Foden FG6/12

This Foden FG 6/12, with S18 V-fronted cab, was supplied new in March 1951 to E.W. Watts (Haulage) Ltd. of Sutton Coldfield who were primarily livestock hauliers – it is presumed they used it as a livestock float. At this time, it was supplied with a S18 flat-fronted cab and this model could arguably be considered one of the best and most modern-looking post-WW2 lorries on the road.It was sold in 1955 at a British Road Services dispersal sale in Sutton Coldfield to McBride’s Haulage of Broxburn where it worked on both long distance and local work, before being sold in 1960 to showmen. During the latter period of McBride’s ownership it was involved in an accident at Breich crossroads in West Lothian, and since repairs were done through insurance the later style V-fronted S18 cab was fitted.

Whilst the lorry’s exact history, and dates of ownership, from its time on the shows is unknown it is understood to have been in the ownership of the Billy Lovatt for a period where it apparently operated as a bingo stall, before being sold to George Morrison at Broxburn who used it for storage. It was purchased in approximately 1985 by Jim Nisbet who restored it as a platform lorry in the colours of his family’s haulage company, Nisbet’s of Kirknewton. In 1991, it was sold to Alex Anderson, the well-known sawdust and wood-chip contractor of Bo’ness, and painted into his colours – and one of its first outings in Anderson’s livery was on the 1991 London to Brighton road run.

Tennent’s of Wellpark Brewery, Glasgow has a long and varied history dating back to 1556 with Tennent’s Lager first being produced by the company in 1885 by the then owner Hugh Tennent. The history of Tennent’s transport is as interesting as the history of the company itself and fortunately considerable photographic records exist of this transport from over the past 120 years – from horse and cart drays to early lorries (including Caledons, built along the road from the brewery on Duke Street, De Dion Boutons and Sentinel steamers) and from 1930s to 1960s Fodens, Albions, Fordsons and Bedfords to the Volvos of the 1980s before the company outsourced its transport in the 1990s to Tradeteam, which is now part of DHL. More recently, as of 2018, the company ended its contract with DHL and has re-established in-house distribution for secondary deliveries, the majority of which is achieved with DAF vehicles.

Whilst this particular lorry was not original to Tennent’s, it was purchased to match one owned by Tennent’s (registration KYS 332) and to represent a fine and interesting example of Tennent’s haulage history. Sadly, of all known original Tennent’s vehicles, none are believed to have survived. This type of lorry would have supported the company’s international export business through delivering from the brewery to Glasgow docks, as well as carrying out brewery-to-depot shunts and picking up materials from suppliers for the manufacturing process at the brewery.

This lorry was completely restored with great skill, over several years, by Dominic Hannon (son of the well-known lorry restorer Ted Hannon, who provided Dominic with guidance and input where needed on historical detailing) near Durham, with the lorry stripped down to two chassis rails, and every single component thoroughly overhauled and calibrated or replaced as required, including chassis, cross members, springs, differentials, braking system, gear box, engine, radiator, cab components, etc. Great care has been taken to ensure historical accuracy and involved input on the colour choice from Donald Smith who worked for Tennent’s his entire life, having been born in the brewery and ended his career as distribution director.