Trojan delivery lorry.
Les F has delved into his archives once more, and turned up this interesting shot of a 1950s' Trojan lorry, featuring signwriting for the Enfield Box Company Ltd. of Middlesex. He suspects that it is a 2 ton Trojan lorry, as it only has single rear wheels fitted. The Trojan is fitted with Luton-style bodywork similar to that often seen on removal vans, extending over the top of the cab for increased carrying capacity. This one looks to have been supplied as a rolling chassis, fitted with factory front panelwork only, and delivered to an unknown coachbuilding firm who built the main body, cab and doors.
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Although not often seen today, Trojan cars, vans and small lorries were common sights on Britain's roads, their vehicles often featuring distinctive styling and quirky designs, so they often stood out from the crowd. In later years they even entered the bubble car market by assembling Heinkel bubble cars built under licence.
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The firm started out producing small & economical four cylinder two-stroke motor-cars, short on creature comforts and designed with frugality very much in mind. They would go on sale in the early 1920s, yet were designed some years earlier, wartime munitions work getting in the way of automobile production at that time. From 1924, 5cwt (later 7cwt) van versions of the tiny car were offered and sold well to small-business owners across the land. These small vans, built at Leyland's factory in Kingston Upon Hull, had chassis-less construction, solid tyres, and a 10hp engine connected to the rear wheels via a two-speed epicyclic gearbox and chain drive. At the height of their popularity, some 85 examples of the 5cwt van were being produced every week.
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In 1930 a 10cwt van would go on sale, commercial Trojan production now undertaken at Trojan's own factory in Purley since 1928. Operators large and small recognised the usefulness of the Trojan light commercials, with Brooke Bond Tea being a significant operator. In 1947 a new range of vans went on sale, available with either a two stroke engine, or a Perkins diesel unit, and continued in production until 1959.
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Return to Old Car Photos Page No. 9.
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