I have found quite some info and picture on Albion and I hope this thread might add to a more complete story.
From 1949 till 1959 the Dutch family-owned (Van Ramshorst) company “Albatros” represented Albion for both
Holland and Belgium, a bit the other way round on what the Belgium company Hocké did.
More than 350 chassis (both lorries and busses) were imported/assembled and more important also sold between
1949 and 1959. I have absolutely no clue on what Albion achieved in Belgium, but who knows what comes here.
In Holland "Albatros"had quite a name concerning the marques White and Indiana same as Ets. Denonville in Belgium.
The Dutch made some ugly looking wagons in the fifties and sixties! They all look (as did the earlier Dafs) as though they’re suffering from serious overbite!
Funny old world. I once read that the Japanese would only buy cars with ‘happy’ faces! I personally prefer truck cabs with a square Kenworth cabover look, despite owning an Austin 6 wheeler and a Leyland LAD, followed by BMC and Leyland Mastiffs, which were definitely ‘Shaped’.
The fifties and sixties continentals, particularly French and Dutch and even early Scandinavians have too much ‘design’ for me!
But as you say - in the eye of the beholder…
Some of Steve Smith’s cricket shots (he should have been banned for life!) look ungainly, but they do score runs!
And anything that had Gardner or ■■■■■■■ (not the V8) would earn its corn.
John West:
Funny old world. I once read that the Japanese would only buy cars with ‘happy’ faces! I personally prefer truck cabs with a square Kenworth cabover look, despite owning an Austin 6 wheeler and a Leyland LAD, followed by BMC and Leyland Mastiffs, which were definitely ‘Shaped’.
The fifties and sixties continentals, particularly French and Dutch and even early Scandinavians have too much ‘design’ for me!
But as you say - in the eye of the beholder…
Some of Steve Smith’s cricket shots (he should have been banned for life!) look ungainly, but they do score runs!
And anything that had Gardner or ■■■■■■■ (not the V8) would earn its corn.
John.
IIRC, the Mercedes NG range had a cab designed on the basis of market research into the ‘non-aggressive’ appearance of the truck in the rear-view mirror . Robert
> ERF-NGC-European: > IIRC, the Mercedes NG range had a cab designed on the basis of market research into the ‘non-aggressive’ appearance of the truck in the rear-view mirror . Robert
Whilst I think it was a backward step from the very driver friendly walk through cab of the tilt cab LPS - it was nonetheless an achievement to have a low aspect cab but still retain the walk through comfort of the LPS - shown below
A listing of 1956 prices during the Brussels’ Exhibition as well as the responsible company for service
and spare parts, the garage of Ampe in Olsene, located in the middle between Courtrai and Gandt.
Schipholt of Enschede was a very loyal Dutch customer with quite some chassis…the cab normally
came from cab- and bodybuilder ‘van de Kraan’ and herewith also a similar cab on a Dutch Guy-chassis.
Nice to see a preserved Dutch Claymore in striking livery. Also some Dutch advertisements
To TIP-TOP, Eric…do you hear bells ringing with the name Ampe, the current Renault-garage in Zulte-Olsene?
My wife loves jigsaws and always has one on the go. She and I! go at least once a week to a charity shop in Dalton, where other similarly obsessed jigsaw puzzlers leave and buy jigsaws. Today, I was amazed that she bought one with an Albion truck in the forefront. I think it was the countryside around she liked (a lorry is a lorry to her) it was titled ‘As sure as the Sunrise!’ I said ‘Ah, that’s the Albion Motto!’ Both the salesperson and my wife looked at me baffled. ‘It’s an Albion!’ That didn’t help - I gave up. When we got outside I explained. ‘Oh, I didn’t know what you were talking about.’ She said.
Begging your forgiveness ERF-C , as this post bears no relevance whatsoever to the thread title.
It’s just that reading Mr. West’s comment regarding jigsaw puzzles prompted me to dig out this item.
I purchased it for a quid at a car boot sale a couple of years ago and then promptly forgot all about it.
Many thanks to John West for agitating my brain cells, and as soon as the clocks go back, I’ll give it a go.
The last one I did was 46243 City of Exeter on the Mid-day Scot, a locomotive that was broken up at the Central Wagon Works in Wigan incidentally. Not that that’s anything to crow about. The jigsaw still resides intact on my dining room table as I just don’t have the heart to break the thing up for a second time.
Getting back to the jigsaw puzzle in question, the wagon isn’t an Albion obviously, but the interesting thing, for myself at any rate, is the fact that the vehicle bears the ’ Wiggin ’ registration EK. Another one was JP. There may possibly have been others, but I’m no expert.
Note the two door Moggie in front of the wagon. I’ve had a couple of those, except mine came with four doors, and a whole lot more rust around the wheel arches.
Incidentally, I don’t know if the picture on the box depicts an actual town, but if it does, then that town certainly isn’t Wigan, as there ain’t a pie shop to be seen.
Talking about Moggies (sorry I know it’s not Albion - but let’s blame Eddy!) we visit my daughter in Bicester very regularly. This involves taking the grandson for regular walks. A near neighbour has two. One is a 2 door B reg. the other is older, still a 2 door, but although the same shape, somehow smaller! Split windscreen, tiny rear window.
My stepmother had one. In about 1972, we ran a guesthouse in Barrow. Moggies had a habit of a front wheel collapsing - this happened to her in front of the Vickers offices. Within 2 minutes she was surounded by helpers. The problem was fixed in minutes with new parts from within the shipyard . Later, the guests said ‘well, we couldn’t jeapordise our evening meal!’
The last lorry in that first batch of photos, the 6 wheeler, it looks so sad as if it’s about to cry at any minute…poor thing, do lorries have feelings…
Fergie47:
The last lorry in that first batch of photos, the 6 wheeler, it looks so sad as if it’s about to cry at any minute…poor thing, do lorries have feelings…
Probably been hag-ridden all the way from Breukelen over night . I remember Trio being very prominent on Dutch roads in the late '70s early '80s. Robert
What’s going on here? A thread on Albion on the continent and after some posts it seems a contest of the most ugly lorry
as well as debate on jig saws and pictures on Willème. As a result on pre-Brexit?
. Robert
