Peter Simpson tells the fascinating story of a low mileage Commer Superpoise and its rather special ‘load’…
As many readers may be aware, the Vulcan to the Sky Trust are custodians of Avro Vulcan XH558 which, until the end of 2015, was the last remaining airworthy Vulcan. Alongside the Vulcan, the Trust also owns a 1962 Commer Superpoise, a vehicle of similar age to the aircraft. The Superpoise – or more accurately its load – is actually a vital part of the whole Vulcan setup.
The Superpoise carries a Blackburn turbo jet starter device. This, as the name implies, was needed to start the engines of jet aircraft like the Vulcan, and similar devices – albeit more usually mounted on trailers – were regularly used at all RAF bases with jet allocations. The main part of the starter plant is a smaller jet engine, in this case a Rolls-Royce Palouste unit. This generates a hot air supply which is blown into the aircraft engine via a flexible hose. This then causes the jet engine to start turning, and once it reaches a certain speed the pilot presses a start button in the cockpit, starting the engine.
This was the standard way in which early jet engines were started. Nowadays, most jets are self-starters as modern technology enable a means of starting modern engines to be incorporated within the engine without adding unnecessary weight. However for planes like the Vulcan, on which weight-reduction, speed and manoeverability were paramount, external starting was normal.
Little-used Lorry
The Superpoise has almost certainly been a ‘jet starter’ for its entire life. Until acquired by the Trust in 2012, it had also been used exclusively on an airfield, meaning the 13,000 miles currently showing on the speedometer is almost certainly correct. It hadn’t even been registered for the road, meaning its year of manufacture was uncertain, though as we’ll see later, it’s now been dated to 1962.
この記事は Classic & Vintage Commercials の March 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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この記事は Classic & Vintage Commercials の March 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Assorted AECs
One of the most eye-catching ‘group’ displays at the 2016 AEC Rally was the five-lorry lineup of AECs owned and restored by the Laughran family, all of which had made the trip over from Armagh in Northern Ireland to be at the show.
Commer Classic
Like the AEC we featured in 2009, Graham Reed’s recently-completed Commer TS3 restoration replicates one of the lorries his father started the family business with in the early sixties. This one, though, was a massive undertaking. David Reed tells the story.
ERF 44G Restored
Peter Simpson tells the story of a 1954 ERF which, though preserved in the early 1980s, then fell on hard times. Now though, it’s back in fine fettle thanks to an extremely impressive home restoration.
JET Starter!
Peter Simpson tells the fascinating story of a low mileage Commer Superpoise and its rather special ‘load’…
Albion CX
Peter Davies begins his in-depth profi le of Albion’s final independent product to realise its full commercial potential.
Smith & Robinson Memories
Another superb selection of period S&R photos from the collection of former Manchester depot engineer David Whalley.
Bedford Know Howe
Nick Howe’s fabulous Bedford TK restoration has taken nine years to complete, and is now correct in every detail and a superb reminder of a similar Bedford operated by the Howe family firm in the late 1960s. Peter Davies tells the story.
Vulcan 6 Tonner
Peter Davies begins his in-depth profi le of a classic ‘premium middleweight’.
1974 Atkinson Borderer
Now residing in Northern Ireland is BAB 661M, a 1974 Atkinson Borderer now with W & J Chambers Concrete Products, and finished in their livery.