ERF-Continental:
Sorry for the poor quality - pictures of photocopies- but herewith
some info out of the one and only Foden-bible to my opinion.
Excellent thanks Paul
cav551:
IIRC the “8 speed” and “9 speed” Foden gearboxes were exactly as mentioned by ‘ERF’, the 12 speed box with all its internals still present. Apart from the gear lever and the range/splitter paddle attached to it the main noticeable difference from the driver’s point of view was the sticker illustrating the lever positions. There were tales in the Black Hand Gang that selecting one of the ‘missing’ ratios, I can’t recall whether it was 4th low or 1st high, put either the 'box or the standard Foden worm drive diff over its torque limit with the potential for expensive consequences.The main failings of the box in whatever form were the range/splitter operating mechanism, the failure of the synchro cone in the epicyclic unit and the nut on the rear of the mainshaft working loose.The failure of the dowel pegs in the clutch brake were also a regular occurence which if left could write off the layshaft.
Had this gal or sister of, through ignorance drove it as a 12sp although it was 8 or 9sp never had gbox problem or was I just lucky?
Truck and Driver 11/11/10 and 26/11/10 has more on the “8/9/12 speed” gearbox (Google). 4th low and 1st high were very close together so you would use one or the other. Reading the mentioned articles it would seem that it was only certain higher powered engine which would be likely to cause a problem. I would guess that those Tarmac Fodens would have been Gardner powered rather than the non turbo ■■■■■■■ NHK 250.
cav551:
Truck and Driver 11/11/10 and 26/11/10 has more on the “8/9/12 speed” gearbox (Google). 4th low and 1st high were very close together so you would use one or the other. Reading the mentioned articles it would seem that it was only certain higher powered engine which would be likely to cause a problem. I would guess that those Tarmac Fodens would have been Gardner powered rather than the non turbo ■■■■■■■ NHK 250.
180G not classed as high power then cav551 ? 
Oh dear - I seem to have quite unintentionally instigated a rant from our friend VALKYRIE. 
Sorry about that.
I don’t have the spare time or keyboard skill to respond in as many words, but I will just pick up some key points…
VALKYRIE:
Foden Haulmaster S93 Day and Sleeper Cab.
The reason why you have never come across a Foden S93-Cabbed lorry is because A.it was made from the start of 1978 to the start of 1979,B,it had a short production run and C.it was not a success and was therefore rare.
All of that is news to me.
I have owned one of the November 1977 built ‘Haulmaster’ product launch vehicles for some time, a standard 4x2 tractor unit, and I have access to another four of this ‘rare’ model. All the others are 1978 and 79 builds, day and sleeper cabs, all recorded as S90 cabs on the chassis plate and build sheets.
Perhaps you can enlighten me as to why Foden recorded all of these cabs incorectly on their chassis plates and build sheets?
VALKYRIE:
Foden Two-Stroke Diesel Engines.
From what I have gathered from Foden enthusiasts and Foden drivers is …
…these Derbyshire Foden two-stroke drivers didn’t adhere to the [above] routine and didn’t know how the hell to drive these high revving Foden two-strokes properly in the first place ?
All I can say is that these were very experienced Foden operators with all types of available engines, and in THEIR particular field the FD6 two-stroke wasn’t up to doing their job. I did not say it was a bad engine, I do not need a rant about the admiralty etc, I was just making the point that it had it’s shortcomings - as all engines do in certain types of work.
VALKYRIE:
Foden S24 Sabrina,Foden S30 Sabrina,Foden S34 Sabrina,Foden S35 Sabrina,Foden S36 Sabrina,Foden S37 Sabrina,Foden S38 Sabrina,Foden S39 Sabrina Cabs.Here are the objective facts
To start with,what you apparently do not realise is since I got involved with Foden S24-S39 Sabrina Cabs on this TrucknetUK Forum in 2012,five years have passed and it is now 2017.And,mainly because of the Internet,far,far many more people now know about the Foden S24-S39 Sabrina Cabs than was the case in 2012
10 ‘Sabrina’s’!.
I would have to say that it’s actually mainly thanks to yourself that people know this reference, not just the internet.
Those of us that posted photographs on public site’s like Flickr were suddenly bombarded in 2012 with comments referring to these cabs as ‘Sabrina’s’, which was news to an awful lot of us!.
VALKYRIE:
So with respect, your futile and wrong argument is obsolete and dead. As a matter of fact this argument put forward by Saviem and some other misguided people was already dead and wrong in 2012!
Woah there tiger!.
I have not made any argument, futile or otherwise.
As for your comment regarding ‘Saviem’, I never knew John to be misguided - ever.
VALKYRIE:
It was pointed out by TruckNetUK member Sepo in July 2012 that the Foden S24-S39 Sabrina name was regionally used by road haulage people in
the early 1970s - 47 years since!QV below. I pointed this out to Saviem,you and others in 2012 but you all chose to ignore it,probably because
you all knew that you hadn’t got a leg to stand on!
We didn’t ignore it - it was just news to us all, and didn’t reflect our own experience.
VALKYRIE:
Lawrence Dunbar also said that the Foden S24-S39 Sabrina cabs were also nicknamed Cottage Loaf in the North East of the country.Did anyone
question this? I don’t think anybody did.I myself was broadminded enough to accept this nickname.
No, I don’t recall anyone questioning it.
I also don’t recall Lawrence pressing the issue with perhaps quite as much aggression as you do.
VALKYRIE:
It also seems that ERF enthusiasts think they have a copyright on the Sabrina name - only they can use it.Wrong!
Quite so.
Again, I don’t think anybody has made any arguement to the contrary?
VALKYRIE:
…And then there is the case of the unenlightened,misguided and wrong lone editor,or whoever it was,who wrote an ill-informed editorial about the
Foden S24-S39 Sabrina name in Wikipedia in The Foden Society Magazine in 2016
The Foden S24-S39 Sabrina name reference in the Wikipedia Foden history article had been in that article for at least FOUR YEARS,so in that time loads of people would have read the article and became aware of the Foden S24-S39 Sabrina name!Including Foden enthusiasts
Thus the Foden editor,or whoever the person was,is talking a load of tripe and nonsense
Tripe & nonsense? Strong words.
I don’t know him personally, but he is regarded as well informed and experienced.
I guess he just quoted the situation how he sees it.
VALKYRIE:
…Saviem and other misguided and closed-minded critics…
Wow.
VALKYRIE:
So,bearing the above in mind,just because the incorrect Foden Society editorial, Saviem and other misguided and closed-minded critics have never
heard of the Foden Sabrina S24-S39 name they very wrongly and misguidedly think that nobody else has heard of this name
regarded as being arrogant!They then make wrong and ill-informed statements which show how unenlightened,closed-minded,biggoted and biased they are - they are wrong
and cannot be taken seriously.Facts. Another fact is that at least some of these people suffer from Cognitive Dissonance.
Double Wow.
VALKYRIE:
There are now many references on Foden S24-S39 Sabrina,S21 Spaceship Sputnik and other Foden cabs on the Internet - World Wide Web,
and these cabs are bound to become better known by millions of people in the future than what they are now
An observer might say it perhaps looks a little like your own personal crusade to inform us all?.
You’ve certainly done your very best to influence it - Rightly or Wrongly?? I’m not making any judgement.
The ‘millions of people in the future’ you speak of will maybe decide?.
I don’t know what world Valkyrie inhabits , or what actual experience with Fodens he has , but I and many more on here were there and were involved with Fodens day in , day out . He has no respect or understanding , and to dare to call our late lamented Saviem " closed minded " is the ultimate indicator of a keyboard warrior who knows nothing except what he reads in a book or on the internet . I for one will be putting him on the enemy list , as I have had enough of his " I’m right , the world is wrong attitude " , horrible man !
rigsby:
I don’t know what world Valkyrie inhabits , or what actual experience with Fodens he has , but I and many more on here were there and were involved with Fodens day in , day out . He has no respect or understanding , and to dare to call our late lamented Saviem " closed minded " is the ultimate indicator of a keyboard warrior who knows nothing except what he reads in a book or on the internet . I for one will be putting him on the enemy list , as I have had enough of his " I’m right , the world is wrong attitude " , horrible man !
Now then Dave “dinna boil yer watter Mate” this “Valkyrie” geezer sounds like a MK2 “CF” to me and how he can “Diss” The Great “Saviem” is unforgiveable as what John Goodreid aka “Saviem” didn’t know about his era in the industry could be written on the back of a stamp so this geezer is well out of order as far as I am concerned David. Although IMHO Fodens were bags of ■■■■■ and their 2 stroke engine was a total joke but I respect you Lads that were dyed in the wool Foden men ( even though you really needed therapy 
) I understand that gob ■■■■■■ like this will , of course, get right up your hooters and quite right too ! By the way for what my 2 pen’arth is worth the only “Sabrina” I ever heard to be called that name is the ERF. Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
rigsby:
I don’t know what world Valkyrie inhabits , or what actual experience with Fodens he has , but I and many more on here were there and were involved with Fodens day in , day out . He has no respect or understanding , and to dare to call our late lamented Saviem " closed minded " is the ultimate indicator of a keyboard warrior who knows nothing except what he reads in a book or on the internet . I for one will be putting him on the enemy list , as I have had enough of his " I’m right , the world is wrong attitude " , horrible man !Now then Dave “dinna boil yer watter Mate” this “Valkyrie” geezer sounds like a MK2 “CF” to me and how he can “Diss” The Great “Saviem” is unforgiveable as what John Goodreid aka “Saviem” didn’t know about his era in the industry could be written on the back of a stamp so this geezer is well out of order as far as I am concerned David. Although IMHO Fodens were bags of [zb] and their 2 stroke engine was a total joke but I respect you Lads that were dyed in the wool Foden men ( even though you really needed therapy
I think that in an earlier post I mentioned Mickey Mouse as our local name for the s21 , and anyroad I much preferred the real original , now that was an impressive structure. Were you too young to know about her ? cheers , Dave
rigsby:
Bewick:
rigsby:
I don’t know what world Valkyrie inhabits , or what actual experience with Fodens he has , but I and many more on here were there and were involved with Fodens day in , day out . He has no respect or understanding , and to dare to call our late lamented Saviem " closed minded " is the ultimate indicator of a keyboard warrior who knows nothing except what he reads in a book or on the internet . I for one will be putting him on the enemy list , as I have had enough of his " I’m right , the world is wrong attitude " , horrible man !Now then Dave “dinna boil yer watter Mate” this “Valkyrie” geezer sounds like a MK2 “CF” to me and how he can “Diss” The Great “Saviem” is unforgiveable as what John Goodreid aka “Saviem” didn’t know about his era in the industry could be written on the back of a stamp so this geezer is well out of order as far as I am concerned David. Although IMHO Fodens were bags of [zb] and their 2 stroke engine was a total joke but I respect you Lads that were dyed in the wool Foden men ( even though you really needed therapy
I think that in an earlier post I mentioned Mickey Mouse as our local name for the s21 , and anyroad I much preferred the real original , now that was an impressive structure. Were you too young to know about her ? cheers , Dave
Before my time Dave but I reckon “they” would have put your eyes out or you could have listened in stereo maybe !! Cheers Dennis.
Well the Foden S 21 is no way anything like the ERF Sabrina Cab , Its a Mickey Mouse , So there. 
, Regards Larry.
Well take a good gander at this classic S21 Mickey Mouse Foden & It looks nowt like the Sabrina ERF IMO, Anyway she had two ■■■■ as I remember, Regards Larry.
Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
0Well take a good gander at this classic S21 Mickey Mouse Foden & It looks nowt like the Sabrina ERF IMO, Anyway she had two ■■■■ as I remember,
Mirror image of my first un colour as well. Tallis n Cresswell.
Sabrina ERF, never seen one live as it were. Mickey Mouse S 21 round our way.
Much doings with the gents on here all sound knowledgeable to me but if you know nowt it’s difficult to sort which ones right. Nicknames a difficult one but having seen pic of Sabrina couldn’t begin to imagine how a S21 would bring her to mind, it takes all sorts
Hey guys and dolls, here a spec of the ERF GSF aka Sabrina and in favour with breweries etc.
By the way, I agree that John Goodreid aka Saviem didn’t need a stamp at all to inform us on
what is not known…they many emails DID show that he had thorough knowledge on the whole
trucking industry and it’s strange players
Time flies and I do remember a similar picture was hanging in the
entrance of the BeNeLux-Importer.
Well, which types (of cabs) are pictured from the left to the right?
Oh dear I wondered how long it would be before World War Three broke out when Valkerie’s post on the ‘Sabrina’ list of cabs was read. I’m not going to be dragged into it fully this time but will give this two pennyworth, I recall I may have been an early decenter when he posted his original statement on the subject. (can’t be bothered to dig up dates accounts etc)
- Because at the time he made no mention of the ERF (as we know it) Sabrina having a similar tag (therefore was he not aware of it).
- In his words his info had came from an old hand so must have been correct according to him but did not seem to believe this chap had confused the Foden with the ERF just as some have before and on this site too.
- He stated the nickname ‘Mickey Mouse’ was not given to the S21 cab as this was a ‘Sputnick’ and mickey mouse referred to something that was not genuine or well made which sounded to me that he had no idea the cab took its name from the favourite Disney cartoon character, surely he has heard of him!
- Although many may believe Valkerie is a mine of information and knowledge it seems to me most of it comes from Wikipedia and the net which can be very informative but also misleading and unfortunately incorrect, after all it relies on input from the human mind which we all know can get things confused, mixed up or plain wrong. I’ve discovered this at times searching for facts on not only commercial vehicle history but also military history where I also have an interest. While I won’t discount altogether his claim that relations, friends and others have the same opinion as him on this it is worth pointing out the human has a well known ability to recount memories incorrectly, but not only that, also to convince others what they are saying is correct. If the Foden types he suggests did have the Sabrina nickname then it may have been a locality thing just as some call a Bun a Bap or a Roll depending where you come from (lets not get into that!) and we will have to allow him that, however it seems from the above replies he can take offence to anyone disputing his ‘facts’. I prefer to avoid his posts but that’s my choice, I’m in danger of over cooking this myself so I’ll stop now, like I said just my two pennyworth and that’s all. Cheers Franky.
ERF-Continental:
Time flies and I do remember a similar picture was hanging in the
entrance of the BeNeLux-Importer.Well, which types (of cabs) are pictured from the left to the right?
ERF-Continental:
Well, which types (of cabs) are pictured from the left to the right?
Well…in my opinion
From the left…
Motor Panels S95 steel cab on a ‘Fleetmaster’
Foden’s S10 Mk1 fibreglass cab on another ‘Fleetmaster’
And a Motor Panels S90 steel cab on what looks to be a ‘Super Haulmaster’
Frankydobo:
Oh dear I wondered how long it would be before World War Three broke out when Valkerie’s post on the ‘Sabrina’ list of cabs was read. I’m not going to be dragged into it fully this time…
I didn’t (and don’t) either Franky!.
…but we are all surely braced and ready for another multi-thousand word tirade at any time now.
The irony is that I don’t recall anybody actually telling Valkerie that he was ‘wrong’, just that a lot of respected people on here, with hundreds of years of combined experience and knowledge between them, didn’t know about this Foden nickname. It was impossible therefore that it was ever widely used in reference to Foden cabs (as opposed to its very wide use in reference to the ERF SF cab) - but that’s where his issues seem to start.
Anyway, really good and interesting photos are being posted on this thread, so I’ll keep checking in for those!.