Evening all, Fergie, what a feast of photographs!!
Starting at the bottom, (as befits me), for today, …yet another 1500gallons from the odious depths of the domestic septic tank…and more rain tonight…so I have left her coupled up, for there is little to do on fields so wet that they do not allow any water to soak away…now how can one grow rice■■?
Andre Bonifay, of La Garde, Var, has a quite remarkable collection of old French equipment, many, well preserved , await renovation, (or sale…but he knows the values)! Plus some beautifully restored pieces. The image shows his 230hp, AEC engined Willeme , LF202H, fitted with the Cottard, (Bourg en Bresse), Horizon cab. It is coupled to one of his old tipping trailers, I cannot remember if this is a Coder, or Heulitz, but to answer your question ROF is fitted with the contemporary French tipping rams, outside of the chassis rails. With the body down, they point forward, as the body is tipped they rise to vertical at maximum elevation. The trailer is quite stable, even on uneven ground, or with a “sticky” load, but this type of ram is heavy, and in some cases Coder fitted two more “helper” rams inside the chassis rails, slightly rearward of the outside ones…the speed that some of these articulated trailers could tip at was amazing, particularly those on “Traveaux Publics” work, and the weights that they carried…wow!!! But they were incredibly stable when compared to the UK type of front end gear.
Same thing with the universal 6x4 TP tippers, Mack, Berliet, Saviem,and Unic. Heavy construction, solid stable underfloor tipping gear…but they did work at 26tonnes…32…40…plus tonnes!!!
Bonifay also has a delectable "Nez de Requin, Willeme LD610T, often seen with this trailer…and I think he has an R356 or R360 Berliet/Renault as well…if Michel reads this he will know and advise us, for I think that he knows both Bonifay, and Casalet quite well. I think that in the collection is also a Willeme-PRP TG 6x4 ballast tractor 150 tonner, with a ■■■■■■■ 335, now that is some lorry! But those AEC engine Willeme`s were a great hit with French operators, and Willeme also marketed the BMC range under their name, again popular…then Leyland killed it dead! Willeme needed assistance, either a joint venture/partner, or cash injection, (the French truck market of the 60s was dire), but Leyland chose to walk away…why? Never ever explained!
Then Fergie shows the finest French lorry never sent to the UK, the Saviem PS30. Powered by the upright MAN PR6T,280 net DINhp, 6 cylinder, with the double reduction P1332 rear axle, and either Saviems own synchromesh GV350 10 speed box, or the Saint Nazaire built RTO9513 Fuller. Weighed less than 7 tonnes ready to go, full of fuel , and on some of our press tests.....Poids Lourd, LOfficiel des Transporter, La Vie des Transporter, at 38 tonnes averaged out at 39 litres per 100 kms, and an average speed of 65kph…pretty outstanding back in 78.
An absolute dream to drive, ultra quiet, flat floor, real ventilation without a/c, very precise steering, a gearchange to dream about, (Fuller of course), and a creamy, responsive, grunt filled sweet six cylinder…who did not drink a lot! Hills…what hills…you just did not notice them. Oh I loved to drive that lorry! But she got me expelled from school!
At Trucks 79 Eurotest I was there with the Berliet TR305, black and chrome, a visual delight , and as a standard lorry a real delight. Pat, (Kennett), loved her, was surprised at her economy, and her wonderfully easy driving style. But Pat and I had known each other for years…so there was no bull between us. So I had a little wager with him that the sensational vehicle of that test would be…the MAN.
So of course when my prediction came true…Pat was after me for the details…and of course I told him…
Pat, being Pat did not let it rest there, and chased every contact that he had in RVI for details of this" hidden" gem of a lorry, the Saviem PS30. That was when the ceiling fell in on poor hapless me! For I swiftly found myself “on the carpet” for “was I not a true Renault man”, where marque loyalty, Saviem, or Berliet did not exist any longer…and did I not realise that Saviem heavies were “dead”…Berliet, and Maxi-Couple from now on…oh sackcloth and ashes would be too lenient…so I found myself back at Blainville…and studying the specification of our new Mack MS Serie…and then I was away to that other great English…(really)…, speaking nation…who drive on the right.
But I still love the PS30, and Fergies picture of the Calberson liveried example reminds me of other stories regarding that great company…and how many Transport operators do you recall having a Radio Station on their own premises, that had a captivated National audience…■■?
Transports Diguidard, Fergie they should be on the North African thread!!! A fascinating company…as was your earlier image of Mdme Stouffs SM300 V8, a “real” Middle East outfit, …wonder how many in the fleet had that same number plate■■? Never ever take a trade in from Stouff, I was advised…but in the heat of battle I did…another story for another day perhaps…
I have gone on too long, forgive me, for those pictures drown out the rain, and cold, and bring back the warmth of dear France, and those early Saviems, with the 836 cab,( a pleasant workplace), powered by the old SOMUA diesel, or in the case of the “streamlined” Bonbel outfit, with a rare, but good Henschel diesel, from the short lived joint venture, but the others have the MAN designs to move them along…
Happy days, and the sun always seemed to shine…even in Robaix!
Thank you for the memories, a small Bollinger I think before bed…
Cheerio for now.