Leyland

A South Westland scene. An S model Bedford tipper, possibly belonging to B.H. Cowan, carrier from Haast appears to have had a lie down while spreading. The Leyland Comet tipper is probably one of Ferguson's Earthmoving from Greymouth.

Two solid tyred Leylands operated by Winstone Ltd loaded with sacks-possibly chaff for horse feed.

Solid tyred Leyland tipper of civil engineering contractors, Hansford & Mills.

Smart & Sons, gravel contractors, Christchurch were loyal Leyland operators with 4 different model of Leyland spanning the World War I era to the late 1920s-early 1930s. The truck on the far left would appear to have solid tyres on both axles while the second and third trucks have pneumatic tyres on the front axles with the third one definitely having solids on the rear axle. The truck on the far right appears to be one of the new TA series Badger or TC series Beaver models introduced c.1928.

W.H. Birch & Co., Sawmillers, Tuatapere, Leyland Hippo loaded with native logs in a Southland forest. To ensure that nobody mistakes the model of truck, it has HIPPO signwritten below the radiator filler cap on the front panel of the cab. The square "mouth organ" grille cab was fitted to the forward control ECOS2 model Comet as well as the larger Beaver, Steer, Hippo and Octopus models. The Comets differered from their bigger brethren is several ways-engines-O.350-90 horsepower and O.350 Mk.3-100 horsepower versus O.680-150 horsepower, axles and wheels-8 stud Eaton 16500 or 18500 2 speed versus 10 stud Leyland worm, brakes-vacuum hydraulic versus full air.

J.R. Hamilton, lime contractor from Invercargill operated this Leyland Comet 90 and single axle tipulator on bulk lime cartage duties.

Rakaia Transport Service operated by H. (Harry) Hopwood ran this very smart Leyland TE series Terrier 6x4 named Rangatira seen here loaded with sacks of grain. The T series Leyland trucks-TA series Badger, TC series Beaver and TE series Terrier debuted in 1928 and were quite advanced for their time being powered by 4 cylinder overhead camshaft petrol engines.

In the early days of Mid Canterbury Transport, this 6 wheel cabover Leyland Cub is well loaded with sacks of seed.

W.H. Birch & Co., Sawmillers, Tuatapere, Southland, 1935 REO truck with trailing axle with a bush hauler on the deck. The bush hauler looks as though it has an old White truck radiator and possibly a White engine. It would have been used for hauling logs on log bogies on a bush tramway. The other truck in the picture is a forward control Leyland Cub.

An English advertisement for Eaton 2-speed axles featuring a 1950s era Leyland Comet ECOS2.2R model short wheelbase tipper.

One of the first Leyland lorries to operate in New Zealand was this X-type Leyland truck belonging to the Mt. Cook Motor Company of Fairlie, South Canterbury. It is seen here loaded with wool bales with sticks used to twitch the ropes tight.

J.A. Caulfield of Rotorua operated this Power Plus series Leyland Hippo on log cartage duties. Photograph dated October 1966. I have seen LAD Hippos with two types of rear suspension-4 spring as appears to be fitted to this truck and a 2 spring camelback type similar to a Mack camelback.

Westland Transport's EH model Leyland Super Hippo having its load of logs unloaded at a West Coast sawmill. This truck was new to the Dairy Products Company at Edendale, Southland and would have been powered by a 150 horsepower O.680 diesel engine with a 5 speed gearbox with splitter and worm diffs. There weren't many Super Hippos in N.Z. and as far as I know this truck was the only one in the South Island.

A Leyland Freightline Hippo of Westland Transport, Hokitika on logging work. Westland Transport had operated quite a few Leyland Group trucks over the years-(Super Hippo, LAD Hippo, at least 3 tilt cab Hippos, tilt cab Bison, Albion PF107 Reiver, 2-3 LAD Reivers, AEC Majestic, Scammell Handyman), but by the early to mid-1970s they were buying Fuso and later Mitsubishi and ERF B series trucks. At least No.1 was powered by the old reliable and steady 200 horsepower 680 Power Plus with a 6 speed and splitter Leyland gearbox and heavy hub reduction drive axles.

A c.1970-71 Leyland Bison of Westland Transport, Hokitika loaded with what appear to be pine logs. The Leyland Lynx and Buffalo 4x2s and Bison 6x4 were introduced in 1968 featuring a new design of engine, the fixed-head 500. Although touted by Leyland as a revolutionary new design without a separate cylinder head and featuring an overhead camshaft, in practice the 500 and its turbocharged sisters-510, 511 etc. were terribly unreliable engines. Many trucks that started out with 500 series engines were soon repowered with other brands of engine-usually Detroit Diesel 6.71Ns, but also Scania, Isuzu and others. Another feature of these trucks was the "high datum" raised Ergomatic cab-notice the extra metal in between the moulding on the bottom of the door and the front guard. This truck has the F41 type hub reduction tandem that was also fitted to some Leyland/Scammell Crusaders.

Two of Clutha Carrying Co.'s trucks-on the right their big Leyland Hippo with 200 horsepower 680 Power Plus motor and hub reduction axles and a Dodge 300 series-possibly a model 3145 with 105 horsepower Leyland 350 diesel. The Hippo is paired with a large bulk tipping semi-trailer with a 3 hydraulic ram hoist used for carting coal.

Balclutha based Clutha Carrying Co., Leyland Power Plus Hippo getting a load under the coal bins. Referred to in Leyland advertising as the Power Plus series, the LAD cab Hippo and other models in the series, Beaver, Retriever and Octopus were much more up to date in looks compared to the earlier square cab mouth organ grille models they replaced. The Vista Vue LAD cabs were manufactured for Leyland, Albion and Dodge by Coventry Motor Panels.

A 22HT model Freightline series Leyland Hippo and 3 axle trailer of Kirbys Carriers from Nelson loaded with wool bales at the N.Z. Co-Operative Wool Marketing Association woolstore. Kirbys which was owned by D.D. (Don) Merritt were quite a large carrier in the Nelson region until taken over by Transport Nelson in the early 1970s. They did furniture removals, stock and other rural cartage, general freight and log cartage and mainly operated British trucks-Austin, Morris Commercial, Bedford, Leyland, Albion, AEC, Atkinson and ERF. Even after being taken over, Kirbys, with their smart red with white striping and signwriting colour scheme continued as a division of Transport Nelson, although in later years they were mainly doing furniture removals rather than general cartage.

A 1920s era Leyland 6 wheeler belonging to Winstones carting one very stout log. Whether this truck was a factory forward control type or a local conversion of a bonneted model with a half cab placed alongside the engine is unknown.

A Freightline Leyland Beaver model 14BT or 16BT of the N.Z. Lumber Company, Mt. Maunganui is getting loaded with sawn timber by a side loader,

2 S model Bedfords and a Leyland Comet of Hardie Bros., carriers from Whangarei. The Bedford artic is hitched to an insulated meat trailer lettered for the Borthwick's meat company.

A line up of trucks loaded with sawn timber belonging to the Fletcher Timber Co. at Tuck Bros. sawmill at Taupo. In the lead is a Leyland Hippo with trailer followed by an A5 or D6 Bedford, a "parrot nose" Dodge, Fargo or De Soto and another Bedford D6.

One of Dale's Freightways' Leyland 19.H or 20.H model Hippos is loaded with an armco culvert by a large mobile crane.

Te Anau Transport Leyland Comet on a barge. Te Anau Transport along with Lumsden Transport and Mossburn Transport were the 3 carriers that merged to form Northern Southland Transport Holdings in c.1965.

Burnett's Motors trucks loaded on one of the barges used as transport on Lake Manapouri during the power project. Pictured are their Kenworth L924R, Dodge T310 with Bedford J1 on the deck. The truck behind the Dodge on the transporter appears to be the LAD cab Leyland Octopus.

A great picture from the Manapouri Power Project days. Burnett's Motors' Bedford J1 pilot vehicle leading Burnett's 1967 International F230D and 1966 Kenworth L924R. The heavy haulage trucks are hitched to a transporter loaded with a heavy piece of power generation gear and have pulled over to allow 2 other Burnett's trucks, a Dodge T310 6x4 and a Leyland Octopus loaded with large cable drums to pass.

A great picture from the Manapouri Power Project days. Burnett's Motors 1967 International F230D and 1966 Kenworth L924R are hitched to a transporter loaded with a heavy piece of power generation gear and have pulled over to allow 2 other Burnett's trucks, a Dodge T310 6x4 and a Leyland Octopus loaded with large cable drums to pass. A Caterpillar 988 wheel loader is assisting at the rear on this heavy haul.

A great picture from the Manapouri Power Project days. Burnett's Motors 1967 International F230D and 1966 Kenworth L924R are hitched to a transporter loaded with a heavy piece of power generation gear and have pulled over to allow 2 other Burnett's trucks, a Dodge T310 6x4 and a Leyland Octopus loaded with large cable drums to pass. A Caterpillar 988 wheel loader is assisting at the rear on this heavy haul.

The Southern Crushing Octopus getting loaded with river gravel by a Michigan wheel loader.

One of 2 Leyland Octopus model 24OT tippers operated by North Otago Road Metal Co. of Oamaru. This truck with its 2 axle tipping trailer was operated by associate company, Southern Crushing. Powered by a 200 horsepower O.680 Power Plus Leyland diesel engine, 6 speed gearbox with splitter and with a hefty hub reduction rear end, these trucks would have been capable machines. With 4 axles under them they were also pretty stable tippers. Known as the Leyland Freightline series, the Ergomatic tilt cabs were built for Leyland and other Leyland Group brands, AEC and Albion by Joseph Sankey of Birmingham.

One of 2 Leyland Octopus model 24OT tippers operated by North Otago Road Metal Co. of Oamaru. The setting is probably a back country gravel crushing job.

A hard working Leyland Comet 90 stock truck and two axle trailer belonging to Alister Hobbs of Te Karaka, north of Gisborne.

A Leyland Comet 90 stock truck and trailer of McDonald's Carrying Company of Te Karaka. The semi forward control Comet went through a steady progression of engine power over the time it was in production from 1947-c.1960. From the original 75 horsepower O.300 and 100 horsepower P.300 petrol engine to the 90 horsepower O.350, 100 horsepower O.350 Mk.3 and finally 110 horsepower O.375. Similarly 2 speed rear axles offered got heavier and more robust as power and carrying capacity increased-from the Eaton 1350 in the Comet 75 to the 16500 in the Comet 90 and 100 and the big 18500 in the final 110 horsepower Comets.

T.H. Hall's 20H model Leyland Hippo stock unit with "Vista Vue" LAD cab and 200 horsepower O.680 Power Plus engine, 6 speed gearbox with splitter and heavy duty hub reduction rear end was a capable performer in its day in the 1960s. Despite a rather cramped cab with a big engine cover taking up a fair bit of room these LAD cab big Leylands-(Beaver, Retriever, Hippo & Octopus) had some advantages over their successors-the Freightline series with Ergomatic tilt cab-namely better placement of the radiator for hot summer work in N.Z. and especially Australia and generally reliable engines. Later models, especially the raised cab Ergomatic Lynx, Bison and Buffalo models suffered with terrible engine reliability issues with the egregious fixed head 500 engines and the 690 turbocharged version of the 680.

Another of Wairoa carrier, T.H. Hall's 14SC model Leyland Super Comets on livestock cartage duties with a 2 axle trailer. This truck appears to have the Leyland hub reduction drive axle.

T.H. Hall, carrier of Wairoa operated this 14SC model Leyland Super Comet on stock and general cartage. With a 125 horsepower Leyland O.400 Power Plus diesel engine, 6 speed gearbox and Leyland hub reduction or Eaton 18500/18802 2 speed axle and full air S-cam brakes on 10 stud wheels the Super Comet was a well specced truck in its day.

Dale's Transport's Leyland Buffalo hitched to the "Big George" trailer and load divider moving a large Ruston Bucyrus face shovel-probably a 54RB. The "Big George" transporter, affectionately named after the company founder, George Dale, was built by Tapper Transport Engineering and was the largest transporter trailer in N.Z. when it went on the road in 1958. Originally paired with Dale's 150 horsepower 20.H model Leyland Hippo with their ERF model 66 with 112 horsepower Gardner 6LW pushing when needed on heavier hauls. The extra muscle of the 230 horsepower Buffalo would have been much appreciated when it arrived.

Dale's Transport's Leyland Buffalo hitched to the "Big George" trailer and load divider moving a large Ruston Bucyrus face shovel-probably a 54RB. The "Big George" transporter, affectionately named after the company founder, George Dale, was built by Tapper Transport Engineering and was the largest transporter trailer in N.Z. when it went on the road in 1958. Originally paired with Dale's 150 horsepower 20.H model Leyland Hippo with their ERF model 66 with 112 horsepower Gardner 6LW pushing when needed on heavier hauls. The extra muscle of the 230 horsepower Buffalo would have been much appreciated when it arrived.

Dale's Transport of Auckland operated one of four big Leyland EHB.5R series Buffalo tractor units to come to New Zealand in the late 1950s-early 1960s. The Buffalo was powered by a Leyland/Albion O.900 engine-(also used as a railcar engine) of 927 cubic inches and 230 horsepower running through a German ZF 6 speed gearbox with splitter to a heavy duty Leyland rear end. Other operators of Buffalos were W. Stevenson & Sons, Otahuhu, Auckland, McBreen Jenkins Construction, Whangarei and McRobbie Bros. of Pokeno.

F.D. McIntosh, Gisborne, Leyland Comet with a Priestman dragline on a single row of 8 gooseneck trailer. Notice the dragline bucket sitting on the deck. That would be a load with a high centre of gravity and would require plenty of care when travelling.

A Te Reinga Carrying Company Leyland Comet loaded with wool. The truck is lettered as operating in the Gisborne, Te Reinga and Wairoa areas of Poverty Bay. Compared to most British trucks of the time which had somewhat traditional styling, the Comet was a very stylish vehicle when introduced in 1947.

White trucks were a mainstay of the Ward's fleet in the thirties, but the Leyland Comet replaced the Whites in the '50s as the go-to brand. This is a Leyland Comet 75 ECO.2 model 125" wheelbase tractor unit powered by a 75 horsepower Leyland O.300 diesel engine. The Comet 75 with 300 diesel was built from 1947-1951 when it was replaced by the Comet 90 ECO2 series with the larger O.350 diesel engine. The cabs fitted to the semi-forward control Comets were manufactured by Briggs Motor Bodies and were also fitted to Fordson Thames ET6 and Thames Costcutter trucks and Dodge "parrot nose" trucks. The early Comets were also available with a Leyland P300 petrol engine rated at 100 horsepower and while there were some petrol Comet buses here, I don't know of any petrol trucks. A weakness of the 75 model was the Eaton 1350 2 speed axle-certainly an adequate axle for a 5 ton Bedford OLB or A5, Jailbar or Bonus Built Ford V8, 5 ton Austin Loadstar or 5 ton Commer Superpoise, it was a bit light for the 7 ton Leyland Comet diesel. This situation was rectified with the Comet 90 which had the heavier Eaton 16500 axle.

Two Leyland Beaver stock transporters of Ward's Transport, Gisborne and Hicks Bay on display at the Gisborne A. & P. Show in the early to mid-1950s. The 12.B series Beavers with what was referred to as the 600 series cab were introduced by Leyland Motors in 1946. This front panel style with the alloy flashes at headlight level and at the top of the grille opening dates these truck as having being built between 1951-1954. The next model was the "mouth organ grille" 14.B series Beavers which debuted in 1955. These trucks would have been powered by either a 125 horsepower O.600 or 150 horsepower O.680 Leyland diesel engine and although the earlier 12.B series trucks had hydraulic brakes, these trucks being export versions likely had full air brakes.

Peter Duthie, General Carrier from Taieri Mouth with his 1975 Leyland Boxer 1300.

Roger Mahan's 1960 Leyland model 14SC Super Comet. This truck was new to Collins' Transport at Kurow.

Paul Gleeson from Mangatainoka brought 3 trucks on the rally. Pictured is his 1973 Mercedes-Benz LP1319 with his 1938 Leyland model TSE9 Bull Terrier on the back. The Leyland was one of 3 of this model new to Halswell Quarries in Christchurch and quite possibly these were the first diesel powered trucks to see service in New Zealand.

The late Mike Houghton from Palmerston with his 1968 Leyland Beaver-Steer. This truck was new to C. Williams & Son of Christchurch and is something of a New Zealand special as Leyland in the U.K. only offered the Steer twin steer 6 wheeler model as a short wheelbase tractor unit. Leyland Motors N.Z. fitted the twin steering front axles to a long wheelbase Beaver 4 wheeler to create this model. As well as Williams in Christchurch, other operators of these trucks were Holgate Haulage/Holgate & Anderson at Omakau and Upper Clutha Transport at Luggate. Originally fitted with a tag axle as well to make a single drive 8 wheeler, this truck is now with Murray Francis at Road Metals.

Peter Vincent from Wellington with his 1970 Leyland Octopus.

Vic Draper's 1964 Leyland Hippo.

Vic Draper's tag axle equipped 1967 Leyland Beaver model 16BT.4R.

Robbie Caulfield's ex-British Pavements Leyland Octopus. At Pavements this truck was fitted with a bitumen tank and towed a 3 axle tanker trailer. It has a 200 horsepower Leyland 680 Power Plus engine and during its working life at Pavements the original 10 speed 2 stick Leyland gearbox was replaced with a Fuller Roadranger gearbox.

Barry Caulfield's 1968 Leyland Super Hippo. Originally powered by a 200 horsepower Leyland O.680 Power Plus engine this truck was one of a handful of second generation Super Hippos to come here. While similar looking to the later 1950s first generation models, with Power Plus engine and hub reduction drive axles they contrasted with the earlier series 150 horsepower O.680 engine and worm diffs.

George Wallis's International "Golden Anniversary" AA110 with GM 3.53 engine leading Barry Westrupp's Mack B61T, Alex McLellan's Kenworth W924SAR, Ray Reid's Kenworth LW924R, Mike Houghton's Leyland Beaver-Steer and Gordon Huddlestone's Leyland Comet.

A couple of ex-British Pavements trucks on Fulton Hogan's transporter behind Nigel Hope's Mack SuperLiner, the 1940 Scammell Pioneer R100 and the 1950 Leyland Comet 75 model ECO.1R.

Impressive and brightly coloured lineup refuelling at the Caltex station in Kaikoura. Barry Caulfield's Leyland Super Hippo, Peter Vincent's Leyland Octopus with Clive Taylor's Mack B41X on the deck and an International Fleetstar F2010-A.

Peter Vincent's 1970 Leyland Octopus with Clive Taylor's 1954 Mack B41X on its back in Kaikoura.

A very picturesque shot of some of the North Island contingent returning to Picton via the Kaikoura Coast. Leading the pack is Barry Caulfield's Leyland Super Hippo, followed by John Douglas's ex-N.Z. Army International F230D, Dave Brockman's International RF200, Ian Storey's Kenworth L924R and Bob Ellis's International VF195.

2 of Barry Caulfield's bright yellow trucks, a Leyland Super Hippo and a W model Kenworth.

Robbie Caulfield's ex-British Pavements Leyland Octopus. At Pavements this truck was fitted with a bitumen tank and towed a 3 axle tanker trailer. It has a 200 horsepower Leyland 680 Power Plus engine and during its working life at Pavements the original 10 speed 2 stick Leyland gearbox was replaced with a Fuller Roadranger gearbox.

McRobbie Bros. of Pokeno, Leyland EB series Super Beaver with NCK 304 excavator/crane.

Leyland Hippo working for Geo Dale & Son hauling a Tapper O&K dragline body - a brand that Cable Price offered the industry in the fifties.

An LAD cab Comet with a very tidy load of wool bales belonging to Reid's Transport Service of Luggate in Central Otago. In the mid-1960s Reids bought the Wanaka based carriers, McLeod's Transport and merged it with their own business to form Upper Clutha Transport. Reids had been loyal Leyland users since the Cubs of the 1930s. The LAD range of Comets comprising the CS3 model Comet-(8 stud wheels, hydraulic brakes) and 14SC model Super Comet-(10 stud wheels, full air brakes) debuted in 1958-59 replacing the square cab ECO.S2 cabover and ECO.2 semi forward control Comets. From 1962-63 the CS3 model was superceded by the 12C and 13C model Comets-still on 8 stud wheels but now having full air brakes.