Atkinson wagon Gardner 180 British classic lorry David Brown gear box

I was very kindly let loose in the classic wagon that is owned my my friend Eddie

[@davidstopforth9960]

Beautiful Atkinson wagon with the world famous Gardner engine. Well done Eddie - I'd love to see your Atkie some time!

[@ThePhilBilly]

Cant beat the sound of a good old Gardner start up and tick over.

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

She sounds lovely

[@ThePhilBilly]

@@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer Gardner's are so underrated for sound. Big Cummins cats v8s etc sound mint but Gardner's make you feel at home. That's the only way I can describe it 😂

[@robertp.wainman4094]

Like an old friend along for the ride.

[@cwmbc]

You cant beat a Gardner...full stop.

[@robertsmart9432]

The one I drove at tickover used rattle the cab mirrors everything

[@stevebettany8778]

No Atkinson I ever worked on had a paint job as glorious as this one. Spent the last year of my apprenticeship rebuilding Gardners they are like nothing else. Just wish I could have one to sit and listen to and admire.

[@alasdairvincent6248]

I can remember back in the day when there were lots of these lorries on the road. This brought back memories of times gone past. What a sweet running truck, this Atkinson is.

[@douglasrainford5533]

I'll always love that distinctive Gardner sound whether it's installed in an Atkinson lorry or a Leyland Bristol VR double deck bus.

[@michaellecaplain3377]

Best-looking British lorry ever made in my humble opinion. Great video!

[@TheChrysler56]

What a fantastic video. That Atkinson is gorgeous. Looks and sounds brilliant. A credit to its owner. Thanks for posting Mr B.

[@eyuptony]

What an exhaust note. Brings back memories of my childhood days when the big lorries went past. Your lorry looks absolutely brilliant. Cheers, thanks for that. Tony

[@IVAN-bs5bq]

What a lovely lorry , I worked as a fitter for Stirlands in Nottingham for 8 years in the 1970s , and it was the best job and place that I ever worked for , but the pay was dreadful £1 hour , In all the time I was there we never had to take a engine out , always overhauled in the truck so never had a crank reground , wonderful times sadly long gone .

[@garethparr9482]

Fabulous and sounds wonderful. Would love to drive an old girl such as this just to compare them to a modern motor even tho probably incomparable. I would imagine these have to be driven like an old car. Still would love to have a go!

[@robertcamble3543]

This engine is one of the best diesel engine ever built . These Atkinsons were common in Jamaica .

[@nickpresland8956]

Absolutely fantastic example of Atkinson, one of my favorite trucks as a kid ..

[@wts456n]

I can smell the diesel smoke. Could listen to a Gardner run all day

[@allanwatson3806]

Very smart Atkinson nice to see enjoy

[@DAVID-bv2gv]

What A Nice Motor,, She Sounds very CRISP with that Gardner ,,,you can’t beat the old ones 🇬🇧✅👍🏻,, I’d love to drive one

[@theenglishbiker8293]

Gear changes on the first acceleration sounded absolutely amazing

[@ruthbees7214]

Great bit of double de clutching there. It won't go in to gear otherwise. Crash box I had to learn how to do that on a Leyland Constructor easy enough when you get the hang of it.😁❤

[@iaingibbs9589]

That could still do a good day's work pity The poor driver You're a lovely looking machine well done thank you for sharing

[@1258-Eckhart]

Superb vehicle, a credit to the owner. These were very common in England in the 1970's but I think Gardner were unwilling to produce enough engines, so Atkinsons had to diversify. They stopped making them in 1975.

[@DavidJohnson-gh3si]

Beautiful!

[@octopus680]

Ive driven that one myself and i have to confirm that its a pure joy! -another great video Mr B

[@22fret]

Man, that sound is fantastic...

[@JamesSmith-tv3pz]

Great Video, and a beautifully restored Atkinson (and trailer) !!!

[@dougmackie4833]

brought back memories when I heard her start up

[@2.fresh767]

Flying through Bollington, lovely motor.

[@False_Death]

What a beautiful sounding rig! Iv never heard or even knew about these. Of course im American so that says alot 😂 great video man. Thank you for sharing this gem!

[@Bigbuss1]

very nice bit of old school driving 👍

[@TimS366]

What a beauty!

[@ricardovelasco3976]

I find it really interesting and surprising that the back end of the engine is exposed to the elements.

[@scottsoul64]

the noise of my youth, well done sir

[@alangordon3283]

Mint machine.

[@seanhedley8028]

Lovely wagon! Just as it should be nice paint job and no bling . Sounds great 👍

[@robertsmith9810]

I will go with that

[@alanphillips556]

Very nice restoration. 👍

[@kennethburnet4374]

GREAT, I AM 76 AND I DROVE ATKINSONS AND SEDDONS WITH GARDRNER 180S A BOSSES ENGINE WE CLASSED IT, LOW FUEL COSTS.

[@andrewturner8755]

Another Great Video Mr B, always a pleasure to watch .

[@glennharrison705]

Stunning, I owned one the same loved her, only problem I had was a jam jar on the fuel line used to get blocked, good luck was a pleasure to watch

[@andrewjones2640]

Fair play you have done a amazing job with her 👌🏻👍🏻

[@aswclassicsdorset1743]

Beautiful lorry, use to see loads of these in Wood Lane lorry park in London, when I use to go with my dad in the late 60s, got to drive a Seddon Atkinson 401 after passing my class 1 in 1976 but never a proper Atkinson

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

Thank you for you comment

[@-DC-]

What a beautiful wagon 😍

[@paullloyd6821]

Lovely Atkinson, keep on trucking 👍

[@jaggass]

Never seen an Atkinson lorry on the road except other than Seddon Atkinson's during the IVECO era but that Gardner 180 though. Spent many a time riding on Bristol VR's/National's and Olympian's with that engine and just kept going. Felt sorry for the drivers and people in the depot who got gassed out every morning in the bus depot when one started from cold.

[@RHP9898]

Fantastic.

[@duncanobrien4951]

Been a good few years since I overhauled a Gardner.

[@markkerr350]

Sounds amazing

[@philsteele7151]

Mate lives just up the road, i pass there regular and noticed he had some heritage commercials parked up what an engine tone.

[@123456BobJackson]

NICE truck!

[@edwardking9989]

Trouble is Gardner never kept up with the times,when they did start turbo charging and increasing horsepower,it was too late,smoke legislation didn't help either.

[@gordonkennaway3847]

Great video 😎👍

[@emgee44]

I remember these from when i was a kid, a very nice example. 🙂👍

[@peterbennett2167]

You are a champ Eddie

[@craigsingy90]

Brilliant 👌🏼

[@davidellis279]

Beautiful simply beautiful,the 180 Gardner was one of the best engines made by them, Atkinson were a great vehicle until Seddons got their hands on them,total quality until then,it’s no wonder Suttons of St. Helens had a fleet of them,the only problem was the build time due to the time it took Gardner to deliver engines,what an opportunity Gardner missed not gearing up to produce more engines,they could have been King of the Castle now in engine manufacturing had they been managed properly and gone with the times for more powerful engines instead of just sitting there until they went bust.

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

Thank you for your comment. And I have to say I do kind of agree with you. We have come full circle now in truck engine design. They are all low rpm high touché

[@robertsmart9432]

When I first started driving I drove one on night trunk 340 miles a night ok in the summer look out in winter

[@dieselpower7075]

Gardner 6lxb straight 6

[@davidjones8680]

Another Belter Mr B.

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

Cheers.

[@chrisg6086]

Marvellous! Takes me back to the thousands of happy miles I had driving Bowker 47. This one has the lock actuators and the full set of gauges (what dear old Frank Whalley used to call a Mk. 1 1/2) and I think must be higher geared. Is it good for about 58mph? I did drive this one very briefly at Kemble c.2003, when the then owner was asking for advice on the heavy steering.

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

The clock is a little fast I think. Dose just about 54 I think. The steering is still heavy at the side of my Atki!

[@robertcamble3543]

@@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer Used to love when they use the Jake brake on these bad boys . Loud as hell.

[@duncanosborne8475]

i had one SUH 951H

[@Zoli049]

The real diesel engine sound. Does it have an asynchronous gearbox? The wooden niche, I thought, was only in the Russian Kreaz.👍

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

No it is a constant mesh box. No synchronise

[@Zoli049]

@@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer Thanks for the reply, it is in beautiful condition! You can learn and get used to it, you need to use a clutch twice. For transmission line installation, Kraz 255 is still in use here in Lithuania. Sometimes I have to drive.

[@Cjbx11]

What a fantastic looking truck. Not being a trucker this might be a daft question but you often see modern trucks using air suspension systems to adjust their height to line up perfectly with a trailer but what did these old trucks do to line up if the hight wasn’t quite right.

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

No such thing as a daft question. If you look to the back of where you connect the tractor to the trailer you will see two small ramps. Run up ramps. You use these to push up the trailer then onto the 5 wheel table.

[@seanhedley8028]

You want to be sure that you pick the trailer up properly, so that the rubbing plate on the trailer makes full contact with the fifth wheel plate as the pin goes into the jaws . We used to wind the legs down on an empty trailer and leave 3 or 4 inches off the floor because your springs on the tractor would be sat high ( possibly higher than another tractor that could be picking up the trailer) . When loaded heavily , we wound the legs to the floor and a couple of turns in low gear . When you pulled the tractor out , it would rise several inches on the springs. You didn’t want it dropped to low or you wouldn’t get back under it .

[@Cjbx11]

@@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer Thank you for the reply.

[@robwilde855]

You remind me of my first week of my first job driving artics, when a heavily loaded trailer [probably overloaded] had been left for me to pick up, and had had no low-gear application when set down, and was sitting on very uneven ground with its front close to the ground. I couldn't get the tractor far enough underneath, and I couldn't turn the jack handle, no matter how I sweated. In the end an old hand came along, grinned, and showed me how it was done. Just with a hell of a lot more welly!@@seanhedley8028

[@olepedersen5420]

Very nice restoration, but must have been slow with a container onboard

[@theenglishbiker8293]

180hp in its day was alot

[@TheKingLemur]

Arent they Beetle's tail lights ?

[@MartinSmith-pv3zf]

Jesus, where's the fire driver

[@duncanobrien4951]

Is that a standard 5 or 6 speed gearbox,or is it a splitter/range changer?

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

6 speed overdrive.

[@davidellis279]

It looked like a Brown’s six speed overdrive gearbox by the gear shifting position he used,could he wrong but we had them in ERFs with the 180s,run for ever and go anywhere at it’s own pace of course,it was a Gardner,I liked them with the R/R 205 BHP engine but were sometimes troublesome with water leaks.

[@billmcclean6986]

Beautiful thing what year is it

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

1968.

[@jonburgess3614]

Classic motor, used to passed by these regular as clockwork on the M5 and M6, mind I was driving a ford D Series

[@robertsmith9810]

When i had my Foden 180 Gardner 12 speed gearbox , 20ton of tarmac on it`s back i did not think it much fun , even less when Layland`s 265 RR flew by me on a hill , wish i had found it as much fun as you mr B nice truck credit to the owner

[@captaindreadnought212]

How many speeds does the DB gearbox have?

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

It is a 6 speed overdrive box.

[@robertjones-eb4xo]

Excellent condition for an old truck. I drove em in 70s trouble was lack of power , yes very reliable, but with D Brown box awful . No wonder the foreigners took over , Volvo magic.

[@martinburke362]

What tonnage would this truck run at oh and how many gears does it have? Cheers

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

It was designed to for 32 tons. It has a 6 speed David brown overdrive

[@davidmarshall5603]

The 180 got down rated to 30.5 ton in the late 70s early 80s .

[@cav551]

Taps? Hmmm dunno about that , I'll have to look up the testers' manual but off the top of my head I'd say it's a no-no.

[@truckie933]

What’s the yellow airline do?

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

It Stops the wagon. Service line

[@truckie933]

@@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer isn’t that what red/blue are for. Supply & return lines?

[@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer]

@@truckie933 the red line is a constant supply of air. The blue line and not used in the U.K. any more and is there as an emergency. There is a position on the handbrake that supplies air down the blue line to the trailer brakes if the yellow one fails. New spring brakes do not need this as if the yellow or red fail the brakes are held on by the springs. The old system the springs in the chambers hold the brakes off.

[@truckie933]

@@Mr_b_yorkshire_farmer ah ok. Never seen/heard of a system like that one. Cheers