady’s got their hands on was a Badger C reg,it looked like it was a shorter wheelbase than the next Ergos they got in the shape of a Beaver,Mandator and Super Comet ? would I be right in my thinking? Cheers Dennis.
So it would seem that I did miss out, I can’t recall driving a bad mark V but age makes the spectacles even more rose tinted. It would seem now that I am entering retirement that I am not going to be able to experience the difference. Still what you have never had you don’t miss.
hiya bassman…rose tinted glasses or not i don,t think i,d do a swap my mk5 for a ergo.(i do know where ther,s a good
mammoth minor)why not go to a transport festival and have a sit in a ergo. you may possibly get a drive.
you could have a drive of mine for sure if i had one. everything on the ergo was at your finger tips.
a real good extra was the low cab, it would,nt matter if you,d had a hip job or a knackered knee
you,d still get in a ergo.
John
In my opinion, the driving position in an Ergo cab could not be beaten, all controls fell nicely to hand and all the gauges could be read easily too.the heating and ventilation was for the period out of this world, when compared to what else was on offer in the UK at the time it was a winner.The knockers will say that the mirrors soon got dirty, but the position was very quickly changed and what was worse for fouling than a Merc? as for driver comfort it could not be bettered .
Thanks for that , if I get to a show I will see if any owner of an Ergo will take pity on me and let an old anorak experience the moment. I might even visit the annual AEC event which I think they rotate between Nottingham and Newark. Do you eventually get weaned off deisel fumes?
Hiya LB hows thing fella…IF heated mirrors had been around in the 60,s that would have helped.
i don,t think a bostrom seat was on offer with the early ergo,s would they because the cab tilt.
i suppose you,d have to slide out the seat, something we could manage in those days if you was on
llloooonnnngg distance.
John
Thanks for that , if I get to a show I will see if any owner of an Ergo will take pity on me and let an old anorak experience the moment. I might even visit the annual AEC event which I think they rotate between Nottingham and Newark. Do you eventually get weaned off deisel fumes?
Cheers Bassman
Hiya…i would,nt think so… if you go to the AEC event i have a pal with the driving school V8 (neil) he,ll take you a drive,
I,ll get a message to him as time gets closer…he also has a mecury fire tender with a 505 in her.
John
Hi John, i did have a Bostrom seat in the MM8 & drag, whether it was an extra or a retro fit, i dont know but it was nice when you are doing the miles that we used to do!
I,ll watch out for when the AEC events are on , I remember Humber Warehousing at Grimsby running the V8’s, they always had a cream fleet .
I hope I’ve had my knee op. by then ,I don’t want to test all the claim’s for the Ergo’s.
I drove a Marathon for some time in 1978/9, 250 ■■■■■■■ , fuller box & apart from the dodgy brakes and silly steering wheel, it was a great cab, probably the first walk through, loved the space in the cab, although I never drove a Crusader, they were pretty close to being a walk through as well.
So unless someone knows different was it the first walk through or was there another?
