adr:
Why was the TM never pushed/Sales as a 8-wheeler in the UK? Looks ■■■■ smart here . Regards Chris
At the time there was no way that the TM was going to win enough sales from Foden and ERF in what remained of the domestic 8 wheeler market with the configuration becoming extinct for ordinary haulage types in favour of artics.It was available in virtually any configuration the customer chose as a special order.However the original business plan seems to have been all about using GM’s in house Detroit engines which were also faced with customer resistance here as opposed to the export markets.When that catch 22 was realised sadly the writing was on the wall with the last of the line ■■■■■■■ variants just being a way for GM to make a gradual planned bale out of the failed project instead of being left with a total loss.
This was an actual french operators vechicle, but the livery was blanked out as far as i can remember without reading the article again.
That seems like an under specced engine choice for the 4400 which usually had at least around 400 hp in Detroit powered form.From memory I thought the 4400 was fitted with the E320 possibly even more.While the E290 would have made more sense as a replacement for the non turbo 8V71 in the 3800.
adr:
Why was the TM never pushed/Sales as a 8-wheeler in the UK? Looks ■■■■ smart here . Regards Chris
At the time there was no way that the TM was going to win enough sales from Foden and ERF in what remained of the domestic 8 wheeler market with the configuration becoming extinct for ordinary haulage types in favour of artics.It was available in virtually any configuration the customer chose as a special order.However the original business plan seems to have been all about using GM’s in house Detroit engines which were also faced with customer resistance here as opposed to the export markets.When that catch 22 was realised sadly the writing was on the wall with the last of the line ■■■■■■■ variants just being a way for GM to make a gradual planned bale out of the failed project instead of being left with a total loss.
Thanks for the feed-back. My Dads depot (Mobil/Petrol) had the 1st demo TM on petrol regs, it had a Detroit & the drivers liked it & they bought the demo wagon, but all further orders for them, & they replaced the whole fleet with them at that depot, had the ■■■■■■■ E290, again the drivers liked them! Regards Chris
I remember an article by Peter Davies printed somewhere about the development and demise of the TM.
Lots of detail about GM internal politics re; using an ‘in house’ engine range and trying to sell drawbar spec outfits that have never been big sellers in the uk amongst other problems.
GCR2ERF:
I remember an article by Peter Davies printed somewhere about the development and demise of the TM.
Lots of detail about GM internal politics re; using an ‘in house’ engine range and trying to sell drawbar spec outfits that have never been big sellers in the uk amongst other problems.
I can understand the desire to use the in-house engine. On the K100 thread, there is a spec sheet that shows the ULW of a 6V92- engined tractor to be over 400kg less than a ■■■■■■■ 14 litre one. That’s nearly half a ton less material required to make a 280-odd bhp engine. From the manufacturer’s viewpoint, the Detroit wins every time.
Can’t understand why they would want to push drawbars. Does anyone have a copy of the article?
GCR2ERF:
I remember an article by Peter Davies printed somewhere about the development and demise of the TM.
Lots of detail about GM internal politics re; using an ‘in house’ engine range and trying to sell drawbar spec outfits that have never been big sellers in the uk amongst other problems.
I can understand the desire to use the in-house engine. On the K100 thread, there is a spec sheet that shows the ULW of a 6V92- engined tractor to be over 400kg less than a ■■■■■■■ 14 litre one. That’s nearly half a ton less material required to make a 280-odd bhp engine. From the manufacturer’s viewpoint, the Detroit wins every time.
Can’t understand why they would want to push drawbars. Does anyone have a copy of the article?
Ironically that idea seems to contradict the idea of outsourcing drawbar spec orders to Bedford’s approved Tricentrol tractor unit conversion operation.
Which,as I’ve said elsewhere,is at least how the vehicle’s quick emergency vehicle applications were brought about.
I’d guess that it was more the opposite situation of meeting a specialist niche customer demand in being able to satisfy the big power premium rigid market sector which was mostly export not domestic.Although that would obviously also translate to being at the top of the list in the case of anyone looking for that in the domestic market too.
JOHNXL70: The nearest TM looks to have a “split” screen. Am I seeing things? Or was it a driver addition? Maybe a temporary repair on route with two bits of flat glass?
gazzer:
JOHNXL70: The nearest TM looks to have a “split” screen. Am I seeing things? Or was it a driver addition? Maybe a temporary repair on route with two bits of flat glass?
If you enlarged the pic Gazzer,I think you can see that the wiper blade goes over “the joint”,I think the line you are seeing is inside the screen,maybe blinds??
gazzer:
JOHNXL70: The nearest TM looks to have a “split” screen. Am I seeing things? Or was it a driver addition? Maybe a temporary repair on route with two bits of flat glass?
You are right gazzer it is a split screen, it was fitted in Turkey, if you look closely you can see the middle wiper blade and arm is missing
Hi the two Bedfords in the first pics were owned by crossroads of lougher I passed my test on the light blue sleeper with a tandem axle box on back the rotherwas is what I drove oakleys was part of them they were all brothers
newmercman:
The Italians loved the TM, they were fond of the Transcon too, there was a Bedford dealer on the Tangenziale in Milan, down on the south east side IIRC, a firm I reloaded from in Padova had a wagon and drag TM with the big DD in it, you could hear it coming for miles and boy what a noise, if a Scania V8 were a singer it would be Micheal Buble, whereas the V8 DD is Frank Sinatra
Here’s a TM I saw last week in Calgary AB
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That’s a good description newmercman. The drawbar versions were built by Tricentrol Chassis Developments which was a division of Bedford and it’s those that were also used for the fire trucks that I was involved with.Given the choice between the V8 Scania (or the V8 Fiat motor) or that big TM you know which one I’d have wanted.
But the Canadian one in that pic looks like a typical ex military one so just a boring small Bedford engine probably.
This brings back some memories turn up the phones or the speakers.
. Regards Chris
