Saviem's fan club (Part 1)

Well I’m sitting here with the Bollinger bubbles just caressing the sides of a Stourbridge made lead chrystal glass…and contemplating Fergies picture of STSIs ,( Societe Transports Speceaux Industrie), number 102 Pacific M26 A1 , (non armoured cab), ex Bourgey-Montreuil, (a fellow member of STSI), fitted with a Rootes supercharged HB600 ■■■■■■■ 12 litre, driving through a modified Mack TRQ7220 20 speed transmission, (identical to their DM Mack 6x4s) ,lugging that 7.5 metre wide 100 tonne piece on its way to the Refiney at Nengis, Seine et Marne, way back in 1969.

STSI were very proud of that move, and I was once privileged to receive “chapter and verse”, about that particular operation, from the men who planned it, and that particular lorry, at a very enjoyable, and prolonged dinner, one night in Paris. STSI was the ultimate grouping of the French Railways diverse Heavy Haulage road transport operations. These included notable operators such as, Gary de Favies, Paris, Bourgey- Montreuil, Chambry, Farcat, Grenoble, and other operations grouped as SITM, SNTS, SGTS, and TSI. Equipment ranged from Unic V8s, TBO, and GBO Berliets, Pacifics, Diamond Ts, Mack DMs, as well as that most handsome lorry, the Bernard Television, with its Gardner licence MF636 185 hp power, in 6x4 form, but fitted with a SINPAR deep reduction twin speed auxillary gearbox, giving 24 ratios to choose from when coupled to its 18 metre, hydraulic tri axle steering Nicolas from Champs sur Yonne 800mm high semi trailer…(so very similar to look at a DISPATCHERS drawing, ) but without the high cab roof!

But its probably their trailer parc that is the most interesting. Fergies second picture shows a leviathan of 1950s French HEAVY HAULAGE, THE bOURGEY Montreuil double swan neck trailer. Here it is pictured with only one Pacific, and with just the double line 16 wheel dolly behind the tractor. For heavy loads there would be a single line 8 wheel dolly, then the double 16 wheel, supporting the trailer, with at the back the single 8 wheel, plus double 16 wheel bogie, (all the 8 wheel sets were from Rogers M9 45 ton Sherman Tank trailers…oh the back tandem bogie is actually the rear end of a time expired Pacific on its 1400x24s!..200 tonne payload…no problem sir…both the Pacifics had ■■■■■■■ HB power!

Fergies third picture shows a 150 tonne payload being handled by an ex Farcat Pacific, with a Diamond T “pusher” in the early 60s. But the trailer is the real interest. It is an ex WW2 German Gothaer 12 line, 48 wheeled unit, with solid rubber tyres . Farcat owned one, Gary de Favies another. Each could handle 150 tonne payloads, but under S.T.S.I. both were used as modules with a Girder centre at train weights of up to 500 tonnes, utilising a Pacific as a prime mover, and also as pusher, with a Diamond T pusher as well!.

These Gothaer trailers came into French service in 1950, and were still being used 30 years later!. But do not think that all the equipment was “yesterdays vintage”, because there were necks by Nicolas, with multi line modules by Nicolas, Cometto, girders by Savoisienne, as well as those fabricated in the works of Bourgey- Montreuil, (and some of their trailer conversions and works were totally outstanding, and well ahead of the competition).

Incidentally Gary de Favies was the only French Heavy Hauler to name his Pacifics, (Mammouth, and Goliath), the name plates were retained when the new S.T.S.I. livery of silver was applied .

I must go, its past my bedtime, and I very nearly swerved down the side road of that Belgium heavy hauler Transports Jonet, from Charleroi, and their Kenworth 4x4 200 tonners…but that’s another story for another time…and their trailers were really special!!!

Cheerio for now.