Leyland Hippo.
Late in 2011 I heard from Peter Whittle. He stumbled across a recent photo of a preserved Leyland Hippo at a classic lorry meeting, registration number ATC 340. It turns out that his father used to drive this self same flatbed lorry after the war, and he attached a photo taken of the 1935 Hippo in the late 1940s or early 1950s. Despite being several years old already by this time, and having survived WW2, the old Leyland was still in immaculate condition. Regarding this fabulous old picture, Peter adds:
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"Whilst sorting through some old photographs at my mother's house recently,
I came across a picture of Leyland Hippo ATC 340. I then realised that
this is the vehicle featured on your website, and that I could offer you more
information regarding this vehicle.
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The photograph I have attached pictures my late father, Wilf Whittle,
reversing the Hippo into the loading bay at H & R Ainscough Limited,
Burscough Mill, Lancashire. My father was employed at the flour mill from
1948 until he retired in 1979. I think he drove the Hippo for a period of
approximately 8 -10 years from the late 1940's onwards. Deliveries made by
the vehicle were mainly in the north west of England, but it was also used
for return loads of grain as H & R Ainscough were grain merchants as well as
flour millers.
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In the 1960's my father moved on to driving bulk tankers of flour, but
always spoke fondly of the Hippo.
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The sacks pictured are hessian flour sacks (140 lbs capacity).
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I followed my father into the flour milling industry, but work as a miller, not within the transport division. I hope this information is of interest to you."
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Thanks so much for getting in touch Peter, and filling in the early history of this fine old lorry.
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| (Please click the thumbnail to view full-size image.) |
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Evidently the restoration has been done to a high standard, interestingly the lorry now wears fleet number 2, while in the 1940's photo it was vehicle number 14. Presumably the number changed at some later point.
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If anyone else out there has similarly interesting old photos of commercial vehicles, that they'd be willing to add to this image archive, please do get in touch via the homepage, thanks.
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Return to Page 15 in the gallery of vintage cars and vehicles.
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