54689 the day following purchase.

Rear view of 54689 showing work worn chequer plate.

54689 and 52274 were both purchased to replace older petrol trucks in 1961 by Daniels Engineering of Cam Glos. The pair are fitted with power operated stillage mechanisms, the only examples of their type known to survive. A hydraulic pump, chain driven from the crankshaft, is mounted in place of the crankcase cover. A LD1 type large starting handle is used.

During it's working life 54689 has been fitted with the front end from 52274 and a service exchange engine..

Both trucks were sold by Daniels in 199?. 54689 was originally destined for the new Lister museum in Dursley, however due to space restriction, a NU9 CS tug took it's place. 52274 is now road registered and is regularly driven to the Tyndale rally.

Ownership changed in April 2004, at which point 54689 was missing fuel tank, rocker cover caps, pump filler cap, one injector pump and injector pump bleed screw. The injector cover had been left off allowing moisture to enter the remaining injector pump. Despite having had a hard working life 54689 is generally in good general condition and it was thought that it should not take too much to get her running again once the injector pumps have been sorted.

The fuel tank has been replaced and injector pumps from a LR2 fitted. Various other jobs were performed such as freeing up the rear brakes and axle pivots, cleaning out the hydraulic system, after which 42425 was a runner again although the engine smoked badly, there was a hydraulic oil leak and the gearbox refused to stay in first gear. On dismantling the gearbox was found to be very worn, it didn't look like the previous driver had known how to use the clutch. Some new gears were fitted along with a new phosphor bronze bush and the main shaft built up with weld and machined. A thread in the aluminum oil reservoir was helicoiled to cure the leak. Despite adjusting the injectors, the engine smoked even worse than it did before and the project stalled although a road registration was obtained! 

Following an exchange with JAP 750cc V-Twin truck 42425, 54689 moved to a new home in Nailsworth Glos on 15/04/2006 .