Owens of llanelli used to run Marathons out of Ebbw Vale 20 odd years ago with steel if I remember rightly. Also Spiers of Melksham used to have a few but they were crappers compared to Owens.
SMUDGER:
Also Spiers of Melksham used to have a few but they were crappers compared to Owens.
Yep, they did, they used to rumble past our house and make the windows rattle. 
Are Spiers still trading Dafmad? He always seemed to have loads of work for all those old tubs!!
Nope - Spiers were absorbed into TDG in the nineties.
Graham Edge is selling his restored Spiers Mandator though - it’s in this month’s Classic & Vintage Commercials magazine together with a 1972 Highway 40’ flat.
Yours for £9,500 the pair
SMUDGER:
Are Spiers still trading Dafmad? He always seemed to have loads of work for all those old tubs!!
As has been said, no, gone a while ago.
They used to do a lot of work for Avon Rubber.
Outstanding Jase!
I went to Butlers a couple of years back for the start, he is an OK bloke, the money was good, but he couldnt give me tramping, it was shunting out of P&O.
Great pics - sadly though modern society deplores those who park their trucks outside houses, I’d give my right arm to go back to the more laid back thinking of 20 odd yrs ago 
Great pictures Jase,Do you remember when Butlers were featured in Truck magazine? There was a photo of one of the first Marathons to go on the road, i think it was a Leyland advert, i will try to dig it out and post it on here, it would be a coincedence if it was your dads!!
Nothing wrong with a Marathon, I used to do Belgium in one, exactly the same colours as Butlers, HW Dines of Bicester, nice gearbox fuller 9 speed and oh yes that tiny steering wheel. plenty of room almost a walk-through cab, if you wern’t too long in the leg, you could have the bunk folded out all the time.
Hi Mark,i’d love to see that article if you could find it,it was probably a feature on the two middle east cab Marathon’s that they used to run because if i remember one was on the Leyland stand at the motor show at Earls Court and he brought there and the press were very intereseted in who had brought it.
Yes it amazes me that 25yrs ago the Leyland Marathon and the Roadtrain were virtually walk through cab’s,now we have hump’s in the way.
Have we gone backward’s in cab design?
I,ll try to find it over the weekend, watch this space!!
great pictures mate, pity i never got to taking a camera with me when i was a kid as its coming back to haunt me now as i cant find a picture of my old mans motor for referance to a model im building!.. 
p.s. if you fancy recreating the marahon model go to www.kitformservices.com they sell a marathon sleeper transkit in 1/24 scale…pete
I’ve saw it Pete,i’m ok with building them but it’s the painting where i screw it up,mind you i do fancy building one,i know it would bring back some great memories for me and my dad.
Good luck building your’s Pete.
do my painting up in the loft jase using halfords rattle cans touch wood havent had problems with them so far…pete
the butler truck is in the marathon 2 advert in the june 1978 issue of truck magazine, its the truck in the first pics here, reg oha700m.
sorry cant post it up having computer probs.
Here you are lads.Found this one lurking in my collection.
Hope you enjoy it !
Nice one bonky dollocks,That motor was on a regular run,empty from Albright and Wilson,Oldbury to Buxton Lime industries(or ICI Buxton as it was known then) to collect lime,twice a day.
Only ever done it once with my dad but not in that wagon.
Shame about the pic vwvanman as i think OHA 700M was one my dad drove,i’ll have to ask him.Hope you sort your computer out and manage to post it.,mate.
jase:
Nice one bonky dollocks,That motor was on a regular run,empty from Albright and Wilson,Oldbury to Buxton Lime industries(or ICI Buxton as it was known then) to collect lime,twice a day.
Only ever done it once with my dad but not in that wagon.
Not a problem Jase. 
I shall keep my eyes open for any others I (or my friends) might have,and if there’s more,I shall boot them up on here.
heres the advert
says butlers bought the first marathon they sold,never knew that,thought the first was the white and green 6 wheeler going to italy in the leyland promo film?
great pictures, cheers