AEC Lorries explores the story of lorry use in the last fifty years, showing the diverse use of the vehicles and their configurations for many different types of work, with a focus on one of the great British manufacturers - AEC. AEC lorries have always been held in high esteem at home and abroad because of their powerful engines, and relative simplicity. They were to be found in many large and small fleets, capable of any type of work. A large proportion of AEC production was exported, particularly to British Commonwealth countries, where they endured hostile climates, severe overloading,...

The origins of Leyland lorries are found in steam wagon manufacture in the town of Leyland, Lancashire. The manufacturer, then known as the Lancashire Steam Motor Company, was established in 1884. By 1904 the first petrol-engined lorry was built and in 1907 the company name was changed to Leyland Motors Limited. Leyland produced a range of vehicles over the following decades, from steam wagons and petrol-engined lorries to bus and, eventually, eight-wheeled lorries. The postwar years saw a series of mergers and acquisitions, including the eventual merger with the British Motor Corporation in...

Car production at Volvo began in 1926 in Stockholm with a prototype. By 1927 small goods vehicles based on the car designs were in production at Gothenburg, and heavier three-tonners were being produced by 1928. Already known for their robust cars, Volvo lorries first came to British roads in 1967 after Jim McKelvie, a former road haulier, saw the need for better trucks than UK manufacturers were producing at the time, and imported the Volvo F86 model as a 30/32 ton artic unit. The lorry was light, had a high power-to-weight ratio and provided incomparable comfort for the driver. It took the...

A pictorial celebration of Britain's road recovery vehicles. A recovery vehicle, or breakdown wagon, is the type of truck you hope you will never have the need for.