One for Mr Z, Which film

[Andy Zarse]

Tricky! As soon as I saw it I thought two things. First, was The Lady Killers. Second instinct was immediately "Peter Sellers".

And I know it's not The Lavender Hill Mob, that was too early to feature an Austin J2, they'd have still been on the basic J-Type at that time.

Well I watched The Lady Killers over Xmas and I remember I was quite disappointed with the lack of classic vans etc, and they used an Austin FX3 taxi to cart the trunck of loot around. So that probably rules that out.

Thinking aloud, I'm guessing it's from a Sellers film? But which one? God knows, it's probably either I'm Alright Jack, Two Way Stretch or The Wrong Arm of the Law. But it's hard really say which, though the blokes in your pic do seem to be on some sort of a blag, so probably not I'm Alright Jack. So one of the others?

I love my old B&W Ealing comedies, just don't ask me about modern films!

[nopanic - neil]

Andy I'm impressed.

The answer is - The Wrong Arm of the Law

Considering it was not a Commer even more impressed.

Yea I like the old films, especially ones filmed around London. The first thing I say is bloody hell, look at the roads, no double yellow lines, no congestion charge and you can park almost any where.

I will look for some more film pics soon, to test you.

How are you with trucks? or is your forte vans only?

[Andy Zarse]

Not too bad at cars (though most mid fifties saloons were pretty dull, Austin Hereford anyone?  ) and I reckon I could have a good go at 50s/60s/70s trucks.

Vans are easier as there was a very limited choice in those days. I think we've covered most of the BMC versions, though Bedford and Ford have not had a mention yet! Anyone remember from their childhood the Standard Atlas 20, which later became the Leyland 15/20?

[Bob U]

I don't recall the vans but remember loving these little beauties when I was a nipper. A few belonging to The LMS railway were based at Wellingborough station and I remember seeing them struggle to ascend the hill from the station to the post office in town.

The second one is a preserved example and had the roof indicaters added to comply with modern regulations

[Andy Zarse]

Fantastic Bob, the Scammell Scarab. Apparently a version was made under licence in France by Chenard-Walcker, known as the 'Pony Mécanique'. Chenard-Walcker won the first ever Le Mans race in 1923. Small world eh?


Do you remember these BMC VA lorries, used almost exclusively by the British Road Services delivery company?

[Fran]

the British Road Services delivery company?

Ah, good old BRS - they used to deliver my trunk to boarding school each term - and fetch it back for the holidays!

PLA (Passenger Luggage in Advance - railway delivery) was much faster tho.

F

[Bob U]

Fantastic Bob, the Scammell Scarab. Apparently a version was made under licence in France by Chenard-Walcker, known as the 'Pony Mécanique'. Chenard-Walcker won the first ever Le Mans race in 1923. Small world eh?


Do you remember these BMC VA lorries, used almost exclusively by the British Road Services delivery company?

Yes. I remember My Grandad when he worked for BRS driving one of those (fleet # 663) I used to go with him during school holidays. There was no passenger seat so I had to make do with a milk crate and a cushion. Those were the days the BRS gave a desent clock for 25 years service. I have my Grandads and even though it is engraved with his name ans the date it was valued at nearly a grand 5 years ago

[Andy Zarse]

the British Road Services delivery company?

Ah, good old BRS - they used to deliver my trunk to boarding school each term - and fetch it back for the holidays!

PLA (Passenger Luggage in Advance - railway delivery) was much faster tho.

F

One can only speculate what the BRS man, who proabaly wore a brown warehouseman's coat, had five biros in his top pocket, an untipped fag dangling from his bottom lip and a young whippersnapper sat on a milk crate in the cab, thought about your boarding school Fran.

[Andy Zarse]

Fantastic Bob, the Scammell Scarab. Apparently a version was made under licence in France by Chenard-Walcker, known as the 'Pony Mécanique'. Chenard-Walcker won the first ever Le Mans race in 1923. Small world eh?


Do you remember these BMC VA lorries, used almost exclusively by the British Road Services delivery company?

Yes. I remember My Grandad when he worked for BRS driving one of those (fleet # 663) I used to go with him during school holidays. There was no passenger seat so I had to make do with a milk crate and a cushion. Those were the days the BRS gave a desent clock for 25 years service. I have my Grandads and even though it is engraved with his name ans the date it was valued at nearly a grand 5 years ago

I bet it smelt lovely in that cab sat next to the warm engine cowl in the winter, Bob.

[Fran]

One can only speculate what the BRS man, who proabaly wore a brown warehouseman's coat, had five biros in his top pocket, an untipped fag dangling from his bottom lip and a young whippersnapper sat on a milk crate in the cab, thought about your boarding school Fran.

We only had eyes for Tony the bread delivery boy!  Can you imagine being 18 years old, tall, hansome, long floppy blond hair, blue eyes and the only male who hadnt taken a vow of celibacy who entered the gates of an all girl convent school every day?!!

He was a very formative part of our adolescent years for many of us!   

F

[Bob U]

Don't remember the smell of the truck Andy. I remember the smell of beer on my Grandad though, every day he would stop for his sarnies in a pub called The Jack of Trumps in March Cambridgeshire. He would religiously have 3 pints of best bitter and spend the rest of the day belching and farting, which brings me on to the best part of the BMC Noddy, Slideing doors. I thought they were the mutts nuts, as a 7/8 year old I thought it cool and somewhat daring to be traveling with the door open to the road, and it helped disperse the old mans beary farts. Bloody hell you wouldn't believe the memories that one picture has brought back, fantastic.

[Andy Zarse]

One can only speculate what the BRS man, who proabaly wore a brown warehouseman's coat, had five biros in his top pocket, an untipped fag dangling from his bottom lip and a young whippersnapper sat on a milk crate in the cab, thought about your boarding school Fran.

We only had eyes for Tony the bread delivery boy!  Can you imagine being 18 years old, tall, hansome, long floppy blond hair, blue eyes and the only male who hadnt taken a vow of celibacy who entered the gates of an all girl convent school every day?!!

He was a very formative part of our adolescent years for many of us!   

F

Yes I can imagine it Fran, and anyone who says they can't is lying! I'll bet poor Tony was frighten to death of you lot! He wasn't anything to do with the cad in the Commer who you eloped with, was he?

[Fran]

He wasn't anything to do with the cad in the Commer who you eloped with, was he?

Yes, he WAS the cad in the Commer!

And fair play to him, I don't think he was scared of us one little bit!!  He would have cut back on all the flicking of the hair, wearing open neck grandad shirts and velvet loons if he wasnt trying to draw attention.   

What kind of uniform is that for someone handling bread all day - wouldnt be allowed nowadays!   

F

[nopanic - neil]

OK, back to the vans and films, leave that baker boy alone Fran! 

Andy

The next

Film and van, please?

[Leftie]

OK, back to the vans and films, leave that baker boy alone Fran! 

Andy

The next

Film and van, please?

Can't remember the name of the film, but I'm sure that's the where they rob 'The old Lady of Threadneedle Street' of the bullion. Because the iron gate in pic 1 looks like that at the old Royal Mint on East Smithfield heading east towards The Highway (A1203).

Can't place the van at the mo' though.

I think the van is an Austin.