Tiller shuttles into posterity
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SHELVOKE and Drewry's famous 1927 Tiller-steered freighter is now on permanent loan to the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden, Bedfordshire. See photograph, below.
The vehicle, which is in full working order, was handed over by Shelvoke's service manager Mick Walker (picture right) to Fred Hayward general manager of the collection.
"On special days we hold a parade of historic vehicles and we are looking forward to seeing this latest addition taking part," said Mr Hayward.
Over 120,000 visitors a year go to see the collection which is open every day.
The vintage dustcart was originally sold to the Borough of Folkestone where, until 1946, it covered more than 5,000 miles a year, doubling as a civil defence vehicle by night during the war years. It was subsequently converted to a crane and slowed down to a mere 1,000 miles a year.
In 1968 it was rescued by Shelvoke apprentices who, using original diagrams, restored and repainted it in its former livery of maroon and gold.
Since then it has travelled the country winning prizes at exhibitions, the most notable being the 1981 London to Brighton run when it took first prize in its class and was second overall.