Much travelled Thornycroft 'J ' type

[Richard Peskett]

From Tramway and Railway World January 1923, this Thornycroft J found its way from France to Spain, rebuilt and then fitted with a British built bus bodied shipped to Spain in k.d. form....ummm.

Richard Peskett.

[Roy Larkin]

On 22 September 1919, a deal was negotiated with the French Mission de l'Armament to be able to sell 750 lorries in France at 15% import tax instead of the normal 70% imposed by the French Government at the end of the war. Sales were held by 24 MT Vehicle Reception Park at Gennevilliers (formerly 1 Heavy Repair Shop) with the first one being on 27 November 1919. A total of 9 sales were held with the last one on 21 January 1920. 248 Thornycrofts were sold. 

24 MT Vehicle Reception Park opened on 12 April 1919 when they took over all the vehicles held by 1 HRS, (which formally closed on 1 May 1919) and closed on 26 February 1920. Other makes sold through the sales included Swiss Bernas, Hallfords, Albions, Pagefield, Commers, Leylands, Halleys, Dennis, Wolseley but Thornycroft were by far the highest number.

[Great War truck]

Another well travelled Thornycroft. This time photographed in Petrograd in September 1917. Now I knew of the British supplying the Russians with various trucks but I did not know a J made it out there. They probably did in the post war intervention, but 1917 seems a bit early. Anybody know anything about this? 

[Roy Larkin]

Tim, how do you know it is 1917?

Firstly: from August 1914, Thornycroft was a Controlled Establishment so every chassis built went to the War Office.

The War Office did supply Russia, certainly in the early days, but not with any War Office approved models or makes as they needed them for themselves. It's why the French were only given Tillings-Stevens in September 1914.

There was a big order from Russia in 1917 but that was given to Austin by the Ministry of Munitions. It was never fulfilled though as the Treasury refused to sanction it as there was doubt over whether Russia could pay and there was concern over the impending Russian Revolution. All orders had to go through the Government and not direct to individual companies.

I've had a quick check and can't find any Thornycroft chassis going to Russia, so it must have been either a War Office chassis or maybe one of Thornycroft's dealers (possibly in Scandinavia?). 

There are very few pre-August 1914 J types built and even fewer post 1918 J types. I know absolutely nothing about the trading situation with Russia post Russian Revolution, but suspect there was very little, if any.

[Great War truck]

The guy with the camera is supposed to be the US cinematographer Donald Thompson who was in Petrograd in September 1917 and then fled the country. The Thorny should not be there, but there it is. How strange,

[Roy Larkin]

It's not the first photograph I've seen that should not exist.