I have related this tale on another thread but when “I were a Lad” growing up in Kendal and probably around 61/62 or so a regular sight passing through the Town was a Foden artic coupled to a test weighted trailer. It usually was travelling North on the A6 in mid or later morning then a couple of hours or so later early afternoon it returned South through the town on it’s way back to Elworth I believe after it had climbed Shap Fell it turned around at the Shap Granite Pink Quarry for it’s return jouney. Now this used to go on 5 days a week for months and I can say that this unit was one hell of a noisy ■■■■■■■ which I was able to understand in later years was the Foden 2 Stroke !!! As I was never ever a Foden enthusiast even when they were fitted with a Gardner engine ! So I could never grasp why they, Fodens, persisted in “flogging” the dead horse of their own in house engine for installation in commercial vehicles as it must have been quite evident that it was an unmitigated failure ! But of course Fodens were very stubborn and ignored the direction of travel the Industry was taking during the 1970’s and this led to their downfall in 1980.
Just my opinion as an operator during those years, others may hold a different and totally opposite opinion ! I’m only glad that I was never called on by a Foden Salesman nor was I ever tempted to enquire about a Foden either ! Cheers Bewick.