Heritage Commercials - September 2014 - Sample Edititon

big Henry!

Made to measure heavy hauler

daf95 daf 95

The history and development of a Truck of the Year

New

workshop

tech sectioN!

No.297 September 2014

£4.20

britain’s first scammell s24

cHristian’s cracker

CA 1967 Bedford

1952leyland comet90 Restored

Eggs and expenses S

ince the very earliest days of the motor vehicle there have been ‘home-made’ remedies to ‘cure’ all manner of mechanical troubles.

Some are just ‘get you home’ cures, such as tipping a can of lemonade, or a bag of flour, into the timing hole in a vehicle’s bell housing to aid a slipping clutch. Some are a bit more dishonest such as putting a cloth into a back axle casing to quieten a noisy diff.

Some of these ‘cures’ can actually be quite effective for short periods of time, but sometimes can be taken to the extreme and cause more problems. I remember, for instance, being called out to a very sick Ford Transit. It turns out that it had a coolant leak so the driver had used the old trick of cracking an egg into the radiator. When that didn’t work he added another egg. And another.

And another – until there was probably more egg in the radiator than coolant. As it turned out, the problem was actually a cracked engine block so I can’t really see a humble egg being much help.

Anyway, in addition to all these homemade cures, there are all sorts of commercially produced potions etc, that claim to do everything from stopping your engine smoking to fixing oil leaks. I must admit that I can’t comment on them as I’ve never used any, but there’s one that has always intrigued me – the ‘premium’ fuels now available.

Basically, they’re oen marketed as not only improving the performance of your motor, but also improve fuel economy.

I’m always suspicious of such claims, but got the ideal opportunity to test them for

The Ford Transit wasn’t designed to be ‘egg cooled’!

myself recently, as it was time to change the HC car. I’d had use of a 2010 Seat Leon, and would be going over to a 2014 Kia C’eed.

Being new this obviously didn’t have the contaminates that build-up in the fuel system over the years, so wouldn’t need to be ‘cleaned out’ before the experiment.

I started by running the car in for three months on ordinary Shell diesel. is gave an average of 52.64mpg, and I was pleased to see that the car’s built-in computer was very accurate and verified this figure. I remember once driving a Ford Granada 2.8 Ghia that said it was doing 200mpg when in reality it was nearer 20!

Anyway, I then filled up three times with Shell V-Power Nitro+, which certainly sounds very impressive. And much to my surprise the mpg figure improved to 53.54! I must admit this wasn’t a very scientific test. I just filled up and drove my normal journeys which involved everything from cruising down the motorway to sitting in stop-start town traffic.

By the way, the Kia has an automatic engine stop when you come to a halt at traffic lights etc. I’ve no doubt it can save fuel but it’s very

Ordinary diesel figures.

A premium result.

disconcerting to somebody whose previous own vehicles oen haven’t been that reliable at times! It certainly brings back memories of having to push old Morris Marinas out of the way when they have ‘died’ at the lights.

It was then back on to ordinary diesel, and to confirm things the mpg figure dropped to roughly what it was before – 52.56mpg.

And it wasn’t until then that I noticed that there was also a drop in engine power, so it appears the performance had improved on the premium fuel.

So, in this case it appears you certainly do get what you pay for. Of course, you don’t really, as most of the cost of fuel is just tax – but that’s another story…

STEPHEN PULLEN spullen@mortons.co.uk

Contents SEPTEMBE

R 2014

06 Ignition

A quick look at what’s been going on in the world of classic commercials.

10 Readers’ letters

Your chance to share a memory, ask a question or put things straight.

18 Cover story

You can’t keep a good truck down especially if you have Max Ward’s ability to breathe fresh life into the battered remains of one very special Scammell S24.

94 36

28 Off the rails – part 4

Bill Aldridge concludes his look at the lorries used by Britain’s railway companies over the years.

32 Goods in Transit

86

Dean Reader tracks down a rare variant of the evergreen MK2 Ford Transit.

36 Range changer

Mark Gredzinski takes a look at the working life of Seddon Atkinson’s middleweight, the 300.

42 Big Henry

It entered service 50 years ago. To Hendrickson, it was model BDF-1860-F20, another in its long line of customengineered one-offs. To the guys who operated it, it was Big Henry.

50 Berry Country Classic

The Bedford TK was one of the most popular lorries throughout the 1960s and 1970s. John Thomson from Alyth in Scotland owns a fine example with a military background.

56 Commercial call-up

Geoff Fishwick continues the story of commercials called up for military service.

60 Club focus

This month we meet the people behind REVS.

62 Archive album

More nostalgia from the superb NA3T photographic archive.

66 Whistle while you work

Of all the engine sounds in the world it’s the distinctive whistle of the Leyland 350 Comet which brings back the earliest memories to Aberdeenshire based Stuart Walker.

72 From our archives

This month we feature the Scammell Trunker II. Did you drive one?

88

IncorporatIng classIc truck

18

50 76 christian’s cracker

The skilled job of being a chimney sweep is all but forgotten these days, but they do exist with some even owning a classic commercial vehicle.

42

80 concept 95

Alan Barnes tells the story of the development of DAF’s 1988 Truck of the Year – the 95.

86 on location

Bob Tuck reports from BRS 66.

88 the fire wardens of old Warden

Protecting a world famous collection of vintage flying aircraft is no small feat.

We meet the volunteers who cover the task.

94 sale of the decade

Peter Love reports on the recent sale of the late Michael Banfield’s collection of classic vehicles.

98 Workshop

Richard Lofting takes us through the basics of thread cutting.

103 Hc Marketplace

The place to buy or sell anything related to classic commercials.

114 Final word

A quick look at a future restoration workshop essential.

66

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Classic restoration

OUT OF THE

ASHES

You can’t keep a good truck down, especially if you have Max Ward’s ability to breathe fresh life into the battered remains of one very special Scammell S24.

Bob Tuck catches up with the Ward brothers of County Durham to see and – fleetingly drive – a great old friend.

Words: Bob Tuck Photography: Bob Tuck/As stated

The Scammell believed to be the first S24 registered in the UK.

The three Ward brothers – left to right - Angus, Max and Stewart.

I

f you are born and bred as part of farming stock in the upper dales of western Durham then you’ll be forged as tough as they come. Hard gra was the lifestyle of the late Alan and Kathleen Ward so no surprise their children – brothers Ian, Angus, Max and Stewart plus sisters Margaret and Christine – grew up in a similar mould. So, again, it was no surprise that when the Ward brothers le their farming life behind, then it was the tough, gritty world of plant hire to which they turned their hands to.

You have to be as hard as nails to live a life where dirt and dust seep through every pore of your skin. So this is no sort of life where you can get emotionally involved with equipment that can be expected to work almost to breaking point.

If you believe that, then how do you relate the fact that when in January 1996 Stewart Ward sold off his Scammell S24 for use on a coal site (because he thought it was too big for their late 1990s operation) then he kept making regular visits to see it at work to ensure it wasn’t being abused too much. You would think that a tractor unit is just a tractor unit but you couldn’t be further from the mark when it comes to this very special S24.

When the Ward brothers bought KCU 520X in June 1981 they bought a vehicle they had never seen the like of which before. And even though it suffered badly in the five years or so it worked on the coal as a six-wheel September 2014 19

Transport heritage

Words: Bill Aldridge Photography: Bill Aldridge collection/As stated

Off the

rails

part four

Britain’s railways have always been massive users of road vehicles. In this series Bill Aldridge takes a look at this important part of the UK’s transport industry.

1

2

3

1: Perhaps the final fling of the railways’ own container system was the ‘Speedfreight’ service of the 1960s, whereby guaranteed deliveries could be offered on certain routes.

The service used a mix of new 20ft and 30ft containers as well as some refurbished Btype containers as seen here with a Leyland ‘Power Plus’ Beaver tractor unit, complete with a ‘Four-in-line’ trailer.

2: Readers of a certain age will be amused to note that the cartons being loaded contained Horlicks. The lorry is a British Railways Western region Thornycroft Nippy tractor unit with a Swindon-designed ‘Safety Cab’. One example of this model is safely preserved.

3: Marylebone Goods depot in London is the setting for this demonstration of loading a Btype container on to an Austin Loadstar articulated tractor and trailer. The crane is a diesel-electric Pagefield, built by Walkers in Wigan.

4

4: British Railways introduced the ‘Speedfreight’ container service on certain routes during the 1960s, using a mix of new 20ft and 30ft containers along with some older models. Here a 20ft alloy container is being loaded at Viners Cutlery in Sheffield ready for collection by a British Railways’ articulated tractor.

5: This unusual-looking Leyland Beaver was purchased by British Railways Eastern Region for a timber-hauling contract. The Beaver acted as a drawbar tractor and had a centrally mounted winch. Interestingly this vehicle finished its days as a breakdown lorry and was saved for preservation.

PhotograPh courtesy Peter Love.

5

on location

Words & Photography: Bob Tuck

Lots of kicks at

BRS 66 S

unday, July 13 saw BRS devotees head for the Lincoln Farm Cafe, on Kenilworth Road, near Solihull, to attend Robin Masters’ fourth bi-annual event celebrating the creation of British Road Services. e event marked 66 years since the then Labour Government coined the name of BRS to operate all the goods vehicles they were bringing into Government ownership... hence the show’s title BRS 66.

As our report on BRS 64 explained (Heritage Commercials April ’13), Robin’s formula for this event is fairly low key. He invites owners of as many ex-BRS vehicles as possible – this year there were 25 – to come to the Lincoln Farm Cafe car park so that enthusiasts/ex-BRS staff and others can simply mingle and reminisce about days gone by. ere’s no big hype to what will happen on the day, but to this observer, it always seems a great day out and Robin reckons that in the region of 400 folk came through the entrance to enjoy the atmosphere.

scottisH staR

For all BRS fans, a glimpse of any vehicle adorned with the distinctive BRS livery is enough to generate shivers of delight.

However, seeing a ‘newcomer’

to the event creates more excitement, and nothing came much newer than David Philp’s 1953 Albion HD57, as Fife-based David only finished the paint job on the motor about four days before the event.

So, rather than drive the vehicle to the show, David utilised Jimmy Williamson’s headturning Scania low loader for the job. We intend to have an in-depth feature on David and his Albion in a later

issue of the magazine. e fickle English weather took its time to brighten up, but even during the odd slight rain showers there was plenty of space to shelter in and natter to all and sundry, athough two places where conversation

“It always seems a great day out and Robin reckons that in the region of 400 folk came through the entrance to enjoy the atmosphere.”

was rather muted were the stalls which sold photographs – with Peter Davies and Richard Baker respectively selling their wares.

Bob Rust and Steve Wimbush had their own special displays, while Steve Evans had his stall selling all manner of signs. Best trade was probably done by Ray and Jean Wilcox (long-standing owners of the Lincoln Farm) and their team of girls, who started serving tea and breakfasts at around 7am and were still working hard nine hours later.

Robin has always run this event as non-profit making with the proceeds of the programme sales going to the Macmillan Cancer Support and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

His cause was helped this year as the Renault-owned BRS Truck Rental concern gave some financial support and also brought a couple of vehicles to fly its flag.

Other helpers Robin singled out for thanks were the team of marshals: Brian Flatt, Darren Drinkwater, Gary Hill, Richard Peregrine and not forgetting confidant and good mate Alex Saville. A special thanks goes to Ros New, without whose help the event programme would never have been created.

Most thanks – says Robin – goes to the folk who came. And all being well, he’d love to see them back again – with a few more – in two years time for BRS 68.

September 2014 87

Workshop

Words & Photography: Richard Lofting

Threads and their formation

Before undertaking any thread cutting, be it new or recutting old ones, some insight into threads and their formation is in order.

T

oday most things are fastened with nuts and bolts with metric threads, these have become the international standard. With the age of our old machinery it is most likely that any threads on an English built vehicle will be Whitworth, BSF, UNF, UNC or on electrical and carburettor fittings sometimes BA threads may be encountered. Vehicles from continental manufacturers will undoubtedly have all metric threads.

It is imperative that the correct types and sizes of thread are matched if repair work is being undertaken. Yes, if you are just bolting

Identifying threads is not particularly difficult, a little detective work is all that is required.

things together standard metric bolts will do; but personally I think there is nothing worse than a nicely finished vehicle in all other aspects and then finding components have been bolted on with modern metric bolts.

What’s the difference?

e most notable difference between Imperial and metric threads is the included angle of the thread itself; most imperial threads are 55° with exceptions such as the BA threads which have an angle of 47½°; all metric threads have an included angle of 60°.

Words & Photography: Richard Lofting 1

2

Here the metric side is shown, measure the outside diameter the thread has and look up in a thread chart such as Zeus.

3

To determine a thread, a thread gauge is a must; this example has imperial thread pitches on one side and metric on the other.

Another question is why have threads of differing pitches? Fine pitched threads will tighten further with less effort but are not so good when used in brittle materials such as cast iron. Here a coarse-pitched thread will be better as there will be more material between each thread. As an example, when studs are used in a casting, such as a cast iron engine block, the thread in the casting will be a coarse thread such as UNC and the thread on the other end on to which a nut will be placed will be a UNF thread, giving the best of both worlds.

Thread GauGes

When trying to determine what form a thread is, coarse threads can easily be measured against a ruler, counting how many threads there are to the inch, or for metric measuring the distance between each thread crest. A more scientific approach is to purchase a thread gauge, not unlike a set of feeler gauges, but instead of a set of differing thickness blades, it contains blades with all the common thread pitches cut in one edge.

All that is required is to hold the blades, one at a time, against the thread in question.

When the thread and the gauge match, look at the number stamped on that particular blade i.e. 24, this will indicate the TPI or threads per inch; or if a metric thread, it will be stamped 1.75 for example, this will indicate that the pitch is 1.75 mm or 1.75 mm between the peak of each thread.

Thread Tables

Once you have got your thread pitch and diameter, to determine what thread form you have you will require a thread table such as a Zeus chart. Here all the common thread forms are listed, all you need to do is look down the tables comparing your values with those in the tables, for example 12 TPI ½in diameter will correspond with ½in BSF. is is also a useful technique to use when determining the replacement bolts that need to be ordered. e charts not only give the thread particulars but give the correct sizes for the drills to drill the holes before tapping a thread.

Try the gauges one at a time until the gauge matches the thread that you are measuring, then read off the pitch on the gauge.

4

Tap Types

Taps are available in three forms: taper, second and plug. For a normal thread where the underside is open, usually the taper and second taps will be required; but for a blind hole in a casting where the thread is required to go to the bottom of the hole, the plug tap will be required too. e taper tap is selfexplanatory; having a taper helps as the first threads are cut and also to keep the tap perpendicular as it enters the drilled hole.

Once this tap has been used, the second tap is to finish the thread form; this has a small taper at the start but increases to the finished size. In the blind hole mentioned earlier, the plug tap which has a parallel thread on it can be used aer the other two to finish the threads right to the bottom of the hole.

Thread inserts are available to repair threads where size is critical. A special tap cuts a thread into which the insert is placed.

5

6

Taps come in all lengths and sizes: top is a long reach taper tap; below that is a UNF second tap; the others are metric second taps.

Basic sets of taps and dies are available for commonly used threads in mild steel; for anything harder individual sizes are available.

September 2014 99