The Leyland Octopus (Commercial Vehicles Archive Series)

Product Information

Grab handles are fitted for the driver and passenger, but to enter the driving seat it is necessary to reach for the steering wheel. Copies of the new regulations are available from the British Plastics Federation, 47-48 Piccadilly, London, W.I.

Threading my way through Tony’s farm property, which included a worryingly narrow snake-through past some barns and his ornate metal driveway gate complete with stone posts, and we’re away. Despite the age of the design, I’m surprised at the agility of the Octopus even though I am initially battling with the vague gear change quality and eye-wateringly narrow country lanes. By using lightweight components, such as a pressed steel rear bogie assembly in stead of cast iron—Leyland has produced a haulage vehicle which can compete in payload terms with the maximum capacity artic which can be legally used on the UK roads. From this point of view it will appeal to operators who do a lot of motorway work with smaller but heavy loads.In 1968 Leyland Motors merged with British Motor Holdings (BMH) to form the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC). BMH, which was the product of an earlier merger between the British Motor Corporation, the Pressed Steel Company and Jaguar, brought with it more marques, including Daimler, Guy, BMC, Austin, MG and Morris. Leyland diesel engines were used in Finnish Sisu and Vanaja lorries and buses in 1960s. In 1935 Leyland Motors added a second steering axle to a Hippo six wheeler and the Octopus was born. It went on to become one of the most famous of all eight wheelers. The first new post-war eight wheeler from Leyland was the 22.0/1, powered by the 9.8-litre 0.600 oil engine. The pre-war Leyland eight wheeler, designated TEW, was replaced after the war by the new 22.0/1 and 22.0/3 (SWB) with modernised cab and completely redesigned chassis. During the mod-1950s a redesigned cab (56/A) was introduced and the increase in the UK legal weight brought the 24.0/4 and 24.0/5 models. The LAD "Power Plus" range appeared in 1960. The Leyland Comet was introduced in 1986, also designed for export markets mainly in the developing world. As such, it was a no-frills vehicle of a simple and sturdy design, with five- or six-speed transmissions rather than the multi-speed units used on European models. The cabin was a simplified all-steel version of that used by the Roadrunner, designed to enable local assembly. The three-axle version is called the Super Comet. [18] Diesel multiple units [ edit ]

IN SEPTEMBER last year Leyland introduced its latest version of the Octopus eight-wheeled chassis which, it is claimed, is 500kg (10cwt) lighter in chassis cab form than its nearest competitor. The Leyland driver who came on the trip found it easier to take the seat out if the steering wheel was removed, although this is theoretically unnnecessary. An over-centre catch mechanism keeps the cab in its tilt position which is only to an angle of 30 degrees. Foden 14-Ton Tanker ‘Mobilgas’; made 1953 through 1956, eventually superseded by the Regent livery version.History [ edit ] Builder's plate Badge on a 1954 Leyland Comet 90 flatbed lorry Beginning [ edit ] The original Leyland steam van A 1924 Leyland Trojan tourer A 1927 Leyland Eight, with sports bodywork Petrol-engined Leyland wagon A Power-Plus 0.600 140-b.h.p. diesel is employed, with the clutch and gearbox in unit with it. The light-alloy box has forward ratios of 7.24, 4.61, 2.75, 1.69 and 1 to 1, with reverse of 6.5 to 1, and the option of an additional overdrive ratio of 0.76 to I. The new double-drive bogie uses lighter versions of the Leyland double-reduction rear axle and has the usual Leyland non-reactive four-spring suspension. Ratios of 5.55, 6.13 and 7.71 are offered. Telescopic dampers are fitted to the front axles, and a steeringspecification change is the use of Burman recirculating-ball gear without servo instead of Marks cam and double roller with servo. Guy Motors Limited had mainly produced four and six wheel lorries up until 1954 when they launched their Invincible range based on the AEC Mammoth Major Mk 3. By 1958 the company were offering the Invincible MkII, using their own chassis with Kirkstall axles and an ultra modern new cab with large wraparound windscreen. The following year a lightweight model was added to the range, powered by an AEC AVU470 engine and called the Warrior Light Eight, it was popular with operators seeking maximum payload capacity. Guy Motors became part of Jaguar Cars in 1961 and in 1964 introduced a new eight-wheeled model, the Big J8. Overall fuel consumption for the 1171.9km (728.2 miles) of the test route was 37.7 litre/ 100Iun (7,5mpg)—even better than the figure of 38.7 litre/ 100km (7.3mpg) obtained a year ago during CM's road test of the Leyland Buffalo, which was carrying only 300kg (6cwt) more than the Octopus. When it is realised that the Octopus completed the course 29min faster than the Buffalo, this fuel consumption is very good indeed. Foden were the first British manufacturer to offer tilt cabs on heavy lorries in 1962, with the introduction of the S24, identifiable by its oblong headlamps, single piece windscreen and the absence of a removable front grille. For 1967, a revised version of the S24 was introduced known as the S34 (tilting cab) or S36 (fixed cab). Both had slant mounted headlamps and a slightly deeper windscreen than the original S24 model. The Albion Sugar Company of Woolwich were well known users of Fodens during the 1960s.