Combat Dealers – Lanes Group director in line to become a TV star

Lanes Group Director Bruce Crompton is in line to become a TV celebrity after filming a documentary series about his passion as a collector and curator of classic military vehicles.

The makers of Combat Dealers, launched on Quest Channel at 10pm on April 30, believe they have a hit on their hands, thanks in no small part to the larger-than-life passion that Bruce Crompton, director of Lanes Group’s Rail Division, demonstrates for his life-long hobby.

Quest channel can be viewed on Sky 167, Freeview 38 and Virgin Media 179.

Bruce said:

“I have two major passions in my life. One is building Lanes Group’s rail services, and delivering great service for our clients. The other is military memorabilia, especially rare classic military vehicles.

“I loved making Combat Dealers and the producers are very excited about how it’s turned out. It’s getting a lot of favourable press coverage and the series has already been sold around the world.

“They’ve tapped into a world that I’ve inhabited for decades, which hasn’t been covered by TV properly until now, but which appears to be generating a huge amount of interest.”

The 57-year-old former British Army paratrooper has been a Lanes Group director for more than 15 years. He has helped build up a near £20 million turnover business, with major contracts for specialist drainage services, plus structure and building maintenance and repairs in the rail sector.

This month, London Underground announced it was appointing Lanes Group to be one of 24 specialist contractors for an innovative and collaborative programme, valued at £330m, to refurbish 70 stations.

In his spare time, Bruce has been turning what started as a hobby into a family business, Axis Track Services, which is run by his son, Max. They have a world-wide reputation for finding, restoring and dealing in classic military vehicles, focussing mainly on the First and Second World Wars.

Bruce has built up his own personal collection of military vehicles, and gallantry medals. As a keen and expert amateur historian, he researches the personal stories behind his memorabilia, keeping alive the memory of the people associated with it.

Bruce’s arsenal of military hardware and his expertise are in constant demand. For example, he supplied equipment for Brad Pitt’s new WW2 movie, Fury, due to be released in November.

In the first of six one-hour episodes of Combat Dealers, made by Quest TV, Bruce swims a German Army amphibious vehicle called a Schwimmwagen, and goes on the hunt for one abandoned in Normandy. He also searches out a wartime Harley Davidson.

Later, he carries out a parachute jump at the same spot where paratroopers landed on D-Day in France. He said:

“It is all very exciting stuff. What I care about most, though, is recording the stories of the amazing soldiers who used these machines. I often invite veterans to view my collection of vehicles and have a go on them. Some have actually used them in combat.

“We also have visits from parties of school children. It’s important that we remember the sacrifices these veterans made, and the horrors of war, so we can try to avoid conflict in the future.”

Through Bruce, in 2012, Lanes Group funded the restoration of a rare vehicle called a Kettenkrad, which is part tank and part motorbike, for Bovington Tank Museum in Dorset. Bruce says he finds Lanes Group clients are also very interested in his hobby, adding:

“Lanes works in a technical, innovative environment, and a lot of clients, like me, are interested in the technological aspects of military equipment.

“Military history, and associated past-times such as military modelling and historical re-enactment, are hugely popular. This is what the programme makers are so excited about. There’re a lot of military geeks like me out there!”