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Back in 2009/10, I happened across a forum post regarding an ex-Southern Electricity Board (SEB) series IIA Land-Rover, semi-abandoned in a barn in Surrey. Already owning an ex-SEB 109” 1-Ton I was intrigued by this IIA, a short-wheelbase, and decided to go have a look. What I found was a pretty rotten but complete and fairly un-molested IIA 88” petrol, slowly sinking into the earth in a open sided barn. The thinking was to do it up for my then partner to drive, and we could use it for longer trips, sparing the 1-Ton which can be a bit of a chore over longer distances. A deal was done and the IIA made its way to my place. Not much happened in the next few years, I bought parts, did a few little jobs and with the help of some friends did actually get the thing running, just about. I found it was really in pretty poor condition. The chassis was rotten, especially on the nearside, and the bulkhead was frankly awful. There were a couple of false starts on getting it restored, and it basically lay untouched for years.

Above – Neil looking forlorn in the snow

By 2020 I had bought my own place, the ex was long gone but I could finally focus on the vehicle which had been sat in my garage since I moved in. I had bought a galvanised chassis not long after buying the vehicle, this has been dressed with the main components and painted, but the bulkhead and radiator panel had not been touched. My thinking was get the steelwork done. Enter Emrys Kirby, a fellow land rover nut from up north who very kindly agreed to weld up the steel components for me. Emrys skilfully repaired them, keeping as much of the original steel as possible. Had this been a generic old farmers Land Rover we would probably not have bothered, but in this case original signwriting on the dash panel above the steering column pushed us to repair rather than replace.

Above – If you look carefully above the steering wheel, you can make out the original Sign writing.

With the steelwork done and painted, Emrys came down to my place to give me a hand assembling the vehicle so I could decide how to go forward with it. Over coffee and bagels, we put everything back together, and Emrys agreed to take on the vehicle as a restoration project for me.

The intervening years had not been kind. After service with SEB the 88” had apparently ended up at Dunsfold Land Rovers, this would have been in 1976. I assume they repainted it in deep bronze green and fitted the windows into the hard top, alpine lights and roof vents. The side opening rear door may have come from them too. It had then ended up being used to train “juvenile delinquents” in motor vehicle maintenance. Presumably it was they who fitted various new parts to the vehicle, as well as giving it an absolutely ghastly overall black paint job, done with a combination of rattle cans and a yard brush by the looks of it.

The decision was made to get the vehicle to a presentable standard, to honour its service with SEB whilst also being a comfortable and somewhat practical runabout. I didn’t really want to change anything, it was so original, just tatty and tired. It certainly needed a repaint, as some panels were replaced, and I didn’t like the “dragged out of a hedge” look.

In October 2023 I trucked up to Emrys’ place with the 88” on a trailer behind my 110 Tdci, so now it was game on for the rebuild. Over the next few months Emrys took the vehicle apart, then slowly put the restored components together again. Unlike in the Humpty Dumpty story though, Emrys was working alone.

Above – New Steel work replaced the rot on the original bulkhead.

The rolling chassis was assembled with reconditioned axles, springs, new shock absorbers, new brake pipes etc. The engine was found to be seized and ended up being rebuilt, thankfully not too expensive on a 2.25 petrol, but it was so bad everything had to be overbored to +30, with cylinder one even needing to be sleeved! The gearbox was also reconditioned. The bodywork was stripped, straightened and repainted by a contact of Emrys’, Wayne Taylor, a specialist auto paint expert.  The colour choice was determined by the vehicle’s history. When originally ordered the vehicle was in a sort of emerald, green, quite a lovely colour actually, but in typical fashion of large organisations, SEB decided to change to a different colour not long after the vehicle was ordered. So, the interior is in Verona Green, with the exterior in Atlantic Green. I found no evidence the vehicle was ever used in the Verona Green, I suspect it was repainted when still very new, if not before it actually entered service.

Below – A seized engine led to a rebuild and overbore

The body slowly went back together, Emrys fitted elements such as the new wiring loom, pedal boxes, accelerator linkage and so on. I made a few trips up north to help fitting things like the roof, wheels and tyres, lights, numberplates and such.

By early 2025 we pretty much had a running vehicle, with pretty much everything having been worked on bar the differentials. I took it for a drive in April 25, finding it to be nicely powerful and smooth, with a slick gearchange and a distinct lack of body rattles or any untoward noises. Just engine, gearbox and tyres. The speedometer was flapping around like a windsock in a gale to I sent that off to be refurbished, and at the time of writing we are awaiting the final construction of the ladder rack, but all being well it should be with me in the new few weeks and then will appear at shows over the coming months. I wanted it to be a comfortable place to spend time, so I had door cards fitted. This is not so much an affectation as it appears it did have door cards when new, the holes in the door frames showing signs of factory applied paint. Rear bench seats were also fitted. The interior is actually a mix of new and old paint. The bulkhead and floor plates, and the forward gearbox to bulkhead filler piece are in new paint, the gearbox tunnel and seat box are in original paint, as they bore only a subtle patina, having never been repainted. The panel behind the seats is also in original paint, as are the vent flaps.

Above – Now painted in the correct Ex-Southern electricity hue, the body started to come together.

Tyres are 7.50R16 Michelin XS I found new old stock, the board may have fitted such tyres in service. I found the speedometer to the correct for 7.50 tyres, probably specified by the board for improved off road ability.

When I first heard of the vehicle it was due to someone having bought the winch off it, which turned out to be a Fairey capstan winch. I had bought one years ago to go on. This was refurbished by LR Optional Equipment in Stamford and really is lovely work.

Overall, the vehicle is now solid, reliable and a tribute to its history and that of SEB, and I am excitedly looking forward to getting a few miles under the tyres. By the way, we ended up naming the thing Neil. The registration plate being “HMO”, which in landlord speak is house of multiple occupancy…this led to the pet shop boy’s song “Rent” and from there to Neil Tennant…

Above – Neil in all his glory! Keep an eye out for Neil over the coming months and do come say hi if you see us about!