"1959 Commer Lowloader - Mays Cafe"

by Mike Jeffries

Mounted Laser Print

Image Size 11in x 8in

An old railway carriage serves as the basis for a transport cafe as the crew of the 1959 Commer artic check the chains on the low- loader trailer before heading for a fry-up and a cuppa in this scene from the 1960s.

Edward Beck was based in Greg Street, Reddish,near Stockport and had three Commer TS3s at one time, the TS stood for two-stroke and the 3 for three cylinders. Three cylinders seems small for a lorry engine but there were six horizionally-opposed pistons with a Rootes supercharger which boosted the diesel two-stroke unit and gave it a distinctive exhaust note like no other.The two oversized silencers did little to muffle the noise and you could hear a “stroker” coming a mile off