The AEC Marshal name was used twice by Associated Equipment Company. It first appeared before the Second World War on a 6×4 three-ton military lorry, and it returned in 1961 for medium-duty 6×2 and 6×4 lorries that stayed in production until 1977.
AEC Marshal at a glance
| Maker | Associated Equipment Company (AEC), Southall |
|---|---|
| First series | pre-war 6×4 three-ton military lorry |
| Marshal 644 | 1932/35–1941, 6×4 military truck |
| Wartime bodies | various; some RAF vehicles used as cranes with Coles equipment |
| Second series | medium-duty 6×2 and 6×4 lorries, 1961–1977 |
| Marshal GM6 | 1961–1966, Mk.V cab |
| Marshal TGM6 | 1965–1977, Ergomatic tilting cab |
| Marshal Major | model 2TGM6, larger but downrated engine |
| Marshal 8 | model TGM8, 8×4, 1967–1968 |
| Related 6×6 | the wartime “Marshall”, almost always called Matador |
There is no separate Wikipedia article on the AEC Marshal; the facts above come from the model list in the article on Associated Equipment Company.
History of the AEC Marshal
The original Marshal was a pre-war 6×4 three-ton military lorry, built with a variety of body styles. Some went to the Royal Air Force in the form of cranes fitted with Coles equipment. The production model was the 644, listed as being built from 1932/35 to 1941: the 1932 prototypes included both normal-control and cabover versions, but every production vehicle was a cabover.
The name also appears in a slightly different spelling during the war. A 6×6 version of the Matador was designated the AEC Marshall, although it was almost always called a Matador, and 400 armoured command vehicles, popularly known as Dorchesters, were built on Matador and Marshall chassis.
The Marshal returned in 1961 as a medium-duty lorry. The GM6 of 1961–66 was a 6×2 or 6×4 cabover with the Mk.V cab; the TGM6 of 1965–77 used the Ergomatic tilting cab, and a variant with a larger but downrated engine was sold as the Marshal Major, model 2TGM6. The Marshal 8, model TGM8, was an 8×4 medium-duty cabover built in 1967–68. The line sat between AEC’s light and heavy lorries in a range that the company built at Southall from 1912 until 1979.
Design and features
- Two careers: a pre-war 6×4 military lorry and, from 1961, a medium-duty civilian range.
- Cabover production: the wartime prototypes included normal-control vehicles, but production Marshal 644s were all cabovers.
- Ergomatic cab: the TGM6 of 1965–77 used AEC’s tilting Ergomatic cab.
- Marshal Major: a larger, downrated engine distinguished the 2TGM6 from the standard TGM6.
AEC Marshal versions
- Marshal 644 (1932/35–1941): 6×4 three-ton military truck.
- Marshal GM6 (1961–1966): 6×2 or 6×4 medium-duty cabover with Mk.V cab.
- Marshal TGM6 (1965–1977): 6×2 or 6×4 cabover with Ergomatic tilting cab.
- Marshal Major (2TGM6): TGM6 with a larger but downrated engine.
- Marshal 8 (TGM8, 1967–1968): 8×4 medium-duty cabover.
The wartime six-wheeler was usually called the Matador, and the post-war six-wheel replacement was the Militant. More AEC vehicles are in the AEC collection.
Video: Fully loaded AEC Marshal hill climbing
Video by CatMan on YouTube.
Sources
- Associated Equipment Company, English Wikipedia: model list, dates, cabs, wartime use
