In 1974 when I was 18, I was a training electric lineman for the Riccarton Borough Council in Christchurch NZ. I learnt to drive in one - I thought it was petrol though - and yes double clutching in first and second gear as they were straight cut gears. It was 1968 model if I remember right and we never got it into top gear as it was the line truck and we had a city run. They were known here as "Austin arm breakers" due to the gear stick being slightly behind your driving position. Also "Glasshouse". I left there and decided to go truck driving. The Yard foreman at my interview said let's go for a drive. We walked out and towards a TK bedford. Sweet I thought. But just next to it and back a bit was an arm breaker and this was what we got into. I nearly walked away then. Anyhow, we started off and up through the gears we went and the bloke couldn't believe that I didn't clash the gears! I was hired. On my first day I got to drive the "Good Truck" and that was fine but driving around the city up and down narrow alley ways etc was not for me. I was not fond of them.

we drove several of these Diesels for Palmer & Harvey, delivering to Pubs all round Bucks Berks & Oxon. Frosty mornings whichever one would start, we used to tow start the others.

Wow , these were everywhere growing up in ireland in the 70s along with transits and the old commer vans 😊

Pretty much every coal merchant in 70's/80's UK used these. The 'Threpenny bit' cabs were ideal for multi drop work. Noisy as hell with 4-cyl diesel engine. Love the sun hat!

When we had a problem like that, we'd pair a couple of 12v batteries in series to make 24 volts and feed it to the coil and starter. The boost rarely failed.

There are two early '60's Thames Trader trucks for sale near where I live & I've been hanging my nose over them. This video has given me the kick I needed to get out & buy one or both. Thanks!

Leyland was the king of trucks, busses and cars!

Ironic thing is that its looks like that cab would meet a lot of the current London lorry regs for vision.

I had a BMC/Leyland 360 back in the 1970's. 2.2 diesel engine started in all weathers and never let me down. Drove all over the country in it, loved that truck. A bit slow top speed but it would out accelerate most things in the 0 to 20 speed, ideal for town deliveries. Still have the service manual. Also had a 900 with the six cylinder with lift off body.

My dad used drive one of these as a small furniture van in the 60s good all round vision especially with the low windows . He used drive it around ,ondon .

Had one in England in the early eighties, known as a threepenny bit because of the angled cab, put a small mini skip loader on the back, and sold it immediately.

hi, its a BMC, i remember when they first came out in the 60s when BL took over they were re branded, mainly used as bread vans

My dad was an inspector in cab trim in Bathgate, Scotland where these, the BMC FG commercials were made in the 1970s and early 80s.

I know them as Leland Redlines. I worked for a company delivering frozen food. The small van was a 350 FG. The engine was straight out of a taxi. The second one was a 550 FG with a six cylinder. I was lucky, I was the HGV driver so had the Bedford KM

I used to drive one with my brother in 1979 . It was Express Diaries in Didcot Oxfordshire. It's all long gone now . My brother was a milkman and those doors you could keep open. What a thing that lorry was .

Drove one of these brand new and built as a Caltex fuel tanker, mostly used for delivering fuel for domestic home heating about 1970 in N.Z.

In 1977 I was 7 and went with my dad in one of these to a quarry in Cumbria near Kirk stone pass. I could see the sheer drop through those threpny bit windows and was so scared I got out and walked up the track😂

I had one of these “three penny bits “ slow but awesome in the summer , my mates all had motorcycles , we all did , a few had cars I had one of these with a hi-ab , driving around in the summer having girls climb off the motorcycles and into the cab to skin up were blessed and happy daze . My doors were curved IIRC and slid into the cab behind the driver AIRCON BABY.fill that dink with ATF , USE A FARM JACK TO LIFT the weight - open a cold one , repeat .

I owned FG beaver tail recovery 40 years ago, it was fitted with a 6 cylinder 4l liter Rolls Royce engine made under licence by Austin. That truck could fly with a bullet proof engine, downside was the engine was petrol and a bit heavy on fuel at 20 MPG, but nothing could stop it, bulletproof. After a long day driving heading for home base which was halfway up a mountain the fan belt snapped I kept going 10 miles to the foot hills and another 7 miles all up hill, worrying about overheating. No worries the temp gauge was a bit higher then normal and the rad blow a bit of steam, she cooled down quickly and all in one piece ready to work again once the new fan belt was fitted, great engine. Unfortunate a lot the diesel models had a cylinder liner seal problem. The 2.2 diesels about the same as London Black cabs used and a lot of Ambulance was also a great engine. Asking for tips the carbs are a pain and need to spotless slightest dirt will cause starting problems. Might I suggest that the head needs coming off the carbs serviced and fuel on syphon feed. I just asked hubby who did all our servicing he I

I remember in the 1970's rural Scotland we had a van version of theses to sell bread, cakes, essentials and sweets.