So it has mate,come to think of it there might have been two of these Beavers. I’ll try and find a pic of it.
NZ JAMIE:
This is taken at Winkleigh in North Devon,there’s a big collection of old gear there. I went there in the late 80’s and saw both of these.I think the the AEC was a one off built by Mann Eggerton? The Truck on the right is a Leyland Beaver Chinese six ‘Steer’ that was previously used as a tow truck with a bus company.
Here’s a better pic of the Beaver .
adr:
AEC? Or a BSA (Bit Stuck Anywhere)? & what’s that just in view on the right?
AEC
Hello ADR and NZ JAMIE 
Here are some more details of the lorries that have featured in your above immediate posts.
The above AEC heavy recovery vehicle was originally one of these World War Two military vehicles of the British WO-WD Army:-
AEC 0857 6x6 ARMOURED COMMAND VEHICLE,LP,HP,151 built in 1944-1945.A mobile command and radio communications motor vehicle:-
151 of these armoured mobile command and radio communications military motor vehicles were built in 1944-1945,and in Civvy Street,after World War Two,Mann Egerton & Company converted several of these AEC 0857’s in to purpose-built Heavy Recovery Vehicles,Mann Egerton retained one of them for their own use and the rest were sold to other commercial vehicle dealers.
Brief specifications:-
AEC A198 9.6-Litre Ricardo Comet Mk3 indirect injection 150 Bhp Diesel Engine.
4-speed gearbox,pus two speed transfer box.
Air brakes.
The AEC 0857 HRV in ADR’s post was re-engined with a Gardner 6LX 150 Diesel Engine,and it’s gearbox was replaced with a Foden 12-speed gearbox,and here is another photograph of this HRV:-
AEC 0857 MANN EGERTON 6x6 HEAVY RECOVERY VEHICLE,FWH 41Y.Warfield Garage,Bracknell,preserved at Winkleigh.Originally an Armoured Command Vehicle LP,HP,converted in to a HRV:-
FWH 41Y,the AEC HRV’s registration intriguingly ended up on the following motorcoach! 
:-
LEYLAND TIGER TRCTL11/3R/PLAXTON PARAMOUNT 3500 C49F MOTORCOACH,FWH 41Y,Southern National,SN9. National Express motorcoach livery. FWH 41Y was registration for AEC O857 HRV:-
AEC FWH 41Y:-
FWH 41Y AEC:-
The operator history of the above Leyland Tiger motorcoach,note how many registrations it has had (quite common in the motorcoach world).I wonder if it’s still in service…:-
FWH 41Y was part of the Brutonian Bus Company under the Cawlett Group.
June 1983: New to Yelloway Motor Services, Rochdale.
November 1985:Acquired by Southern National,No SN9.
May 1989:Transferred to Brutonian.
July 1991:Transferred to North Devon.
Jun 92:Re-numbered 2221.
November 1992:Re-registered 925 GTA.
November 1994:Acquired by Guscott, Halwill and re-registered HTT 204Y.
April 1997:Re-registered ALZ 4583.
The vehicle details for ALZ 4583 are:
Date of Liability 10 04 2008
Date of First Registration 01 06 1983
Year of Manufacture 1983
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 11100cc
Information is needed for the subsequent history of this Leyland Tiger motorcoach,but is here another photograph of it in service in Brutonian motorcoach livery:-
Leyland FWH 41Y:-
FWH 41Y Leyland:-
LEYLAND STEER OF CITY OF OXFORD MOTOR SERVICES
LEYLAND STEER AT WINKLEIGH
I am 99.9% certain that the Leyland Steer 6x2 Twin Steer Lorry in chassis cab form is the following Leyland Steer:-
LEYLAND STEER 16.S3 6x2 TWIN STEER CHINESE SIX HEAVY RECOVERY VEHICLE,1955,Trade Plate 016 FC.City of Oxford Motor Services,recovering South Midland Bristol VR,May 1984.Kevin Lane:-
The Leyland Steer was photographed in the Cowley Road Garage,and was originally operated by Dunlop.I remember seeing a photograph of this Leyland Steer in an Ian Allan motorcoach and bus publication,probably BUSES EXTRA Magazine - it could be the same photograph - and I have always hoped that this motor lorry would be preserved!
VALKYRIE
Hardy Railmotor became Hardy Motors from Southall. What happened next? They became AEC
Valkyrie,thanks very much for posting that great info and pics. She was a bit special and a unique truck really. Sadly I heard she was cut up a few years ago.
I think you are correct,the Leyland Steer is the same truck,I’ve seen pics of it before.
I recall going to an auction at Winkleigh, oh probably going on 20 years ago, but not much was sold due to the vehicles not meeting their reserve prices. One or two vehicles that were sold have been restored and are on the rally scene. The man who owned the Winkleigh collection was Colin Shears and he had a lifetime interest in old vehicles of all kinds and was a prominent bus restorer / preservationist. I would think that Colin must be quite elderly by now.
Wheel Nut:
Hardy Railmotor became Hardy Motors from Southall. What happened next? They became AEC
The railcars which operated on our local branch line were still powered by AEC in the 1960s. There’s a preserved example in the STEAM museum at Swindon.
Retired Old ■■■■:
Wheel Nut:
Hardy Railmotor became Hardy Motors from Southall. What happened next? They became AEC
The railcars which operated on our local branch line were still powered by AEC in the 1960s. There’s a preserved example in the STEAM museum at Swindon.
This photo looks like it is in Australia, and some of these were used up until the 1980s as emergency ambulances to access remote parts of Australia where there were local branch lines but poor roads. I read an article about them quite recently and I’ll try and find it.
AEC
AEC RAILCARS OF GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY
Link:-
totally-transport.co.uk/gwr-aec-railcar.html
AEC 852,PARK ROYAL 8.8 LITRE, AND LATER 9.6- LITRE, DIESEL STREAMLINED RAILCARS OF THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.38 were built 1934 - 1940.AEC ADVERTISEMENT:-
AEC 852,PARK ROYAL 8.8 LITRE, AND LATER 9.6- LITRE, DIESEL STREAMLINED RAILCARS OF THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.Will’s Cigarette Collectors Picture Card:-
AEC 852,PARK ROYAL 8.8 LITRE, AND LATER 9.6- LITRE, DIESEL STREAMLINED RAILCARS OF THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.British Railways W 14 W:-
VALKYRIE
Now there’s a memory, the Daniel Stewart liveried Mandator Mk.V. LB76 (Bill) and I went to collect it from Daniel when LB76 bought it. Some years ago now.
NZ JAMIE:
Valkyrie,thanks very much for posting that great info and pics. She was a bit special and a unique truck really. Sadly I heard she was cut up a few years ago.I think you are correct,the Leyland Steer is the same truck,I’ve seen pics of it before.
Hi VALKYRIE, thanks for those pics too, love the pic of the Steer in Bus Garage down the Cowley Road, Oxford . Alas the old Bus Depot has gone now, replaced by a lovely new character-less slab of concrete & modern buildings up the Garsington Road, Cowley. The Steer may have gone to the Bus Garage in the Sky, but there is a GUY Big-J 6-wheel breakdown floating about somewhere in the old Oxford Bus Company colours, it was for sale in Classic Commercial a while ago, don’t know where it is now?
Regards Chris
Thanks for the railcar info, Valkyrie. They ran our branch line six times a day until the good (?) Doctor Beeching dropped his axe.
I started my driving career on Drax power station driving this. Hobsons had a fleet of these AEC dump trucks and we worked on contracts all over the UK.
Carlc:
I started my driving career on Drax power station driving this. Hobsons had a fleet of these AEC dump trucks and we worked on contracts all over the UK.
I live a stones throw from Drax power station, do you have any photos of it been built ?
Carlc:
I started my driving career on Drax power station driving this. Hobsons had a fleet of these AEC dump trucks and we worked on contracts all over the UK.
Well you’ve been very careless with yon wheel nut rim protector. Do try to buck up a bit lad. … 
A question for Gingerfold,i have just read the latest AEC Gazette and noticed a letter from Bob Fryars, he mentions being on the committee of the SMMT and also mentions a Charlie Baldwin meeting.He states that Stokes was “so bloody minded” and had totally embargoed any development of the AV760 Turbo and turbocharging of the AV505 because Stanley Markland had approved both .He says he had written papers which explained Stokes reasons but doesn`t reveal them in this letter ,can you shed any light on this?
ramone:
A question for Gingerfold,i have just read the latest AEC Gazette and noticed a letter from Bob Fryars, he mentions being on the committee of the SMMT and also mentions a Charlie Baldwin meeting.He states that Stokes was “so bloody minded” and had totally embargoed any development of the AV760 Turbo and turbocharging of the AV505 because Stanley Markland had approved both .He says he had written papers which explained Stokes reasons but doesn`t reveal them in this letter ,can you shed any light on this?
I seem to have been struck off the AEC Society’s mailing list so I don’t receive its Gazette any more, so I’m unable to comment on Bob Fryar’s letter as I haven’t seen it. I will say that Bob Fryars is as knowledgeable a person as you will ever come across, not only about AEC where he started as a young man and worked his way up to Chief Engineer, but also about British Leyland where he was also Chief Engineer of Truck and Bus Division. He will know all about the shenanigans and internal politics of the organisation, but he has always kept his thoughts to himself and never “spilt the beans”, so to speak. He was, and is, an AEC man through and through, fair, and objective about its products over the years recognising the good, the bad, and the failures. Bob’s promotion to the highest position on engineering within British Leyland Truck and Bus from his AEC background does tend to contradict those who have commented in the past that Leyland totally dominated AEC and froze out the AEC management. When I was writing the AEC and Leyland booklets under Gingerfold Publications Bob Fryars was most helpful to me and always had constructive comments and observations to make. He is a true gent.
gingerfold:
ramone:
A question for Gingerfold,i have just read the latest AEC Gazette and noticed a letter from Bob Fryars, he mentions being on the committee of the SMMT and also mentions a Charlie Baldwin meeting.He states that Stokes was “so bloody minded” and had totally embargoed any development of the AV760 Turbo and turbocharging of the AV505 because Stanley Markland had approved both .He says he had written papers which explained Stokes reasons but doesn`t reveal them in this letter ,can you shed any light on this?I seem to have been struck off the AEC Society’s mailing list so I don’t receive its Gazette any more, so I’m unable to comment on Bob Fryar’s letter as I haven’t seen it. I will say that Bob Fryars is as knowledgeable a person as you will ever come across, not only about AEC where he started as a young man and worked his way up to Chief Engineer, but also about British Leyland where he was also Chief Engineer of Truck and Bus Division. He will know all about the shenanigans and internal politics of the organisation, but he has always kept his thoughts to himself and never “spilt the beans”, so to speak. He was, and is, an AEC man through and through, fair, and objective about its products over the years recognising the good, the bad, and the failures. Bob’s promotion to the highest position on engineering within British Leyland Truck and Bus from his AEC background does tend to contradict those who have commented in the past that Leyland totally dominated AEC and froze out the AEC management. When I was writing the AEC and Leyland booklets under Gingerfold Publications Bob Fryars was most helpful to me and always had constructive comments and observations to make. He is a true gent.
His last sentence in the letter was “my friend Peter Nevitt of Ford knew exactly what Stokes was doing .Stokes ,with Spurrier before him,destroyed commercial vehicle manufacture in the UK”.
Strong stuff ,he states earlier in his letter that anyone wishing to learn at least some of the facts about AEC and Leyland Motors in the years 1960/70 should access my papers “Some impressions of Leyland Motors parts 1,2 and 3” that are available from the University of Warwick Modern Records Centre and the British Motor Heritage Trust.
Anyone know how to access these papers?