Seddon Atkinson Strato
After coming under the control of ENASA, a Spanish conglomerate formed around Pegaso, Seddon Atkinson began to incorporate some components from Spain.
The introduction of the Strato range saw the use of the CabTec cab which was shared with DAF and Pegaso along with a new frame, new engines, gearboxes and axles.
The frame was similar to that of the 4-11, but was narrowed at the rear to accommodate the 12R22.5 tyres of the 400 variant.
There were three basic cabs, a short day cab, a twin-berth sleeper cab and a high roofed version named “Stratocruiser” which was the same cab as the Leyland Daf 95 Series.
All were structurally identical to their Pegaso Tron equivalents and were built and trimmed entirely by Enasa in Spain, being shipped to Oldham six at a time in special trailers fitted with their uniquely Seddon Atkinson front grille and badging.
The late Tom Riding recalled below…….
“The Seddon Atkinson factory at Oldham launched the new Strato and originally fitted it with a Cummins 14 litre engine which we thought was to heavy and to thirsty.
However later when the Strato became available with the Cummins L10 325 engine we had the first one out of the factory but due to the long delay we were committed to the large order that we had in place with ERF so this became just a one off.
We did later purchase a number of Strato’s fitted with the Perkins 335TX engine but by then unfortunately the damage had been done to Seddon Atkinson”.
The first brand new Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit to enter service with Riding’s on the 1st of May 1989 was Reg No F500 BFV Fleet No 24 ‘Invincible’ (Chassis No 86200) at a cost of £30.027.65p plus vat.
Powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine it was the first one off the production line fitted with this size of engine, all subsequent brand new Seddon Atkinson Strato’s in the Riding fleet would be powered by the Perkins 335TX engine.
Driven from new by Reg Nuttall is is seen here in July 1991 with a trailer load of plate steel while parked in the depot at Longridge.
Unfortunately F500 BFV did not live up to it’s name of ‘Invincible’ as it was written off in May 1996 after being burnt out following a fire which started in a front wheel hub.
You can see the aftermath of the fire in the dedicated F500 BFV section.
In 2012 Corgi released a 1:50 scale model of this particular vehicle at a cost of £89.99 with a limited production run of 750.
More details here on in Corgi Models
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F996 RCK Fleet No 77 ‘Sir Tristram’ Chassis No 84890) was powered by a Cummins 14 litre engine.
It is pictured here at Longridge with a Metalair tank loaded with 25 tons of cement for Coatbridge.
The late Tom Riding recalled below….
“This was one of five Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor units that i bought from my good friend Dick Wells at a cost of £17,400 plus vat each on the 7th of October 1991.
His company originally had them on hire to British Nuclear Fuels at the local Springfield’s site on a three year contract from 1988.
At the end of that period, in 1991, i purchased them from him and subsequently they all turned out to be good machines”.
Another shot of Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F996 RCK Fleet No 77 ‘Sir Tristram’ (Chassis No 84890).
Powered by a Cummins 14 litre engine it is seen here in the depot at Longridge while coupled up to 33 foot skelly tipping trailer with a 30 foot Verbrugge container on board.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Purchased second-hand in 1991 when three years old Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F997 RCK Fleet No 78 ‘Sir Galahad’ (Chassis No 850106) had originally been registered new on the 1st of October 1988.
Costing £17,400 plus vat Reg No F997 RCK was another of the five Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor units that Tom Riding bought second hand from Dick Wells whose company originally had them on hire to British Nuclear Fuels at the local Springfield’s site on a three year contract lasting from 1988 until 1991.
It is pictured here heading North on the old A74 towards Beattock summit in the southern lowlands of Scotland while hauling a tri-axle Metalair cement tanker.
A close up colour shot of Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F997 RCK Fleet No 78 ‘Sir Galahad’ (Chassis No 85106) coupled up to a Metalair-Fiilliat tri-axle 25 ton payload cement tanker.
Originally registered new on the 1st of October 1988 Reg No F997 RCK was purchased second-hand by Tom Riding when three years old on the 7th October 1991 at a cost of £17,400 plus vat.
This was one of the five Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor units Tom Riding bought second hand from Dick Wells whose company originally had them on hire to British Nuclear Fuels at the local Springfield’s site on a three year contract from 1988 until 1991.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F815 GNA Fleet No 17 ‘Highland Chieftain’ (Chassis No 85105) was originally registered new on the 11th of November 1988.
It was purchased secondhand when three years old on the 3rd of September 1991 at a cost of £10,000 plus vat from Translitre of Butron upon Trent.
Driven by the late Bill Lambert it is seen here in European Vinyl’s Corporation Ltd livery coupled to a 2000 cubic foot non tipping tank built by Carmichael.
After being in the fleet for just over seven years F815 GNA was sold on to J.C. Commercials of Liverpool for the sum of £2,000 plus vat.
Bill Lambert, who lived in Longridge all his life and drove for Riding’s for over forty years, sadly passed away on the 30th of December 2014.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F828 GNA Fleet No 112 ‘Defiant’ (Chassis No 85753) was powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine.
Originally registered new on the 1st of December 1988 Tom Riding bought it second hand when it was just two years old from local dealer Syd Hartley on the 5th of November 1990 at a cost of £17,000 plus vat.
Driven by Joe Gannon, a driver from Burnley who was employed by Riding’s for quite a fair while, it is pictured here while coupled up to one of the many standard forty foot flat tri-axle Crane Fruehauf trailer’s that Riding’s had in their fleet at that time.
After being in the fleet for six years it was sold on to J Commercials of Liverpool for £1,800 plus vat on the 27th of November 1996.
An on the road shot of Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F828 GNA Fleet No 112 ‘Defiant’ (Chassis No 85753).
Seen here hauling a tri-axle curtain-sider trailer it is pictured at the Windy Harbour crossroads on the A585 between the M55 and the ICI Hillhouse plant at Thornton on a wet winters day.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F833 LJR Fleet No 71 ‘Vanguard’ (Chassis No 85465) was registered new on the 7th of February 1989 and was powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine.
This was another Strato purchased second hand by Tom Riding who bought it from local dealer Syd Hartley on the 23rd of July 1991 for the sum of £15,000 plus vat.
It is pictured here parked in Longridge depot on the 9th of April 1994 coupled up to a 33ft tri-axle skelly trailer with a standard 30ft Bell container on board.
Driven on a regular basis by the late David Fletcher it was finally sold on the 19th of March 1998 to D G Taylor of Driffield long after Tom Riding retired from the company.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
A motorway shot of Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F833 LJR Fleet No 71 ‘Vanguard’ (Chassis No 85465).
Seen here heading East at Junction 3 of the M55 it is hauling a tri-axle step frame curtain-sider trailer in the contract livery of Timax exhaust systems.
Registered new on the 7th of February 1989, and powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine, it remained in service with Riding’s for almost seven years until it was sold on in March 1998, two years after the retirement of Tom Riding.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Another motorway shot of Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F833 LJR Fleet No 71 ‘Vanguard’ (Chassis No 85465).
Purchased second hand from local dealer Syd Hartley on the 23rd of July 1991 for the sum of £15,000 plus vat it was driven on a regular basis by the late David Fletcher who met his wife to be Pauline while he drove for Riding’s as she worked in the offices continuously for 40 years.
It is pictured here hauling one of Riding’s many forty foot tri-axle flat trailer’s which is loaded with empty GKN pallets.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No F881 RRK Fleet No 111 ‘Sir Bedivere’ (Chassis No 86601) was powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine.
Registered new on the 2nd of May 1989 it entered service with the Riding fleet on the 24th of September 1990 after being bought second hand at a cost of £17,750 plus vat from Ryland North West Ltd who had utilised it as their demonstrator tractor unit.
Driven by Alan Greenwood it is seen here at Longridge depot in April 1993 while coupled up to a newly re-furbished Carmichael tipping tank for use on the RMC contract.
It would have been loaded with Castle cement for delivery in Scotland on its way to Riding’s Motherwell depot.
After eight years in the fleet it was eventually sold on the 19th of March to D.G. Taylor of Driffield for an undisclosed sum.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G891 HFR Fleet No 83 ‘Great Northern’ (Chassis No 86959) was originally registered new on the 1st of August 1989 with Tom Riding having bought it from local dealer R J & I wells Ltd on the 1st of August 1992 when three years old at a cost of £17,250 plus vat.
It had been on hire to British Nuclear Fuels at Salwick and when the time came that the three year hire agreement was complete Riding’s purchased a total of five of them.
Driven by the late Jimmy Milsom, out of Riding’s Teesside depot, G891 HFR was normally used on general haulage but unusually for some reason is seen here coupled to one of the company’s 1450 cubic foot non tipping powder tankers.
As this particular tractor unit was not fitted with any discharge equipment it could only have being used to move the tanker inter depot or may be for an MOT.
Note the new white bumper assembly which must have just been fitted and had yet to be painted.
After six years in the fleet G891 HFR was sold on the 12th of February 1998 to George Holliday of Penrith for the sum of £1,500 plus vat.
Another shot of Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G891 HFR Fleet No 83 ‘Great Northern’ (Chassis No 86959).
It is pictured here in 1994 while parked on the Ferrybridge Service area just off the A1 in West Yorkshire coupled to a forty foot tri-axle trailer loaded with raw timber for the manufacture of wooden pallets.
Seen here parked on the West bound side of Hartshead Moor Service area, on the M62 in West Yorkshire, Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G891 HFR Fleet No 83 ‘Great Northern’ (Chassis No 86870) takes a break during it’s journey after collecting a 30 foot Bell Line container from Teesside Docks.
This final shot of Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G891 HFR Fleet No 83 ‘Great Northern’ (Chassis No 86870) shows it here in November 1996 towards the end of its working life at Riding’s.
At the time this photograph was taken quite a large number of the tractor unit’s and trailers had been re-branded into the TDG Nexus scarab green livery following the retirement of managing director Tom Riding some twelve months previously.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G892 HFR Fleet No 84 ‘Preston Guild’ (Chassis No 86959) was powered by a Cummins 320 engine big cam engine and driven by Ted Bamber.
Originally registered new on the 1st of August 1989 Tom Riding bought it from local dealer R J & I Wells Ltd on the 1st of August 1992 when three years old for £17,250 plus vat.
Pictured here when in BNFL livery G892 HFR was another of the Seddon Atkinson Strato’s that had been on hire to British Nuclear Fuels at Salwick.
When the time came that the three year hire agreement was complete W & J Riding purchased a total of five of them which all turned out to be superb machines.
Another shot of Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G892 HFR Fleet No 84 ‘Preston Guild’ (Chassis No 86959)
Living up to it’s name it is seen here during the 1992 Preston Guild celebrations on the Preston inner ring road opposite the Timax offices.
It is hauling a curtain sider trailer and with the curtains removed decked out as a Timax Exhaust advertising float.
G892 HFR never normally pulled a Timax curtain sider as it was used almost exclusively on Riding’s North West – North East service driven by Ted Bamber who i am reliably informed ‘used to chase it on a bit’.
Seddon Atkinson Stratocruiser 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G21 WVT Fleet No 37 ‘Sir Lionel’ (Chassis No 87049) was registered on the 1st of August 1989.
Powered by a Cummins L10 engine in line with an Eaton Twin Splitter 12-speed gearbox. G21 WVT was originally new to ANC Parcels and was one of four Stratocruiser’s Tom Riding bought second hand from local dealer Syd Hartley in April 1992, each one costing £13,500 plus vat a saving of around £30,000 as each one would have cost £43,000 brand new at that time.
It is seen here parked in the depot at Longridge coupled to a forty foot tri-axle trailer with a 24 ton load of bagged cement for delivery to Coatbridge.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Seddon Atkinson Stratocruiser 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G22 WVT Fleet No 38 ‘Sir Lamorak’ (Chassis No 87055) was registered on the 1st of August 1989.
Powered by a Cummins L10 engine in line with an Eaton Twin Splitter 12-speed gearbox and originally new to ANC Parcels G22 WVT was another of the four Seddon Atkinson Stratocruiser’s that Tom Riding bought second hand from local dealer Syd Hartley in April 1992 each one costing £13,500 plus vat when they were three years old, a saving of around £30,000 as each one would have cost £43,000 brand new at that time.
Pictured here parked up on a motorway service area, as the driver takes a break, it is coupled to a 33 foot tri-axle skelly tipping trailer with a 30 foot container on board.
Seddon Atkinson Stratocruiser 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G23 WVT Fleet No 65 ‘Sir Gawain’ (Chassis No 87058).
Registered new on the 1st of August 1989 G23 WVT was another of the batch of four ex ANC Parcels Stratocruiser’s that Tom Riding bought from local dealer Syd Hartley in April 1992 each one costing of £13,500 plus vat.
It is pictured here in Longridge depot with a full load of GKN pallets destined for the Heinz food manufacturing plant at Wigan.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Another shot of Seddon Atkinson Stratocruiser 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G23 WVT Fleet No 65 ‘Sir Gawain’ (Chassis No 87958) which was originally registered new to ANC Parcels on the 1st of August 1989.
One of four purchased second hand in 1992, each one costing £13,500 plus vat each from local dealer Syd Hartley of Brabiner Lane Whittingham when three years old G23 WVT was assigned to the general haulage fleet.
Powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine in line with an Eaton Twin Splitter 12-speed gearbox it is seen here coupled up to one of the company’s extending trombone tri-axle trailer’s loaded with sheets of steel plate from the British Steel Corporation plant at Ravenscraig in Scotland.
After six years in the fleet Reg No G23 WVT was sold on the 23rd of January 1998 for the sum of £2000 to J.C. Commercials of Liverpool.
Seddon Atkinson Stratocruiser 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G30 WVT Fleet No 75 ‘Sir Geraint’ (Chassis No 87960) was registered new to ANC Parcels on the 1st of August 1989.
Powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine in line with an Eaton Twin Splitter 12-speed gearbox the late Tom Riding bought it second hand on the 24th of April 1992 when three years old from local dealer Syd Hartley for £13,500 plus vat, saving around £30,000 as each one would have cost £43,000 brand new at that time.
Originally new to ANC Parcels the opportunity arose for Tom to buy four of these vehicles, which he duly did.
Driven by John Barker G30 WVT was based at Riding’s Teesside depot and is seen here heading North on the A1 near Ferrybridge while hauling a 2000 cubic foot Carmichael tanker which was used for the countywide distribution of plastic products on behalf of ICI Ltd Wilton Works.
On the 27th of January 1998 after being in service with Riding’s for a total of six years G30 WVT was sold on to J.C. Commercials of Liverpool for £2,000 plus vat.
Photograph courtesy of Roy Beecher.
Another shot of Seddon Atkinson Stratocruiser 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G30 WVT Fleet No 75 ‘Sir Geraint’ (Chassis No 87960) which was originally new to ANC Parcels.
Powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine in line with an Eaton Twin Splitter 12-speed gearbox it was one of four Stratocruiser’s that the late Tom Riding bought second hand on the 24th of April 1992 when three years old from local dealer Syd Hartley.
It is seen here preparing to tip at Mullards of Simonstone with powdered material for making television screens which was quite difficult stuff to blow out and they had to use 2 bar high pressure.
Teesside based Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G388 JKY Fleet No 104 ‘Iron Duke’ (Chassis No 87267).
Registered new on the 4th of August 1989 it was purchased second hand when two years old from local dealer Syd Hartley of Brabiner Lane Whittingham on the 29th of May 1991 at a cost of £16,750 plus vat.
It is pictured coupled up to one of Riding’s tri-axle 33 foot tipping skeletal trailers with an IBC 30 foot container on board.
After six years in the Riding fleet G388 JKY returned to Longridge depot in September 1997 where it had it’s Cummins L10 325 engine removed with the remainder of the vehicle broken up for spares.
Registered new on the 29th of August 1989 Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G26 LRM Fleet No 82 ‘Sir Lamiel’ (Chassis No 86473) was a second hand purchase from Seddon Atkinson at Walton Summit Bamber Bridge on the 24th of February 1992 at a cost of £15,250 plus vat.
Pictured here parked up on the west bound side of the M62 Hartshead Moor service area in West Yorkshire it is coupled up to a brand new Metalair tri-axle powder tanker in the corporate white and grey livery of ICI.
Another shot of Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G26 LRM Fleet No 82 ‘Sir Lamiel’ (Chassis No 86473)
Registered new on the 29th of August 1989 it is pictured here parked up in Penrith while coupled up to a forty foot tri-axle flat trailer loaded with a 24 ton load of bagged cement from the Castle Cement plant at Clitheroe.
Seddon Atkinson Stratocruiser 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G194 AFA Fleet No 46 ‘Great Western’ (Chassis No 87535) powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine, was first registered on the 7th of September 1989.
Purchased second hand when three years old from local dealer Syd Hartley in May 1992 for £13,500 it was based at Riding’s Teesside depot.
Fitted with tipping and blowing equipment it is seen here on the A59 Skipton by-pass hauling a 20 foot demountable liquid tank which is sat on a 20 foot – 30 foot sliding tri-axle skelly trailer.
Photograph courtesy of the late Colin Wright.
Seen here on trade plates day cabbed Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G916 UYV Fleet No 80 ‘Majestic’ (Chassis No 87371) was originally registered new to Esso Petroleum on 1st of November 1989.
After a three year buy back scheme that Esso had with Seddon Atkinson it was purchased secondhand when just over three years old from Seddon Atkinson’s Walton Summit Centre at Bamber Bridge on the 11th of January 1993 at a cost of £12,000 plus vat and went into service the following month on the 7th of February.
Pictured parked up at Longridge depot it is coupled to a Timax Bainbridge liveried tautliner trailer.
This particular tractor unit was assigned to the Falkirk night trunk trailer changeover and was driven by David Edwards.
Another shot of day cabbed Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G916 UYV Fleet No 80 ‘Majestic’ (Chassis No 87371) seen here at the Timax exhaust plant at Glasson Dock near Lancaster on the 9th of August 1993 after dropping it’s step frame curtain sider trailer.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Seddon Atkinson Strato Reg No G820 KCW Fleet No 110 ‘Endeavour’ (Chassis No 87572) was powered by a Perkins TX 335 engine.
Purchased new by Riding’s on the 18th of September 1989 at a cost of £32,659 plus vat, it was not registered until the 1st of November that year.
It was driven from new by the late Joe Gornall who was a long time Riding’s man and also a Morris Minor fanatic as can be seen by the strap line along the top of the windscreen.
G820 KCW spent its whole life on general haulage and is seen here at rest in Longridge depot loaded with steel from the British Steel Corporation Dalzell Works plant at Motherwell Scotland.
After being in service for just over eight years it was sold to on to J.C. Commercials of Liverpool for £2,000 plus vat on the 23rd of January 1998.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Another photograph of Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G820 KCW Fleet No 110 ‘Endeavour’ (Chassis No 87572) was powered by a Perkins TX 335 engine.
Day cabbed Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G921 UYV (Chassis No 87620) was registered new on the 1st of December 1989 and was originally operated by Esso Petroleum.
On the 11th of February 1993 the late Tom Riding bought it from Seddon Atkinson’s Walton Summit Centre at Bamber Bridge for £12,000 + vat after a three year buy back scheme that Esso had with Seddon Atkinson.
Powered by a L10 325 Cummins engine it was one of a pair of low mileage former Esso 4×2 tractor units bought by the late Tom Riding at that time.
G921 UYV went into the paint shop shortly after this picture was taken and emerged as Fleet No 81 ‘Dominant’ on the 8th of March 1993 as can be seen in the picture below.
Photograph courtesy of Chris Richards.
Pictured here shortly after receiving it’s Riding livery day cabbed Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G921 UYV Fleet No 81 ‘Dominant’ (Chassis No 87620) was originally registered new to Esso Petroleum on the 1st of December 1989 and joined the Riding fleet on the 8th of March 1993 when just over three years old.
Based at Riding’s Teesside depot it is seen here coupled to one of the company’s standard forty foot Crane Fruehauf tri-axle flat trailers.
The funeral of company founder Jim Riding took place on the 13th May 1991, three days before his 89th birthday.
The late Tom Riding recalled….
“As a tribute to my father we used one of our Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor units, Reg No G830 OEO as a stand in hearse with the picture above taken when it stopped respectfully in the front of the depot at Longridge which was barely 300 yards from my fathers home.
The driver of the tractor unit was the late Richard Walton who was chosen as he was the longest serving driver at the time having over 40 years service with the company when he eventually retired”.
As regards Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G830 OEO Fleet No 89 ‘Langdale Pikes’ (Chassis No 88280) it was was powered by a Perkins TX 335 engine and purchased new from Seddon Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 6th of April 1990 at a cost of £32,922 plus 15% vat and was first registered for road use on the 1st of June 1990.
After eight years service G830 OEO was sold on to J.C. Commercials of Bootle on the 23rd of January 1998 for the sum of £2,150 along with several other Strato tractor units that were sold off at the same time.
Contrast in style seven years apart!
The first Seddon Atkinson 401 Series 4×2 tractor unit introduced into the fleet in 1983, Reg No DCW 590Y Fleet No 70 ‘Courageous’ (Chassis No 75568) is parked on the left next to Seddon Atkinson Strato Reg No G830 OEO Fleet No 89 ‘Langdale Pikes’ (Chassis No 88280) which was registered new on the 1st of June 1990.
They are both loaded with 24 tons of Castle cement on its way to Coatbridge in Scotland from Clitheroe in Lancashire.
Unbelievably Riding’s moved a staggering 200 tons a day of bagged cement between the two plants for many years.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G750 UEC Fleet No 7 ‘Indomitable’ (Chassis No 88365) was was powered by a. Perkins TX engine.
Purchased new by Riding’s from Seddon Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 26th of April 1990, at a cost of £32,882 plus vat, it was first registered for road use on the 1st of June 1990.
Driven from new by Rodney Preston It is seen here in the yard at Longridge while being loaded with Heinz canned food on pallets.
The late Tom Riding recalled…..
“This particular trailer had been fitted with a sliding curtain-side body by Nortec of Telford the intention being to carry canned goods to Scotland and return with steel plates.
Unfortunately the scheme came to an abrupt end as we lost the Heinz traffic and the British Steel Corporation plant also closed down which was bad news at the time.”
After eight years service G750 UEC was sold on to J.C. Commercials of Bootle on the 23rd of January 1998 for the sum of £2,000.
A colour shot of Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G750 UEC Fleet No 7 ‘Indomitable’ (Chassis No 88365).
Driven from new by Rodney Preston it is seen here parked in the depot at Longridge coupled to one of the many forty foot tri-axle flat trailers that Riding’s had in their fleet at that time.
A pair of 1990 registered Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit’s are seen here parked in the depot at Longridge in 1991.
On the left Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No G750 UEC Fleet No 7 ‘Indomitable’ (Chassis No 88365) was registered new on the 1st of June 1990 at a cost of £32,882 plus vat, and was driven from new by Rodney Preston.
While on the right is Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No H840 VFR Fleet No 1 ‘Precursor’ (Chassis No 88366) which was registered new on the 17th of August 1990.
Painted in European Vinyl’s Corporation (EVC Ltd) livery it was driven by Mick McKay and was the first Strato operated by Riding’s that was fitted with a Perkins 325 TX engine.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No H840 VFR Fleet No 1 ‘Precursor’ (Chassis No 88366) was purchased new from Seddon Atkinson Vehicles Ltd on the 27th of April 1990 at a cost of £32,882 plus vat but was not registered until four months later on the 17th of August 1990.
Painted in European Vinyls Corporation (EVC Ltd) livery it is pictured on the pumps at Longridge depot, with driver Mick McKay, it is seen pulling a tipping and blowing skeletal trailer.
This was the first Strato Riding’s had that was fitted with a Perkins 325 TX engine and subsequently this engine proved to be very durable and very efficient in all the other vehicles apart from H840 VFR which was quite problematic as sixteen months later in December 1991 it had to have a replacement Perkins 325 engine fitted and then seventeen months after that, on the 13th of May 1993, had yet another replacement Perkins 325 engine fitted
After being in service with W & J Riding’ for eight years it was then sold on to D.G. Commercials Ltd of Driffield on the 19th of March 1998 for the sum of £1,950 and was later exported to the Mediterranean island of Malta as can be seen here on the right.
Day cabbed Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No H765 HPF Fleet No 88 ‘Pavey Ark’ was originally registered new on the 1st of March 1990.
Powered by a Perkins 325 TX engine It was purchased second-hand when four years old from local dealer Syd Hartley on the 27th of October 1994 for £13,950 plus vat.
The particular tractor unit had chassis No FC 88888 and was allocated fleet No 88 to match.
Out based at Thornaby depot it ran mainly between Workington in Cumbria and Wilton on Teesside.
Seddon Atkinson Strato 4×2 tractor unit Reg No K103 XVT Fleet No 59 ‘Shooting Star’ (Chassis No 89627) powered by a Cummins L10 325 engine, is pictured here at Longridge depot while hauling a 40 foot step frame tandem axle trailer in Timax contract livery.
Registered new on the 31st of July 1992 this was one of the last Seddon Atkinson’s to enter service with Riding’s with ERF and Foden now becoming the preferred tractor unit of choice.
Purchased second hand when two years old on the 6th of June 1994 the late Tom Riding recalled below……
“As i retired the following year i hardly remember this particular machine probably because it was out based at our North East Thornaby depot.
It was an attempt by Seddon Atkinson to build a fleet motor which was cheaper and lighter than a normal Strato which is why it looks slightly different in appearance than the other Strato’s in our fleet.
I bought it from Sydney Hartley as a very low mileage tractor unit on the 6th of June 1994.
According to my records i paid £24,568 plus vat for this machine which seems an awful lot of money at that time, i think i must have been having a bad day”.
