Thanks to 'Two-Stroke' Biglorryblog is able to bring you the shots of the magnificently-restored Leyland Gas Turbine truck from the late 60s. It's been brought back to life by Tony Knowles and turned up on the Sunday at last weekend's vintage and classic truck bash at Gaydon. BLB had gone by then (DOH!) as I was there on the saturday for the Steel Boys run..see pevious blogs. Anyway to cut to the chase old TS has taken these pictures (for which I am most grateful) and supplied the following words. (And for a quick pie what was at the front of the low loader..?
TS says: "This is one of six built by 
He goes on to say: "It's also a shame that the facelift [featured on the gas turbine truck] never went into production. The clean simple lines look good even today---how good would a
Concept trucks are few and far between, Leyland can boast a few the Cabriolet T45, the TX450 alloy frame, Pegaso had the Solo, the closest to the Leyland is probably the 1995 Volvo ECT both having a Noel Penny influence and the Volvo being a hybrid a concept that is now achieving commercial attention. But from an interior perspective - the
It all seemed such a good idea at the time...gas turbine engines and trucks. Here's the shot of the original show Leyland Gas Turbine truck, complete with the tricked-up 'ergonomic' cab (although nowadays it would probably be sued under the trade descriptions act for that moniker...) It's from the 1968 CV Show and the annals of CM's archives (and Biglorryblog says many thanks to David Riley at Chris Hodge Used Trucks for all his work in preserving these classic images).
And here's a shot from the rear showing the proper 'exhaust' stacks.(They look slightly different to the Knowles one) I seem to recall that the UK's gas turbine guru Noel Penny (he of the Rover GT car fame) had a hand in this somewhere although if BLB's anorak army can provide more info I'd appreciate it. Clearly gas turbines were the coming thing or 'just around the corner' in the sixties...but they faded away. However, the Florida-based company, Truck Turbine Technology (of which Biglorrryblog has spoken before) could well lead its revival.
And here's the actual gas turbine that went in it...or at least I think it is as it comes from the same series of shots!
Comments (11)
The truck on the front of the low loader is a Volvo F88.The quality of the Leyland restore job looks fantastic.It is a real pity that BL never used the facelift for the cab.
Posted by Barney | June 15, 2008 9:40 AM
Posted on June 15, 2008 09:40
The gas turbine Leyland was transported to the shoe by Tony Knowles beautifully restored Volvo F88 and driven by himself.
Posted by Alan Drake | June 15, 2008 10:23 AM
Posted on June 15, 2008 10:23
Wasn't the cab known as the "Ergomatic"
Posted by Nick Santon | June 16, 2008 1:37 PM
Posted on June 16, 2008 13:37
Brian
It was certainly a popular exhibit - I could hardly get near it!
I went on the Sunday and the weather was great and there were some wonderful trucks most beautifully restored. I was disappointed that so few had any information on them in the window. Having sepnt so much time on restoration it seems a pity to stop short of the information most would welcome - perhaps there is a little business opportunity there! Better polish up my typing!
Peter
Posted by Peter Jackson | June 16, 2008 7:52 PM
Posted on June 16, 2008 19:52
This is a fantastic truck. I remember reading about it in a Ladybird lorry book (what is a lorry???) about the 'future of road transport'. How exciting! If i had the cash, i'd get one for my self...
F88 on the front, BTW
Posted by StratoBoozer | June 17, 2008 9:10 PM
Posted on June 17, 2008 21:10
That is right Nick the cab was the Ergomatic but the Ergo had a lot in common with the later Marathon.
Particularly around the window and front grille area.
Posted by John Comer | June 25, 2008 5:33 PM
Posted on June 25, 2008 17:33
Noel Penny formed his own company. Noel Penny Gas turbines. I joined a malting company in the early 1980's and he had been in discussions about supplying such a turbine for the malting process which needs both heat and power roughly in phase. Sadly, Noel Penny was killed in a car accident (I believe) before the project got very far. I still have the various correspondence on the matter in my files somewhere.
Paul Kidger
Posted by Paul Kidger | July 23, 2008 10:56 AM
Posted on July 23, 2008 10:56
Noel Penny is alive and well. He lives next door to me in Coventry.
NPT went in to voluntary liquidation in 1992.
Posted by AM | August 7, 2008 10:45 PM
Posted on August 7, 2008 22:45
I think (it's 40 years ago!!!) the unit in the glass case was actually 'Big Red' which was Ford's gas turbine.
As a last year AEC apprentice in '68, I remember going to the show and feeling quite 'chuffed' that BL had a working fleet in preparation and a fully fuctioning unit on display, when all Ford had was a turbine case in a plastic bubble. I also seem to remember that BL ran a show campaign called Apples and Lemons(?) which exploited the aformentioned fact.
Posted by Andrew McLeod | August 16, 2008 3:06 PM
Posted on August 16, 2008 15:06
Greetings from New Zealand...Noel Penny alive and well in Coventry! thank you for that. I have recently been in touch with Mark Barnard (ex.Rover Gas Turbines and then at Leyland Gas Turbine) anyone else out there from the old Rover Gas Turbine days...from Trevor Collins (RGT 1956-1967) then to NZ,now 41 years since!! ps please contact me at my email if interested!
Posted by Trevor Collins | September 21, 2008 9:23 AM
Posted on September 21, 2008 09:23
my comments 21st September....my email did not appear on this blog...please contact me at tcbcnz@slingshot.co.nz what else is known about the other 'leyland truck' all disappeared? thank you...from NZ
Posted by Trevor Collins | September 29, 2008 5:03 AM
Posted on September 29, 2008 05:03