{"title":"Graham Edge","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"gardner-l-gardner-and-sons-ltd-book-graham-edge-9781906853884","title":"Gardner: L Gardner and Sons Ltd","description":"This book by historical transport expert Graham Edge is a comprehensive study of a Manchester company whose name became revered in over forty countries. It traces the story from the origins of the firm in 1868 until it ceased engine production almost 130 years later.  In 1929 L Gardner and Sons Ltd perfected a small high-speed, direct injection diesel engine, the world's first for an engine of its size. The company soon developed this into the first purpose-built automotive engine of its type. This renowned Gardner LW series was also revolutionary in its use of lightweight aluminium alloys.  Because diesel fuel was more economical than petroleum spirit for most of the last century, and especially in the 1930s, Gardner's was able to capitalise on a huge and growing market. Their diesel engines went on to gain an unrivalled reputation for reliability and economy in buses, coaches, lorries, rail, shipping  and industrial installations. Their heyday was probably from the end of the Second World War to the early 1960s, a time when their order book was always full. As well as telling the story of the company's engineering achievements (and setbacks), the author also brings to life some of the personalities involved, not least the members of the Gardner family. Although they were 'engineers par excellence', some of the 'could be quite irascible!' By the 1970s Gardners were being left behind by changes in the transport market and also faced damaging industrial relations. In 1977 they became part of the Hawker Siddeley group.  This is a reprint of a book first published in 2002 and revised in 2006. Graham Edge was able to draw on knowledge freely provided by former sales director Dion Houghton. The superb photographs are mainly from the archives of Dion Houghton and Paul Gardner, the great-grandson of the founder. Each photograph has a detailed caption and the book's Appendices include production figures.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49515191894289,"sku":"GOR004004853","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52726388654353,"sku":"GOR012515265","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1906853886.jpg?v=1751281614"},{"product_id":"aec-lorries-in-the-post-war-years-1945-1979-book-graham-edge-9781871565218","title":"AEC Lorries in the Post War Years 1945-1979","description":null,"brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49578986766609,"sku":"GOR004941712","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49946720141585,"sku":"GOR011061332","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ WELL_READ \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51102003953937,"sku":"GOR013298925","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1871565219.jpg?v=1751412425"},{"product_id":"century-of-petroleum-transport-book-graham-edge-9781871565270","title":"A Century of Petroleum Transport","description":null,"brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49645428211985,"sku":"GOR006452280","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53460073120017,"sku":"GOR009311945","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1871565278.jpg?v=1750867407"},{"product_id":"leyland-beaver-book-graham-edge-9781902356068","title":"Leyland Beaver","description":"The Leyland Beaver name survived for over forty years from the first appearance of this distinguished model in 1928. Within ten years of its inception there was an almost confusing assortment of Beavers suitable for just about every task a lorry could perform. Leyland Motors had perfected the top-weight four-wheeler and dominated the market for this particular kind of vehicle.  After the Second World War, for fifteen years or so, Beavers were often seen as part of wagon and trailer outfits, their lorries exuding strength and reliability. As road transport modernised in the 1960s so Beaver articulated lorries became increasingly popular.  Beaver production lasted until 1971 when it was phased out in favour of the '500 series' Buffalo. Because of the longevity of the production of the Beavers the story is quite complex, embracing not just the UK but also the models sold overseas, often in modified forms. Graham Edge charts our way clearly through this history and in his appendices includes chassis and engine details.  The photographs, all high quality, are former Leyland archive material housed at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum Trust.The images range from 1928 - and what is believed to be the first Leyland Beaver - to a 1968 'two-pedal' model coupled to a 40 ft trailer, hauling for a steel stockholder.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49849658442001,"sku":"GOR011392543","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1902356063.jpg?v=1750931204"},{"product_id":"leyland-octopus-book-graham-edge-9781902356129","title":"The Leyland Octopus","description":"Rigid eight-wheelers with internal combustion engines were developed as a response to requirements and opportunities embedded in the 1933 Road and Rail Traffic Act. Although AEC was first in the field, in late 1934 or early 1935 Leyland was able to announce its Octopus. By the Second World War the Octopus had become a favourite with operators, known to carry a legal payload economically and reliably.  After the war the driveline of the Octopus basically remained unchanged until 1960. Specification options were few, yet the model remained a market leader with lengthy waiting lists for new chassis. The model remained in production until the late 1970s and, as AEC authority Graham edge writes, 'For most of its productive life the Leyland Octopus was the definitive British eight-wheeler lorry.'  The many superb photographs in this book range from shots from the 1930s including what is probably the first Octopus chassis and a rare TEW tipper to 1979 and an Octopus 2 which started service that year with a compacting refuse body. The text covers the full production story, and there are Appendices which give chassis and engine details.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49895849132305,"sku":"GOR007695694","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1902356128.jpg?v=1750931205"},{"product_id":"aec-mandator-book-graham-edge-9781902356143","title":"The AEC Mandator","description":"This book deals with the history and development of the AEC Mandator range from inception to demise. From its earliest days AEC was an engineering-led concern that maintained close relationships with its customers. The original AEC Mandator lorry first appeared in 1931 to fulfil the special requirements of hauliers that wanted low-height chassis vehicles for carrying machinery or bodying as furniture vans.  By the 1960s the Mandator Mk V was at the vanguard of AEC's successful assault on home and export commercial vehicle markets. Later, the Ergomatic tilt-cabbed design consolidated the success of AEC's heavyweight tractive units. Fast, powerful and with excellent brakes, as well as looking the part, these lorries became immensely popular.  But as Graham Edge says in his Introduction, 'It was a great pity that the Mandator development stagnated in a period of rapid advances and when production ended in 1977 the model had become somewhat outdated.' With a selection of chapters devoted to the fundamental models, including the Matador Mk III, the Mandator Mk III and the Mammoth Minor, the story of the AEC Mandator is told through comprehensive narrative and stunning photographs of the machines at work.  This book also includes an appendix devoted to the chassis designations and wheelbases of these machines and another on their engine details.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":50582292889873,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":50582293086481,"sku":"GOR006636004","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1902356144.jpg?v=1751380206"},{"product_id":"leyland-comet-book-graham-edge-9781902356020","title":"Leyland Comet","description":null,"brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":51228557836561,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51228557934865,"sku":"GOR007022469","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1902356020.jpg?v=1751187096"},{"product_id":"leyland-comet-book-graham-edge-9781910456347","title":"Leyland Comet","description":"This book is about one of Leyland Motors' famous models, the Leyland Comet. It covers the period from the introduction of the lorry in 1947 to its withdrawal from the British market in the mid-1970s. This illustrious name continued to be used in the Leyland-DAF era, such is the high regard and respect earned by one of Leyland's finest vehicles not only here, but also overseas. Leyland Comet presents the initial development of the model and the various types which evolved in subsequent years. When it was first introduced, the Leyland Comet was an immediate success and soon became the market leader in the high-quality, medium weight, lorry sector. In the 30 years of production history described in these pages, the Comet was only seriously challenged by its great rival, the AEC Mercury. In its heyday, the Leyland Motors name was synonymous with top quality. Their Comet range maintained and enhanced the company's reputation. Many small haulage firms building a business in the post-war years aspired to a Leyland lorry and felt a great sense of achievement when able to acquire one. This book has been out of print for many years, and has been brought back in 2016 to make this fascinating story available again to Leyland enthusiasts and those with an interest in general transport history. Graham Edge is a trucking journalist and author. (Series: Commercial Vehicles Archive Series) [Subject: Commercial Vehicles, Transportation]","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53452650873105,"sku":"GOR014928699","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53456672555281,"sku":"GOR014930112","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9781910456347.jpg?v=1776943710"},{"product_id":"milled-from-golden-fields-book-graham-edge-9781902356112","title":"Milled from Golden Fields","description":"Graham Edge worked in the flour-milling industry for twenty years with experience in Rank Hovis McDougall and Spillers. He is also acknowledged as one of Britain's pre-eminent writers on historical transport matters.  His book presents a lavish pictorial record of flour millers' transport operations from the days of horses and carts to the beginning of the 21st century. It records the pioneering breakthroughs in bulk deliveries which were to the benefit of millers, drivers and customers. The author also provides an important historical review of the flour-milling industry and recalls millers no longer in existence through photographs of their vehicles.  Many brands and beautifully designed liveries are in evidence on a wide range of vehicles from a 1911 Leyland W-type to two 21st century DAF 65CFs.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53725147660561,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53725147791633,"sku":"GOR009719548","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9781902356112.jpg?v=1782910170"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/en-gb\/collections\/author-books-by-graham-edge.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}