Bewick:
We’ve got the ERF thread but how about one for Atkis which IMHO were superior to anything that came out of Sandbach! Ooh! I can just hear the Foden enthusiasts fireing up the Two Strokes!!! But sorry lads the Foden couldn’t hold a candle to the ERF never mind the Atkinson! Let hostilities comence!! Cheers Dennis.
Out of all the different makes of trucks you ran name the most reliable ? , the most economical ? , and the worst ? etc , etc .
I can honestly say that apart from the first Sed/Atk 400’s we never had a “bad” motor,I was always a great beliver in regular preventative maintainence,by A) a first class maintainence staff,and B) decent drivers, of which we had both! The early 400’s (8LXB’s) were both badly designed and built,in particular the weakness of the Seddon group axle as well as the shortcomings of the Air cleaner which was placed under the N/S wing.It was unbelievable that the Seddon design staff could make such a serious design faults when the 32:4 tractor was such an honest workhorse !The most economical was ,of course,the Gardner engined chassis but IMO the Gardner was “shaded” in later years by the Scania 81’s and 111’s,certainly for reliability if not quite for economy.We rebuilt a good number of Scania engines after they had recorded tremendous mileages and they went back into extended service to return the same reliability as a new chassis.Our first two artics were BMC/Leyland Mastiff’s and they gave us faultless service because we looked after them and acknowledged the fact that they were “cheap” and not in the same league as an ERF or Atki so you didn’t/couldn’t push them beyond their capabilies.But they were quite capable of returning acceptable service levels if they were looked after,but unfortunately they got a bad name because they were treated,in many cases.like a premium motor which they definitely weren’t !!Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
We’ve got the ERF thread but how about one for Atkis which IMHO were superior to anything that came out of Sandbach! Ooh! I can just hear the Foden enthusiasts fireing up the Two Strokes!!! But sorry lads the Foden couldn’t hold a candle to the ERF never mind the Atkinson! Let hostilities comence!! Cheers Dennis.
Out of all the different makes of trucks you ran name the most reliable ? , the most economical ? , and the worst ? etc , etc .
I can honestly say that apart from the first Sed/Atk 400’s we never had a “bad” motor,I was always a great beliver in regular preventative maintainence,by A) a first class maintainence staff,and B) decent drivers, of which we had both! The early 400’s (8LXB’s) were both badly designed and built,in particular the weakness of the Seddon group axle as well as the shortcomings of the Air cleaner which was placed under the N/S wing.It was unbelievable that the Seddon design staff could make such a serious design faults when the 32:4 tractor was such an honest workhorse !The most economical was ,of course,the Gardner engined chassis but IMO the Gardner was “shaded” in later years by the Scania 81’s and 111’s,certainly for reliability if not quite for economy.We rebuilt a good number of Scania engines after they had recorded tremendous mileages and they went back into extended service to return the same reliability as a new chassis.Our first two artics were BMC/Leyland Mastiff’s and they gave us faultless service because we looked after them and acknowledged the fact that they were “cheap” and not in the same league as an ERF or Atki so you didn’t/couldn’t push them beyond their capabilies.But they were quite capable of returning acceptable service levels if they were looked after,but unfortunately they got a bad name because they were treated,in many cases.like a premium motor which they definitely weren’t !!Cheers Bewick.
Many thanks for the information Bewick . I"am from a similar background to yourself ( but nothing like as succsessful ) . I must admit I often in the past often admired with envy the location of a haulage operation in the North Lancashire / South ■■■■■■■ area and you have confirmed a very good quality of staff aiso available , all the best Shugg .
v7victor:
Ive looked all over the threads for anything on Barber Turnock and found a photo on here,used to do a yard to yard change over with them in the early 70s when working for Tayforth Darlington,Vic
Hi Vic…my old fella drove for Barber Turnocks for many years right up to the end and I spent most my childhood riding round in an Atki, I cant find no pics anywhere so was glad to see the one on this thread, when I suss how to add pics I ll stick some on…Cheers Sepo
A bit late just found your reply,thanks Sepo,good pics,Vic.
The photo of the full front deluxe cab was it any thing to do with the bus that Atkinson produced
as i remember Sunderland corporation ran some of them and it just sticks in my mind the front
looked the same.
8LXBV8BRIAN:
The photo of the full front deluxe cab was it any thing to do with the bus that Atkinson produced
as i remember Sunderland corporation ran some of them and it just sticks in my mind the front
looked the same.
No, Brian, it was just a Mk.1 cab with a concealed radiator and a bit of bright trim round the front.
You’re right, Sunderland Corporation did run some Atkinson buses, including the last three ever built for the home market, but they were supplied as chassis only and bodied elsewhere. Two of those last three have survived:
Bewick:
by the time fast eddie got started in the late 70’s they had stopped building Atki’s and there is no way that ESL could have or did have anymore Atkis than an odd one or possibly two !! and secondly in the 70’s ( definitely ) and the 80’s ESL in no way “did most of the haulage in and out of ■■■■■■■■■■■ your going to come on the “Grown ups” site make sure you have your facts correct.Bewick.
Stobbies had about 25 - 30 MK1 & MK11 Atkinsons in their fleet.
8LXBV8BRIAN:
The photo of the full front deluxe cab was it any thing to do with the bus that Atkinson produced
as i remember Sunderland corporation ran some of them and it just sticks in my mind the front
looked the same.
No, Brian, it was just a Mk.1 cab with a concealed radiator and a bit of bright trim round the front.
You’re right, Sunderland Corporation did run some Atkinson buses, including the last three ever built for the home market, but they were supplied as chassis only and bodied elsewhere. Two of those last three have survived:
The first Atkinson buses that Suderland had were basically lorry chassis, with vertical 4LW engines mounted at the front:
Thank`s for the info 240 Gardner remember seeing the Sunderland buses in service when i was about could i have seen that front on a coach/built chassis then, it sticks in my mind as a bus/coach of some sort.
Bewick:
by the time fast eddie got started in the late 70’s they had stopped building Atki’s and there is no way that ESL could have or did have anymore Atkis than an odd one or possibly two !! and secondly in the 70’s ( definitely ) and the 80’s ESL in no way “did most of the haulage in and out of ■■■■■■■■■■■ your going to come on the “Grown ups” site make sure you have your facts correct.Bewick.
Stobbies had about 25 - 30 MK1 & MK11 Atkinsons in their fleet.
But they never earned a penny out of KSC999N. It was bought as a restored wagon, having been put into it’s present form by Terry Godbold (he of the rather nice 38-ton Atki which is still working)
Bewick:
by the time fast eddie got started in the late 70’s they had stopped building Atki’s and there is no way that ESL could have or did have anymore Atkis than an odd one or possibly two !! and secondly in the 70’s ( definitely ) and the 80’s ESL in no way “did most of the haulage in and out of ■■■■■■■■■■■ your going to come on the “Grown ups” site make sure you have your facts correct.Bewick.
Stobbies had about 25 - 30 MK1 & MK11 Atkinsons in their fleet.
But they never earned a penny out of KSC999N. It was bought as a restored wagon, having been put into it’s present form by Terry Godbold (he of the rather nice 38-ton Atki which is still working)
