Hi Oily, When I was still living at home with my parents 1956-7 We had a neighbour a farmers wife from down in South ■■■■■■■ Silecroft Millom way, she was Scottish and had a nephew called Ian ■■? who worked for Alexanders at Grangemouth depot rather a well made lad I recall.
Good to see the old Daimler photos.
Cheers, Leyland 600
Leyland600:
Hi Oily, much has been written about Wilson Pre-Selector gearboxes in AECs and Diamatic / Wilson boxes in Daimlers and the habit of the “Change Speed Pedal” not a clutch flying back up and cracking the driver on the ankle or shin, I believe it was caused by not fully depressing the pedal when making a preselcted change. I have only ever driven an AEC Regent with preselector once but did not suffer any injury thus. As you say the Leyland PD2 and 3 were lovely buses to drive and when the Leyland 600 was set up properly could beat any London Transport AEC Regent RT type into a cocked hat especially where steep hills areare concerned. I was sorry to see my PD go but other models beckoned.
Cheers, Leyland 600
My late father was on London Transport for a while just after the war, when they were running a right old mixture of buses, new, wartime utilities and pre-war types. He liked some models, hated others, particularly the Guy Arabs with the back to front gearbox. He told me that the “pedal in the shin” wasn’t a problem with the RT type buses but he had been assaulted by the pedal on SRTs, that was I believe the experimental ST fitted with the RT type transmission for test purposes. He did get a “treat” later on, he was on the RTWs when they were new.
Bernard
oiltreader:
Lawrence Dunbar:
oiltreader:
Thanks to bumper, kevmac47, lurpak and Leyland600 for the pics
Dingwall lorry park, airing out the trailer before next load of fish or shellfish for south and the continent somewhere.
OilyGreat photos, I drove part time after I retired for Macleans who are based at Dingwall, They have been taken over by a firm from Mexico recently, They have a depot at Seaton Burn, This is the motor I drove, Regards Larry.
Hi Larry, cheers for the photo, good on you still having a go after “retiring”, MacLeans started 1974 in the Old Distillery Building, Dingwall, when I first arrived north to this area 1996, I bought electric storage rads off them at trade, they later moved to what is now HQ, still in Dingwall, but exclusively wholesale, they’ve gone from strength to strength and very much global and as you say now part of an even larger group, in Dingwall tomorrow so will try and get photos of then and now.
Cheers
Oily
Where MacLeans, as far as I know had their first warehouse and trade counter, it’s always referred to as the Old Distillery, tho’ proper name back when established 1870s was the Ben Wyvis Distillery, that end door was the entrance to MacLeans part of the building, second pic their present HQ, tho’ this now a satellite of a bigger corporation.
On the same road today a Yuill and Dodds wagon.
Cheers
Oiy
Thanks to servo88 and kevmac47 for the pics
In the Peak District near Litton, this road no doubt familiar to some.
Oily
oiltreader:
Thanks to servo88 and kevmac47 for the picsIn the Peak District near Litton, this road no doubt familiar to some.
Oily
Yep, will be travelling over it on Sunday on my way from Matlock to Poynton.
Pete.
Leyland600:
Hi Oily, When I was still living at home with my parents 1956-7 We had a neighbour a farmers wife from down in South ■■■■■■■ Silecroft Millom way, she was Scottish and had a nephew called Ian ■■? who worked for Alexanders at Grangemouth depot rather a well made lad I recall.
Good to see the old Daimler photos.
Cheers, Leyland 600
Hi Leyland600, there was an Ian Wood, a fitter, nickname Timber, he was member of the depot football team, great group of lads, in a Thursday League along with other bus depots and one season we were top by a margin, winning 18 and drawing three, losing none. Twice a season we played the Polmont Borstal boys, all of their games played at home you understand, hard and fit buggers they were, amenable to softening up a bit with a few sly ■■■■ going their way when the warders weren’t looking 
My keenness to play football far outweighed my ability but it was great fun despite being reminded I was only in the team to make up the numbers 
Oily
Thanks to kevmac47 for the pics
All the way from Ballybefoy, Co. Donegal on a rainy A9 near Alness.
Oily
Thanks Oily for the info on Macleans & the photo of course, Regards Larry.
Re London PD2s, pre selector gearboxes and a pedal that bites etc:
London Transport ran PD2s which they termed RTLs (7’6" wide) or RTWs (8’ wide). These were Leyland PD2 chassis modified to incorporate the air operated Wilson preselector box and with the frames slightly tweaked to allow interchageability with AEC Regent III (RT) bodies. Like the RT the London Leylands had de-rated engines. They proved to be less popular with drivers and engineers than the AEC equivalent.
The London SRT was a heavily modified pre war AEC Regent II (STL) with a post war RT style body. These chassis retained the STL mechanically operated preselector gearbox but replaced the floor mounted change speed lever with the turret style housing on the steering column. The smaller 7.7 engine was kept as were the vacuum servo assisted brakes. These vehicles were extremely unpopular with drivers.Although looking to all intents like an RT both externally and in the cab, they retained a pre selector pedal which bit back, they were underpowered and worst of all they would not stop when loaded - the union refused to drive them until something was done.
The RT gearbox used air pressure to power a piston which applied pressure to the brake bands via linkages. The mechanically operated box used a very strong spring to do the same job. If the left hand pedal was not pressed fully to the floor the linkages did not engage and the full force of the spring was exerted back through the operating pedal. Although this could happen if air pressure fell nothing happened in the cab.
Evening all,
Now this is a personal recollection for Oilly, and if it annoy`s any of you, so be it. So I will be brief…
Back in late `74, I was based at the “Usine Paul Durlach”, the old shipyard between the River Orne, and the canal, a couple of kms from Pegasus Bridge, where the bulk of the Saviem range was manufactured. Part of my job was to host visitors to the plant, and make sure that they enjoyed the experience.
I was instructed to meet two important visitors from our new importer in the UK, Nickerson, of Grange Lane North Scunthorpe, and look after them for a couple of days. The vehicle that they were importing was the Saviem SM 32.240, really a direct competitor with the F86 Volvo, and Scania P82, and the lower powered offerings of Leyland.
So having left my , (wheezing), little Renault 4L, in the works, I glided out in a Saviem Blue, R16 Renault to collect my guests from their accommodation, the Hotel Malherbe, in Caen. Now the Malherbe was a popular destination for German Tour buses,( as well as ourselves the Germans lost a lot of people in Normandy), and visits were frequent.
The Malherbe had also been the German Headquarters, as well as a Gestapo collection point…the building had some history…
And on that night there was some disarray, people shouting and running about, staring at the upper storeys, but this I ignored as I strode in to collect my guests…who were ensconsed in a suite on the top floor…from where the two urbane, and affable Gentlemen, were directing a withering fire of nuts, centimes, and anything else to hand upon the hapless German tourists below!
The two culprits, Arvien Llewyn Jones, and Michael North Cotes, also had history concerning Normandy…Michael, as a Naval man, and Arvien, as he had been one of the Parachutists who had landed at Pegasus Bridge prior to D day.
The following day, first thing as was my duty, I presented myself at the Dining Room, (one class, from the most senior , to the lowest, all ate together, and from the same menu),to explain to Madame who my guests were today. So I did, including their past “visits”…
Following a morning “touring” the factory, we adjourned for the lunching…Now remember, this was in a blooming big Dining Hall…almost the entire workforce sat down together, including the Factory Director…Who rose to his feet, and called the assembled throng to order…Then proceeded to give an address to thank Arvien, and Michael, for their part in Liberating France, and in particular this part of Normandy…at the end all rose to their feet, and applauded their guests…(who later gave me a fearfull rollicking for revealing their pasts),including a number of our collaborators from Munich`s MAN!!!
Oilly, that part of France never forgets, when I was bringing parties over from the USA, it was the same, and I found their real sincerity , so moving, for so many Americans never returned home…If you can go, please do, emotionally it will drain you, but the experience of such gratitude, is overwhelming. Please go, you and your family will be so welcome, and it may give you closure.
But my dear American friends, following a visit to Blainville back in the early 80s, their elected leader, from the deep South, draaawled his earnest vote of thanks for our hospitality in France, citing his groups enjoyment at visiting Macks European operation!!! Good job I was going back with them to the USA!!!
Cheerio for now.
CAV 551 Thanks for the detailed account of pre-selector gearboxes and pedal kick back.
Cheers Leyland 600
cav551:
Re London PD2s, pre selector gearboxes and a pedal that bites etc:London Transport ran PD2s which they termed RTLs (7’6" wide) or RTWs (8’ wide). These were Leyland PD2 chassis modified to incorporate the air operated Wilson preselector box and with the frames slightly tweaked to allow interchageability with AEC Regent III (RT) bodies. Like the RT the London Leylands had de-rated engines. They proved to be less popular with drivers and engineers than the AEC equivalent.
The London SRT was a heavily modified pre war AEC Regent II (STL) with a post war RT style body. These chassis retained the STL mechanically operated preselector gearbox but replaced the floor mounted change speed lever with the turret style housing on the steering column. The smaller 7.7 engine was kept as were the vacuum servo assisted brakes. These vehicles were extremely unpopular with drivers.Although looking to all intents like an RT both externally and in the cab, they retained a pre selector pedal which bit back, they were underpowered and worst of all they would not stop when loaded - the union refused to drive them until something was done.
The RT gearbox used air pressure to power a piston which applied pressure to the brake bands via linkages. The mechanically operated box used a very strong spring to do the same job. If the left hand pedal was not pressed fully to the floor the linkages did not engage and the full force of the spring was exerted back through the operating pedal. Although this could happen if air pressure fell nothing happened in the cab.
Hi cav551, thanks for all that info and to others who have similarly contributed to the preselector gear box/gear change, having experience of this type on AEC Regent marque 111 at Alexanders Grangemouth depot and both the Regent 111 and V at City of Oxford Motor Services, I found them a joy to drive. I’ve tried to find an cab interior photo of the type I mean, this is the nearest, a video youtube.com/watch?v=kdN9Xll-poM. Simple preselect, going up or down, dip the clutch, and for reverse pull side button.
Oily
Thanks to servo88 and lurpak for the pics
Over the past few years I have seen this ERF quite a few times and today found her at North Kessock on the A9 looking better than ever, despite her years and daily work rate. A credit to her owner.
Oily
"Oilly, that part of France never forgets, when I was bringing parties over from the USA, it was the same, and I found their real sincerity , so moving, for so many Americans never returned home…If you can go, please do, emotionally it will drain you, but the experience of such gratitude, is overwhelming. Please go, you and your family will be so welcome, and it may give you closure."
Hi Saviem, I thank you for that and along with previous posts and similar advice, it is now becoming a serious consideration.
Cheers
Oily
Hi many thanks to oily and all concerned for the pictures of lorry’s put on here, I’m well retired from the job,so this keeps me in touch so to speak!
Also can someone tell me were aderstone truck stop is please?
Many thanks.