Saviem:
Evening all, cracking thread, I had a number of E series ERF tractors on hire to Calor in the late 80s, 90s. My contract was agreed with Chris Humphries, (what a gentleman), and what a cracking customer Calor was. We looked after them, and they looked after my kit, (and I got a good rate, and never ever a late payment)!! Drivers were superb.
Now Transports Coulior, whom in the 70s I had many dealings with…shall we say a little different…but in those days it was the French taxpayers money I was playing with!!!Boy what they could do to a TR280, it is not worth thinking about! They also ran some ERF Europeans ■■■■■■■ 335s.
Cheeerio for now.
And look what Saviem wrote early on page one of this thread!! This is an excellent thread, by the way - some good stuff on it. Robert
Here’s another ERF ‘European’ with ■■■■■■■ 335 in the service of Calor, but this time with the 5MW cab (not the 7MW cabbed version that Gravydavey posted). Robert
I have this picture and article that goes with it and it is from a 1972 Commercial Motor publication. The article contains a number of pictures of this F86 and a F88. The article also contains various quotations from a number of Calor employees of that time.
It does give the impression that Calor was a significant user of Volvo’s and I remember seeing a few from the early 1970’s. However my understanding was that these vehicles came into the Calor fleet through business acquisitions, such as Monkton Motors etc. Certainly from 1977 onwards I can not remember seeing any new Volvo’s as most new tractor units going through Rushden workshops at that time were ERF B series (although there were a few Foden S83, Seddon Atkinson 400, and Ford D Series with the ■■■■■■■ V8)
IAC60:
I have this picture and article that goes with it and it is from a 1972 Commercial Motor publication. The article contains a number of pictures of this F86 and a F88. The article also contains various quotations from a number of Calor employees of that time.
It does give the impression that Calor was a significant user of Volvo’s and I remember seeing a few from the early 1970’s. However my understanding was that these vehicles came into the Calor fleet through business acquisitions, such as Monkton Motors etc. Certainly from 1977 onwards I can not remember seeing any new Volvo’s as most new tractor units going through Rushden workshops at that time were ERF B series (although there were a few Foden S83, Seddon Atkinson 400, and Ford D Series with the ■■■■■■■ V8)
Sorry I posted this incorrectly. I was referring to Gravydavey’'s picture of the Calor Transport Volvo F86
A friend sent me this picture of a Leyland Marathon on Jacobs chocolate contract. I remember it in Wooburn Green depot and I think it was the only one on the fleet.
IAC60:
I have this picture and article that goes with it and it is from a 1972 Commercial Motor publication. The article contains a number of pictures of this F86 and a F88. The article also contains various quotations from a number of Calor employees of that time.
It does give the impression that Calor was a significant user of Volvo’s and I remember seeing a few from the early 1970’s. However my understanding was that these vehicles came into the Calor fleet through business acquisitions, such as Monkton Motors etc. Certainly from 1977 onwards I can not remember seeing any new Volvo’s as most new tractor units going through Rushden workshops at that time were ERF B series (although there were a few Foden S83, Seddon Atkinson 400, and Ford D Series with the ■■■■■■■ V8)
my dad was painting loads of new calor gas tractors in the mid 70’s, most were A series ERF plus the odd one like the the 335 MW in the photo, (she was a peach), also monk motors into calor colours , like this 110 , there were also scammell handymans , and at least 1 leyalnd ergo.
gravydavey:
A friend sent me this picture of a Leyland Marathon on Jacobs chocolate contract. I remember it in Wooburn Green depot and I think it was the only one on the fleet.
Great picture Gravydavy. I also remember this vehicle when it ran from Bedford to Jacobs Biscuits in Liverpool. It used to call into Rushden workshops from time to time for running repairs. The tank was double skinned and was heated up with steam to keep the chocolate as a liquid. I believe the tank shown in the photo was written off when the vehicle rolled over in an accident on the M6. The later tank had no livery applied and was just plain polished stainless steel. It was still pulled by the white Leyland Marathon. Like you say Gravydavey I think it was the only one in the Calor fleet (including the Marathon pulling it).
IAC60:
I have this picture and article that goes with it and it is from a 1972 Commercial Motor publication. The article contains a number of pictures of this F86 and a F88. The article also contains various quotations from a number of Calor employees of that time.
It does give the impression that Calor was a significant user of Volvo’s and I remember seeing a few from the early 1970’s. However my understanding was that these vehicles came into the Calor fleet through business acquisitions, such as Monkton Motors etc. Certainly from 1977 onwards I can not remember seeing any new Volvo’s as most new tractor units going through Rushden workshops at that time were ERF B series (although there were a few Foden S83, Seddon Atkinson 400, and Ford D Series with the ■■■■■■■ V8)
my dad was painting loads of new calor gas tractors in the mid 70’s, most were A series ERF plus the odd one like the the 335 MW in the photo, (she was a peach), also monk motors into calor colours , like this 110 , there were also scammell handymans , and at least 1 leyalnd ergo.
Hi Tony
The Calor ERF 5MW above was the one that you posted back in July 2012 on the Old Northamptonshire Companies and you said it was brand new at the time. Do you know if that was in 1973? Also do you know if that vehicle was involved in an accident when it first left Calor Rushden to be delivered? (maybe your Dad repaired it)
The reason that I ask was a new LHD Calor ERF hit a Carr Farmers Scania on the old A45 just outside Hargrave in 1973. The Scania was also only a few weeks old at the time but fortunately the ERF hit the body of the tipper that was coupled so the damage was very minimal (to the Scania anyway). I believe the driver of the ERF was not used to LHD and misjudged the width.
Hi
1973 would be it, and it was brand new, once dad painted it he took it down to clarks transport to show harold a proper lorry,
and on leaving the yard he managed to hit a corner and had to go back and do a quick repaint. I do know it didn’t last long at rushden because as you say it was max width and lhd, so I’m not surprised it had an accident , they moved it on to calor rotterdam as the drivers could’nt get used to the width and lhd.apparently the dutch loved it, cracking truck , I had a 5mw later but it only had a 220 ■■■■■■■ would’ve loved to have that 335.
tonyj105:
Hi
1973 would be it, and it was brand new, once dad painted it he took it down to clarks transport to show harold a proper lorry,
and on leaving the yard he managed to hit a corner and had to go back and do a quick repaint. I do know it didn’t last long at rushden because as you say it was max width and lhd, so I’m not surprised it had an accident , they moved it on to calor rotterdam as the drivers could’nt get used to the width and lhd.apparently the dutch loved it, cracking truck , I had a 5mw later but it only had a 220 ■■■■■■■ would’ve loved to have that 335.
I think that must have been the ERF tractor unit that was involved in the accident. The Calor vehicle was travelling East, tractor unit only and I believe it was on its way to the port (maybe on its way to Rotterdam). It caught the side of the tipper but I think the damage could only have been slight. Our Scania was only a few weeks old when it happened (Autum 1973). Ironically, 4 years later I joined Calor at Rushden as a apprentice mechanic. Above is a photo of the Scania and tipper involved.
The Atki and the Volvo were repaint jobs, The Atki was definitely ex Tyburn Fleet No 465, and I think the Volvo came with the purchase of W H Palmer, the ERF and the Crusader were new, the Crusader working on ICI propylene contract out of Wilton to British Celanese at Spondon for all its life, had a Rolls engine which gave a lot of fuel injection problems as I recall. A resettled cockney named Tony Ross drove it mostly.
TIDDERSON:
Seeing all the Bowyers vans in the background was it a BRS depot as most of their vans were contract?
Peter
no mate, no BRS depot , the Bowyers vans were a sort of satelite depot ,just drivers and vans , no other staff,had the small unit next to ours. replenished overnight by a trunker, the drivers used to pay me to wash the vans on a saturday morning.
I have been told by a retired driver that there was another Marathon based at Grangemouth. It was not there long as the drivers did not like it. I believe it finished up at Coryton on cylinders.
5th Dragoon the reply you posted about the Volvo being ex-Palmers would the Volvo in the picture I posted be the same? There seems to be no information anywhere about Palmers fleet.
I think there was only the one Marathon, there was never one at Grangemouth as I had Fleet responsibility there for a number of years, I also think that when the chocolate contract came up for renewal the contract went to another haulier and the outfit was sold on as part of that contract. Calor did have some reciprical trading arrangements, if you give us this, we will give you that etc. As for the Volvos depicted, they have both got Berkshire reg no,s, and I think they operated out of Woburn Green, a depot that was acquired with a takeover.
gravydavey:
5th Dragoon the reply you posted about the Volvo being ex-Palmers would the Volvo in the picture I posted be the same? There seems to be no information anywhere about Palmers fleet.
During my last years at Rushden (around 1980) I remembered some Palmers tractor units that came in for disposal. There were around 4 of them and they were all A Series ERF’s fitted with the 8 cylinder 240 Gardner engine. The reason I remembered them was that apart from being in a green and cream livery they were in very good condition. Also it was unusual in Calor to see the 8 cylinder Gardner in the A Series as most were the 6 cylinder 180 Gardners (the Calor B Series had the 8 cylinder).
Hello 5th Dragoon As time passes the memory fails. I used to be in and out of Wooburn Green depot alot after Calor swallowed Tyburns . I vaguely remember Palmers being taken over but cannot remember the f86s but can remember the ERFs and Fodens both LHD and RHD as a lot of traffic went to the continent.
This is an excellent thread, by the way - some good stuff on it. Robert 
