1977 Leyland Marathon
1977 Leyland Marathon in Destination Doha, Documentary, 1977
Class: Trucks, Trailer truck (tractor) — Model origin: 
![[*]](/res/star.png){kind=small}
The vehicle is part of the movie
Comments about this vehicle
| Author | Message |
|---|---|
|
◊ 2015-07-16 20:43 |
This is SLO 707R, supplied brand new by British Leyland along with a driver, Dick Rivers, for the filming of Destination Doha in 1977 - as British-made goods were being carried in the film, which was produced by a Britiish company, it was decided to include a British-built lorry to further promote the country's exports. Contact was made with BL and they agreed to loan this Marathon to Astran for the duration of the filming. Afterwards, it was sent almost straight back to BL for demonstration work and later operated for Hayes Transport, Fareham. -- Last edit: 2015-08-14 16:52:22 |
|
◊ 2015-07-17 01:17 |
Yes , apparently Astran would not entertain British Trucks in their service as they were too unreliable and had no service back up on their routes but this was foisted upon them. -- Last edit: 2015-07-17 01:19:29 |
|
◊ 2015-07-17 09:38 |
Funny the reg no. does not appear on any database , must have had a short life. |
|
◊ 2015-07-17 12:54 |
Looks like SLO xxxR was a "funny" series: SLO 705R = YELLOW 1977 INT HARVESTER OTHER TRACTOR, SLO 706R = ORANGE 1977 OTHER OTHER MOWING MACHINE SLO 708R/709R/710R all = YELLOW 1963 BEDFORD OTHER |
|
◊ 2015-07-18 05:32 |
Looks like a dump series (a number plate series for vehicles that wouldn't fit anywhere else.) |
|
◊ 2015-07-19 09:21 |
It was a Leyland Demonstrator hence 'funny' number , maybe. |
|
◊ 2015-07-19 11:22 |
Its not unusual for car companies (Vauxhall - Bedford included perhaps for 'SLO 708R/709R/710R') to make leasing companies the owners of demonstrator or company fleets. It was certainly common in the 1980s to sub-contract the operation as vehicle operation and support was not seen as the manufacter's 'core-business'. It eliminates in-house departments for vehicle support and presumably reduces capital tied up in fleets replaced by the rental paid for the vehicles. In the case of Vauxhall the rental company would buy at a discount and register the vehicles. They were then leased back to Vauxhall then sold again after a year or eighteen months at almost the original cost. The rental or leasing company would maintain and tax the vehicles and get them to where ever they were needed using all their normal rental operations. -- Last edit: 2015-07-19 11:29:31 |
|
◊ 2015-07-19 11:45 |
For the Bedford trucks these perhaps were ex-MoD military vehicles, 1963 Bedford RLs, no longer required and replaced by the Bedford MK introduced from 1970. These were possibly converted to civilian use as gritters, snow-ploughs or similar hence the yellow colour. |
|
◊ 2016-01-25 17:19 |
I happened to watch this documentary and funnily enough, the Leyland did not break down one single time while the other two Scanias had a couple of issues. |
