Ross Auto Engineering was a British manufacturer of milk floats and other battery electric road vehicles. The company was formed in 1949 by Victor Electrics, another manufacturer of milk floats. In 1955 they took over the production of Helecs battery electric road vehicles, and also introduced their own models. With the rapid demise of home milk deliveries, production of vehicles ceased in the 1980s, by which time the company had diversified into mobility services, and began trading as Ross Care.
A Ross Stallion 30cwt milk float, registration number PFK339M, built in 1973 and operated by Bennetts Farms. It is preserved at The Transport Museum, Wythall.
A Helecs 10 Rider Pram on display at The Transport Museum, Wythall. These vehicles were officially built by Ross Auto Engineering, but carried chassis plates for Helecs Vehicles Ltd.
Victor Electrics Ltd was a British manufacturer of milk floats and other battery electric road vehicles. The company was formed in 1923 by Outram's Bakery in Southport, Merseyside, to make bread vans for their own use, but they soon diversified into other markets, including the Dairy industry. Their first vehicles had bonnets, like conventional vans, which stored the batteries, but by 1935 all of their vehicles were forward control models, with the cab at the front. They were acquired by Brook Motors in 1967, and became part of the Hawker Siddeley group in 1970. They made a small number of railway locomotives during this latter period.
One of the first bread vans built for Outram's Bakery by Victor Electrics. The picture dates from 1927.
The only extant Victor milk float is awaiting restoration at the Wythall Transport Museum