When I got to my first working unit in the army we had the selection of Bedford MJs - old design but late production - and AEC Militant Mk 1s. Built in the early 50s, 6 wheel drive, 6 crash gears, no power anything and a top speed of 32 mph. This was in 1988. The AECs were replaced by 6 wheel drive Bedford TMs which were a revelation. Both types of Bedford are still in service and it always amuses me to see civilian models restored as classics.
Some of the Bedfords were replaced in the early 90s by Leyland DAFs , which were much easier to drive but nowhere near as tough. Funnily enough, the DAFs are now being sold off and the Bedfords they were meant to replace are still in service. Some units still had a few Bedford RLs, even as the DAFs were coming in.
Tankerman:
When the 38 tons came in I remember Harrison extended the chassis on one long nose Scammel and putting a 3rd axle under it and running at 38ton. I had a long nose Scammel on tanker work and though I had won the pools when I got a Handyman. The long nose Scammels used to lose the bonnet sides now and again so you would get into the yard early and nick one off another.
Here’s a view of Harrisons yard, taken as I was passing in February 2004:
Did’nt the last remaining brother pass away this year? What will happen now? Are they still running ERF B series?
No, it was Syd (the father) who passed away this year - a few weeks ago actually.
One of the brothers is still alive, but hasn’t any interest in haulage. His sister is apparently trying to enlighten him as to the advantages of selling off allt he old tackle.
There was one of their ERF C Series tractors for sale in Classic & Vintage Commercials recently.
Cheers for that. Would you like to see it sold off?I guess it would’nt got for scrap, rather to collectors. I wonder if that S83 still in primer is there? That would be a beauty to have.
Apart from the few vehicles that have been sold to date (ERFs and an S83 Foden), all the Scammells (and I mean ALL) going back to the very first R8s are still in their possession.
ERF, Wind & Fire:
When I got to my first working unit in the army we had the selection of Bedford MJs - old design but late production - and AEC Militant Mk 1s. Built in the early 50s, 6 wheel drive, 6 crash gears, no power anything and a top speed of 32 mph. This was in 1988. The AECs were replaced by 6 wheel drive Bedford TMs which were a revelation. Both types of Bedford are still in service and it always amuses me to see civilian models restored as classics.
Some of the Bedfords were replaced in the early 90s by Leyland DAFs , which were much easier to drive but nowhere near as tough. Funnily enough, the DAFs are now being sold off and the Bedfords they were meant to replace are still in service. Some units still had a few Bedford RLs, even as the DAFs were coming in.
My first working unit was 7 Field Force HQ and Sigs, (I was a scaley) Colly, in Nov 79. We had a couple of RL’s but mainly MK’s and J’s. The RCT Squadron had AEC Militants. They were all still there two years later when my second posting came through…
I had a very rough time for two and a half years, in Cyprus. It was murder working half days, spending my afternoons on the beach. Sometimes I even had to spend my working half day on the beach as well. I got the RYA Windsurfing Instructors qual’. I was ecstatic when my next posting came through, as you can imagine
I was quite surprised that they still had RL’s going strong, when I got to Germany. There where still a few RL’s around, in the Sigs anyway, when I jacked it in at the beginning of 91.
Those petrol RL’s couldn’t half shift, especially considering their age.
They did a great job of heating up your NAAFI growlers on the exhaust manifold too. You had to be careful not to catch your funnybone on the clips on the back of the cab, when going into 4th
The Leyland 3 penny bit thing( was it an FG?) definitely had a crash box.
I cut my teeth as it were, on one of these in the early 70s, dreadful things and very noisy.The TK was far superior
Anybody out there remember A.E.Evans Regent Transport Ltd?Grey AEC,s Mk3 and Mk5 8-legger tankers?Main depot was Barkingbut I worked out of Sheffield 1969-1979.First wagon I drove for them was ex Shell-Mex &BP(all second-hand motors here)reg no.TGJ530 MK3 AEC,sliding doors,push-out windscreen,batteries under drivers seat and half-cab bus type swiches at back of cab.Had a 6-speed box though and would trap on a bit,hardly ever used clutch just listened to engine and upped and downed easy,Graduated to a Mk5 bout 1971 REg no 526GYG ex Cawoods fuel oils(where did they go?A rayt flyer as it had rotary fuel pump(Simms)which was rated better than CAV.Remember it was uprated from 24 to 28 ton gross with 8-wheel braking and after loading 4000 galls Vinyl Acetate at BP Chemicals bust a spring 1/2 mile down Hedon Road.Good job only going to Beverley to tip as couldn’t turn steering(Evans took it off when they bought it).
Whilst on BP subject Gilbraiths had a few on contract at BP Saltend and I remember a driver called Wingnut who used to ask" How many lorries does tha know that begin with letter ‘T’?
Favourite answer was Thorneycroft but Wingnut says"Nay,what about t’ERF,t’AEC and t’Atkinson?"
Happy days
I´m near to tear when I look at the photos. We had them here in Sweden but we can´t tell about susseces for these trucks. They was used for carry gravel mostly but to a certain extent as a timber transporter with 56 tons gross weight. They was good but sold wery little and now if I meet one it is a wery rare one. And soon they are gone forewer.
It is the Swedish governement as have taken dead of both Volvo and Scania longhood because the length of the nose redused the load. A 24 meters truck and trailer had chorter space than a F model. Say 2 pallets more could be carryed more money it generate.
But both Scania and Volvo have not made their best for these longhoods. I think both companys not have make enough reclam an talk like mych about these trucks when they should sell them. The F-serie have higher priority.
When I see a high roof Volvo or Scania with short wheelbase carrying gravel or sand it seem excessively . Should the driver sleep in his truck if he have a 7-4 job and get to sleep home.
Another thing, how mych more expansive is a high roofer compared to a simple longhoder
Here in Sweden many love Volvo VN because the flat flor and the hood. But Volvo have said they not will import this truck from USA. They have both VN daycab and VHD as can be fitted with many axles and configurations. Even if they have prospective buyers their ansver is NO. Strange policy.
I know they must modify the truck and mount a 24 volt system instead for 12 and mount Volvos own driveline but I can´t se why Volvo say NO yet.
It’s all down to stupid European rules Lagu, that limit the overall length of vehicles rather than the loading length. If the rules stated maximum loadspace of say, 13 or 14 metres, and the rest is up to you, drivers would have a decent space to live in. Very few would go to stupid lengths like Double Eagle sleepers simply because they wouldn’t get round half the cities in Europe. And then what use would they be
It was Pres.Ronald Reagen that gave the US truckers carte blanche on tractor lengths . The deal was that trailer lengths stayed the same but no limit on the tractors.
The company i work for got some new Volvos at another rdc, the drivers like them and they look more stylish than yank trucks who’s idea of style is to chrome everything
killsville:
The P reg Atki Borderer referred to in the post belongs to John Huddlestone of Gainsborough. However all is not what it seems. Underneath the bonnet lies a 14 litre ■■■■■■■ which I think is rated at 320bhp. It sounds like a train and it goes like one too! The only Atki Borderer I know which goes faster, is the one belonging to Terry Godbold from Harleston in Norfolk. He once passed me going over Saddleworth on the M62. I was doing about 55mph in my Atki and he passed me and was a spec on the horizon in a matter of seconds. I suppose 350bhp of ■■■■■■■ power coupled to a 13 speed Fuller box helps.
Harrisons of Sheffield must be modernizing - I passed an ERF B Series of theirs the other day!!! I think they are still running some of the Scammells though on local work.
KED 505P It was my motor when I worked for NorthWest Freighters out of Haydock before it was sold on. It had a ■■■■■■■ 14 L 250 naturely aspirated engine in it then but it could still catch the proverbial pigeons.
Hi,Viking.
I was interested to hear you worked for NWF as I used to swap drawbar trailers in their yard when I worked for MFS at Maltby on the Littlewoods contract.
There was an Alsatian chained up and resided in an ex railway wagon.It was ok while you were working around yer lorry,but not rayt happy about you going to transport office to hand notes in for Altrincham driver.I was on nights then and it would be around 1979-1981.
We packed up changing over there when we took the textile contract for L’woods off the NFC and started changing over in Atlantic Street Altrincham.
That dog was a b------!
Sorry about the late post Chris. That would be 12 month before I started at Freighters. I started 1982…the 'kin big ally was only there for a few months after. I never did find out what happened to it. I went to Littlewoods Atlantic St a few times…nice easy job for us down to Hanger Lane.
Some one mention a six wheeler they drove at a power station. That would probably have been an Aveling Barford which were quite common on off road use before the Volvo BM. I drove one at Barling in Essex also a later four wheeler which was capable of carrying about 20 ton off road (it looked just like a Tonka Toy).
Wheel Nut:
I liked the 88/89 too, they were sort of cuddly The Transcon was just too early, it was heavy, expensive and was just too much for most transport bosses.
I had twoTranscontinentals , a 335 which could catch pigeons and a 250 with a 9 speed fuller.
Both brilliant trucks and didnt cost a penny in garage bills.
I also had a Berlet before that. 220hp, plated at 24tonne and me running it at 40tonne. again never cost a penny and did 6 trips to Athens in that one…
Bought it from a scrapyard, ran it for 3 months and got back what I paid for it from the same scrapyard
I had an early Transcon from new when I was doing Middle East for Brit European,(Carmans).Circa 1975/76.It was a 270 ■■■■■■■ with a Fuller 9 speed,but what a flyer!.
After previously driving a Volvo F88 290,I thought the Transcon was the dog’s danglies.
They were a great favourite of owner drivers on the Middle East because of their reliability,can’t say I ever saw one parked up.However,my very first trip with it was to Doha,and crossing H4 from Jordan to Saudi,most of the chassis bolts came loose,shockers,anti roll bars hanging off,and I spent half a day tightening everything up again.One thing about Fords,be it truck or car,they are forever recalling them for updates if there’s a problem.On my return,there was a recall for my motor,to replace all the chassis bolts!Never had another problem with it!
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The Transcon was just too early, it was heavy, expensive and was just too much for most transport bosses.