1967 ALBION

PDA185F

    Owned by Mr Neil James of Stourbridge, West Midlands.

    The lorry was built in January 1967, and first registered in August of the same year. It was supplied by Bradburn and Wedge of Wolverhampton, to a Mr S S Meanly of Oakwood farm, Brewood, Staffs, as a long wheelbase tipper. The vehicle was little used, and was kept clean and under cover until sold in 1981 in the farm closure sale.

    It was then purchased by Bulldozers Ltd. who cut and shortened the chassis and body to make it into a tug, and was used to move 4 wheel earth scraper buckets from site to site. It only did this for a short period of time due to a change in the law. Following this it was relegated to an onsite water bowser, receiving poor treatment, having its windows smashed, and getting knocks and dents. It became redundant in 1991, and was parked up under cover on a farm until June 2003, when it was collected by a local lorry breaker.

    The present owner saw and purchased the Albion before the breaker even had chance to unload it in his yard. Within one month of purchase and after replacing tyres, windscreen, batteries and getting the clutch and lights to work, the Albion was taken to its first old vehicle show. A rolling restoration was carried out until chassis rectification in 2004, and painting over Christmas 2004/5. The Albion is now presented in Harris & Minors colours, who ran an identical vehicle which sadly did not survive.