When I worked for John Houston’s at Lambeth, they wanted me to do a fortnight on the fish from the original B/gate. Be there at 4.00am. Pitch black at 3.30, got in stinky old J2 and wondered why I kept stalling it until I realised the bloody shift pattern was back to front. 
peterm:
When I worked for John Houston’s at Lambeth, they wanted me to do a fortnight on the fish from the original B/gate. Be there at 4.00am. Pitch black at 3.30, got in stinky old J2 and wondered why I kept stalling it until I realised the bloody shift pattern was back to front.
That would be when they changed from the column gearchange on the very early versions to floor change and used the same gearbox, later they used a different 'box with a conventional gate. The J4 van’s were the same.
Pete.
The J2 is really a strong memory jogger.
Here’s my contribution. It would have been in the 60s or 70s I reckon when I had a job with a Glasgow firm, James Scott and Co, based at Castle Donnington (where the pre-war and later race track is now) who were pylon erectors. My first job with them was running around for spares and they gave me a Transit van which at the time was the most comfy thing on 4 wheels. It had Hertz written on the side and I realised it was hired until they were supplied with a new one of their own from head office.
The dread day came and I drove my ■■■■■■ to Glasgow, expecting to get a new one in return. Not so, my new steed was a J2. I set off south with a heavy heart and, as it was the middle of winter, by the time I got to Stainmore was frozen to the wheel. I simply couldn’t get the heater to work. I settled down before the roaring fire with a large tea and bacon sarnie and got chatting to another driver who noticed how close I was keeping to the flames. I told him my sad story and, when we were ready to go, he said he would have a quick look at my problem. He lifted the bonnet in the cab and opened the valve that fed hot water to the heater. 
I can’t say I appreciated the rolling and rocking fairground ride that the strange forward control set up, but I was at least warm by the time I got back to Nottingham. 
Spardo:
The J2 is really a strong memory jogger.Here’s my contribution. It would have been in the 60s or 70s I reckon when I had a job with a Glasgow firm, James Scott and Co, based at Castle Donnington (where the pre-war and later race track is now) who were pylon erectors. My first job with them was running around for spares and they gave me a Transit van which at the time was the most comfy thing on 4 wheels. It had Hertz written on the side and I realised it was hired until they were supplied with a new one of their own from head office.
The dread day came and I drove my ■■■■■■ to Glasgow, expecting to get a new one in return. Not so, my new steed was a J2. I set off south with a heavy heart and, as it was the middle of winter, by the time I got to Stainmore was frozen to the wheel. I simply couldn’t get the heater to work. I settled down before the roaring fire with a large tea and bacon sarnie and got chatting to another driver who noticed how close I was keeping to the flames. I told him my sad story and, when we were ready to go, he said he would have a quick look at my problem. He lifted the bonnet in the cab and opened the valve that fed hot water to the heater.
I can’t say I appreciated the rolling and rocking fairground ride that the strange forward control set up, but I was at least warm by the time I got back to Nottingham.
And started looking for another job with a better vehicle?!..
A Morris artic of North Western Gas Board loading bagged coke for delivery to private houses and business customers.
From memory, I think these Morris lorries had a 6 cylinder petrol engine.
Photo by Stilltime Collection.
Ray Smyth:
A Morris artic of North Western Gas Board loading bagged coke for delivery to private houses and business customers.
From memory, I think these Morris lorries had a 6 cylinder petrol engine.
Photo by Stilltime Collection.
Looks like a 4 litre petrol one, although the Saurer diesel was still offered as an option when those first appeared. I seem to recall they were for 22 tons GTW, and sold as ‘Prime Mover’s’ instead of tractor units. 
The next version with the similar Willenhall cab but different front panel still had the option of the 6 pot petrol, the 4 cylinder BMC 3.4 diesel on the lighter models (developed from the Saurer by BMC which is possibly why all future BMC diesels had the fuel pump on the righthand side) and the 5.1 6 pot on the five ton and upwards models. All had the same 4 speed constant mesh gearbox.
Pete.
Thanks to Frankydobo, pyewacket947v and Ray Smyth for the pics 
also VALKYRIE for pic and detail not forgetting he craic
Oily
PC recon done, fingers crossed
Greetings,All.
Ref the ex GPO yellow van,it is the Morris configuration.The Austin sidelights were on top of the wing,little chrome lights as fitted to the A70,A30/35 etc.The Morris had larger lights fitted just above the bumper as can be seen in the photo.Regards,900x20.
900X20:
Greetings,All.
Ref the ex GPO yellow van,it is the Morris configuration.The Austin sidelights were on top of the wing,little chrome lights as fitted to the A70,A30/35 etc.The Morris had larger lights fitted just above the bumper as can be seen in the photo.Regards,900x20.
Aye, you are correct looking at the shape of where the badge has been! The Austin badge was shaped differently. I had forgotten that Morris also adopted the Austin front panel on the later versions like the one in the pic, ours had the earlier front with vertical grille bars like in the lower pic. Actually I’m not sure that the GPO used Austin versions as they were traditionally Morris purchasers?
Pete.
Commer Van.
Dipster:
Spardo:
The J2 is really a strong memory jogger.Here’s my contribution. It would have been in the 60s or 70s I reckon when I had a job with a Glasgow firm, James Scott and Co, based at Castle Donnington (where the pre-war and later race track is now) who were pylon erectors. My first job with them was running around for spares and they gave me a Transit van which at the time was the most comfy thing on 4 wheels. It had Hertz written on the side and I realised it was hired until they were supplied with a new one of their own from head office.
The dread day came and I drove my ■■■■■■ to Glasgow, expecting to get a new one in return. Not so, my new steed was a J2. I set off south with a heavy heart and, as it was the middle of winter, by the time I got to Stainmore was frozen to the wheel. I simply couldn’t get the heater to work. I settled down before the roaring fire with a large tea and bacon sarnie and got chatting to another driver who noticed how close I was keeping to the flames. I told him my sad story and, when we were ready to go, he said he would have a quick look at my problem. He lifted the bonnet in the cab and opened the valve that fed hot water to the heater.
I can’t say I appreciated the rolling and rocking fairground ride that the strange forward control set up, but I was at least warm by the time I got back to Nottingham.
And started looking for another job with a better vehicle?!..
Not straight away as it happened because I was ‘promoted’ first to an Austin lorry and then to a Trader with occasional forays with an ex WD S-Type Bedford 4x4. The job was not a run of the mill haulage job, was easy without being pushed and did have some interesting variety about it. But yes, it wasn’t long before I moved on.
North Western Gas Board vehicles from the 1950s and 1960s.
The Ford Thames carried " Allan Taylor " equipment for clearing
water and sludge from the mains pipes below ground,
The Ford Thames Trader is a mobile workshop for the Mains
department, carrying tools, spares, and equipment.
The Karrier Bantam is a mobile sales showroom, carrying cookers,
water heaters and fridges, and 3 sales staff.
The Karrier is a strange looking roadsweeper.
2 pictures by Stilltime Collection.
Sweeper was probably a Lacre conversion? I have seen pics of others. Southern Gas had mostly BMC group products and we did any major work required on them such as engine changes at our dealership, although their own workshop on Silver Street in Reading carried out the day to day stuff. I remember them ordering some new J4 vans and our painter was disgusted that they wanted a ‘quick spray paint job’ as he did most of the vehicle painting by hand usually! They also had a Morris FFK ‘prime mover’ and trailer which a pair of twins crewed. They were both big lads and the standard seat base was lowered to accomodate them comfortably. The story goes that one day they spotted a lad chatting up two girls on a street corner and the two guys shouted something at the lad in jest. He responded with abuse and the ‘V’ sign so they both lept from the cab and when he saw the true size of them the lad scarpered leaving the two girls standing their on their own wondering where their ‘hero’ had suddenly vanished to!
Pete.
windrush:
900X20:
Greetings,All.
Ref the ex GPO yellow van,it is the Morris configuration.The Austin sidelights were on top of the wing,little chrome lights as fitted to the A70,A30/35 etc.The Morris had larger lights fitted just above the bumper as can be seen in the photo.Regards,900x20.Aye, you are correct looking at the shape of where the badge has been!
Pete.
Peculiarly enough, that just set another memory off- our local P.O. had a fleet of Morris Minor vans of various ages but the last few that came wore the Austin badge on the bonnet.
Thanks to windrush, DEANB, Ray Smyth, Buzzer and Bewick for the pics .
Oily
A rare old 1955/56 Albion and 1974 stablemate Crusader thanks to Dave Fawcett.
oiltreader:
Thanks to windrush, DEANB, Ray Smyth, Buzzer and Bewick for the pics
OilyA rare old 1955/56 Albion and 1974 stablemate Crusader thanks to Dave Fawcett.
So what are the headlights from on the crusader I just cant place them at the moment