West Yorkshire 1022, TWW133, was an AEC Matador O853 4x4, originally supplied to the RAF during World War II and registered 22AN58.
It was acquired by West Yorkshire in the latter half of 1957 and had the original Park Royal wagon body removed.
The Matador was then rebodied as a heavy recovery vehicle in the Body Shop at Central Works, Harrogate. It was fitted with the Harvey-Frost crane from 1004 (YG622), a 1932 Leyland Titan TD2 (WY No.437) which had been converted to a towing lorry in 1948. 1022 retained its original AEC Matador radiator behind its new Mercury-style grille, and entered service in its new role on 1st February 1958, allocated to Harrogate depot. One of its first major duties was to recover Bristol KSW6G DGW2 (LWR422), which had run off the road in a snowstorm on 24th February 1958.

The WYIS recorded 1022's chassis number as O8539533, and the unladen weight with new body as UW 7-14-0. 1022 was renumbered 4022 in the October 1971 renumbering, and was withdrawn in November 1979. It then passed to W North, Sherburn-in-Elmet, complete with crane, and on 4th December 1979 was taken from there on suspended tow for scrap.

Photo taken by the late Bill Counter, Brendan Smith collection, 1960s, Grove Park Depot, Harrogate

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