By eck lads theres some handball on these old truck pics,all that graft and then rope and sheet after,fit drivers in them days.
regards dave.
harry_gill:
hiya,
Worked for Bowker a couple of times in the 60s and early 70s and never knew they had that one maybe they didn’t have it then or I would most likely have been allocated it, I always seemed to get lumbered with the oldie of the fleet, except the bleeding 80 which I did get brand spanking new and on that occasion I asked for my old motor back, but no joy.
thanks harry long retired.
No, we didn’t have it then Harry - the Thornycroft would have been around in your day though.
We bought the Beaver in 1998 from Mrs. Rainey, widow of the late Rex Rainey and whom I guess Marc would have known. It travelled home to Lancashire in style 
It now wears the Bowker livery from the period immediately before the haulage fleet (but not the company) was taken over by the RHE
The late John Richardson of Oldham, a well-known preservationist, had rescued the Beaver at the end of its fairground life. John sold it to Rex, and who then fully restored it in the livery of Bird Brothers of Yeovil, for whom his father had driven.
It’s very nice to drive - I remember one year that I wasn’t able to do Ted Hannon’s North of England Run, but then found at Saturday lunchtime that I was free for the rest of the day. I just checked the oil and water and had a walk round the motor before I set off. Following the A6 all the way from Bamber Bridge, I was in Lancaster after an hour, Kendal another hour later and then a final 30 minutes took me to the top of Shap, mingling in with all the entrants on the Run. After they’d all been and gone, I headed up to Shap village, turned round and came back again, and had a thoroughly relaxing afternoon’s pottering in a really nice lorry.
MOC:
bubbleman:
They aint there are theyBubbs
by bubbleman » Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:55 pm
Hello again,good stuff coming in lads…well done.We saw some pics earlier from Pat of a home made 8 wheel Big J converted to a chinese 6 tractor…the first pic shows Guy actually made one off the shelf.
]
Cheers Bubbs,
Dunno if these pics will show as the preview dont even show me the images
by bubbleman » Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:55 pmNo worries Bubs you just put all the IMGs in capitols instead of small leters like img
That Guy “steer” tractor is the “dogs” does anyone know what the full spec would have been? What year would it have been as well? Cheers Bewick.
That Guy “steer” tractor is the “dogs” does anyone know what the full spec would have been? What year would it have been as well? Cheers Bewick.
[/quote]
1967 and it has a Gardner 8LXB in it.
MOC:
bubbleman:
They aint there are theyBubbs
by bubbleman » Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:55 pm
:
Don’t tell a certain plonker who frequents these forums, but this one had a GM 2-stroke in it…
Dave the Renegade:
That Guy “steer” tractor is the “dogs” does anyone know what the full spec would have been? What year would it have been as well? Cheers Bewick.
1967 and it has a Gardner 8LXB in it.
[/quote]
So far ,so good! now, can we see a shot of the rear of the cab? bearing in mind,of course, that the Gardner 8LXB wasn’t launched until 1971! However,giving the “poster” the benefit of the doubt that this Guy was chosen to be a prototype fitted with the then unheard of,at the time, 8LXB there must surely be a comprehensive archive of photos taken at the time.Guy’s must have felt proud to be chosen as the launch model,bearing in mind that their “pecking order” at Gardner’s was some way behind that of ERF/Atki & Foden who I don’t think would have taken too kindly to have been “upstaged” by a minor Gardner customer from the Midlands.However,as per the long promised photos on the Guy Big J thread I wouldn’t hold our collective breath waiting for said photos!! Oh! No! Dream on! Dennis.
Bewick:
Dave the Renegade:
That Guy “steer” tractor is the “dogs” does anyone know what the full spec would have been? What year would it have been as well? Cheers Bewick.1967 and it has a Gardner 8LXB in it.
So far ,so good! now, can we see a shot of the rear of the cab? bearing in mind,of course, that the Gardner 8LXB wasn’t launched until 1971! However,giving the “poster” the benefit of the doubt that this Guy was chosen to be a prototype fitted with the then unheard of,at the time, 8LXB there must surely be a comprehensive archive of photos taken at the time.Guy’s must have felt proud to be chosen as the launch model,bearing in mind that their “pecking order” at Gardner’s was some way behind that of ERF/Atki & Foden who I don’t think would have taken too kindly to have been “upstaged” by a minor Gardner customer from the Midlands.However,as per the long promised photos on the Guy Big J thread I wouldn’t hold our collective breath waiting for said photos!! Oh! No! Dream on! Dennis.
[/quote]
Didn’t you look at the number plate on the twin steer Dennis 
.
Cheers Dave.
hiya,
ORDER ORDER !!! wrong thread.
thanks harry long retired.
harry_gill:
hiya,
ORDER ORDER !!! wrong thread.
thanks harry long retired.
Quite right “H” the site would sink into chaos if it wasn’t for the likes of your goodself keeping us retrobates “in line”!!! Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
harry_gill:
hiya,
ORDER ORDER !!! wrong thread.
thanks harry long retired.Quite right “H” the site would sink into chaos if it wasn’t for the likes of your goodself keeping us retrobates “in line”!!! Cheers Dennis.
I thought the word was reprobates but after a little thought retrobates seems more apt!!!
stevecook:
Bewick:
harry_gill:
hiya,
ORDER ORDER !!! wrong thread.
thanks harry long retired.Quite right “H” the site would sink into chaos if it wasn’t for the likes of your goodself keeping us retrobates “in line”!!! Cheers Dennis.
I thought the word was reprobates but after a little thought retrobates seems more apt!!!
Clever!! what!!! you, not me, “steve”!!! Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
stevecook:
Bewick:
harry_gill:
hiya,
ORDER ORDER !!! wrong thread.
thanks harry long retired.Quite right “H” the site would sink into chaos if it wasn’t for the likes of your goodself keeping us retrobates “in line”!!! Cheers Dennis.
I thought the word was reprobates but after a little thought retrobates seems more apt!!!
Clever!! what!!! you, not me, “steve”!!! Cheers Bewick.
Eyup Steve,what do you expect from Lancs,accurate spelling? He couldn’t even spell Milnthorpe rayt.
Anon… 
Hi again,PC problems yesterday lads,anyway heres more from Retiever
Cheers Bubbs, 
bubbleman:
Hi again,PC problems yesterday lads,anyway heres more from RetreiverJust a note to say that these pictures were taken by Arthur Ingram.
What a great set of photos.I like the Atki six-legger,one of Sheffield 63D BRS motors. I think the photo was taken either on the A47 or A17 at what looks like C W Cousins stall,9d or 1/6d a punnet.
Chris,its a great shot…look at the starting handle below the rad…I’ve never had to do that in my driving career thank God,but theres plenty on here who have
Bubbs,
Just looked up Arthur’s records of that pic. Guyhirn, 17th July 1954.
He was, and is, a great photographer, catching as he did vehicles on the move in those pre motorway days.
Now how did that song go -
‘Strawberries, shan’t be around tomorra, donkey’s ■■■■■■ on all the strawberries’.
The GUY Twin Steer wouldn’t have had a big motor in, the grille size points to that, being the same as fitted to the Big J6 Truck and Tipper chassis of 1966 and that came with the ■■■■■■■ V6, 170 or 200, Gardner 6LX and AEC 471 and 505 as choices, so even if they bumped the engine up for this tractor to run at 32 Ton GCW it may only have had a ■■■■■■■ Six or 180 Gardner even if that engine was introduced by then, production of any Twin Steer tractor was short lived as the 68 C&U regs rendered them impractical apart from certain applications such as tanker work.
By the way my 71 edition of the Observers Commercial Vehicles book shows BIG J’s fitted with ■■■■■■■ of 252, 270 and 310 options on the 6x4 tractor (even that didn’t have an 8LXB) with the biggest being the NTK350 in the eight wheeler export wagon and drag model, the Rolls Eagle was offered on 4x2 tractors but all of these have the revised bigger grille. Bit of teasing going on to get Bewick and Harry biting I suspect but it would be interesting to know where the unit went and what it had under the bonnet. Franky.
Hi Marc
Terry brought these back from the Great Dorset Steam Fair and stopped by at the house to show me Sunday afternoon.
Here is Fergies layby far right
made to measure Pat! Even the ramps under the canopy-perfection!