Recently in Vintage & Classic Trucks Category

Well it was only a matter of time before Chris G really started to show why he's 'Mr Atkinson' and he kicks off with this news story from Commercial Motor from December 1968 (though surely the sun didn't shine in the '60s after September?)

Followed swiftly by a great shot of the prototype Viewline cab..now click through here for much, much more!

Hello... What's that slowly rusting in a quiet corner of the yard?

Hmmm... Got a touch of down-under Bulldog about it don't you think...? And click through here to see it in all its glory in a previous life - and some classic Aussie Atkinsons too...

Last one for today as I'm about to get ready to help Mrs BLB with the odd little chore or twelve - i.e. as in... "Oi you! Get off that computer!" (Sound familiar?) Anyroadup it's another request for help, this time from AtkIPete Lynch who says: "G'day Brian, just wondering if your lads can identify this old Thornycroft. I think is about a 3-tonner, 4-cylinder petrol and has been parked up since 1957... I am currently trying to work out just how I could sneak it into the back yard without my missus noticing... Cheers, Pete." If she's anything like Mrs BLB you've got no chance mate... Eyes like the proverbial hawk... (With infra-red night vision goggles attached too).

More Viewlines, this time it's courtesy of Gyles Carpenter who says: "Greetings Brian, a couple of Atki Viewlines from the archives, BVB 457H seen at Chatham Dockyard, and WWT 909G seen at Onslow Park steam rally regards, Gyles." And click through here for one more...

One truck that has always, and indeed continues, to fascinate Biglorryblog is the Atkinson Viewline with its tall cab and massive front windscreen. And my interst has been re-kindled by these pictures which have been very kindly provided by Mike Ponsonby BA...it also seems there was a Viewline and 'THE' Viewline--insofar as there were only six made with the radiator fitted inside a flatter-fronted grille as you can see see below---as opposed to the tradtional Atki radiator sticking through thee front of the grille which was used on other Viewlines like the one above provided by Mike...

And thanks to an earlier comment from Richard Stanier I now know the Viewline was unveiled as a modern alternative to the existing cab at the (I think) 1966 Motor Show as it's pictured here." Now click through here for more from Mike P and Chris Gardner 'Mr Atki' himself! 

"Morning Brian, says Gyles Carpenter. "I thought you might like to see Roger Mortimore's Detroit powered Scammell Crusader seen working at Chatham Historic Dockyard.
Kind regards Gyles." And who wouldn't? Now click through here for more...

Here's a man who looks happy in his work and why wouldn't he considering the truck he's driving..but it's not exactly what you'd call 'modern'...indeed the curving windscreen, simple dash and lack of head restraint on the seat should be a dead give away...and in the words of the great Rolf Harris: 'Can you guess what it is yet?' Well don't worry if you can't as Biglorryblog has the full explanation waiting for you once you've clicked through here!

"Hello Brian", says Gyles Carpenter. "I'm sending you this pic in light of Bob Tuck's mentioning of the first Anglo-Scottish run. Kind regards, Gyles."And look carefully and you can see Tucky in the passenger seat too! Now for a quick pie, it's an AEC but what model and year?

Brace yerselves men--it's 'T' time..Diamond T that is. "Hey Big Lorry Blog," says Wayne Westwood--product specification co-ordinator for Volvo trucks down-under (must be a mate of Gary 'Two Hats' Richards methinks). anyway Wayne says: "I'm not sure how to post a pic or add a story?? So I'll send you a couple of pics of my old man's 1959  630 Diamond T.. still in the TNT fleet colours..( it's last working assignment ) and a shot of him at his induction into the Australian Transport Hall of Fame in 2005.. if you could post these up with the other Diamond T pics already in BLB, I know he would be 'wrapped...'. Thanks heaps...Wayne."

Leave it to me mate---and what a cracking machine too. Indeed BLB is only too pleased to post this up not least as it reminds me to ask Cam McFadyen: "How's your Diamond T restoration coming along...any chance of some shots?" Meanwhile, click through here for more from Wayne....

Ron Johl returns to say: "Hello Brian, the last of 'Watfords Finest' heavy-haulage Scammells the "Evening Star"  S26 50-40.Built early 1988 and registered 1/8/88.When fully ballasted the tractor's gross weight is 49-Ton or it could be used as an artic."

"The engine is a Cummins 400-HP 14LT NTE driven through a ZF WSK400 torque-converter to a ZF 16-speed ecosplit gear box the vehicle is owned by Gary and Maggie Grysa the pics were taken at the Bed's Rally 09." Now click through here for more and a REAL pie quiz!

The trucks that made Volvo's name in Blighty! Bruce Abraham has sent this to me and says: "Here are some old volvo photos from EW BRAYBROOKE of Rushden, Northamptonshire.
My Dad Terry drove the F88 . Bruce the trucking gooner!" Now click through here for some shots of the F86!

Tim Cotton has fired this selection over to me and says: "Brian, here are a few Scania T Cabs for you from the last few years. The first one is this---Roger Jones with a large steel box destined for the Air Products factory in Acrefair, N Wales. This unit is now an 8x4. " Now click through here for more....

Jason Dean e-mails Biglorryblog to say: "Hi there, just started looking at your site as every one keeps on about......well the rest of the steelboys . Well I've got a quest for you.... here's a picture of our F10, we bought it from Tollbar Racing a few years ago, but have never been able to find any pictures of it in its working days as a race car transporter. It started life with team LOTUS and stayed within the race teams for the rest of its working days, until its retirement where she just plods around with our F88 on the back (which thinking about it is most probably heavier than a race car !) Any info would be great! Cheers, the Dean family." So who knows anything about the F10?

Gary 'Two Hats..and a busted pin' Richards, Biglorryblog's man for Macks and Volvos down-under, is currently a bit fed-up and says: "While wandering around the photo files, thought I best include these two Mack pics - just to complete this narration on vintage Aussie trucking..The two Macks in the first pic belong to a once large Northern territory fleet - Co-Ord Transport. The combination of a rigid truck towing two or three trailers was popular in the 60's. This mixed load of pipes and fuel on a asphalt road would have been a 'gravy" run for the drivers!" Now click through here for one more Classic Aussie Bulldog!

Rufo returns to Biglorryblogo andf says: "Hi Brian, on October 12, Bob Tuck posted pictures of a couple of well-used NZ G88s and you asked 'Where are they now?' and especially about the originality of the 8x4s. Well this is 'Where they once were'. North Otago Road Metals (NORM) tipper No11 was working on the Twizel Power Project in 1975 when this pic was taken with its tandem pig trailer in attendance."

"The other truck in Bob's pic is HJ7186 ex-Brightlings seen here loading a new CAT machine on the Lyttleton Wharf also in mid 1975. No! that is not the CAT's exhaust stack,that belongs to the floating steam crane alongside and...Yes! If I ever find him, I am going to cause GBH to that 'stevedore' walking across my line of sight at the critical moment.I didn't realise he had been there until the film was developed some days later. 'Murder!,bloody murder!' yelled the Man from Ironbark (if I can quote poet Banjo Patterson). Also,the Volvo must recently have been doing some house moving judging by the 'Wide House' sign on the front!" Now click through here for more!

Last one for tonight. And it's from Gyles Carpenter. "Good afternoon Brian, the AEC Mammoth Major Mk V and Leyland Octopus from the magnificent William Gilder fleet, taken with the kind help of Noel and Matt shunting the two beauties around the countryside.
Kind Regards Gyles."

And click through here for more....