The Automobile Association

[trigger]

I love period photos of old recovery trucks at work so imagine my delight at the AA's recent Flickr upload, I thought I'd share a few here with you.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/automobile-association/with/10016251056/

 

relay2A4 Relay Dodge Chichester Marina June 1983 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay1A4 Relay Dodge Chichester Marina June 1983 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_Landrover_FlatbedTrailer_1973 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_Landrover_20130705 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_FordTransit_ABar_May1976_20130704 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_FordDSeries_IntegralCab_LowLoader_Jul1973_20130704 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Does it get much more Autoshite than this one?! 

 

Relay_FordDSeries_IntegralCab_FlatbedSpeclift_20130704 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_FordDSeries_IntegralCab_BeaverTailbed_Nov1979_F_20130704 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_FordDSeries_IntegralCab_BeaverTailbed_Nov1979_E_20130704 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_FordDSeries_IntegralCab_BeaverTailbed_Nov1979_C_20130704 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_FordDSeries_IntegralCab_BeaverTailbed_Nov1979_A_20130704 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_FordDSeries_IntegralCab_BeaverTailbed_Jan1979_20130704 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_FordASeries_IntegralCab_Flatbed_May1976_B_20130705 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_FordASeries_IntegralCab_Flatbed_May1976_A_20130705 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_BedfordJ3_FlatbedTruck_May1974_B_20130705.jpg by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_BedfordJ3_FlatbedTruck_May1974_A_20130705 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Relay_BedfordJ3_FlatbedTruck_1973_Low-Res_20130709 002 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

PreRelay_Landrover_MotorcycleTrailer by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

PreRelay_BedfordCF_BeaverTail_Oct1971_D_20130709 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

PreRelay_BedfordCF_BeaverTail_Oct1971_C_20130709 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

PreRelay_BedfordCF_BeaverTail_Oct1971_A_20130709 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

PreRelay_Bedford_Hydrolift_Jersey by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

[Partridge]

I will always have a soft spot for the AA. I had tons of those little AA Corgi vans when I was a kiddie, and later on went on to learn to drive with them.

[hairnet]

victor (sniff)

[fordperv]

cool pictures

[trigger]

And a few more older one's to add too the mix.

 

Highland Patrol_030 Bonar Bridge 30 Oct 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_029 Jan 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_028 Jan 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_027 20 Jan 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_026 Jan 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_025 Bruan Caithness Jan 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_023 Devil's Elbow Nov 1965 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_022 20 Jan 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_021 mobile radio control office Inverness Jul 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_020 Kyleakin Ferry Castle Moll Aug 1966 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_017 nr Ullapool Ross-shire Jul 1964 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_015 Jan 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_014 nr Lybster Caithness Jan 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_013 Bonar Bridge 30 Oct 1957 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_012 Bonar Bridge 30 Oct 1957 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_011 nr Achnasheen Jul 1964 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_010 Dalrulzian AA box Glenshee road Jul 1962 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_009 nr Berriedale Caithness Jan 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_006 A9 nr Carrbridge winter 1973-74 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

Highland Patrol_004 Loch Beneveian Spring 1958 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

[dollywobbler]

That Bedford Hydrolift is remarkable! An AA-preserved Landy Series III lives not far from me. Chap also has a Vauxhall Brava that he looks after for The AA. I must drop in and see him at some point.

[Lukas]

Just to provoke a bit: Not many japanese cars getting towed away!

[vulgalour]

Well I'm not buying a Ford, look at em all, broken down everywhere making a mess of the place.

[Junkman]

Just to provoke a bit: Not many japanese cars getting towed away!

 

The Japanese didn't know what a car is back then. But note that no Rover P6 required assistance.

So, how's that for provocative and controversial?

[Wilko220]

Brilliant stuff - thanks for sharing

[cort16]

I like the Beret's. Elite shite rescue force.

[phil_lihp]

Brilliant stuff - thanks for sharing

 

What he said ^^^

[DSdriver]

I was expecting to see more Vauxhall Vivas.

Excellent pics, I will lust over them properly when I have more time.

[Junkman]

How come that chod the AA used didn't break down?

[Joey spud]

These were the good old days for the AA and RAC when you were proud to wear the uniform and allways went that extra mile and the vehicles used were the best available and service came way before profit.

 

Now days its cheap vans and pissed off staff,these once proud institutions are both now owned by asset stripping venture capitalist companies who greedily fill their pockets and try to fleece as much money from their members as possible.

 

Then after a few years once everything has been squeezed dry they sell on whats left and look for another company to leech off.

[mercrocker]

Well said, JoeySpud....Great pics, thanks for sharing Trigger!    I know it goes against Bye Law No. 1 of Autoshitery but I have always been an AA member, well ever since I bought my first auto and knew it wouldn't bump start....   Still great lads but they have a wall of bollocks to deal with corporately speaking.    Wish they kept some of this old stuff to cart my old chod around, it would look as good as these shots (apart from the hi-viz of course..).  Anyway I am working late and the grown ups have gone so I shall be on that website very soon....

[chaseracer]

 

 

Living not far from Hednesford Raceway as I do, this is a combination I still see from time to time...

 

 

[Grundig]

Always had a liking for the transit  'A'  series & love old photos of "everyday" life like these 

[chaseracer]

Me too, because I'm old enough to remember when the world was mostly B&W and colour was for posh people...

[wuvvum]

 

 

Relay_FordDSeries_IntegralCab_BeaverTailbed_Nov1979_F_20130704 by Automobile Association, on Flickr

 

 

Snap!  (well, sort of...)

 

[mouseflakes]

Some of those cars look quite lost on the backs of the trucks - today's bloaters would take up a bit more space.

[Mr Livered]

These were the good old days for the AA and RAC when you were proud to wear the uniform and allways went that extra mile and the vehicles used were the best available and service came way before profit.

 

Now days its cheap vans and pissed off staff,these once proud institutions are both now owned by asset stripping venture capitalist companies who greedily fill their pockets and try to fleece as much money from their members as possible.

 

Then after a few years once everything has been squeezed dry they sell on whats left and look for another company to leech off.

 

Quite so. I was an AA member when they decided to demutualise, so I received a cheque for - iirc - something like £70?

 

I was pretty chuffed at the time, which looking back was an astounding piece of short-sighted carpetbaggery/mingebaggery/stupidity, because in retrospect it marked the end of a genuinely useful organisation as it morphed into a bunch of money-grabbing bastards.

 

I'm still a member though, because I tell myself that the actual patrolmen are the same as they always were, and they must be as annoyed as anyone else (more so in fact) about the way it's gone. I was talking to an AA man not so long ago, who was thoroughly pissed off about the huge number of memberships he's expected to try to sell. He's a mechanic not a salesman FFS.

[Faker]

Awesome find. Good work trig.

[Jim Bell]

Top contenting Trigger.

Bonus points for ph1 Volvo 343 content.

[Junkman]

The dirty competition:

 

 

[Barry Cade]

If you have an hour or 3 to spare, and have any interest in the recovery industry, then this website is worth a browse... you wouldn't believe the skullduggery that went on (and still does) in this business..

 

http://www.vehiclerecovery.org/

 

[Barry Cade]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pruVBh0i7iI&list=PL3F8A066644FF56E4&index=1

[phil_lihp]

It's not something I'd normally say about a commercial vehicle, but those Bedford J Types are handsome things aren't they?  I don't think I've ever seen one before.

[Barry Cade]

[Barry Cade]