Designed for the export markets in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, it was particularly popular in Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

The truck was produced in the Leyland plant in Wolverhampton between 1980 and 1982, when production moved to Bathgate, and then finally to Watford in 1984.

Kits were exported from these plants to Leyland factories in Yizhu, Taiwan; Ibadan, Nigeria; and Thika, Kenya; where they were assembled.

[1] The design drew upon the expertise of Scammell Lorries, which was also owned by Leyland, and had produced a number of successful large military trucks, including the Commander.

[2] Similarly, the truck reflected the design of the Thornycroft tractors which were manufactured by the company at the same time.

[4] The truck was a bonneted design optimised for operating over poor roads for long distances, where refuelling and servicing facilities were infrequent.

[8] The truck was initially powered by a range of four different six cylinder diesel engines, all of 14 litres (854 in3) capacity.

The TL12 itself was the second engine available in the Landtrain, but in a lower revving version rated at 210 kW (280 bhp) at 2000 rpm and providing ten per cent more torque.

[8] They were used for a wide range of tasks, whether general operations or more specialised work like providing emergency relief in Sudan or helping to rebuild the runway in Port Stanley after the Falklands War.

The sponsor, an Alhaji Chanchanji, gave the prize money to an orphanage near to the Leyland factory in Nigeria.