I’m not just sure which was the cheapest unit , the Big J RR engined one or the RR engined Seddon 32/4. Can’t have been much in it as BRS ran a fair number of both makes, but they both really were the “pits” as premium units went, what bags of ■■■■■ they were ! Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
I’m not just sure which was the cheapest unit , the Big J RR engined one or the RR engined Seddon 32/4. Can’t have been much in it as BRS ran a fair number of both makes, but they both really were the “pits” as premium units went, what bags of [zb] they were ! Cheers Bewick.
A more detailed explanation " warts and all " would be great from you Bewick regarding the engine range available for the Big J range which was very popular in its day ?.
I worked on Big J’s fitted with AEC 505’s, Leyland (possibly the ‘fixed head’ range but I forget) and Gardner 6LXB’s so there’s a starter! 
The choice of engines was huge, more thany any other maker offered I would think?
Pete.
When the Big J ( Jaguar) was launched the standard engine was going to be the ■■■■■■■ V6 ( pass the “bucket” please 
) which was going to be produced next door to Fallings Park in the old Meadows factory. This mistake was rectified PDQ and the choice of engines was broadened out to include ■■■■■■■ straight 6 180/205’s , Gardner 150LX and AEC 505’s.As time went on the ■■■■■■■ 220 and Gardner 180 LXB’s became the standard.
Cheers Bewick.
I think that mixer the chassis used the Perkins V8, same as the Mastiff (same chassis) and the Leyland engine was only an option in the four wheelers? We were a a BMC dealership but suddenly had Guy sub agency landed on us as well (legacy of Leyland having the bright idea of Redline, Blueline etc!) but there were not many around the Reading area so we only saw a handfull. Standard Box Company had a pair of tractor units with the AEC 505, there were a couple of max weight ones with Gardner’s but can’t remember who owned them, and a J4 tipper with a Leyland unit that a pair of Asian lads ran on the M4 construction. They came to our garage with all the bolts loose that secured the tipper bar brackets to the chassis, they then tipped the body and removed ALL the bolts and went to our stores! 
When they returned the body was on the ground and the ram was a mess!
Pete.
IIRC the 16 ton 4 wheeler Big J used the Leyland 401 engine as I did consider buying one in 1970 but decided against it. Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
IIRC the 16 ton 4 wheeler Big J used the Leyland 401 engine as I did consider buying one in 1970 but decided against it. Cheers Bewick.
That would be the correct then, couldn’t remember as I only ever worked on one with a Leyland engine. Both the other 16 tonners we occasionally serviced had the AEC 505, same as the artic units. They all had the five speed (ENV?) gearbox which, because of the angle it was fitted at, the instructions to check the oil were that you undid the level plug and let the excess run out, replace the plug and then add another pint through the breather. In practice, if oil looked like running out we replaced the level plug rapidly and left it at that! The Big J units of Standard Box were mated with (I think?) Thompson trailers with two sets of single wheels, they only carried wooden pallets. Their TM didn’t have much idea about distances, one run they did was from Reading to Leicester and he reckoned they should knock that off in two hours, 90 miles. 
A local press photographer drove one and he had the windscreen marked out with strips of tape to get the distances for taking pics on the move, that wouldn’t go down too well nowadays!
Pete.
Bewick:
IIRC the 16 ton 4 wheeler Big J used the Leyland 401 engine as I did consider buying one in 1970 but decided against it. Cheers Bewick.
In 1969/70 when Richards & Wallington were the earthmoving contractor on the A1 Seaton Burn To Stannington section in Northumberland, they used three new long wheelbase 4 wheelers for moving clay and placing topsoil. They were fitted with single ram steel scow end bodies. They were totally unsuitable for this type of work and at the end of the job they looked as though they were ready for the scrapyard. Don’t recall any technical details of them though.
Freightliner at follensby whitemare pool depot had a 8lxb and ■■■■■■■■■■ as long term test motors for when they
could run at a higher weight out of the depot/railhead with a box off the train in the early 70`s.
The driver who drove the 8lxb would rather have had the full on 250 ■■■■■■■ when i spoke to him up at
Alcan Lynemouth smelter. 
-
8LXBV8BRIAN:
Freightliner at follensby whitemare pool depot had a 8lxb and ■■■■■■■■■■ as long term test motors for when they
could run at a higher weight out of the depot/railhead with a box off the train in the early 70`s.The driver who drove the 8lxb would rather have had the full on 250 ■■■■■■■ when i spoke to him up at
Alcan Lynemouth smelter.
You quoted the engines Bri’ but not specified which chassis they were in ? I sincerely hope we are not introducing a “N. East Big J 8LXB” thread !! Cheers Bewick PS You’ll have Larry and “H” to answer to if you are playing silly buggers !
As 2018 Draws to a close & taking with it another year where the Big J 8LXB Lays undiscovered! 
Well last year for new year’s I travelled norf from west wales to Wolverhampton and that brought no fruit either so for now I guess 2019 like Brexit will we or won’t we be the year of Discovery… 
This year for new year’s we are only going as far as Shrewsbury , so I guess if none in Wolverhampton there aren’t likely to be any 8 Pot Big J’s there 
E.W.
P.S
Hope everyone had a nice Xmas. 
, and did you realise that come 13th of January we have been 9 years searching for this Beast as was tabled by the Honourable Gentleman form Kendal (a disbeliver & remainer!) … 
" And so it came to pass that from all corners of the UK did the Wise Men of TNUK journey to Fallings Park bearing gifts of “jumper leads”, Purolator filters, 5 gallon of Derv and 1 gallon of Single grade engine oil ! And lo the wisest of the Party was Sheik Carryfast of Leatherhead ( who had journeyed from afar in his DD) but unbeknownst to his “Believer Fellow Travellers” he was just a “snake in the grass” there to observe and report back to his “Controller” in ■■■■■■■ ! Alas Fallings Park is no more and The “Yam Yams” that live on the land now did verily take great exception to have descended upon them in their mist these Strangers from far off lands who’s lingo they knew not ! ( Strange being the operative word) So the Yam Yams being much vexed with this intrusion did pelt these Interlopers with missiles ,various, and chase them unto the boundaries of their country named Black ! And here endeth another fruitless search for The Mystical 8 legged Beast called “Guy Big J” and after almost 9 years the ranks of the “Believers” must surely be becoming somewhat depleted !"
I’m still a believer Dennis; ‘Praise the Lord’. You might just as well say that The Lochness Monster doesn’t really exist either just because you haven’t seen it, but it is there without any shadow of a doubt!
Pete.
windrush:
I’m still a believer Dennis; ‘Praise the Lord’. You might just as well say that The Lochness Monster doesn’t really exist either just because you haven’t seen it, but it is there without any shadow of a doubt!Pete.
And I would bet that you still believe Santa come down the chimney Pete !! All the best for The New Year Dennis.
Bewick:
windrush:
I’m still a believer Dennis; ‘Praise the Lord’. You might just as well say that The Lochness Monster doesn’t really exist either just because you haven’t seen it, but it is there without any shadow of a doubt!Pete.
And I would bet that you still believe Santa come down the chimney Pete !!
He did come down it Dennis, he REALLY did! Left me some more sodding whisky, one day he may realise that I don’t drink the stuff! It’s ok for clearing the sink though, so not wasted. Also a Happy New Year from both Anne and Myself, maybe the Big J issue will finally be solved? 
Pete.
Now then Pete I hope you know that you are skating on very thin ice pal !! If the whiskey you have been given was like Aldi or Lidl’s own brand of “Fire water” well that will be acceptable to the Lads on TNUK who are whiskey conisuers ( Mr Dunbar et al !) But please don’t own up to tipping quality single malts down the drain ! otherwise you will be in the deepest doo doo up your neck no danger, in fact I’d go as far as to say if this is the case you might well have ruined Larry’s Crimbo with the thought of this blasphemy !! Cheers Dennis.
Bewick:
Now then Pete I hope you know that you are skating on very thin ice pal !! If the whiskey you have been given was like Aldi or Lidl’s own brand of “Fire water” well that will be acceptable to the Lads on TNUK who are whiskey conisuers ( Mr Dunbar et al !) But please don’t own up to tipping quality single malts down the drain ! otherwise you will be in the deepest doo doo up your neck no danger, in fact I’d go as far as to say if this is the case you might well have ruined Larry’s Crimbo with the thought of this blasphemy !! Cheers Dennis.
Hiya,
Yes Pete, the whisky connoiseurs, (Er’ and if I could spell it I’d be one),
even the blends have a place in the drinks thingy they did start life in
the guise of single malts and are ideal as medicine when you’re under
the weather and wouldn’t appreciate a decent drop of “single” so Pete
should you get the urge to pour even the blends down the sink just you
give this hard up old timer a thought and pour it into me, and I’ll make
sure it finds it’s way into the drainage system. Your pal in anticipation.
thanks harry, long retired
No Harry, as a fully paid up member of the Temperance Society I’m afraid I can’t contribute to any drunkeness and debauchery that you may indulge in. Obviously you have led a pretty sheltered life so far and I don’t want to be the one to turn you away from the straight and narrow. The sink gets it! By the way it is a bottle of Glenlivet, not sure if that’s any good or not really with me not being a drinker?
Pete.
windrush:
No Harry, as a fully paid up member of the Temperance Society I’m afraid I can’t contribute to any drunkeness and debauchery that you may indulge in. Obviously you have led a pretty sheltered life so far and I don’t want to be the one to turn you away from the straight and narrow. The sink gets it!Pete.
Hiya,
Arghhhhhhhh well I did try
thanks harry, long retired.
PS Oh’ and I never liked Fodens so there.
harry_gill:
Hiya,
Arghhhhhhhh well I did try
thanks harry, long retired.
PS Oh’ and I never liked Fodens so there.
Not a problem Harry, I probably wouldn’t have liked the Glenlivet either?
Pete.