Seddon Atkinson at Work: 400, 401 & 4-11 (Hardback) - Patrick W Dyer

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. This 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. This is his sixth book for Old Pond.