Leyland BMC in Malta thanks to maltabuses.piwigo.com.
Oily
Another Haydon’s Albion, this time thanks to Ronnie Cameron, As well as being a prolific snapper Ronnie collects (buying) and is gifted transport photos, which is where this photo may have come from.
Oily
That’s a great shot which I’ve never seen - it’s a 1939 and belongs to my Uncle Fred Haydon who unfortunately suffered a stroke a good few years ago and has been unable to drive it - here he is at the wheel on what I think was a Pennine Run in happier times - note the wooden cab
![albion1_am463a_gbd560[gc].jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/trucknetuk/original/3X/9/b/9bbe4cdcc3c51129f18e6e25c113e159bf8229c2.jpeg)
Gardner 120:
That’s a great shot which I’ve never seen - it’s a 1939 and belongs to my Uncle Fred Haydon who unfortunately suffered a stroke a good few years ago and has been unable to drive it - here he is at the wheel on what I think was a Pennine Run in happier times - note the wooden cab
Cheers for the pic 
Gardner 120 the colour sets it off nicely and the black and white kindles nostalgia.
Oily
Earlier this year I took a few photos on the Isles of Skye, Lewis, Harris, North and South Uist and Benbecula. Starting at Uig on Skye and with the boat they have come off or are waiting to board MV Hebrides
Oily
This classic 1944 steam crane built in Leeds, Now on show in Gloucester Docks, Regards Larry.
Still with the same ferry sailing. The D R Macleod fridge trailers are the latest from Gray and Adams.
Oily
Lawrence Dunbar:
0This classic 1944 steam crane built in Leeds, Now on show in Gloucester Docks, Regards Larry.
Cheers for the pic Lawrence, on tour it would seem, ■■■■■■■■■■■■ Bourton On the Water now Gloucester if so enjoy it 
.
Oily
Aye I do enjoy it, The ■■■■■■■■■■■ photo was when I did a holiday relief a couple of weeks ago, The rest was when I was away to the Cotswolds for a long weekend with my good lady who is enjoying the improvement in her health, Regards Larry.
Another old Albion - maybe brand new at the time (hence the photo) I’m thinking about 1960/61 but don’t know for sure.
Perhaps one of you Albion experts could give me model and year of build?
Gardner 120:
Another old Albion - maybe brand new at the time (hence the photo) I’m thinking about 1960/61 but don’t know for sure.Perhaps one of you Albion experts could give me model and year of build?
VALKYRIE replies:-
It looks like an Albion Chieftan lorry model to me,and 673 BVT is a April-May 1957 Stoke-on-Trent registration 
VALKYRIE
That’s very interesting Valkyrie - how does one tell it’s April / May 1957?
Gardner 120:
That’s very interesting Valkyrie - how does one tell it’s April / May 1957?
Hello Gardner 120
I’ve got a time machine,just like Dr.Who… Only joking But how I wish!
The answer is the following fascinating book,and it’s the definitive book on it’s subject :-
A HISTORY OF MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM,THIRD EDITION,L.H.NEWALL,REVISIONS BY JOHN HARRISON,NEWBY BOOKS,2008.Available from Amazon UK:-
It’s worth it’s weight in gold…
amazon.co.uk/History-Vehicle … 187268632X
Lawrence Dunbar:
0This classic 1944 steam crane built in Leeds, Now on show in Gloucester Docks, Regards Larry.
I’ve got a softspot for steam cranes ,and Lawrence Dunbar’s photograph of the 1944 Steam Crane in Gloucester Docks prompted some research in to it:-
The steam crane was made by Joseph Booth & Brothers,of Rodley,Leeds,in 1944,and the company was a major manufacturer of railway
steam cranes:-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Booth_%26_Bros
VALKYRIE
Re Reg Nos, I have a 1949 Edition of a register of nos. Called The Measham (7/6) In the old money But it was issued free to Measham Magazine annual subscribers Printed by Tresises , Burton on Trent, A very handy book for me, Regards Larry.
Gardner 120:
Another old Albion - maybe brand new at the time (hence the photo) I’m thinking about 1960/61 but don’t know for sure.Perhaps one of you Albion experts could give me model and year of build?
Cheers for the pic Gardner 120 and VALKYRIE for the reg book link
Another two Albions of many years ago with photo dates, but the wagons will be earlier, another chance for VALKYRIE to provide detail. Thanks to NRM and SSPL for sharing.
Oily
Cheers Valkyrie - gonna get me a copy of that book - very handy
Another old Albion - photos taken in 1961 - the market is Stone
Right – Albions, here goes. I use the “Motor trader” handbook, 1964 for working out registrations, but it doesn’t go back far enough for the pre-war and immediate post-war stuff, and there are gaps in it. But many years ago I worked something out, research based on vehicles I’ve known through life. As long as the vehicle was registered with a big registration authority with a big turnover of registrations, like London and the big cities/counties, where the letters precede the numbers, the first letter often indicates the year. And most of us know the two letters following signify the place of registration.For example the railway Albion in the first picture appears to be ELL, London 1938, which would be right as it’s a KL127 model made between 1935-1939, my KL127 is EPP231, Buckinghamshire 1938, which I know is right. To give you an idea, registration starting in E 1938, F 1939, etc. It doesn’t work every time, for example Rutland, being the smallest county didn’t register many vehicles, so they used numbers starting with FP and followed by four numbers for years, long after the bigger authorities were using three letters followed by three numbers. Some of the bigger authorities used left over numbers into the following year. And some vehicle buyers had the privilege of choosing a number. So not a perfect system, but better than nothing. Back to the Albions. Like I said , the first is a KL127, the next looks to be a CX27 chinese six, can’t quite make out the reg but it starts with G which by my system makes it about 1940, the model came out in 1938, there’s wartime blackout paint on the corners, the railways were essential users and got new lorries during the war, so I don’t think I’m far out. The Haydon’s motor is an FT3 model, it’s Stoke on Trent number, not in my book but by my system 1951, which would be just about right for it.
Bernard (Poirot!)
oiltreader:
Cheers for the picsand a wee bit o’ help for Poirot mon ami
.
Oily
VALKYRIE replies:-
Albion CX27 Flat-bodied 6x2 Twin Steer Chinese Six Lorry,GAR 7 - yes,the registration appears to be GAR 7,which is an LMSR motor vehicle
registration of April 1943 to February 1945 - that is what A HISTORY OF MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM says,
since Hertfordshire registered many motor vehicles operated by the London Midland Scottish Railway.
VALKYRIE.
Hi all, had this as a e-mail thought i would share it Ade
THIS IS PRICELESS………………
Why did no one mention the existence of pre-war colour film until recently? This colour footage of 1920’s London was shot by an early British pioneer of film named Claude Frisse-Greene, who made a series of travelogues using the colour process his father William — a cinematographer — was experimenting with.
It’s a strange feeling watching stuff from this long ago in colour."