6 X 6

Don't start me on Scammell gearboxes again.

The two Militants in the towing pictures a few years later.

I couldn't have restored these AEC's without Sheba, Rudy and Django, three badarse German Shepherds, who maintained security on the site and who no one, not once, ever tried to take on. Their main reward, apart from lots of fresh meat, was going on what we called "Cat Patrol" in the nearby streets when I got home from work at 3 am. I bet the cats around that neighbourhood aren't as fit as they used to be.

It's hard to shown from these pictures just how large the Den was but I had three Militants in there together plus my own living accommodation, which had been the offices, above. I lived there for about three years before the site was sold for £1.5m eight years ago.

Finally in and a start made with putting it back together. I managed to buy a new, still in wooden crate, gearbox in London. Bernie Smith and Jeff Rhodes, when he still had a yard, supplied most of the other missing bits.

After a few hair raising moments on a slightly hair raising journey the dead Militant was finally....em..partly into the Den. The main advantage of the Den, which came with a 1/2 acre yard next door, was that, in return for keeping an eye on a large adjoining listed building awaiting development, it was completely rent free including free electricity and other services. The small disadvantage was that to actually get a Militant into the main warehouse I had to remove the top half of the cab, headboard and let all the air out of the tires before it would pass under a steel girder just inside the entrance.

Looking good.

Getting in position outside the Den, this was about 5 am.

Who is that yob ?

Because the lorry Den we were headed for was situated on a very busy main road the only time I would be able to push the dead Milly into the Den would be very, very early on a Sunday morning. This meant an over night stop, just outside town, to be ready for the final part of the operation.

Tea break.

I managed to persuade my friend's 18 year son it would be character building for him to sit in, and steer, the towed Militant and after a final check we set off. By the way, that's a fur hat I'm wearing, not a cheap toupee from Woolworths.

.......this lorry which I already owned.

All of the following 'photos were taken about 12 years ago. I'd bought this lorry, which was unregistered and had not been on the road since it's army days, from a plant operator who was slowly breaking it. It had already lost it's gearbox, starter, pump and a few other bits but it was basically sound, original and on good tires so I decided to buy it as it was. I smartened it up by painting the cab and wheels in the yard where I bought it and from where I towed it back to my main lorry Den with....

I should just point out that such behavior could bring the preservation movement into disrepute.

This MkIII is RHD. Apart from the clues you have mentioned, on the original photograph in the book, the steering wheel and driver's hands can be made out on the right with the passenger side, on the left, unoccupied.

That's very interesting ! I'm sure you must be right as the caption that accompanied this photograph, which is from a book published in 1976, reads, "AEC Militant, MK 3 (6 x 6) Cargo Truck undergoing trials". There is no hint in the text as to what kind of trials this truck was involved in. I can remember seeing a beautifully restored MK.3 truck a few years ago which I assume is still around. You don't see many about.

Imagine the fun you could have in a Tesco's car park.

There certainly is !!!