We were delighted to welcome Lady Elizabeth and her proud owners and restorers, Cookie and Libby, to our recent Breakfast Meet held in the beautiful grounds of the National Motor Museum.
LADY ELIZABETH: A 1965 ATKINSON SILVER KNIGHT
Founded in 1907, Atkinson Vehicles developed a strong reputation through the interwar and post-war decades for building durable, highly adaptable chassis tailored to operators who demanded dependable performance. By the 1950s and 1960s, the company stood alongside major British manufacturers such as Foden Trucks, ERF, AEC, and Leyland Motors as a key player in the heavy vehicle market.
From this heritage came the Silver Knight, a model that reflected Atkinson’s straightforward engineering philosophy and commitment to strength and practicality. Its arrival coincided with a period of major change in British transport. During the mid-1960s, the rapid expansion of the motorway network, including routes such as the M1 motorway, transformed long-distance haulage. Against this backdrop, the Silver Knight worked at the heart of an economy still powered by manufacturing, coal, steel production, and busy port operations, proving itself a capable and reliable presence on a modernising road system.
This striking 1965 Atkinson Silver Knight very nearly did not survive. Cookie rescued the lorry from imminent destruction and named her Lady Elizabeth in honour of his wife, Libby.
“Cookie bought it for scrap value in around 2001 or 2002,” Libby explains. “It was about to be destroyed.”
Cookie nods. “There was practically nothing left of it. This was in around 2001 or 2002, and I paid £350 for it.”
What others might have seen as a lost cause, Cookie saw as potential. An HGV mechanic by trade, he embarked on what would become an 18-year restoration journey, a labour of love that he still considers an ongoing project.
Over the years, Lady Elizabeth has had extensive work. The engine was rebuilt after it dropped a valve, and just last year a specialist firm in Bradford fitted a new clutch. Cookie’s dedication to authenticity and mechanical integrity is clear in every detail.
A PERSONAL CONNECTION
Lady Elizabeth represents a significant chapter in Cookie’s life. After passing his HGV test and gaining his licence, one of the first trucks he drove was an Atkinson, making this Silver Knight particularly meaningful. The truck is, in many ways, a tribute to Cookie’s early career, to friendships forged on the workshop floor, and to family.
“I did my apprenticeship at Ingrem & Son, so the colours are Ingrem’s,” he explains proudly. “Painted onto the rear of the cab are the names of some of the lads I worked with.” Libby adds with a smile, “On the other side of the cab, you will see our grandchildren’s names. We have seven grandchildren! We are very lucky.”
SHOW SEASON IN THE SOUTH
Cookie and Libby are enthusiastic supporters of classic vehicle events and can often be found exhibiting Lady Elizabeth at shows across the south of England.
“We take her all over the place,” says Libby. “Shows at Gillingham, Pilford, as well as Truck Fest shows in Shepton Mallet and Somerset, and at Newbury.”
Unlike some owners who transport their show vehicles on low-loaders, Cookie prefers to do things properly. “We drive!” he says with a grin. “A lot of people bring these sorts of vehicles on low-loaders, but we always enjoy the drive.”
THE NEXT CHALLENGE
The work doesn't stop there. Cookie’s latest undertaking is a 1952 AEC Mammoth Major tanker, an ESSO tanker, though he admits there is practically nothing left of the cab.
Given what he achieved with Lady Elizabeth, there is little doubt that this new project is in capable hands.
From a £350 near-scrap purchase to a beautifully restored showpiece, Lady Elizabeth stands as a testament to skill, perseverance and passion, and to a couple who truly love the road ahead.
Our thanks to Cookie and Libby for sharing their story with us.
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