In this issue of WHOTT Web News we take a brief look at the A.E.C. Matador, WHOTTs ON eBAY, South East Cornwall in 2005 and Christopher Hill.

The 'Matador' originated from a 4-ton 4 x 4 truck designed by Charles Cleaver and produced by Hardy Motors and FWD in the early 1930s. Hardy Motors was absorbed by AEC in 1932 and the development work continued. In 1937 the 'Matador' (model 853) with a petrol engine appeared. In 1938 the War Office placed an order for 200 Matadors bodied for use as medium tractors and the first prototype was delivered in January 1939. The first production vehicle with a diesel engine (model 0853) was delivered in November 1939. Intended as a medium artillery tractor (MAT), it was mainly used to tow a 5.5" gun, filling the gap between the Morris 'Quad' Field Artillery Tractor and the Scammell 'Pioneer' Heavy Artillery Tractor towing the 25-pounder and 7.2" gun respectively. It soon became apparent that the 'Matador' could do more than just tow a gun and various other versions were built. Some had the timber and canvas body replaced by a box body containing a large generator, some were adapted to carry on-board a 25- pounder gun, and there was also an Armoured Command Vehicle produced. Some six-wheel Matadors were built, mainly as tankers for the RAF, most being petrol-engined. A further requirement for trucks from the armed services led to a number of Matadors being built in the early 1950s as a stopgap measure, many going to the Royal Air Force.

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The Greenslades brothers began operating charabancs in 1918 and steadily expanded until the early 1930s when the process of expansion by acquisition began. The first item (left) is from the very beginning of the expansion era, "See Devon In Luxury by Empress Coaches". This fascinating booklet probably dates from the early 1930s either immediately before or just after the takeover by Greenslades. In addition to providing details of the 28 different excursions available, it includes several interesting photographs and advertisements. of particular interest is the claim "The luxurious coachwork in the Empress Fleet has been specially designed and built by W. Mumford Ltd, the leading bodybuilders in the West".

The Empress fleet at the time is illustrated by the impressive lineup of DV5419, a 1930 B.A.T. Cruiser, TT8232 a 1926 Lancia and DV1082 another Lancia from 1929.

This event seemed the ideal occasion to visit the area and sample the provision of bus services in South East Cornwall in 2006 and make some comparisons to services in the recent and not so recent past.

The business was started by Philip's grandfather James Hambly in 1922, his father Orlando 'Lan' Hambly took over in 1947, while Philip has been at the wheel since 1979. Hambly's were one of the last old established Cornish independents running a mix of local bus services, school contracts, private hire and the occasional holiday trip. In an interesting report from the Cornish Times, Philip Hambly recalled that the school services developed before the Second World War, when Hambly's used to provide a vehicle to collect rabbits from across the area and deliver them to Looe station for shipment up country. The times of the deliveries to the station also enabled local children to get to school. Obviously rabbits were an important industry locally in those days, as in the last issue of WHOTT's News Looe Rabbitries were one of the highlights of a day-trip to Looe for Greenslades passengers!

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The Group Travel Optare Solo, W676DDN, seen at the Westgate Street Stop in Launceston.

Anyone visiting Poole in Dorset, and particularly Pool Quay, during the period late 1940s to very early 1970s could hardly have failed to notice the large number of orange coloured lorries belonging to Christopher Hill Ltd. Whether loading from the feed ills, seed plant, grain silo or loading and unloading ships, the place was a hive of activity. That is probably why I was very please to take up a job offer there soon after leaving school in 1961 and remain there for nearly ten years in various capacities.

Christopher Hill started at a water mill in Corfe Mullen in 1846. I don't know how long the First Mr. Hill or his family remained with the business, nor when the move to Poole took place. A significant date is 1920 when Archie Hunt joined the firm. he was an old boy of Poole Grammar School, his father had twice been Mayor of Poole and he had been awarded the M.C. during the first world war. Archie Hunt became Managing Director in 1936 and built the firm up into a large and successful organisation. Expansion came through the purchase of other similar Poole businesses, such as Belbens and Scutts which accounts for the widely scattered premises throughout the town - some on The Quay, other in West Quay and the garage in Nile row near the railway station. These old names were still used to describe the various stores years later

The AEC 'Matador' is one of the most instantly recognisable of all wartime vehicles and is highly regarded by all who have driven it, either during World War 2 and later conflicts or in civilian life when it has served as a timber tractor, breakdown truck or any other task for which its powerful (by 1940's standards) engine, low gearing, four wheel drive, winch and straightforward, rugged simplicity made it the ideal choice.

Vehicle restoration at Knowstone - an update

Exeter City Transport Route K - Another Favourite

Archive update

Point of View

What's in a Photo?

Just the Ticket

Pangs of Nostalgia as Bert Looks Back

A Favourite Route - WN 95 Series / 6 & 7

Whilst in Callington we can reminisce about times part. These two pictures, taken on 15 August 2006, show the former Great Western Road Motors bus depot on the corner of Valentine Row and Zaggy Lane shortly before it was demolished to make way for housing. This depot was later owned by Devon Motor Transport, National Omnibus & Transport Co. and Western National before it was vacated on 30 Jun 1961 when the garage in new Road was opened, since also swept away in favour of a Co-op supermarket

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Web News 23

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