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Commercial Vehicles

B

Brookfields Lad

master brummie
I am loking for information about Fred Lewis transport who I think were in Miller St, Aston. F. Lewis Transport had a fleet of Commer trucks, these vehicles were fitted with a Two Stroke 3 cylinder diesel engine and the made a most wonderful rasping sound when the were under load. I was in the Coventry museum of transport recently and they have a working model of a Commer TS3 engine.

I also need names of other transport operators for my website OLD BIRMINGHAM GARAGES www.obgt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
 
We used to service a couple of the Commer TS3s mentioned in the top post at Watson's Garage in Villa Street , they belonged to the Southport Sand Company who brought sand down from Southport to the castings factories, (Birmid etc.) E.
 
Morris Commercial

It was,as I have since found out from someone worked there,that it was in Foundry Lane.
 
Bob Johnson said:
I am loking for information about Fred Lewis transport who I think were in Miller St, Aston. F. Lewis Transport had a fleet of Commer trucks, these vehicles were fitted with a Two Stroke 3 cylinder diesel engine and the made a most wonderful rasping sound when the were under load. I was in the Coventry museum of transport recently and they have a working model of a Commer TS3 engine.

I also need names of other transport operators for my website OLD BIRMINGHAM GARAGES www.obgt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
Click to expand...

You can hear the TS3 sound again here:)
[ame="https://es.youtube.com/watch?v=6wol_U4mkjs"]YouTube - 1956 Commer C7 MkIII TS3 2-stroke[/ame]
 
AH the TS3!
Rootes had taken over the old Tilling -Stevens company, famous for its petrol-electric transmission lorries and buses, and they had this idea under development.
One engine, three cylinders, six pistons, five bearings between each piston and the crankshaft. Oh, and two-stroke diesel, with a supercharger.
Looking more like a Roland Emmett design, it was amazingly successful, if noisy - particularly when the 5 bearings wore and the pistons would slap together at top dead centre!
See https://www.sa.hillman.org.au/TS3.htm for diagrams, and an amazing animation of it all working.
 
Alf, I do not know if they were the trucks you are talking about but when I worked for R.Lowe at the tyseley Depot he was running some Commer Deisel two strokes. One day as I approached Toddington services southbound M1. I took my foot of the throttle and the engine carried on at the same rev speed, flat out. I pulled the engine stop out to no avail. Handbrake and footbrake together as hard as I could apply them bought it to rest a few hundred yards past the services. I was towed to the next junction and over the bridge up the other side and the northbound services repaired it. I then had to go to the next junction and turn round again, miss my breakfast and carry on. Apparantly what happened was not unusual. A pipe in the fuel system had broke. Would it have been a ventrura pipe? I was always very wary of this re-occuring and never got too close to anything before lifting my right foot. Apart from that they were quite a good truck for pulling ,reliability and comfort.
 
Bob Johnson said:
I am loking for information about Fred Lewis transport who I think were in Miller St, Aston. F. Lewis Transport had a fleet of Commer trucks, these vehicles were fitted with a Two Stroke 3 cylinder diesel engine and the made a most wonderful rasping sound when the were under load. I was in the Coventry museum of transport recently and they have a working model of a Commer TS3 engine.

I also need names of other transport operators for my website OLD BIRMINGHAM GARAGES www.obgt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
Click to expand...

hi bob you,re right lewis transport was in miller st,aguy who worked there ralph sabin worked with my dad brs walter st,then many years later worked at herringshaw steel arley rd saltley as a transport manager. as it goes they had about four or five ts3,s powerful but so noisey. happy days, regards dereklcg.
 
Bob, although I do not have extensive knowledge about those I did not work for, get in toch if you think I can help in any way. I worked for W.J.Law of Acocks Green and did what was called muck shifting when the piles were drilled for Spaghetti Junction. For the same firm I drove a tipper and helped move all the hardcore when they demolished half of Newtown. I did mainly London Dockwork when I worked for Henry Joiner of Short Heath and R. Lowe, Tysely. It was at Lowes where I drove the Commer Two Stroke. I went all over the place for Caledonian. I would get a load for anywhere from a depot or find my own load if there was not a depot near. It was called Tramping. My eldest Brother was a Carpenter, Coachbuilder for Hurst And Paynes in Hay Mills then he went to Red Arrow doing the same job. Good luck with your web site.
 
I would have laughed at this earlier but having seen the amazing restoration work being done by the volunteers yesterday. I would say that it could possibly be restored.
 
Joking aside, the first picture is a rarity in the coach world. A Bedford SB model, there were lots of those, but the Yeates Riviera body was unusual to say the least. That it survives till now is rare, I hope someone takes the job on.

To show what can be done, here are two pictures of a London AEC single decker - one as found, and one as prize winner of the London to Brighton Commercial Vehicle Run.
 
I you are interested Lloyd and your tools are in working order its on offer free at Aston Manor Road Transport Museum, there is no power unit, and there is a contact email address [email protected] .
 
Lencops where was the photo of the bus in the field taken?. Wonder if it ended up like one Lloyd rescued from Arley?. Jean.
 
TS3 engines were designed by Tilling Stevens, probably better known for their Petrol-Electric buses operated by Midland Red in the 1920s The 3 denoted three cylinders with six opposed pistons and a supercharger thrown in for good measure!!

Operating on the two stroke principal they made a lovely roaring noise, Fodens also made a two stroke, but most of their lorries had the optional Gardner fitted
 
Bill Parker said:
TS3 engines were designed by Tilling Stevens, probably better known for their Petrol-Electric buses operated by Midland Red in the 1920s The 3 denoted three cylinders with six opposed pistons and a supercharger thrown in for good measure!!

Operating on the two stroke principal they made a lovely roaring noise, Fodens also made a two stroke, but most of their lorries had the optional Gardner fitted
Click to expand...
Fodens certainly had the best exhaust note,which,combined with a driver who really knew how to operate the 12-speed twin -stick gearbox (not at all easy ) announced their prescence in no uncertain manner.I remember Cawoods fuel oils ran a fleet of 8-wheel Foden tankers,and you could hear every gear-change as they came down the 'box,and then as they accelarated away.I could hear them from where I lived,fabulous sound !....Mal.
 
mallyb2 said:
Fodens certainly had the best exhaust note,which,combined with a driver who really knew how to operate the 12-speed twin -stick gearbox (not at all easy ) announced their prescence in no uncertain manner.I remember Cawoods fuel oils ran a fleet of 8-wheel Foden tankers,and you could hear every gear-change as they came down the 'box,and then as they accelarated away.I could hear them from where I lived,fabulous sound !....Mal.
Click to expand...
Shell at Kingsbury had a Foden two stroke ex AGIP. Speedo was in the centre of the steering wheel, sod to change the speedo cable though. Think it had seperate heads per cylinder, not a bad truck to work on.
 
nickcc101 said:
Shell at Kingsbury had a Foden two stroke ex AGIP. Speedo was in the centre of the steering wheel, sod to change the speedo cable though. Think it had seperate heads per cylinder, not a bad truck to work on.
Click to expand...

Hi Nick,Shell at Stanlow had one of the Leyland gas turbine prototype artic. units on test for a while.I don't know how it performed,but I don't think it could have been that impressive,as it didn't seem to be there long,and they never went into production.I don't know if you know anything about this vehicle,it would be nice to know what became of it.I think Castrol had one of them,and there was a third,but I can't remember who ran that,but it was one of the oil companies.I think this was around the mid '60's,......Mal.
 
Another incredibly noisy 2-stroke was the 'Detroit Diesel' built by Bedford (General Motors).It was, I believe, a V8,and was fitted to the heavyweight(for the time) Bedford KM series of trucks.The racket out of them at full throttle was unbelievable,and would certainly not be allowed in today's namby-pamby state.Unfortunately,to the dismay of Bedford,most operators opted for the alternatve Leyland engine!.....Mal.
 
mallyb2 said:
Hi Nick,Shell at Stanlow had one of the Leyland gas turbine prototype artic. units on test for a while.I don't know how it performed,but I don't think it could have been that impressive,as it didn't seem to be there long,and they never went into production.I don't know if you know anything about this vehicle,it would be nice to know what became of it.I think Castrol had one of them,and there was a third,but I can't remember who ran that,but it was one of the oil companies.I think this was around the mid '60's,......Mal.
Click to expand...
Hello Mal

BRS had one as well. Shell Stanlow could only use it on fuel oil as it did not meet the pet regs. I remember when it came into Kingsbury for bunkers, it wasn't allowed anywhere near the loading gantries. I think the tractor unit was the Leyland Marathon and always carried both driver and technician (not sure if Leyland or Lucas). Certainly no longer in service when i moved to Stanlow in 1989.
 
Hi Nick,did you work in the garage at no.2 gate Stanlow,and if so,when did you leave.I see you give your location as Torquay,it's a small world,as I lived there for a while when I was aged about 8 or 9 ....Mal.
 
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