The instructions for the Heavy Goods Lorry were published in the 1948 -1954  No.5 Manual. (Picture shown on left). The model depicts a typical British heavy goods lorry of the mid 1930s to late 1940s. I have built the model using as far as possible contemporary parts to those of the manual.  I have made use of a few additional parts to those in the actual number five set to make a a few small improvements.  Its a very simple model with operating steering but none the less an attractive model. It looks like a smaller simple version of a model in the 1948 -1954 number 9 manual I have also built.

I first made this set 5 model when I was about ten years old , quite some time ago. I have always liked the model because of it's similarity  to a picture that hung in the hall of my Grandma's house, the picture is shown below. Its of an Albion and was part of a fleet of vehicles owned by my Grandfather F.W.Humphrey, the picture is dated 1937 and I imagine was taken shortly after the truck had been delivered new to my Grandfather's farm at Northfleet in Kent, where he farmed and ran his haulage business.  At that time goods vehicles were restricted to no more than 30 m.p.h. (48 k.p.h.)

Albion trucks were first made in Glasgow in 1902. The company was absorbed into Leyland Motors in 1951 and production ended at Glasgow in 1980.

 March 06 2006

Revised November 14 2021