Atkinson Borderer Reg No PTC 440K
Atkinson Borderer 4X2 tractor unit Reg No PTC 440K Fleet No 8 ‘Faithful’ (Chassis No FC 20666) was purchased new direct from Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 17th of June 1972 at a cost of £5,625. 59p and registered for road use two weeks later on the 1st of July.
Powered by a Gardner 6LXB 180 engine it was driven from new by Rex Rich after which time it had a long and eventful life during it’s 21 years in the Riding fleet.
In that time it was used o general haulage and later became one of the company’s shunt vehicles at Thornaby depot on Teesside after which time it had a spell shunting at the H. J. Heinz factory at Kitt Green Wigan.
It then returned to Longridge where it was given a new lease of life and was utilised to take trailers for their annual MOT test at Kirkham midway between Preston and Blackpool.
Fortunately PTC 440K escaped the blow torch and was saved for preservation.
Forty seven years after it joined the Riding fleet the aptly named ‘Faithful’ was used on the 22nd of July 2019 at Tom Riding’s funeral to carry his coffin from his home in Ribchester to the church in Longridge.
Pictured in the depot at Longridge in its original livery Atkinson Borderer 4 x 2 tractor unit Reg No PTC 440K Fleet No 8 ‘Faithful’ (Chassis No FC 20666) cost £5,625. 59p direct from Atkinson Vehicles Ltd Walton le Dale on the 17th of June 1972 and was first registered for road use two weeks later on the 1st of July 1972.
1989 and PTC 440K, with an updated livery, is seen here during a spell at Riding’s Thornaby depot on Teesside while being used as the yard shunter.
1990 and PTC 440K is seen here shortly after being brought back down to Longridge depot from Thornaby and assigned as the workshop vehicle and also utilised as a shunter within the depot. .
1991 and having returned to Longridge depot after a spell as shunter at Thornaby Teesside depot PTC 440K is now the Longridge workshop vehicle/shunter and is pictured here at Kirkham test station while taking a trailer for it’s annual MOT.
Pictured here towards the end of it’s working life at Riding’s PTC 440K was by this time being utilised solely as the yard shunter and is seen here parked up in the depot at Longridge on the 29th of August 1993, when 21 years old in a rather sorry state.
Fortunately PTC 440K, which was the last remaining Atkinson Borderer in the fleet, was saved for preservation and was later fully restored.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
After leaving Ridings PTC 440K is seen here during it’s early days of restoration by Tony Brierley having received a replacement drivers door from John Killingbeck of Blackburn.
Original vehicle identification plate of PTC 440K.
After serving W & J Riding for over 21 years PTC 440K was eventually fully restored by Tony Brierley.
PTC 440K is seen here being driven by owner Tony Brierley on the 1st of August 2010 on the A646 Burnley Road heading into Halifax during the annual Trans Pennine Rally from the M62 Birch Service area to Harrogate.
Monday the 22nd of July 2019 and the funeral of the late Thomas William Riding took place at St Lawrence’s C of E Parish Church in Longridge.
Preserved Atkinson Borderer tractor unit Reg No PTC 440K, aptly named ‘Faithful’, was used to carry Tom’s coffin from his home in nearby Ribchester to the church in Longridge.
Driven at the time by Alan Dixon the cortege was also made up of Tom Riding’s fully restored Scammell Rigid 8.
PTC 440K seen here after carrying Tom Riding on his final journey from his home in nearby Ribchester to Longridge Church for his funeral on the 22nd of July 2019.
On the 29th of March 2023 Reg No PTC 440K was put up for auction by it’s owner Tony Brierley at Mathewsons of Thornton le Dale North Yorkshire who have given it an estimate of between £18,000 to £20,000.
It failed to meet it’s reserve but was later purchased by Jo Coultas, minus the tanker, who already owns an Atkinson Borderer, Reg No KBU 375P, which he is in the process of restoring as of August 2023.
September 2023 and PTC 440K is pictured here at it’s new home in Nottinghamshire after being bought by Jo Coultas from Tony Brierley in a private deal after it had failed to sell at auctioneers Mathewsons of Thornton le Dale back in March 2023.
To be continued…………
