Oxford Diecast 76DT008 1/76 Diamond T Ballast Edward Beck

 

The Diamond T shown here as a ballast truck for a well-known but long gone family owned company Edward Beck Ltd of Stockport.  Dating back to the early 1940s, the Diamond T was an American vehicle manufactured by the Diamond T Company in Chicago.  Its heavy duty capabilities made it particularly ideal for military use although it was a natural choice in civilian life where it was most suitable for operating on rugged terrain and carrying heavy loads.

 

Edward Beck was born in 1912 and caught the haulage bug whilst working as a driver for a local heavy haulage company delivering sand. Rising up through the ranks, he became a manager just before World War II. After the War, Edward saw a gap in the transport of heavy plant machinery and set up on his own, with an office and a yard in Manchester naming his new company Contractors (Manchester) Ltd.  He adopted the pale yellow livery in 1948 and it became the trademark colour scheme for Edward Beck Ltd from then on. The company went from strength to strength, moving to Reddish near Stockport in 1948 where it was very well placed for expansion and demand for its services, particularly the transport of abnormal loads for the construction industry. It also transported plant from the docks to destinations across the UK. In 1955 he set up another company Contractors (Transport) Ltd., the period of our Oxford model. In 1972, the highly successful Edward Beck & son Ltd decided to wind up the business and the whole family moved to the Isle of Man, where Edward enjoyed his retirement until his death in 1987 aged 74.  His wife died in 2009 aged 96 while his son Teddy and family continue to live there.