Harry hall Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 That's me standing on my old man's Averling and Barford dumber back in the late 90s. Does anyone own one of these dumpers? We still have it in working order and can never find another one for sale! Originally it was painted in army green so I presume it is ex army?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 18 minutes ago, Harry hall said: That's me standing on my old man's Averling and Barford dumber back in the late 90s. Does anyone own one of these dumpers? We still have it in working order and can never find another one for sale! Originally it was painted in army green so I presume it is ex army?! Hi Harry, Never owned one but worked on quite a number of army ones from 1974 into the 1980's. The 690 was the early one then the last ones the army had were fitted with the AEC 760 engine. First one I worked one, had to take the engine out and strip it as a con rod had gone through the block. The block was repaired and I rebuilt it. I loved them, a really straight forward truck to work on. Your looks like it has extension sides on as the army ones were lower and when the miners strike was on, some of the army ones had to be fitted with extension sides. The 690 was built by Thornycroft and the later 760 built by Scammell. Aveling Barford was part of British Leyland at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 All the British Army ones were badged Aveling Barford, and were known throughout the Royal Engineers simply as "Barfords". The R.E. did use skip extensions or Greedy Boards as they were called. These were fitted to vehicles designated for airfield repair squadrons. Very nice trucks, well built and reliable, pleasure to drive and work on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 2 minutes ago, Zero-Five-Two said: All the British Army ones were badged Aveling Barford, and were known throughout the Royal Engineers simply as "Barfords". The R.E. did use skip extensions or Greedy Boards as they were called. These were fitted to vehicles designated for airfield repair squadrons. Very nice trucks, well built and reliable, pleasure to drive and work on. Hi Rob, that gear stick straight out the top of the box and good steering lock, much easier to drive than a Militant , although I liked those as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 7 minutes ago, Richard Farrant said: Hi Rob, that gear stick straight out the top of the box and good steering lock, much easier to drive than a Militant , although I liked those as well. Power steering was the biggest advantage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 17 minutes ago, Zero-Five-Two said: Power steering was the biggest advantage Absolutely 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry hall Posted July 5, 2020 Author Share Posted July 5, 2020 1 hour ago, Richard Farrant said: Hi Harry, Never owned one but worked on quite a number of army ones from 1974 into the 1980's. The 690 was the early one then the last ones the army had were fitted with the AEC 760 engine. First one I worked one, had to take the engine out and strip it as a con rod had gone through the block. The block was repaired and I rebuilt it. I loved them, a really straight forward truck to work on. Your looks like it has extension sides on as the army ones were lower and when the miners strike was on, some of the army ones had to be fitted with extension sides. The 690 was built by Thornycroft and the later 760 built by Scammell. Aveling Barford was part of British Leyland at the time. Thankyou nice to here a bit of info about the truck we don't know much about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiomike7 Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 There has been an AEC LD55 on E bay for quite some time: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AEC-Dump-truck-scammell-LD55-quarry-lorry/292857562079?hash=item442fabc3df:g:25oAAOSwEJ1cDNen Chassis numbers DN099>539 were AV690 built at Aveling Barford, BHV10001>10355 were built by Thornycroft at Basingstoke while WHV10400>10731 were built by Scammell at Watford including the later mk2. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 (edited) Used them on the Airfields in BAOR. Biggest problem with them was top speed of about 35 mph. I had the "Pleasure" of convoy lead of 35 vehicles including 10 Barfords (slowest vehicle) from Bruggen through Antwerp, Zeebrugge and Dover back to Perham Down Tidworth in 1981 or 82. Photo from an ADR pamphlet. Top photo 2 Barfords waiting to back in. Lower photo Barford tipping. All Greedy Board fitted. Fitting the boards took them over the Public Road limit so only fitted when on the Airfield. It also moved the Cof Gravity higher so more susceptible to rolling over. I recall one day uprighting about 4 of them when I was on stockpile duty on an ADR excercise. Edited July 6, 2020 by ploughman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 4 hours ago, ploughman said: Used them on the Airfields in BAOR. I recall one day uprighting about 4 of them when I was on stockpile duty on an ADR excercise. I bet you just stood them back up and off they went again. BTW. What's the little breaker machine called, I remember them, but can't recall the name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Rob, I recollect a breaker like that came in our workshops, probably late 70's and it was called an Arrow (possibly the make), and based on a Ford lorry chassis and engine, but driven backwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1950 Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 Arrow breakers were made in Blyth, also the trailers were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiomike7 Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 14 hours ago, Richard Farrant said: Rob, I recollect a breaker like that came in our workshops, probably late 70's and it was called an Arrow (possibly the make), and based on a Ford lorry chassis and engine, but driven backwards. That would have been a Ford 'D' series, possibly with an alternative gearbox or having the diff turned through 180 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashcollection Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 We have one. lovely machine. later type with the ACE AV760 in it AEC axles I believe, Aveling Barford badge on the front, Leyland badge on the back, Scammell LD55 cab. The last days of the British motor industry Leyland empire. poor thing is outside at the moment, starter motor dead and Clutch slave seals gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry hall Posted July 7, 2020 Author Share Posted July 7, 2020 2 hours ago, Ashcollection said: We have one. lovely machine. later type with the ACE AV760 in it AEC axles I believe, Aveling Barford badge on the front, Leyland badge on the back, Scammell LD55 cab. The last days of the British motor industry Leyland empire. poor thing is outside at the moment, starter motor dead and Clutch slave seals gone. Really! We've just fitted a new clutch to ours. Have you got any pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ploughman Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 22 hours ago, Zero-Five-Two said: I bet you just stood them back up and off they went again. BTW. What's the little breaker machine called, I remember them, but can't recall the name JUst put the bucket lip under the side of the skip where it lay on the grass and lifted. No damage other than bent wing mirrors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 I remember an incident with a Barford towing a tilt trailer loaded with an International 100B, it was coming down Blue Bell Hill from Chatham towards Maidstone, got out of control and tipped the lot on its side. Our recovery team went out to it. I worked on the Barford and seem to think the damage was not too bad as the body protected the cab somewhat, but the 100B suffered and when I was up at the Plant School training workshops a bit later I recognised the 100B by the bevelled off edges where it had slid down the road. This would have happened in late 80's. Hope it was not one of you ex-Sappers involved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scurvey Knave Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 Taken late 70's - early 80's when I still had hair! David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry hall Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share Posted July 8, 2020 11 hours ago, Scurvey Knave said: Taken late 70's - early 80's when I still had hair! David Smart looking dumper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin33ba07 Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 nice hair ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero-Five-Two Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 14 hours ago, Richard Farrant said: I remember an incident with a Barford towing a tilt trailer loaded with an International 100B, it was coming down Blue Bell Hill from Chatham towards Maidstone, got out of control and tipped the lot on its side. Our recovery team went out to it. I worked on the Barford and seem to think the damage was not too bad as the body protected the cab somewhat, but the 100B suffered and when I was up at the Plant School training workshops a bit later I recognised the 100B by the bevelled off edges where it had slid down the road. This would have happened in late 80's. Hope it was not one of you ex-Sappers involved! I bet the driver was in "silent sixth" on the way down and the trailer overtook. I also remember a similar incident at Ripon around 1980. There was a sharp right turn on the road up to Claro Barracks. The Barford made the turn, but the Muirhill A5000 on the tilt trailer didn't. I believe the back axle of the "Molly" remained chained to the trailer, but the rest rolled off into the sports field. Was one of 15 Sqn, I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashcollection Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Couple of pictures of ours. A replacement starter has been procured, just need a day to play! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiomike7 Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 32 minutes ago, Ashcollection said: Couple of pictures of ours. A replacement starter has been procured, just need a day to play! Can you make out the mark between D and 347, according to my sheet it should be an N? The 347 ties in with my info. I remember the Grantham plant back in the 1980s when Witham Landscapes used it as a storage facility prior to the compound next to the family owned VW dealership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XS650 Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Always thought of these as an AEC product really ( and AEC were very good at dump trucks) . Though they carried Leyland , Thornycroft, Aveling Barford and I think Scammell badges at various times . Where were they made? did they survive AEC Southall factory closure in 1979 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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