Ergomatic Leyland Beaver Tractor Unit
In 2015 the late Tom Riding went into detail as to why the Ergomatic Cabbed Leyland Beaver ‘Freightline’ 4×2 tractor unit did not reign very long in the W & J Riding fleet…….
I remember very well collecting the first 600 engined tilt cab Ergomatic Cabbed Beaver to come out of the factory on the 4th of August 1965.
Baring Chassis No L42519 it was registered PTJ 300C and cost £3085 3s 2d
I picked it up at the experimental department where I think it had undergone some final checks and thought it looked stunning and it drove like a dream.
The tilt cab was very useful but there were problems as always with new models so on arrival we made a few modifications.
I disliked the idea of having to tilt the cab just to check the batteries were topped up so we fabricated a neat battery platform and combined spare wheel carrier bolted to the frame on the offside also we specified Badger mudguards so as the rear light clusters were integrated into the mudguard which enclosed the wiring and prevented water corrosion.
We also installed a low level mounting frame for the air and electric lines behind the cab which allowed the connections to hang at a low level to give them a straight run and a tidy appearance.
Another problem was the plastic fan on the front of the crankshaft was prone to breaking and the mirrors constantly mucked up with spray but most problems were overcome in due course.
It was essential that the radiator was always kept topped up with coolant because it was lower than the top of the engine and if the cylinder ran short of water you soon got into trouble.
The biggest problem of all was that you just couldn’t get hold of enough of them.
The last one we got, in 1966, was a 10 foot wheelbase unit that had been built as part of a massive order from Esso and it was offered as a sweetener.
At the time we had a total of 36 on order and if they had all come at once we really couldn’t have coped but Leyland could not meet the order so we cancelled the lot and went to Atkinson at nearby Walton le Dale instead.
All five of our tilt cabbed Leyland Beavers were sold on to Walter Southworth when we had finished with them.
However i am convinced that the two pedal Beaver of 1968 with the 690 engine could have and should have been a real success if the modern electronic controls had been available to control the Pneumocyclic gearbox.
Later the Leyland Buffalo with the fixed head 500 came along and, as everyone in the transport industry knows, disaster followed”.
Reg No PTJ 300C Fleet No 4 was the very first Ergomatic Leyland Beaver Freightline to be introduced into the Riding fleet in 1965.
Purchased brand new from Leyland Motors on the 4th of August 1965 at a cost of £3,085 3s 2d it was registered for road use on the 1st of September 1965 and was driven from new by the late Ted Woods.
After eight years service PTJ 300C was sold on to Walter Southworth of Rufford in October 1973 for the sum of £800 plus vat.
The late Tom Riding recalled….
“It was likened to ‘driving a car but unfortunately at the time Leyland could not deliver the numbers ordered so the Ergo tractors were not long on the fleet before Atkinson took over in large numbers”.
Another shot of Reg No PTJ 300C Fleet No 4, the first Ergomatic Leyland Beaver Freightline to enter service with Riding’s, seen here in April 1966 loaded up and ready for the road.
It was driven from new by the late Ted Woods who had 45 years service with the company and was the first bulker driver at Riding’s when they started the Bulk Haulage tanker business in 1968.
During his driving career with the company Ted had ten brand new units a record to be justly proud of.
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver ‘Freightline’ 4×2 tractor unit Reg No TTC 900D Fleet No 48, driven from new by Bill Coolican, was another of the batch of Leyland’s introduced into the ever-growing fleet in 1966.
Purchased direct from Leyland Motors Ltd at a cost of £3,129 6s 9d on the 10th of December 1965 it was not registered until the 1st of January 1966.
It is pictured here in April 1966 ready for the off coupled to a well sheeted and roped loaded 33 foot Crane Fruehauf tandem axle trailer.
Another shot of Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver ‘Freightline’ tractor unit Reg No TTC 900D Fleet No 48.
Registered new in 1966, and driven from new by Bill Coolican, it is pictured here parked on the wash bay on a Saturday morning while coupled up to an empty 33 foot Crane Fruehauf tandem axle trailer.
In the days before the installation of the drive through wash at Longridge all the vehicles in the fleet were washed by hand using brushes, buckets and hosepipes.
Photograph courtesy of the late Roger Kenney.
This particular photograph was publicity shot, for what was at the time, the new ICI terylene tarpaulins which were light and durable.
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver ‘Freightline’ tractor unit Reg No TTC 900D Fleet No 48 was given the honor to feature in the picture which clearly demonstrates the lightness of the tarpaulins.
Bill Coolican, the regular driver of TTC 990D, is stood on top of the load while Louis Gornall is on the ground.
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver ‘Freightline’ 4×2 tractor unit Reg No TTC 900D Fleet No 48 is pictured in the yard at Longridge parked next to Atkinson Mk I Silver Knight 4×2 tractor unit Reg No ETC 920B Fleet No 12.
Originally Leyland had been the preferred choice but they could not deliver in any decent numbers so Riding’s went on to replace the entire fleet with locally built Atkinson tractor unit’s from nearby Walton le Dale near Preston.
As with all the other tilt cabbed Leyland Beavers TTC 900D was later sold on to Walter Southworth of Rufford on the 8th of March 1974 for the sum of £950 plus vat..
Photograph courtesy of the late Roger Kenney.
Easter 1967 from left to right….
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver ‘Freightline’ 4X2 tractor unit Reg No TTE 540D Fleet No 51 was purchased direct from Leyland Motors Ltd on the 10th of January 1966 at a cost of £3,129 6s 9d. and was registered on the 1st of February 1966.
L.A.D. cabbed Leyland Beaver 4×2 tractor unit Reg No MTC 710C Fleet No 70 had a 600 Power Plus engine and was purchased new from Leyland agents Gilbraiths on the 18th of March 1965 at a cost £2,810 and remained in service for seven years until it was sold on to Walter Southworth Ltd of Rufford on the 30th of June 1972 for the sum of £800.
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver 4×2 tractor unit Reg No TTC 900D Fleet No 48, driven from new by Bill Coolican, was purchased direct from Leyland Motors Ltd at a cost of £3,129
6s 9d on the 10th of December 1965 it was not registered until the 1st of January 1966.
Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver ‘Freightline’ 4X2 tractor unit Reg No TTE 540D Fleet No 51 was purchased direct from Leyland Motors Ltd on the 10th of January 1966 at a cost of £3,129 6s 9d. and was registered on the 1st of February 1966.
Powered by a 680 engine with 2 stick gearbox it was driven from new by the late Jimmy Holden who was another long time serving Riding’s man.
Pictured here in April 1966 at Longridge, coupled to one of Riding’s standard 33 foot Crane Fruehauf trailers, it was later sold on to Walter Southworth of Rufford on the 28th of February 1974 for £950 plus vat.
Walter Southworth eventually went on to buy all of Riding’s old tilt cab Beavers.
A side view of Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver ‘Freightline’ 4X2 tractor unit Reg No TTE 540D Fleet No 51 which was purchased direct from Leyland Motors Ltd on the 10th of January 1966 at a cost of £3,129 6s 9d. and first registered on the 1st of February 1966.
Another shot Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver ‘Freightline’ 4X2 tractor unit Reg No TTE 540D Fleet No 51 seen here in April 1966 at Longridge while coupled to one of Riding’s standard 33 foot Crane Fruehauf trailers,.
TTE 540D was later sold on to Walter Southworth of Rufford on the 28th of February 1974 for £950 plus vat.
Another shot of Ergomatic cabbed Leyland Beaver Freightline’ 4X2 tractor unit Reg No TTE 540D Fleet No 51 this time pictured on Preston Dock while coupled to one of Riding’s standard 33 foot Crane Fruehauf tandem axle trailers.
After being in service with Riding’s for eight years TTE 540D was sold on the 28th of February 1974 to Walter Southworth of Rufford for £950 plus vat.
Seen here in April 1967 is four year old Pamela Riding daughter of the late James Riding.
She is pictured standing in front of Atkinson Mk I Silver Knight 4×2 tractor unit Reg No BTB 420E Fleet No 57 and tilt cabbed Ergomatic Leyland Beaver ‘Freightline’ Reg No YTD 360D Fleet No 58.
Unfortunately this is the only shot we have of Reg No YTD 360D Fleet No 58 which was purchased brand new on the 22nd of September 1966 at a cost of £3,228 17s direct from Leyland Motors Ltd.
Registered for road use the following month on the 12th of October 1966 this would be the last tilt cabbed Ergomatic Leyland Beaver ‘Freightline’ that would enter service with the Riding fleet.
The reason being that Leyland were unable to supply these vehicles in any decent numbers so the Ergo tractor units did not reign long before Atkinson became the sole ‘brand new’ vehicle supplier to W & J Riding for the following 22 years until 1988.
As with all Riding’s Ergomatic Leyland Beavers Reg No YTD 360D was sold on to Walter Southworth of Rufford for the sum of £1,200 plus vat on the 10th of August 1974.
