Seddon Atkinson at Work: 400, 401 & 4-11, Patrick W Dyer. Hardback book, 210 x 265 mm (landscape), 144 pages inc. 208 photographs. ISBN 978-1-908397-43-0. Now available from Old Pond at £19.95.
In 1970, Oldham-based Seddon took over the struggling Atkinson, based in Preston, merging two of the greatest companies in British truck manufacturing. It was a partnership that would later see substantial backing from International Harvester in the mutually beneficial takeover of 1974.
In this book Patrick Dyer looks at Seddon Atkinson’s premium range from the period 1975–88. The new range, which began as the 400, was designed to provide a British-built alternative to the European products – led by Volvo and Scania – that were dominating the market at the time.
Equipped with a luxurious tilt cab made of steel and strong drivelines comprising proven proprietary components, the 400 was an immediate hit and soon took the top spot for heavy-weight trucks in the UK. The 401, introduced in 1981, sparked an evolution process with Seddon Atkinson producing a truck that included new features suggested by drivers. The 4-11 saw production through to its end in 1988.
The book charts the development of the 400, 401 and 4-11 over the thirteen years of production. The fine selection of photographs, a quarter of which were sourced from the Seddon Atkinson Historic Archive, is supported by Patrick Dyer’s informative text.
Although Patrick Dyer’s day job is in motor sport, he holds a Class One licence and drives whenever the opportunity arises. Patrick grew up during one of the most notable and exciting periods of development for heavy trucks and also the last of the real glory days for trucking as an industry. This is reflected in his subject matter. His previous books covered the LB110, 111 and 141 from Scania, the 2800, 3300 and 3600 from DAF, the Ford Transcontinental and the F88 and F89 from Volvo. They are all available on the Trucks and Heavy Loads section of the Old Pond website.
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