Atkinson Mark 2
In 1968 Atkinson redesigned the Mk 1 cab and created the Mk 2 version which was six inches wider.
It had a two inch lower door line, a completely flat floor, improved interior, lock actuators in place of handbrake to ease access, dual headlamps and of course the famous ‘dummy’ radiator.
The pedal position was improved, a Chapman suspension seat standardized, and heater output increased.
After operating a considerable number of Atkinson Mk I 4×2 tractor unit’s from 1963 onward, it came as no surprise that the company decided to move on to the newly launched Atkinson Mk 2 in 1969.
Within twelve months of the first Atkinson Mk 2 4×2 tractor units arriving at W & J Riding the entire articulated fleet had been replaced by the Atkinson marque with not a single Leyland tractor unit remaining.
When Jim Riding ordered the company’s first Mk 2 Atkinson in 1969 he stipulated that on all future orders the front indicators be moved to the extreme front corner of the cab as he said it was for better visibility from the front and as an added bonus it did not impede the sign writing.
This modification became the standard specification on all Riding’s Atkinson’s tractor unit’s for the following six years until the 400 Series was launched in 1975.
Atkinson Mark 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No STB 330G Fleet No 53 ‘Furious’ (Chassis No FC 17674) was purchased new from Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 21st of May 1969 at a cost of £3,980 and was first registered for road use on the 1st of July 1969.
Powered by a Gardner 180 6LXB engine STB 330G was one of a pair of Mark 2’s to enter service with Riding’s at the time, the other being Reg No STD 730G, and was allocated to long time serving Riding’s driver Ted Bamber.
After being in service with Riding’s for almost nine years STB 330G was sold on to a Mr Joseph Bateson of Bank Head Lane Hoghton near Preston for £2,222 plus vat on the 17th January 1978.
Another shot of Atkinson Mark 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No STB 330G Fleet No 53 ‘Furious’ which was purchased new from Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 21st of May 1969 at a cost of £3,980 and was first registered for road use on the 1st of July 1969.
Allocated to long time serving Riding’s driver the late Ted Bamber, who after a long illness sadly passed away at the age of 86 on the 11th of January 2025, It is seen here having just arrived at Longridge depot after a punishing journey over the Pennines with a 20 ton load of pulp from Hartlepool Docks destined for delivery to Roach Bridge Paper Mills Samlesbury near Preston.
After being in service with Riding’s for almost nine years STB 330G was sold on to a Mr Joseph Bateson of Bank Head Lane Hoghton near Preston for £2,222 plus vat on the 17th January 1978.
Atkinson Mk 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No STD 730G Fleet No 45 ‘Zealous’ (Chassis No FC 17675) was one of a pair of brand new Atkinson Mk II tractor unit’s Riding’s put on the road on the 1st of July 1969.
Purchased at a cost of £3,976 18s 6d from Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 2nd of June 1969 it was powered by a Gardner 180 6LXB engine in line with a six speed David Brown gearbox and Kirkstall BDR rear axle.
Seen here at Kirtlebridge in Dumfries and Galloway, during a return trip from Scotland, it is pictured with it’s first driver a youthful Kenneth Moon who would later spend a total of 41 years driving for the company.
He had collected this particular load from the British Steel Corporation Meadow Works at Motherwell for onward delivery to Garrington’s of Bromsgrove in the West Midlands.
After eight years service STD 730G was eventually sold on in July 1977 to a Mr W.R. Taylor of Melling near Liverpool for £2,500 plus vat.
A colour shot Atkinson Mk 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No STD 730G Fleet No 45 ‘Zealous’ (Chassis No FC 17675) seen here at rest in Longridge depot.
Purchased new from Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 2nd of June 1969, at a cost of £3,976 18s 6d, it was powered by a Gardner 180 6LXB engine in line with a six speed David Brown gearbox and Kirkstall BDR rear axle.
After eight years service STD 730G was eventually sold on in July 1977 to a Mr W.R. Taylor of Melling near Liverpool for £2,500 plus vat.
Atkinson Mk 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No TTC 750H Fleet No 68 ‘Eager’ (Chassis No FC 17676) was registered new on the 1st August 1969 at a cost of £3,976 18s 6d.
Powered by a Gardner 180 6LXB engine in line with a 6 speed David Brown gearbox and Kirkstall BDR rear axle this was the standard Riding spec at that time.
The on the road picture above shows it hauling a 33 foot Crane Fruehauf trailer loaded with 20 tons of Heinz products.
TTC 750H spent a large part of its life on 24 hour running between Riding’s Teesside and Longridge depots transferring trailers.
After eight years service in the Riding fleet it was sold on to John Killingbeck of Blackburn on the 22nd of August 1977 for £2,500 plus vat.
Atkinson Mk 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No TTE 760H Fleet No 69 ‘Loyal’, (Chassis No FC 17677) powered by a Gardner 180 6LXB engine, was a brand new addition to the fleet on the 1st of September 1969 at a cost of £3,976 18s 8d
As with all new vehicles, Riding’s specified chrome bottom bumpers along with custom-built secure battery & tool boxes which were chassis mounted.
Fuel tanks were also built to Riding specification including modified filler-necks and locking caps and the front indicators were also a standard Riding specification being relocated to the front corner for better visibility and also for clear uniterupted sign writing on the cab.
To reduce tare-weight, Riding’s modified the top bumpers so that they still afforded protection to the radiator and retained a towing pin.
After seven years service on the Darlington trunk change over TTE 760H was withdrawn from the fleet in October 1976.
It was sold on to Bailee Freight Services of Yarm near Middlesbrough who repainted in their striking yellow and blue livery as can be seen here >>>
Atkinson Mk 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No XTF 580H No 73 ‘Olympian’ (Chassis No FC 19076) was registered new by Riding’s on the 1st June 1970 at a cost of £4,551 62d.
Powered by a Gardner 6LXB 180 engine it is seen here at Fleetwood in 1972 driven by Bill Tyson while taking part in the ‘Lorry Driver of the Year’ event.
Bill Tyson later left Riding’s along with fellow driver Jerry Pye and set up their own haulage company called Preston Roadways who then regularly subcontracted to W & J Riding.
Another shot of Atkinson Mk 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No XTF 580H No 73 ‘Olympian’ being driven by Bill Tyson during the annual the ‘Lorry Driver of the Year’ event in 1972.
For the event it was coupled a 1450 cubic foot Crane Fruehauf tandem axle powder tank which is something this particular tractor unit never did as during it’s life at Riding’s it only ever pulled flat platform trailers when in general use as can be seen in the picture below.
Atkinson Mk 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No XTF 580H Fleet No 73 ‘Olympian’ (Chassis No FC 172812) is seen here being filled with fuel at Daniel Platt Garage, a long time before the fuel island was installed in the middle of the yard.
With a 9’6″ wheelbase and powered by a Gardner 6LXB 180 engine this was a typical Riding fleet motor of it’s day.
Riding’s were still running Albion Super Clydesdale rigids, but the entire articulated fleet was now Atkinson by the time this picture was taken with no Leyland tractor units remaining.
After eight years service with Riding’s XTF 580H was eventually sold to Stanley Hart of 28 Lancaster Drive Banks near Southport on the 1st of July 1978 for £2,400.
Long time serving Riding’s driver the late Jack Moon is pictured here at the age of 33 alongside his brand new Atkinson Mk 2 tractor unit in October 1969.
In November 2017 Jack sadly passed away at the age of 81 after a long battle with cancer.
The Atkinson Mk 2 4×2 tractor unit in the picture above is Reg No UTB 370H Fleet No 32 (Chassis No FC 17678 ‘Illustrious’.
Powered by Gardner 6LXB 180 engine it was registered new to Riding’s on the 1st of October 1969 at a cost £3,976 plus vat but just two months after entering service it was involved in a serious accident in Scotland in which driver Jack Moon was in no way responsible.
After the accident UTB 370H was completely rebuilt and served Riding’s for many more years as can be seen in the two pictures below.
Atkinson Mk 2 4×2 tractor unit Reg No UTB 370H Fleet No 32 ‘Illustrious’, powered by Gardner 6LXB 180 engine, was registered new to Riding’s on the 1st of October 1969 at a cost £3,976.
Having been previously involved in a very serious accident on the A75 near Dumfries, for which Riding’s long serving driver Jack Moon was in no way responsible, the vehicle was taken into Riding’s workshops and rebuilt.
The photograph above was taken shortly after the complete rebuild and shows the tractor unit posing with a powder tanker which it never actually pulled as this vehicle was used on general haulage work.
After being in service with Riding’s for over eight years UTB 370H was sold to J & J Rimmer of Southport on the 3rd of March 1978 for £2,350.
Another shot of Gardner 180 powered Atkinson Mk 2 4×2 tractor unit Reg No UTB 370H Fleet No 32 ‘Illustrious’. (Chassis No FC 17678)
Seen in the previous picture while coupled to a powder tanker it is seen here more at home assigned to the general haulage fleet with a loaded forty foot flat trailer.
After being in service with Riding’s for over eight years UTB 370H was sold to J & J Rimmer of Southport on the 3rd of March 1978 for £2,350.
Atkinson Mk 2 4×2 tractor unit Reg No UTF 460H Fleet No 71 ‘Steadfast’ (Chassis No FC 17680) was fitted with a long range 90 gallon fuel tank along with a 5.78:1 ratio axle which gave it more speed.
Purchased new by Riding’s on the 30th of October 1969 at a cost of £4,287 5d it was registered for road use one month later on the 1st of December 1969.
Driven on a regular basis by the late Keith Gornall it is seen here when brand new and coupled up to a wide spread tandem axle 40 foot trailer which was one of six trailers of this type introduced into the fleet at that time.
After eight years in the Riding fleet UTF 460H was sold to John Killingbeck of Blackburn on the 22nd of October 1977 for the sum of £2,500.
Driver Keith Gornall later left Riding’s and went on to operate his own business just down the road running several ultra smart Streamline V8 Scania’s and Volvo F16′ tractor unit’s transporting abnormal steel loads.
A close up shot of Atkinson Mk 2 4×2 tractor unit Reg No UTF 460H Fleet No 71 ‘Steadfast’ while parked outside the depot in Longridge.
Purchased new by Riding’s on the 30th of October 1969 at a cost of £4,287 5d it was driven on a regular basis by the late Keith Gornall who always kept it immaculately clean.
Pictured here in the depot at Longridge is Atkinson Mk 2 4X2 tractor unit Reg No WTB 660H Fleet No 41 ‘Renowned’.
Baring Chassis No FC 18096 it was powered by a Gardner 180 6LXB engine in line with a David Brown gearbox and Kirkstall axles.
Purchased new on the 28th of January 1970 at a cost of £4,335 16s 11d it was not registered for road use until just over one month later on the 1st of March 1970.
Originally allocated to Riding’s Bulk Haulage fleet it was later transferred over to the general haulage fleet as can be seen in the picture.
After eight years service WTB 660H was sold on to a Mr R Taylor of Lindell Avenue Melling Liverpool on the 8th of March 1978 for the sum of £2,500 plus vat.
Atkinson Mk 2 4X2 tractor unit Reg No XTD 800H Fleet No 72 ‘Gallant’ (Chassis No FC 19074) was powered by a Gardner 180 6LXB engine in line with a David Brown gearbox and Kirkstall axles.
Purchased new on the 1st of April 1970, at a cost of £4,537 17s 5d it was registered one month later on the 1st of May and was driven from new by Alan Hall running mainly coupled up to tanker No CFB 122 seen in the picture but was later driven by Alan Bretherton when transfered over to the general haulage fleet. .
This particular tanker came new with a widespread bogie but when the weights were later lifted it was converted to a tri-axle bogie to take advantage of the increased 38 ton GVW, obviously with a different tractor unit.
The picture above shows it heading down Archway Road London on Thursday the 15th February 1973 by which time it would have been on its third weekly round trip between Hillhouse and Ashford which explains why it is in a filthy condition due to salt from the roads.
After eight years service XTD 800H was eventually sold on to Tom Riding’s brother in law J.L Ball of Dutton on the 31st of March 1978 for £2,600. which, after eight years continued use, was not a bad investment?
Photograph courtesy of Edward J Beazley.
Seen here when new in August 1970 is Atkinson Mk 2 4×2 tractor unit Reg No ATC 400J Fleet No 74 ‘Dependable.
Baring Chassis No FC 19075 it was purchased brand new by Riding’s on the 3rd of June 1970 at a cost of £4,467 14s 11d and was registered for road use two months later on the 1st of August 1970.
In the late 1974 ATC 400J came to grief on the A75 near Glen Luce in Scotland.
Driven by Jim Taylor he had collected the fully loaded trailer from Cairn Ryan on Riding’s Kilroot inter factory service with Wilton.
Unfortunately while negotiating the bend he was presumably applying a little too much speed which caused the whole outfit to lose it’s footing not far into his journey back to Longridge.
Recovered and fully repaired ATC 400J remained in the fleet for a total of eight years and was sold on to A.F. Transport of Clitheroe on the 4th of December 1978 for the sum of £2,500.
Atkinson Mk 2 4×2 tractor unit Reg No BTJ 380J Fleet No 75 ‘Constant’ (Chassis No 19079) was a brand new purchase from Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 25th of October 1970 at a cost of £4,548 9s 6d and first registered the following month on the 10th of November.
Pictured here parked in the line up at Longridge depot it was powered by a Gardner 180 engine in line with a David Brown gearbox and Kirkstall axles.
After eight years service BTJ 380J was eventually sold on to Tom Riding’s brother in law .J.L Ball of Dutton on the 27th of December 1978 for the sum of £2,800 plus £100 for repainting it in J.L Ball’s yellow and grey livery in Riding’s own workshops.
Atkinson Mk 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No CTD 450J Fleet No 76 ‘Skillful’ (Chassis No FC 19080) was purchased brand new by Riding’s on the 17th of November 1970 at a cost of £4,548 9s 6d.
Due to a down turn in business at the time it remained in storage until the following year and was not registered for road use until the 1st of January 1971.
After nine years service CTD 450J was sold on to B.F.S Ltd of Stokesley North Yorkshire on the 16th of January 1979 for the sum of £2,600.
Another shot of Atkinson Mk 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No CTD 450J Fleet No 76 ‘Skillful’ (Chassis No FC 19080) seen here in a very workman-like pose, while having a bath in the depot at Longridge.
The ravages of time have seen the end of the chrome front bumper at this point in its life in 1978.
Purchased brand new by Riding’s on the 17th of November 1970 at a cost of £4,548 9s 6d it remained in storage and was not registered for road use until the 1st of January 1971.
After nine years service it was sold on to B.F.S Ltd of Stokesley North Yorkshire on the 16th of January 1979 for the sum of £2,600.
Atkinson Mk 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No BTF 140J Fleet No 59 ‘Jubilant’, powered by a Gardner 180 engine, was bought new by Riding’s on the 1st of October 1970 at a cost of £4,598 7s 6d and first registered one month later on the 1st of November.
Baring Chassis No FC 19078 it had the standard specification at the time which was a Gardner 180 6LXB engine in line with a David Brown 6 speed gearbox and Kirkstall BDR axle..
It was driven from new by the late David Roberts who was a fitter by trade but preferred driving and he is pictured here at the wheel in 1977 while heading West on the A59 at Halton East near Skipton in North Yorkshire.
After 8 years hard work in the Riding fleet it was sold to John Killingbeck of Blackburn on the 19th of November 1978 for the sum of £2,500.
Atkinson Mk 2 Silver Knight 4X2 tractor unit Reg No BTF 140J Fleet No 59 ‘Jubilant is seen here in later life looking a little worse for wear minus it’s chrome bumper.
By the time this photograph was taken it was now being driven by Richard Stecyk, aka ‘Yank’, and is pictured here in Longridge depot loaded and ready for the road.
Atkinson Mk 2 4×2 tractor unit Reg No ETF 510J Fleet No 77 ‘Active’ was powered by a Gardner 6LXB 180 engine in line with a David Brown six speed gearbox and Kirkstall axle.
Purchased new by Riding’s direct from Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 22nd of April 1971 at a cost of £4,872 it was first registered the following month on the 5th of May and was driven on a regular basis by the late Fred Wolstenholme, aka Pluto.
It is seen here when new at the premises of Hepworth Polva Plastics in Padiham near Burnley a company which manufactured plastic piping and guttering..
After seven years service with W & J Riding ETF 510J was sold on the 14th of August 1978 to John Killingbeck of Blackburn for £2,500.
It is pictured here in 1979 heading South on the A449 near Ross on Wye Herefordshire.
The late Freddie Wolstenholme, aka Pluto, takes time out for a picture with Tom Riding’s eldest daughter Elizabeth in front of Atkinson Mk 2 4×2 tractor unit Reg No ETF 510J Fleet No 77 ‘Active’ (Chassis No FC 20528) one Sunday morning in May 1971 during a delivery to Hepworth’s of Padiham near Burnley.
Sadly Freddie Wolstenholme was tragically killed in a road traffic accident in Stevenage three years later on the 2nd of December 1974.
Another shot of Atkinson Mk 2 4×2 tractor unit Reg No ETF 510J Fleet No 77 ‘Active’.
A brand new addition to the fleet on the 22nd of April 1971 at a cost of £4,872 it is seen here steadily making it’s way South towards Tower Bridge while hauling one of Riding’s powder tankers in 1973..
It would have been destined for Ashford in the days when it was the norm to go through London long before the building of the M25 orbital ring road.
Photograph courtesy of renowned lorry photographer Peter J Davies.
