Wigan Album

Was Bob the ratman?

That Commer is brand new B reg 1964, it still has the plastic covers on the seats. These Commer vans were used quite often in the 60s/70s by the GPO, Telecom and BR to name three. They later became Dodge vans.
Good photo Arthur.

Been much better with JP or EK number plates.

Colin, You picked up on something there. Bob was extremely proud of his new van and looked after it as though it was his own. I left Hindley UDC in 1971 and the van was still "like new" I have been told that it was transfered to Wigan in 1974, still shiny, but rotten underneath - common I suppose of most vehicles at that time. Sorry about the reg. no. Garry, but it was bought from a Manchester dealership so they registered it with a Manchester reg. no. Finally, yes, Bob was the Ratman He was also a real "Gent"

I remember a lady having trouble with rats in her garden in the new bungalows in Longton St down Liverpool rd.She asked us lads to come with our dogs to get them.Bob arrived and watched us as we caught 4 or 5 rats.He just said that we would do him out of a job.He was a very nice bloke.Did the van have his name on at the bottom of the door?

These Commer vans (of different models) seem to have been quite common in the 50s and 60s; my dad had two of those Express Delivery vans in the 60s, as did one or two other people around the area. Yet today, even amongst all the classic and vintage cars and vehicles out there and the dedicated enthusiasts and preservations/restorers, these Commer vans, especially the small express vans, seem to be very rare now for some reason. You'd be lucky to find just one for sale or come across one at a classic car show, unlike other similar cars of the time like the Ford Thames vans and Morris Traveller. I wonder why so few of these are left compared to other similar makes of the time. Didnt know councils used them though. Strange about the rats and how we seemed to have a problem with them back then, yet today we leave more rubbish about and you rarely hear stories of rat invested houses.

Wigan Grammar School had one of these in the 60s for adventure Club and sports teams outings. I used to think it was really cool. A few years later, I drove one. they were awful to drive, very woolly steering, the upper body seemed to roll in a different direction from the chassis, and you almost needed two hands on the gear lever to change gear it was so long and unwieldy. not surprised they aren't collectible.

Yes Al they were very common in the 60s with campervans too, although VW were at that time market leaders. As you say rare these days to find one. The commer van were not an easy vehicle to work on with it's underslung engine at the side of the driver and passenger (as most vans at the time did) Also rare was to have the handbrake on the front wheels...if I remember right, it was a silly contraption. When the Ford Transit was launched in 1965, it brought a all new design in working vans, that was never seen before, and to this day the Transit is still going strong with another all-new design out now.

Colin. Your comments about the Ford Transist are spot on. The Commer I drove was at Newcastle University where it was used for feold trips. The department then also bought a Transit and we used to practically fight over who drove which minbus. the Transit was much more like driving a a car in terms of layout and driving experience whereas te Commer was much more like a lorry !!