robert1952:
From what I remember, that single light would have been permanently trained to follow the kerb / road edge in poor visibility. Robert
+1
Hiya,
“toshboy” I remember there being a mark/cross on the wall at the end of the pit
this was Blackburn BRS depot and when in for service the spotlight had to shine
on the mark so’s you’d be picking the kerbside up a little way ahead when foggy.
thanks harry, long retired.
Hi Harry , supposed to be the good old days were they ?. also a single wiper -some vacuum that did’nt work when pulling which was most of the time !. and only one drivers rear mirror as well, the spotlight was a luxury reserved for the night trunkers who were considered the elite drivers those days at our Oxford depot.
I of course wanted to know until when these trucks were regularly operated.
Hi Froggy,
I reckon the annual Plating and testing law finished a lot of these old girls off, think it was 1968?
Thanks! Nevertheless, I think I still used to race with the Tate & Lyle Mammoths Mk III on Cromwell Road (London) on my bicycle as late as 1971-72.
When plating and testing came in one or two operators thought the motors had to be as new. I remember one from Sandiacre who really looked after his motors more or less renovated his Ford N/C Trader.
As for you non-Ford haters you might have a comment or two but ask Mr Windrush about those motors…
I remember when plating and testing came in, I was working at a BMC commercial dealer and we practically rebuilt trucks as nobody really knew what was expected. I was given the task of getting the first truck ready, a ten year old FFK, the steering box was dismantled and all bearings replaced ‘just incase’ and spring hanger rivets were taken out and reamed bolt holes/fitted bolts put in their place. New seat covers fitted. All brakes renewed. All four springs were dismantled and cleaned! A waste of time and the customers cash but it was an unknown situation. Later, when I worked briefly for a Bedford dealer, an old lad who did thatching had an O Type Bedford from new and I understand (though I didn’t have dealings with him personally) that every year he used to ask us to go to his place with a wrecker and raise the Bedford onto chains stretched between two trees. He would the clean it all underneath with paraffin and a few days later we would lift it down again, much cheaper for him to have it steam cleaned but he liked preparing it himself!
Froggy55:
The Mk II/Mk III Mammoth Major will always remain for me THE emblematic British truck. They were still to be seen daily during the 8 years I lived in London (1965-73), and so different from the trucks I was used to in France!
Just a few questions:
why only one windscreen wiper? Looks pretty mean…
why only one fog lamp?
until when were these trucks
The standard fitting was the 9.6 litre 125 bhp engine. You say this very one had a 11.3 litre (150 or 180 bhp?), but would the fitting of a larger engine not have needed a protruding nose or a bigger radiator?
Thanks for the very tasty picture!
Bonjour Froggy
Well as far as I can remember all the AEC MK3 Mammoth Majors operated by A E Evans from 1969 onwards were all fitted with the 11.3 engine and most with the 6-speed box. I can’t recall one with the 9.6 but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have one at the time. There were one or two with the 5-speed box though,Fleet 133 was one…a Mick Cook photo of it when retired. I don’t know of any A E Evans fitters still around to ask but I’m certain the dimensions of the 9.6 and 11.3 were the same - I stand corrected on this though.
As far as wipers and fog lights were concerned they were what is now known as bling - in fact the other bit of bling was the flammable diamond and “Petroleum spirit highly imflammable” labels. One wiper was the norm but you could be lucky and have two,even some of the later MK5s only had one wiper.Fleet 110 had two wipers and a rad blind but no fog light - well you couldn’t have everything…a POD Robinson photo They did have a coat hook fitted though…
Fleet 128 TWR 573 was my regular MK3 with the HCB cab,ex Harold Wood,no fog light though and only one wiper. They were still running MK3s in 1971/72. I had graduated from my MK3 to a MK5 then a tilt cab Mandator by then.
Thanks, Chris! A perfect weather for frogs here today with 9° (48° F) and a miserable drizzle.
Coming back to Mammoths, I see various cabs were provided, all very similar at first glance. Were the trucks supplied as chassis/mechanics by AEC, and the cab chosen by the purchaser and fitted by a bodywork manufacturer? Or were they available as options on the price list and the truck supplied complete?
Here, in France in the '50s and '60s, according to the truck maker, either standard home-made cabs were fitted (Berliet and Saviem), cabs by bodywork manufacturers (Genève on Unic; Levallois, Cottard and Pelpel on Willème; Pelpel on Bernard).
More demanding customers could ask for the chassis/mechanics option, and have a more combortable and spacious cab fitted. They then had to drive the cab-less truck from the truckmaker’s factory to the workshop where the cab was to be fitted.
Froggy55:
Thanks, Chris! A perfect weather for frogs here today with 9° (48° F) and a miserable drizzle.
Coming back to Mammoths, I see various cabs were provided, all very similar at first glance. Were the trucks supplied as chassis/mechanics by AEC, and the cab chosen by the purchaser and fitted by a bodywork manufacturer? Or were they available as options on the price list and the truck supplied complete?
Here, in France in the '50s and '60s, according to the truck maker, either standard home-made cabs were fitted (Berliet and Saviem), cabs by bodywork manufacturers (Genève on Unic; Levallois, Cottard and Pelpel on Willème; Pelpel on Bernard).
More demanding customers could ask for the chassis/mechanics option, and have a more combortable and spacious cab fitted. They then had to drive the cab-less truck from the truckmaker’s factory to the workshop where the cab was to be fitted.
There were several companies that built cabs for AEC years ago.Park Royal were the biggest but some companies like Wincanton built their own. Other firms were Oldlands,Hampshire Car Bodies, Spen Coachworks and others I’ve forgotten. I don’t know if AEC put cabs on themselves at Southall or if all the chassis were delivered to the required cab builder.The HCB cabbed one in my photo was quieter inside than the others,only needed two BOCM sacks and a couple of blankets over engine cover to make life bearable.
The MK5s were a bit quieter and you could hear a radio in them - when parked up in a lay by with engine off.
In spite of the noise I have to say that the MK5 Mammoth Major with the 2AV690 and 6-speed box was a cracking machine and there are a lot of drivers on here that will agree with me.Good driving position and steering not too heavy - they still look modern today.It remains my favourite wagon of all time - nostalgia wise. Photo courtesy of POD Robinson - I think the cab was built by Spen Coachworks.
Froggy55:
The Mk II/Mk III Mammoth Major will always remain for me THE emblematic British truck. They were still to be seen daily during the 8 years I lived in London (1965-73), and so different from the trucks I was used to in France!
Just a few questions:
why only one windscreen wiper? Looks pretty mean…
why only one fog lamp?
until when were these trucks
The standard fitting was the 9.6 litre 125 bhp engine. You say this very one had a 11.3 litre (150 or 180 bhp?), but would the fitting of a larger engine not have needed a protruding nose or a bigger radiator?
Thanks for the very tasty picture!
Bonjour Froggy
Well as far as I can remember all the AEC MK3 Mammoth Majors operated by A E Evans from 1969 onwards were all fitted with the 11.3 engine and most with the 6-speed box. I can’t recall one with the 9.6 but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have one at the time. There were one or two with the 5-speed box though,Fleet 133 was one…a Mick Cook photo of it when retired. I don’t know of any A E Evans fitters still around to ask but I’m certain the dimensions of the 9.6 and 11.3 were the same - I stand corrected on this though.
As far as wipers and fog lights were concerned they were what is now known as bling - in fact the other bit of bling was the flammable diamond and “Petroleum spirit highly imflammable” labels. One wiper was the norm but you could be lucky and have two,even some of the later MK5s only had one wiper.Fleet 110 had two wipers and a rad blind but no fog light - well you couldn’t have everything…a POD Robinson photo They did have a coat hook fitted though…
Fleet 128 TWR 573 was my regular MK3 with the HCB cab,ex Harold Wood,no fog light though and only one wiper. They were still running MK3s in 1971/72. I had graduated from my MK3 to a MK5 then a tilt cab Mandator by then.
Nice to see youre back on here Chris , reading your remarks on the MK3s with 11.3 and 9.6 engines , they were still fitting the 9.6 and 5 speed box in the MK5s ,with a trailer on they were quite reluctant but to be fair they werent designed to pull trailers at full weight
Froggy55:
The Mk II/Mk III Mammoth Major will always remain for me THE emblematic British truck. They were still to be seen daily during the 8 years I lived in London (1965-73), and so different from the trucks I was used to in France!
Just a few questions:
why only one windscreen wiper? Looks pretty mean…
why only one fog lamp?
until when were these trucks
The standard fitting was the 9.6 litre 125 bhp engine. You say this very one had a 11.3 litre (150 or 180 bhp?), but would the fitting of a larger engine not have needed a protruding nose or a bigger radiator?
Thanks for the very tasty picture!
Bonjour Froggy
Well as far as I can remember all the AEC MK3 Mammoth Majors operated by A E Evans from 1969 onwards were all fitted with the 11.3 engine and most with the 6-speed box. I can’t recall one with the 9.6 but that doesn’t mean they didn’t have one at the time. There were one or two with the 5-speed box though,Fleet 133 was one…a Mick Cook photo of it when retired. I don’t know of any A E Evans fitters still around to ask but I’m certain the dimensions of the 9.6 and 11.3 were the same - I stand corrected on this though.
As far as wipers and fog lights were concerned they were what is now known as bling - in fact the other bit of bling was the flammable diamond and “Petroleum spirit highly imflammable” labels. One wiper was the norm but you could be lucky and have two,even some of the later MK5s only had one wiper.Fleet 110 had two wipers and a rad blind but no fog light - well you couldn’t have everything…a POD Robinson photo They did have a coat hook fitted though…
Fleet 128 TWR 573 was my regular MK3 with the HCB cab,ex Harold Wood,no fog light though and only one wiper. They were still running MK3s in 1971/72. I had graduated from my MK3 to a MK5 then a tilt cab Mandator by then.
Nice to see youre back on here Chris , reading your remarks on the MK3s with 11.3 and 9.6 engines , they were still fitting the 9.6 and 5 speed box in the MK5s ,with a trailer on they were quite reluctant but to be fair they werent designed to pull trailers at full weight
Yes that would be the AV590 Ramone. We had one ex Shell, reg was XYP 107 and with a 5-speed box it were hard work.You needed the AV690 at least for drawbar work.
Most interesting! Strange display for the wipers of FWW 607 C!
I think soundproofing wasn’t the main concern of truck manufacturers until the late '60s. I remember that, when driving my 1969 Unic P200, I often stuck in my ears balls of chewed toilet paper, so noisy was the engine revving at 2600 rpm at 50 mph.
Froggy55:
Most interesting! Strange display for the wipers of FWW 607 C!
I think soundproofing wasn’t the main concern of truck manufacturers until the late '60s. I remember that, when driving my 1969 Unic P200, I often stuck in my ears balls of chewed toilet paper, so noisy was the engine revving at 2600 rpm at 50 mph.
No power steering on Mk V Mammoths?
Bon apres midi Froggy.
Power steering could be specified if required on MK5 Mammoth Majors. One of our drivers used to drive his with old RAF type headphones on to deaden the sound.
I have just found this “Scrapbook Memories” Thread,and I am looking forward
to some great pictures,particularly from the 50s onward. This is my Dad
in the late 1930s,when he drove for Greenbanks Dairy in Liverpool,
stood beside a Ford 2 Tonner. Regards, Ray Smyth.
This picture is already on the “Louis Reece Pictures” thread,
and I think it is worthy of a place on this thread. The quality
of the picture,and its subject give me great pleasure.
It was sent to me by Trucknet member John Freeman from
Kent,and it is his Dad stood beside the Leyland. Thanks John.
Ray Smyth:
Another fine picture of John Freemans Dad in his Leyland Super Comet.
Regards, Ray Smyth.
Brings back memories of those “Cockney” motors, they always had that high headboard, we had a little Albion ex “Cockney” and it had the same cab high headboard. Cheers Bewick.
Ray Smyth:
This picture is already on the “Louis Reece Pictures” thread,
and I think it is worthy of a place on this thread. The quality
of the picture,and its subject give me great pleasure.
It was sent to me by Trucknet member John Freeman from
Kent,and it is his Dad stood beside the Leyland. Thanks John.
Hi Marcus, I have just found “Robert Baillie” picture on page 16.
Only 450 pages to go. Is it possible to transfer it to the
“Robert Baillie” page ■■ Regards, Ray Smyth.
Ray Smyth:
Hi Marcus, I have just found “Robert Baillie” picture on page 16.
Only 450 pages to go. Is it possible to transfer it to the
“Robert Baillie” page ■■ Regards, Ray Smyth.
A Bedford KM 16Ton GVW, which I bought soon after I started my business in 1978.
Harry Jones (BIG H, Ex Robert Baillie),checking his ropes before setting off.
Ford D1614, acquired in 1985, for the Rank Hovis deliveries, driven by Joe Rutter,
who was with me for 25 years, 1985-2010.
Early “Robert Baillie” picture from 1965. Atkinson Silver Knight FPO 14C loaded
with 1836 Trays of Guernsey Tomatoes, at Shoreham, West Sussex.
7ft corner boards would be fitted the full length of the load,and also upright 4ft boards
at the rear, followed by the sheets,ropes, and then the flysheet, then off into
the night, to reach Gateshead or Glasgow by 5a.m. in the morning.
Marcus, I am enjoying the “Scrapbook” thread very much,and so far I am up
to Page 127. Hope to find some more “Robert Baillie” pictures.
Ray Smyth:
Early “Robert Baillie” picture from 1965. Atkinson Silver Knight FPO 14C loaded
with 1836 Trays of Guernsey Tomatoes, at Shoreham, West Sussex.
7ft corner boards would be fitted the full length of the load,and also upright
at the rear, followed by the sheets,ropes, and then the flysheet, then off into
the night, to reach Gateshead or Glasgow by 5a.m. in the morning.
Marcus, I am enjoying the “Scrapbook” thread very much,and so far I am up
to Page 127. Hope to find some more “Robert Baillie” pictures.
Kind Regards, Ray Smyth.
Keep on looking Ray,I hope you find more pics,Cheers Bubbs,
They did have a coat hook fitted though…
