newmercman:
Dennis, the pictures are great, but let’s hear some more anecdotes, stuff that went on at Bewick Transport, you must have a long list of them
I would be interested to hear the background to the decision to buy those Scania 143s. Prior to their arrival, the fleet seemed to comprise 100% gaffers’ wagons. Was there a sudden dawning that a “luxury” specification could be just as profitable as an adequate one?
They mainly went into our Euro fleet and were bought at keen prices,especially the Merc 1844’s,it wasn’t a case of a sudden “dawning” the more powerful units were the most suitable for the job.Cheers Dennis.
MIKE P:
excellent as usual dennis you know Im a massive fan
it goes to show how important it is to always have the camera with you and a fantastic memory you have
I hope all is well with you
speak soon
Mike Ponsonby proper transport not logistics
Hi Mike,hope everything is well with you and yours,yes to-days modern cameras are a vast improvement on the days when we had to use film and then pay to have it developed and usually 50% of the shots were crap and wasted ! Regards Dennis.
newmercman:
Dennis, the pictures are great, but let’s hear some more anecdotes, stuff that went on at Bewick Transport, you must have a long list of them
Or shall I ask Chuffer for some?
Ask him about the time I caught up with him in my car decending Wigan bank on the M6,out of “stick” doing 70 MPH in his new Guy Big J,all I could hear was the tyres “screaming” on the trailer so when “Chuff” clocked me alongside he dropped back like a jet braking on landing .When he caught up with me at Keele( after I’d had my breakfast, and the cheeky [zb] asking if I wanted another cuppa !) he “swore blind” he was “in gear”,the lying [zb] So there ensued a heated exchange of verbage,and a Police car pulled across to ask what was going on I got into my car and carried on to London.I dealt with “Chuff” on my return to Milnthorpe.Dennis.
They mainly went into our Euro fleet and were bought at keen prices,especially the Merc 1844’s,it wasn’t a case of a sudden “dawning” the more powerful units were the most suitable for the job.Cheers Dennis.
What did you make of EPS Dennis? I drove a 1644 for a while on hay and straw and always thought it hampered what might have been a decent driveline? Love to try a converted manual one, see how it would measure up to a ‘proper’ V8.
They mainly went into our Euro fleet and were bought at keen prices,especially the Merc 1844’s,it wasn’t a case of a sudden “dawning” the more powerful units were the most suitable for the job.Cheers Dennis.
What did you make of EPS Dennis? I drove a 1644 for a while on hay and straw and always thought it hampered what might have been a decent driveline? Love to try a converted manual one, see how it would measure up to a ‘proper’ V8.
I,personally,thought they were great boxes/gear change.The gear lever was just a pre select switch,not a gear stick as such.Cheers Dennis.
First Merc I drove was a 1838 on milk, and me being used to twinsplitters, I just couldn’t get my head round the fact that you had to move the non-mechanical joystick only whilst the clutch was right down (I assume to make it more intuitive for continental drivers more used to synchros) - each change took about three times as long as a twinsplitter lever change, let alone a split - and any early-clutch antics were rewarded with neutral! It put me off Mercs for life. I think eps was the product of a german engineer ‘jerking off’ as they didn’t seem to make the job easier, but I spose they paved the way for the modern electronic autos (for better or for worse!)
The EPS select switch was the same for left hand drive as it was for the correct side steering wheel, if they
had made a switch for right hand drive spec vehicles false neutrals would have been avoided.
8LXBV8BRIAN
I drove ,for a short while, a 2033 with the 16 speed slap across box. That truck really impressed me. You got out at the end of the day without any aches and pains, it had plenty of power especially to one who was used to 180 /230 Gardners. It was quiet and comfortable,an all round good truck.
The next Merc I drove was one of the early edition Actross’s with the EPS box ,it was nowt but trouble,you’d think that you had that gear change sorted and it would pull something else out of the bag to prove you wrong. I soon learnt not to pull up against a wall or anywhere I couldn’t drive away from cos you could never be sure you would find reverse.
Not a patch on the manual box 2033.
BIBS:
Hi Dennis how did it pan out for you the euro work,don’t see many over now from the north west only FEs from morecambe
It became a major part of our operation in the early 90’s and we built it up to around 20 tractors and 30 odd 4 mtr trailers,we had some decent traffic going both ways but we only concentrated on Holland and the western part of Germany.We did a little bit into northern France and some into Belgium.But we weren’t interested in Italy or Spain,we left those two destinations to the “cowboys”.The Euro side of our operation worked in well with the UK traffic and we shipped a lot of un-accompanied trailers back and forth which kept the ferry charges down.Cheers Dennis.
Don’t worry Dennis I soon sussed my best option for the EPS box -----let other people drive them and I stuck with Fullers and Auto-boxes. Job solved!!
Bassman
If we’d put a Merc on the Ross/Youngs job I bet “Dusty” would have lapped it up,once I’d given him full instructions of course ! " Much appreciated Dennis thank you, leave it with me now and I’ll call you if I experience any problems" would have been Eddies response,Cheers Dennis.
Bit different shot to-night,the main entrance to the Milnthorpe depot,the road straight ahead was into our depot and the turning to the right was into the MOT Station.Our trailer fitter used to reverse out of the depot and then drive into the test centre,then when he’d completed the test he drove back out and then reversed into the depot,easy peasy The fence on the left is the boundary to the Libby/Nestle factory and we had a second entrance to our depot over their site but I did a deal with Nestles which in return for not using their entrance (not giving it up permanently though ) They gave Bewick Transport 75% of the tonnage leaving the factory which was anything between 5 or 6 loads a day up to 15 to 20 a day,straight loads one droppers,great traffic The UK traffic office is the Portacabin. Cheers Dennis.
If I had worked for a firm like yours and received full instructions as to the why 's and wherefores of any vehicle,my response would be similar to Dusty’s.
When you are given a set of keys and told fleet no. so and so off you go you soon find out which you prefer .
If I had worked for a firm like yours and received full instructions as to the why 's and wherefores of any vehicle,my response would be similar to Dusty’s.
When you are given a set of keys and told fleet no. so and so off you go you soon find out which you prefer .
Hoping to meet Dusty soon .
Bassman
One thing I can guarantee you “Bassman” you will have a very “interesting” meeting to say the least when the day arrives Cheers dennis.
Interior shot of our Garage down in Milnthorpe village,a selection of motors, MK1 and MK2 Atkys,a couple of Seddons a Volvo and,wait for it,a brand new GUY ! This was a great workshop,regular shape,but in the wrong place.The site is now a Doctors surgery,a Chemists shop and a block of flats.
.When he caught up with me at Keele( after I’d had my breakfast, and the cheeky [zb] asking if I wanted another cuppa !) he “swore blind” he was “in gear”,the lying [zb] 
So there ensued a heated exchange of verbage,and a Police car pulled across to ask what was going on 
I think eps was the product of a german engineer ‘jerking off’ as they didn’t seem to make the job easier, but I spose they paved the way for the modern electronic autos (for better or for worse!)
The 1844’s we ran were superb motors and never put a foot wrong eh! 
Dennis.
Dennis.
This was a great workshop,regular shape,but in the wrong place.The site is now a Doctors surgery,a Chemists shop and a block of flats.