To Join a 338,000-miler
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THE vehicle that inaugurated the first hulk milk tanker collection service in England as an experiment back in October, 1954, is in for a well-earned overhaul after covering over 338,000 miles.
Operated by Shan't and Parker (Farms), Ltd., of Hatfield Peverel, Essex, shortly after the Scottish Milk Marketing Board started a similar service, the pioneer tanker service caught the interest of other hauliers and the then newly formed Milk Marketing Board.
Supplied by Kennings, Ltd., of Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, the vehicle has a 1,750-gallon stainless steel tank built by W. P. Butterfield, Ltd., of Shipley, and was fitted with a Morris-Commercial S.W.B. prime mover. After covering 222,000 miles this was replaced in 1959 by a second Morris tractor unit which has completed another 116,000 miles to date, still using the original tanker trailer. Success has led Strutt and Parker to acquire a new vehicle, this having a 2,000-gallon stainless steel milk tank body built by A.P.V. Co., Ltd., on an articulated 10-ton frameless chassis constructed by Taskers of Andover (1932), Ltd. This is used in conjunction with a Morris short-wheelbase die.sel-engined prime mover. Also supplied by Kennings, Ltd., the complete vehicle was painted and written by Kennings' heavy vehicle repair centre at Orsett.
The new vehicle, which has now been in service for several weeks, is expected to cover approximately 60,400 miles in the first year of operation.