Amazing ‘time warp’ collection of commercial vehicles sold
Posted by Chris Graham on 4th September 2024
Tim Bolton reports on the sale of an amazing ‘time warp’ collection of commercial vehicles formerly owned by the late Charlie Welson.
Commercial vehicles auctioned: Alen Oxford Grove crane T6, £3,500.
The sale of items formerly belonging to the late Charlie Welson and being disposed of by his widow Joyce following his untimely death, stood out for two reasons, some 74 lorries, in the main once familiar British makes and the poor condition of many lots that had lain outdoors for up to 30 years.
Atkinson View Line, £1,600. Atkinson Borderer 6×4 with Cummins engine, £3,000.
The auction held on Tuesday, 18 June at a site just on the outskirts of Kington, Herefordshire was conducted jointly by G Herbert Banks of Great Witley and HJ Pugh & Co of Ledbury. To describe Charlie as a collector would be a step too far, as would the opposite, a hoarder.
Apparently, it took six weeks to set up the auction.
It would appear that items just gravitated to his premises as a last resort. Apparently, it took a local contractor some six weeks to convey some sort of order to the sale lots, many items unable to withstand the moving about and they formed the basis of one of the several heaps of scrap metal.
Atkinson 6WD with Cummins engine was an ex-gritter lorry, £1,200.
This then is the roll-call of commercials up for grabs; Atkinson, that knight of the road, the radiator mounted big A a familiar sight, 16 examples. Bedford, the once ubiquitous TK and its big brother the KM, 14 examples on offer. ERF, eight examples.
Atkinson Borderer, RR engine, £1,900. ERF eight-wheel double drive, £1,900. Atkinson Borderer RR engine, £1,800.
Foden, its near neighbour, three examples. Ford and Leyland nine examples each. Seddon Atkinson, 10 examples, Austin and Morris, one example each and the same with Dodge, Matador and Scammell. Also on offer were a number of units, axles, gearboxes and 53 engines from a variety of manufacturers, Cummins, Ford, Rolls-Royce among them.
Bedford 4WD chassis with Leyland cab, £950.
When I first saw the auction catalogue I imagined many items going for scrap but apparently not, as there were strong prices throughout particularly considering the condition of most items and hopefully a few have got into the hands of enthusiasts and will enter preservation rather than be broken for spare parts.
Foden Haulmaster eight-wheel double drive, £1,200.
Hammer prices quoted, buyer’s premium 5% + VAT (6% total).
Foden eight-wheel double-drive chassis cab, £2,000.
BMC six-cylinder diesel, £600.
ERF double-drive recovery vehicle with Cummins engine, £2,400.
Bedford KM 4WD, no engine, £900. Atkinson Borderer eight-wheel double-drive, £1,700.
Ford Cargo, £1,100. Seddon Atkinson artic, £1,300. Leyland DAF flatbed, £1,100.
Foden 6×2 unit without engine, £1,000.
Leyland Beaver, £950, Austin K9 recovery vehicle, £900.
Matador with FWD plate and modern cab, £1,700.
Scammell Routeman cab, £120.
Will Jackson with the Leyland lorry he drove in the early 1990s.
Seddon Atkinson Defender eight-wheel minus engine, £1,500.
Leyland chassis cab with engine, £1,300.
Two Ford D series, £400 and £750.
Seddon Atkinson double-drive recovery vehicle, £2,300.
Scammell trunker recovery vehicle, £2,000. Ford D series 6-cyl recovery vehicle with crew cab, £1,100.
This feature comes from Heritage Commercials and you can get a money-saving subscription to this magazine simply by clicking HERE
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