Our Editor came up with the remark when musing through Picture Post candidates. Writing the caption for Terry Godbold's ex-Knowles of Wimblington Atkinson Borderer six-wheeled artic unit in December '04 T&D, he asked: "Could this be the last working Atki?"

Well, it is more than 30 years since the efforts of Seddon and Atkinson were merged and these two individual marques disappeared. So surely those products from Walton-le-Dale will have long ago said goodbye to the cut and thrust of having to earn their keep?

Yes, even though his words will have sent shudders through the frame of every Atkinson devotee in the land, Editor Young was obviously on safe ground in making such a suggestion… or was he? We didn't have to wait long to hear the jungle telegraph humming from Lincolnshire. As regular readers of T&D will be aware, John Huddleston has had a long-term affinity for Atkinsons.

However, he's not a guy who simply wants to keep them for the preservation scene. "If they're in the yard, they should be fit enough for work," could be the Huddleston attitude towards his modest fleet, which has long featured Atkinson's finest. Of course in these days of driver power - when the guy behind the wheel can often influence the boss as to the motor he buys - John needs to find someone crazy enough to drive these museum pieces. Step up Colin Rawson, who's been in Huddleston employ for the past 16 years or so.

We've already questioned Colin's sanity because as far back as T&D July 1994 we reported on how Colin was piloting the big-cab Huddleston Atkinson six-wheeler, which did sterling service for its owner. When that Atki was taken off the road to be refurbished, Colin went to a 1972 Scammell Trunker (T&D Nov '96) before a 1958 Mark 1 Atki (yes, 1958) became his regular steed - see T&D July '99.

(For full story see May's edition of T&D)