Give me a Mark II any day
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THE FEATURE ON Atkinson Borderer (CM 10 February) was a welcome addition, especially for us older readers. However,I had to smile at CM not being a fan of the Mark II lock shield actuator parking brake. In my experience, it was far better than the old multi-pull version on the Mark I, which obstructed entry and exit to the cab when applied because you had to climb over or around it.
There were, however, some Mark I’s that had the additional dead man’s handle working on the main air brake system. They were ideal for temporary halts, provided you stayed in the cab with the engine running because, as some drivers found to their cost, the air gradually bled away if this control alone was used when the wagon was unattended. They could, and did, run away.
The only law in the lock shield device I recall is that if the air pressure dropped once applied, you could not release it without bringing the pressure back up again – embarrassing if stuck in trafic.
Although the Mark I – which was made in Kirkstall Forge, just a couple of miles from my parents’ and my home – was good, the Mark II was better. With the 180hp Gardner engine, power steering and the lock shield parking brakes, I have to ask, didn’t the Mark II seem a lot easier on the driver, especially with its 50mph speed compared to the Mark II’s measly 47mph?
DS Boyes Retired lorry driver, Leeds