Trucks (up to 1960) - Great Britain: Books - History

British Lorries 1945-1965

The first post-war British lorries exhibited very definite pre-war characteristics, and it was to be a good while before British manufacturers began to design their vehicles along new lines. A few brave companies came up with fresh thinking but most of these fell by the wayside.
This book traces the path of the British lorry through 20 years via the manufacturers' own sales and publicity material, from the revolutionary - but now forgotten - Jensen to classics like the Bedford TK.

During the period covered there were approximately 40 manufacturers of commercial vehicles in the United Kingdom. Several were small or specialised firms with limited production whilst others became absorbed into more successful companies. Albion, for example, was taken over by Leyland during 1951. By 1965 only a few of the even the larger firms remained, and individuality was fast becoming just a memory.

More than 400 illustrations from brochures and catalogues, combining often inspired artwork with photographs, give a fascinating social insight as well as providing the true commercial vehicle enthusiast with hard to find technical details and specifications.

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British Lorries 1900-1945

The first 45 years of the 20th century saw the most formative period in the history of commercial vehicles: in 1900 the mechanically powered lorry was a novelty, yet by 1945 the ancestors of today's 38-ton juggernauts were clearly identifiable.
In sharp contrast to the current picture, over forty lorry manufacturers were active in Britain during the period, most of whom have now sadly ceased production.

In this book S.W. Stevens-Stratten has provided a concise textual history of 42 manufacturers and their products ranging from the more prominent firms such as Albion and Foden to less well-known concerns such as Bean and Caledon.

The book is profusely illustrated with more than 200 superb black and white photographs and provides a feast of nostalgia for the more general reader, as well as a comprehensive reference for the enthusiast.

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British Lorries of the 1950s

British commercial vehicle manufacturers played a key role in bolstering Britain's economy throughout the 1950s, especially during the period of postwar austerity, a time when they contributed to the all-important export drive. British lorries were, therefore, seen as the workhorses of the world and performed a wide range of tasks from goods delivery to heavy haulage.
This highly visual study of British lorries of the 1950s captures, in 120 illustrations, the vital but often understated duties that were reliably conducted 365 days a year.

The images, contemporary black and white as well as colour, include evocative publicity material in addition to pictures from the preservation and heritage scene.
The comprehensive text reveals much about the marques that were household names, along with information about Britain's road haulage and commercial motor industries.

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Commercial Vehicles Built Before 1960

Between the 1930s and 1960s, during the peak of Britain's railways, road hauliers were in stiff competition to transport goods. The commercial vehicles used during this period varied from articulated lorries to vans, trucks, recovery vehicles and wreckers.

With photographs featuring a range of vehicle types and manufacturers both popular and obscure, Royston Morris offers an interesting insight into a range of surviving commercial vehicles dating from before 1960.

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Steam Lorries

Steam power led the transport revolution in England throughout the nineteenth century, but was crippled on the road network by punitive legislation. As the century turned, the laws were altered in such a way that the development of the English Steam Lorry or Wagon became a viable transport proposition.
For the best part of four decades, the steam lorry was a major player on the transport scene, being developed into a highly technical machine designed to beat competition from the petrol and diesel lorry. The most advanced machines were efficient and very fast.

Made by a variety of builders, including the famous Sentinel company of Shrewsbury, who built waggons with a double 'g', and Foden, of Sandbach, steam lorries came in many shapes and sizes. This book looks at their birth, and the operation and engineering that set them aside from the traction engine and steam roller.

This book is part of the Britain's Heritage series, which provides definitive introductions to the riches of Britain's past, and is the perfect way to get acquainted with steam lorries in all their variety.

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Steam Wagons

Steam engines that carry goods on the roads developed considerably later than traction engines and steam rollers, which had started to appear in the mid 1860s.
This book tells the story of steam wagons from the earliest designs through to the last models. It explains how they worked and what they did.
An informative text is combined with a selection of photographs to illustrate steam wagons both at work in their heyday in the early twentieth century and in action more recently in the period in which they have become valued historical artefacts.

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Steam Wagons in Preservation

The steam lorry, or wagon, was developed in Britain alongside the internal combustion truck, reaching its peak between 1900 and the early 1930s. By the mid-1930s, more efficient diesel engines and new regulations caused their decline.
Two main steam wagon manufacturers eventually switched to diesel, while others had already converted or closed. By 1960, commercial use of steam lorries had almost ended, though many have been preserved.

In this illustrated book, Malcolm Batten traces the history of these vehicles, featuring previously unpublished images and informative captions that highlight their design, operation, and legacy.

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When Steam Ruled the Roads - A Traction Engine Archive

NEW

From the late nineteenth century to the late 1920s, road steam traction engines played a central role in transport and industry. Before their arrival, portable steam engines were moved by horses between farms to power machinery such as threshing equipment.
The development of self-propelled traction engines brought major progress and adapted quickly to changing transport laws. Fairground operators used them to haul large travelling shows, farmers relied on ploughing and threshing engines, road hauliers moved heavy loads, and steam rollers built and repaired roads.

After the First World War, cheap surplus petrol vehicles led many hauliers and showmen to abandon steam power. Even so, steam wagons were still produced into the late 1930s, and some local authorities continued to use steam rollers until the 1960s.

In this illustrated book, Colin Tyson presents a rich collection of images showing traction engines in their many forms during the period when steam truly ruled the roads.

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