On the basis that one good turn deserves another I owe Chris Gardner, Logistics Manager at
MOL (Europe) a favour. It was he who told me the quick way to avoid the traffic on the Antwerp ring road coming back from the RAI truck show--after I'd cooled my heels in a queue for an hour on the way to the show two days earlier!. So without further ado, here's Chris, who tells me: "Brian, I've seen the advice you've given about composing photographs of lorries---I'm useless at that, but I thought you might like this one from 1968. It was taken by Tony Price on behalf of Atkinson Vehicles: Tony undertook all of Atkinson's photography from about 1962 until well into the Seddon days. I'm not sure how he took this one, but he did take similar motorway shots in the 1980s when I worked for W. H. Bowker by lying in the back of a pick-up with the tailgate open! This was scanned direct from the negative. Cheers, Chris."
Ah me..says BLB, they don't make 'em (an early 6x2) or shoot 'em like that any more! Nowadays if you even thought of taking a picture like that, you'd be arrested by the health & safety Police! Meanwhile, BLB can tell it's an old truck as it's in black and white. (Coloured trucks only appeared after 1986.) For more old B&W truck shots (and the Police) click through here.
"After him Simpkins! he's trying to escape in an old British eight-legger! "Righto Sarge...only you'll have to wait as he's travelling at over 40mph!"
"Now you're for the high-jump matey! It's a statutory fine of 4/6d for you PLUS purchase tax!"
A "Leader" not a "Borderer"
I seem to remember that towards the end of Atkinson's independent existence when the last model names were introduced, the name "Borderer" was reserved for two-axle tractors, while twin steer 6x2 tractor units were called "Leader".
Great shot nevetheless!!
All the best from Poland
Andrzej