Found this pic of my wagon parked up outside a chateaux in Sully-sur-Loise, where I was waiting to load. That was in 2003 and I do remember that it was my birthday, which was celebrated in style that evening at the bar in Roye BP truckstop with some very companionable French and Portuguese drivers! Robert
Just read an article about a vast water pipeline that was built between 1906 and 1913 to bring back water to Los Angeles, according to the article the first machines that Caterpillar build were designed specifically for this job ( although at the time the brand name was Holden if my memory serves me well…)
Cheers, Patrick
Fergie47:
The kind of Routiers we eat and slept at…the dining area…and the self service buffet…
The one pictured on the first photograph is still opened, it’s situated on the D673 between Besancon and Dole, famous for their boeuf bourguion 
oh and that phone box is still there…
The other two looks like the centre routier on the north side of Tours, most famous for that massive buffet they’ve got…
Afternoon all,
First real day of Spring, the sun high in the sky…and I decide to knock down some walls in a building…and cart the rubble out to a skip…or two!..Silly old B…by gum, my sciatica is playing a tune or two!
Oily, that picture of Pierre Maingret`s Bernard with the bonnet opened shows Bernards final development of the LW Gardner licence, their MF 636 engine of 185 hp, (132x153mm, and 13.248 litres). Initially this engine, (perhaps the ultimate development of the original Gardner LW design), overheated, but a 10 litre larger radiator cured that problem…but Bernard had toyed with turbocharging, but forsake the power gain, as they could see reliability issues. Drive was via a ZF 6 speed to a Bernard hub reduction axle, and of course the handsome cab was a Royanne built Pelpel 3 type…wonder how Bernards engineers gave that Gardner based engine such an acceptable low effort throttle? By the way, the Television version they have restored, (shown on your previous pictures on the back of one of their FHs), has a 214 hp END 711 11.583 litre Mack engine, being one of the very last Bernard Televisions produced, before Mack simply lost direction in Europe.
The Velo Solex advertisement liveried Trailor tank, (it is restored as it was), is pulled by one of the Relax cab 12 litre TRs, 250 hp, handsome lorry for 1968, compare that with a Mk 1 Atkinson.
Routiers…what a subject…I never ceased to be surprised how the locals used the local Routiers as a good night out dining venue, when I was first using them. Having eaten some fairly iffy fare at innumerable transport café`s in the UK, the standard that was taken for granted, just amazed me…as did the inclusive prices.
When my Auntie was checking my expenses…(typical family firm)…I was nearly always well in pocket…from a (very generous), night away allowance of £1.00!!!
Happy days…back to the bricks…why does a lump hammer get heavier as the day goes on…there is something to ponder!
Cheerio for now.
What breed is this then ?
Undoubtdly Saviem.
Froggy55:
Undoubtdly Saviem.
Hi “Froggy55” IIRC This would have a steering colum gear shift ?, Regards Larry.
Punchy Dan:
0
What breed is this then ?
Evening all, As Froggy says its a Saviem, and judging by the registration a 36,280, which was the original 32.240, but fitted with the 280 TUT Turbo 247 nett hp engine, and , (sadly), a floor mounted change for its ZF .680 12 speed splitter box. Heck of a lightweight unit, 22 tonnes on a tandem platform @32 tonnes gtw. Really should have been the original specification for the UK, but as ever, ex Leyland men specified the original…
The column gearchange, on both Saviem, and MAN, I personally rated. It was quick, easy, and gave extra space in the cab. That picture of Dans, shows a rather well worn example, no curtains, but still the double bunk, was it an ex Dixons of Derby unit? Brian Dixon gave his all to make the franchise work. He never ignored any advice, and I seem to remember that he did quite well with the franchise.
Is his brother Oscar still running Bulk Freight? He had a house in Florida, and oddly met him in Georgia at an American Truck Dealer Dinner, when I was based there! Talk about a surprise!
Those 36.280s were a good lorry, and probably more suited to the UK than the “lardy arsed” Berliet 266 hp TR 280…but that is what you got…and never a chance at the storming PS30 Saviem…and that ad the evocative Turbo Whistle as well!!
Cheerio for now.
PS 30 drawbar from Hurel company.
Hello…I is back…funerals are sad, but, nice to meet up with old friends. Some things money just can’t buy…and friends are one of them…
Like people, old lorries fade and die, here are a few…
Welcome back Fergie, we managed to keep Saviem’s thread on page one!
pete smith:
Welcome back Fergie, we managed to keep Saviem’s thread on page one!
Saw that Smithy, thanks for the pic’s… 
Fergie47:
pete smith:
Welcome back Fergie, we managed to keep Saviem’s thread on page one!Saw that Smithy, thanks for the pic’s…
Just for you see below, another pic of young Smithy in passenger seat,don’t know about the jumper though and it looks like the council had been round and cut my hair
pete smith:
Fergie47:
pete smith:
Welcome back Fergie, we managed to keep Saviem’s thread on page one!Saw that Smithy, thanks for the pic’s…
Just for you see below, another pic of young Smithy in passenger seat,don’t know about the jumper though and it looks like the council had been round and cut my hair
Hello Pete,
Thats the back of my Atkinson 30 ton 8x4 Tanker, TAY 384 N just showing on the right of the Borderer.
Is`nt that the chap who lived at the back of the Morton Arms in Fordhouses, with the Steam Engines? …(sorry, Im not really into the old vehicle scene), but I think that lorry pulled a Taskers Little Giant…(there is one of them behind the Bradford Arms)!
Welcome back Fergie, and thanks to Michel, for the Michel Hurel PS30…what a lovely lorry that was!
Cheerio for now.
Saviem:
pete smith:
Fergie47:
pete smith:
Welcome back Fergie, we managed to keep Saviem’s thread on page one!Saw that Smithy, thanks for the pic’s…
Just for you see below, another pic of young Smithy in passenger seat,don’t know about the jumper though and it looks like the council had been round and cut my hair
Hello Pete,
Thats the back of my Atkinson 30 ton 8x4 Tanker, TAY 384 N just showing on the right of the Borderer.
Is`nt that the chap who lived at the back of the Morton Arms in Fordhouses, with the Steam Engines? …(sorry, Im not really into the old vehicle scene), but I think that lorry pulled a Taskers Little Giant…(there is one of them behind the Bradford Arms)!
Welcome back Fergie, and thanks to Michel, for the Michel Hurel PS30…what a lovely lorry that was!
Cheerio for now.
Hello John,
Yes it is Robert Bate, that Atki is now owned by Anthony Pallant, a good example as I do not think it has a hard life!
Hello all,
Pete, those Zanetti mirors, (like on that Borderer, and they had perhaps the best mirror set up on any lorry ever), … I loved them…you could always see well behind you, wonder why they went off the market?
Cheerio for now.
I agree, those Zanetti mirrors were the dog’s. I expect they cost twice as much as our usual single-lens glasses to produce, with the usual reluctance of most hauliers to fork out for drivers’ luxuries that didn’t result in any more revenue!
