One clue is that the letter " M " at the end of the registration number was issued by the D.V.L.A. in 1973.

These pictures would be arount 1973-74 The two refuse vehicles in the photo were a Dennis Bulk Master On the left, how the vehicle operated was as follows; They would hold refuse from about 200 to 300 properties, the bins would be emptied into a hopper in the rear of the vehicle and when a button was pressed a compaction plate would raise up, the hopper would rise up to the plate and the plate would press the refuse into the back of the lorry to take to the landfill sites or the incinerator on hermitage Lane, Mansfield, They was also used for the collection of large household waste such as furniture etc. it was amazing to see a sideboard crushed to match wood by the hydraulic compaction plate. The one on the right was a Leyland Shark this operated by a large revolving drum the refuse bins would be emptied into the back of the vehicle and screw action would force the refuse to the front of the drum until it was full it held slightly more refuse than the Bulk master as it tor items to shreds as they went through the teeth. The problem was on emptying the refuse it would take ten to fifteen minuets to empty this large drum. If the lorry went to Landfill it would very Houghton get stuck due to the heavy drum turning as it would make the wheels sink into the soft ground

Tuesday 16th July 1974, an exhibition of the councils refuse collection vehicles in conjunction with the 'Keep Mansfield Tidy' campaign. 300 schoolchildren and other visitors were shown demonstrations of how some the new vehicles could compact furniture and mattresses!