Children are wonderful. Monique Vandeleur, daughter of Paul, was living away from home in a rented house in Brisbane five odd years ago.

South East Queensland has a hot sub-tropical climate and houses are built up off the ground on posts, or as the locals call them ‘stilts’. This slight elevation allows the hot humid air to circulate. It also provides much needed storage, undercover, away from Queensland’s penetrating sunlight. It was underneath that house Monique noticed the old yellow van. The Vandeleur family has an interest in Volkswagen Combi vans but this old yellow Morris unit collecting dust and cobwebs appealed to Monique.

After tireless pleading with her landlord, custodianship of the ABBCO Bread van # 13 – a 1954 J type – chassis J/R 23528, was arranged.

This Morris J is one of about nine from the ABBCO fleet, which found their way north to Queensland in the late 1970’s. Maurie Catlin, the long retired chief mechanic of ABBCO in Sydney, still recalls that sale. All those vans were in great working condition.

Since the van went to the Vandeleur home it has been cleaned and given a modicum of TLC. Brakes have been renovated, as have most mechanicals. A new wiring loom was installed and the usual rust problems in the sills repaired. Surprisingly, very little serious work was needed to get it running again. Considering the age and history of this hardworking van, this is remarkable.

September 7, 2014, Fathers Day in Oz and Paul went for his first major outing in a J type van. Being a very well behaved Morris J van, J/R 23528 was very happy to wait whilst it’s custodian enjoyed the fare of a French restaurant for brunch. Captivated onlookers smiled. Others with longer memories recalled J type vans making deliveries in their towns. Morris J type owners are accustomed to people smiling and being gleeful.

Monique’s discovery of the dusty yellow van made her dad very thrilled. What better vehicle to go on a Fathers Day drive?

Peter Bateman

Sydney Australia September 8, 2014