AECs and Albions

How did you go Aktipete? Did you find the spot where the milk tanker photo was taken? It was on the foreshore at Eastern Beach. Melways reference is Map 452 D 3. It's where they hold the Geelong Speed Trials now. And I reckon those palm trees are still there too!

Another photo of N. Ormsby and Sons' AEC Monarch.

N. Ormsby and Sons AEC. Would probably be a Mark II Monarch, type O346S. The World War 2 type O853 Matador 4x4 Gun Tractor was often fitted with a similar round top cab as this.

Hastings Deering photo of AEC-either Monarch Mk.II type O346S or Matador Mk.II type O347. The cab doesn't do a lot for the style of the truck.

Another photo of the AEC with the ugly cab.

The Old Vic certainly remembers both the Plume (the old name for Mobilgas) Mammoth Major and the Mobil Mk V Mandator. The 8-wheeler was sold before I started driving for Mobil NZ in 1966 but I had seen it many times on the road. I mainly drove Atkinsons and never drove that particular Mk V Mandator but I occasionally drove this Mk V Mammoth Major in Les Greer's photo below and also a Mk V Mandator with this same cab.

I personally think this cab was the best looking of any cabs that AEC used and although the AECs didn't have as much grunt as the Cummins 250 powered Atkinsons I usually drove they were more comfortable and quiet and I loved driving them.

How did you go Aktipete? Did you find the spot where the milk tanker photo was taken? It was on the foreshore at Eastern Beach. Melways reference is Map 452 D 3. It's where they hold the Geelong Speed Trials now. And I reckon those palm trees are still there too!

I got to Geelong but not down there, they had the waterfront closed off for a cycling race or something.

Fantastic lot of pictures Faegol, thanks for sharing. Just goes to show there were more AEC's around in the 40's and before than is generally thought.
Interesting how the military utility cab got to be on a civvy vehicle.

I agree with you Vic regarding the cab on the Mk.V in your photo being about the best looking cab fitted to AECs. I think it's a PRV-Park Royal Vehicles cab. Coachbuilders, Park Royal were part of the ACV Group-Associated Commercial Vehicles, the holding company of which AEC were a part from about 1948 until 1962, when Leyland Motors bought ACV. By contrast that's a pretty disgusting cab fitted to the truck in the last two photos I posted.

This is the newest of our nine Albions at home, will post more photos later
sunshine