antarmike Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Goliaths? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 (edited) Saw this one on Saturday at an open day for The Fairground Society. Edited April 3, 2011 by Smithy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Nice one Smithy ! That one is just right in my eyes ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 It was one that I hadn't seen before. Does anyone have any information about it, I'm guessing that it was used for bus/coach recovery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 (edited) It was one that I hadn't seen before. Does anyone have any information about it, I'm guessing that it was used for bus/coach recovery? Supplied new to Atomic Weapons Research Establishment., in much the same form as we see it here. (though for some reason it has gained military headlights in place of the civilian pattern it was built with) AWRE presumably did their own recovery, and had their own wrecker. I suppose if you are carting Nuclear munition and materials from site to site, you need technology to recover it without using commercial operators. Oner of the very last Matadors built Chassis number O853 10841 Claimed built 08/07/1955 (Last Matador chassis was either O853 10892 built for Pakistan Army Dec 1958, or if you believe Harry Pick chassis number O853 10898 built 1959 for the Irish Army.) When I last saw LRX it was owned by an AEC society member F.Connor. AWRE also had an ex RAF Matador ( O853 10823) that was re-registered as LRX 784. Photographs have already been posted in this thread including it as an auction lot (see post #46). Note that although not Military, it was built with a bridge plate. To the best of my knowledge, LRX 684 is its original registration plate from new. Edited April 3, 2011 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Nice one Mike, thanks for the detailed answer :thumbsup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Batchelor Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Not sure if it belongs in the Matador or Pioneer gallery but since the Matador was doing the work it can have the glory! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Batchelor Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Few more Matadors seen round and about but not got round to posting: First three seen in a yard west of Stoke on Trent This one was towards Bristol but cant remember where exactly now! Looks like a Bob Ansell conversion on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16svt Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 Mine has had a repaint, not quite finished yet. As i have not been able to find out any of the history for my MAT, im going to have to choose some regimental markings. Any got any good ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albion WD/HD Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 (edited) May 2011 Edited August 6, 2014 by Albion WD/HD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Batchelor Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Anybody got any info on this one? It was used for recovery up until the seventies when it was converted to a timber tractor. Registration 396 LNK and chassis No.08535544 Best described as a beautiful ugly thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 (edited) Anybody got any info on this one? It was used for recovery up until the seventies when it was converted to a timber tractor. Registration 396 LNK and chassis No.08535544[ATTACH=CONFIG]45575[/ATTACH] O853 5544 was H4951811 becoming 05 YZ 64, beyond that I have no informatiuon. Edited May 25, 2011 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianthesnail96 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Poor thing has been in the wars a bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Does anyone remember these two below? My dad has recently found some old pictures and newspaper cuttings up the loft from the 1970's! Hopefully they will be of interest. The first picture is of a Matador which was in the James Brothers Circus and dates from 1974. The second picture was an old postcard and you can just make out 68 on the Matador's number plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 (edited) Does anyone remember these two below? My dad has recently found some old pictures and newspaper cuttings up the loft from the 1970's! Hopefully they will be of interest. The first picture is of a Matador which was in the James Brothers Circus and dates from 1974. The second picture was an old postcard and you can just make out 68 on the Matador's number plate. Last one is one of Fensom's from Frairs Wash. I believe registration is actually KTM 188 Chassis O8532359, sold on to Storey Bros. Barrowden. See below. Edited May 25, 2011 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Last one is one off Fensom's Ah yes having looked at the picture again it does say that above the cab. Cheers though Mike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Ah yes having looked at the picture again it does say that above the cab. Cheers though Mike! Ex Fensom's MAT's are fairly easy to recognise because Albert nearly always trimmed the front corners of the cab roof, over the quarter-lights, to give an extra inch or two clearance when he was in the woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted May 27, 2011 Share Posted May 27, 2011 Just finished reading through this thread. It's taken me 3 days on and off, but wow! what a read, so much information with various peoples recollections and experiences. Ultimate respect to Antarmike,:bow::bow::bow:What a priceless collection of photos you have, and knowledge about each one. You should publish them in a book, anoraks like me would pay good money for it. Anyhow I thought I would add my two bobs worth to the plot. As a kid I always fancied a Matador, they just look the business. I've been converted to a Militant now, which is not that far away, but then might have to find room for a mat later. I was well pleased to see this old girl, earlier in the thread I used to see it regularly when I was at school in the East Kent Bus workshop in Canterbury in the early '70's. Thought it was magic, used to dream about having a go in it. I was chatting to one of my neighbours a few weeks ago, an elderly gent well past retirement, turns out he used to drive it back in the day as one of East Kents Engineers! Reckoned it was a lovely piece of kit My best memory of a Matador from back then is going to a steam show in Uckfield, Sussex in '73 and finding Harris's Matador JPX 70. I was looking round it and taking a photo with my little Kodak Instamatic camera, when the guy with it (I presume one of the Harris brothers) asked me if I would like to sit in the cab. I nearly had an accident in my excitement, thought I was in heaven. I would have been 12 years old then, even the tyres seemed bigger than I was. We chatted for ten minutes or so about Matadors, while I sat there dreaming I was driving round the world! I might be past 50 now, but I still get that buzz just sitting in the jockey seat I have still got the photos I took then, somewhere, but they were on transparancies. Will have to dig them out at some point, and get them done to put on here. In the meantime here's a couple from slightly more recent times. These were taken at the Kemble Airfield show 2007. A section of which was for the 11th gathering of the Mat and Milli Owners Club Met a guy called Phil Wallace there, one of the mainstays of the club, and he signed me up as a member on the spot He had a massive collection of photos of both Mats and Militants including one of my Militant from 1980 something. He had a Mat in Billy Smarts colours, which I think he has since sold on. Am I right in thinking that organisation is now defunct, or is it still going and I haven't noticed. I've seen the website for it, but it seems to be well out of date. Is that because everybody's now on here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Dear Zero-Two-Five, is that Matador from Harris one that would have worked in the area in the late sixties? My first MV sighting was a timber Matador near Splaynes Green just north of Fletching. I attribute my love of MVs from that beast R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 Hi Robin, I think it might have been, can't remember much of my chat at the time but they had had it for a while. Was a long time ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I was speaking to the son of the owner of Matador reg number RBC 141G which used to belong to Meynell's. We were just wondering if anyone has any information on the vehicle of it's past history. I have had quick scan through the gallery but can't seem to see a picture of it, but maybe you might know where there is one Mike or anyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ransomesmg6 Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Hello All, What a cracking array of pictures you have on show, but unfortunately the matador i'm searching for isn't there! I was wondering whether anyone knows the whereabouts of AEC matador used and owned by Henley Transport! It was there only recovery vehicle based in the Kent area, but my grandad (driver) used to go up past London ect with it! Any pictures, information on this would be highly appreciated! Many thanks Henry B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nptimber Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Hello All,What a cracking array of pictures you have on show, but unfortunately the matador i'm searching for isn't there! I was wondering whether anyone knows the whereabouts of AEC matador used and owned by Henley Transport! It was there only recovery vehicle based in the Kent area, but my grandad (driver) used to go up past London ect with it! Any pictures, information on this would be highly appreciated! Many thanks H enry B The matador you are looking for is now owned by my brother it was bought a couple of years ago from a timber contractor who had bought it from some new age travellers ,it was fitted with a new engine by jack henley some years ago but this had suffered from a cracked cylinder liner all parts have been found for its repair and it will be moved to the workshop soon to start the work, it is still in henley livery complete with recovery crane and will be restored the same hope this helps ben freer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 The matador you are looking for is now owned by my brother it was bought a couple of years ago from a timber contractor who had bought it from some new age travellers ,it was fitted with a new engine by jack henley some years ago but this had suffered from a cracked cylinder liner all parts have been found for its repair and it will be moved to the workshop soon to start the work, it is still in henley livery complete with recovery crane and will be restored the same hope this helps ben freer Could you post a couple of pictures if you get the chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I was speaking to the son of the owner of Matador reg number RBC 141G which used to belong to Meynell's. We were just wondering if anyone has any information on the vehicle of it's past history. I have had quick scan through the gallery but can't seem to see a picture of it, but maybe you might know where there is one Mike or anyone else. Has anyone got any information on the one above? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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