Leyland Titan PD1 and PD2 Southdown Motor Services Buses 1945, 1947

Titan PD1 & PD2

What is your favourite bus of all time?

The legendary Titan is probably the bus for which Leyland is best known. Introduced in 1927 it was produced continuously (apart from a two-year wartime break) until 1969. The Titan PD2 was first seen in1947 (the PD1 model had been introduced in 1945) and these were sold in large numbers to a wide variety of operators. 80 Leyland LD2/1 were employed by Southdown Motor Services in 1948/49. It lasted in service until 1969.

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Douglas Vespa ( Rod Model ) 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951

Douglas Vespa ( Rod Model )

What is your favourite scooter of all time?

The 125cc Douglas Vespa was a British-built version of the original Piaggio Vespa launched in 1946 in Italy. The first Vespa to be sold in Britain, the Douglas Vespa along with the Lambretta LD set the fashion for all future machines. Nicknamed the Rod Model, the 1951 scooter has a linkage of rods and bell cranks between the handlebars and its rear-mounted gearbox. This complicated arrangement was soon dropped in favour of a less expensive twin-cable mechanism. Only available in metallic green, the Douglas Vespa enjoyed huge success, attracting buyers who would never have contemplated buying a motorcycle.

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Marshall - Field Marshall Tractor 1945-1957

Marshall - Field Marshall

What is your favourite tractor of all time?

The Marshall M tractor was replaced in 1945 by the Marshall Series I, which featured a differential lock to give maximum traction in difficult conditions. The Series II was produced from 1947 to 1949 and was equipped with steering brakes, which were operated via levers beside the rear wings. The final versions were the Series III from 1949 and 1952 and the IIIA from 1952 to 1957. All used Marshall's well known single-cylinder two-stroke diesel engine. The massive 6 1/2 -inch bore piston travelled through a 9-inch stroke and its audible detonation led to the Marshall's nickname of the "Pom-Pom" tractor. Tracked versions of the Marshall were also marketed under the Fowler name.

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Caterpillar - D2 Tractor 1938-1957

Caterpillar - D2

What is your favourite tractor of all time?

Few tractor names are better known than Caterpillar. From their beginnings in 1904 their speciality has always been track-laying or crawler tractors. The Caterpillar D2 was introduced specifically for agricultural used in 1938. It could handle a three/four furrow plough and was powered by a four-cylinder diesel engine of 26 drawbar and 32 belt horsepower. Speeds of up to 5mph were possible in top (fifth) gear. An interesting feature of the Caterpillar was that it used a horizontally-opposed, twin-cylinder, 10hp petrol engine as a starter motor. Known as a "donkey" starter, these were standard on all Cat diesels. In addition to overcoming the problem of unreliable starting they also kept wear on the engine to a minimum when starting cold.

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Case - Dex Tractor 1940-1952

Case - Dex Tractor

What is your favourite tractor of all time?

J.I. Case increased their production capacity by buying Rock Island Plow Co in 1937, the former makers of the Heider and Rock Island tractors. Then in 1939 they introduced the new streamlined D and R followed by S, LA and V ranges, with the identifying colour schemes of Flambeau Red. The three-plough capacity model D came with a number of options, such as row-crop (DC) and orchard (DO) and had a mechanical implement lift. Rated at 26-32hp with Case's own engine, it was joined by the smaller S and Continental-engined V in the early years of the war and by a new 4/5 plough model, the model LA, in 1941. The full range of Case D models were D, DC3 (tricycle), DC4 (wide axle), DEX (hybrid), DO, DV (vineyard) and DR (rice).

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Velocette MAC Motorcycle 1946-1959

Velocette MAC

What is your favourite motorcycle of all time?

After the war Velocette continued with their tradition of black and gold singles of high performance with ohv or ohc engines. The 349cc overhead valve MAC was perhaps the most impressive three-fifty of the early 1950s, it was fast (for its cubic capacity), smooth and refined. Redesigned in 1951, it lost much of its 1930's look with a fresh one-piece light-alloy cylinder head, rocker box barrel and enlarged timing chest. In 1953 the solid frame was replaced by one with a full pivoted fork with adjustment for ride stiffness possible by moving the tops of the springs fore and aft in articulate slots arranged in rear-frame extensions.

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