brandsbybank:
Bit before my time there but Kenneth Wilson Bulk Grain of Knottingley,Tuxford and Louth used to run some
I picked up a photo of a Kenneth Wilson bonnetted Merc and bulk trailer some years back.
Gascoyne Trading in Western Australia had a few 2623s in 1967 and later bought a few 2624s The 2624s were a bit faster, 62mph courtesy of a 6-speed box and a 2-speed splitter. Compared with the old Fodens, which were as rough as guts on dirt roads, the Mercs were so smooth we often broke rear springs going too fast through run-throughs.
![1969_Gascoyne-Merc_1r[1].jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/uploads/trucknetuk/original/3X/6/9/6905be351aefb2a554101cd336c9e8f69ad08263.jpeg)
harry_gill:
hiya,
Bowkers had a long nosed Merc of i think 1966 vintage it’s featured on the “NORTHWEST TRUCKS” site Bowkers page a pal of mine drove it and loved it i moved it off the pumps once and parked it up it did’nt feel like it had power steering a distance of about 50 yards was enough for me, if you’r
thanks harry long retired.
Good to catch up again harry brought back some memo seeing my old motor. we had some some good times
in bowkers then harry.
guesty.
Will:
My Dad drove a new one in 1966 for Coward Bros.Crow Lane Romford.Running UK & Continental…
Your dad will be the same age maybe “eh” will.
I am only just getting my head round this lappydrive
Finding a lot of old friends on here.Retired now nearly 5 years so it
is great to remin.
guesty take care.
Guesty44:
Will:
My Dad drove a new one in 1966 for Coward Bros.Crow Lane Romford.Running UK & Continental…Your dad will be the same age maybe “eh” will.
I am only just getting my head round this lappydrive
is great to remin.
guesty take care.
Dad is 83 & long retired,however his younger brother ( 81 ) in a couple of weeks is still an owner driver doing Uk to Morocco 
ben walker:
Suttons Tony:
Bowkers Long nosed Merc was an ex Charles Poulter Motor this and two flat front Mercs were bought from Yiddels and were only about a year old but had very high milage and appeared to have missed being serviced or have any maintance done. i should think the Turkish Mechanics who Davis Bros employed working in mud and under canvas just accidently missed them!..TonyHi Tony
There was never any Turkish Mechanics worked in Mud or under Canvas to my knowledge Davis Bros had Workshops much the same as Everybody else,I think Somebody must have been kidding you.Ben.
guesty.Ithink so toI got that merc when first arrived in the yard at hollin bridge street.
There was only to things missing (1-Headlight bulb-1offside antenner.)
On the first trip out I was told to call in at Mercedes agents park royal and pick them up.
Tried to send pics in poulters colours with bowker tilt coupled at tilbury docks.
Managed to get them on at last.GUESTY44
but cant seem to get them on (they were purchased at truck auction so we were told.
guesty.
harry_gill:
240 Gardner:
harry_gill:
[one of the flat fronts
being driven by a pal of mine rolled over coming off a car park along the A5Was this the incident, Harry?
hiya,
Yes that was the end product looks like it had just arrived back at Hollin Bridge St for “Bruno” the fleet engineer to have a look at as I said in a previous post Jack Leach was the driver,I was first off the car park and saw it go over in my rear view mirror there was four of us on the “car” park that morning having a “liquid” breakfast Don Smith Atki, Fred Guest Bullnose Merc, Jack Leach this Merc and myself in the ■■■■■■■ engined Atki or the “Powehouse”, that’s why I was in front didn’t want held up with those the other three snails.
thanks harry long retired.
Hiya harry Jack was killed while working for woodside’s preston. The third flt fronted merc was driven by Angus sutte
Who later moved on to live in Hull.
Take care Harry
guesty
I can well remember the cream coloured bull nosed Mercs of Charles Poulter (Davies Bros Co) running around the east end in the late 60’s also those of their other operation Larrow Transport Northern which were Red.Long time ago though 
Cheers Bewick.
M&C steve:
I have just returned from a motorbike trip to Penang, Malaysia.There are many there still in use.
hiya,
I’ll bet there aren’t many sleeper cabs on Penang you can visit the attractions,
butterfly farm, fenicular railway, (nice view from up there) and never be an
hour from home/hotel been a few times it was only accessible by ferry when
going as a National Serviceman in the 50s but as a holidaymaker in the 90s it
was joined to the mainland by a smart new bridge, fantastic place and was I
a bit younger I would love to go again. To get back on track there wasn’t any
“bullnoses” in the 50s and the army rest and recuperation camp is now a place
for drug rehabilitation, which there are many in Malaysia druggies and centres.
thanks harry, long retired.
Your not wrong Harry, in the 4 days i was on Penang i did not notice one sleeper cab truck of any make. There were a few on the mainland, but not too many, that i spotted whilst travelling from Thailand to Penang and back.
Many of the old Mercs on Penang though, and virtually all of those as the one in the pic above (click on it to see better) whereby the back of the ‘cab’ is in fact the headboard of the body, “tonka fashion”.
The bridge, yes what a feat of engineering that is, almost 6klms long and 6 lanes wide, free for motorbikes too although i still took the ferry as it gives one the feeling of actually going somewhere different.
Here are a couple of pic’s of Bridgetown taken from the ferry, must of changed somewhat to what you may remember.
Again, click on them once, then twice, for the big f-off version.
Steve.
M&C steve:
Your not wrong Harry, in the 4 days i was on Penang i did not notice one sleeper cab truck of any make. There were a few on the mainland, but not too many, that i spotted whilst travelling from Thailand to Penang and back.Many of the old Mercs on Penang though, and virtually all of those as the one in the pic above (click on it to see better) whereby the back of the ‘cab’ is in fact the headboard of the body, “tonka fashion”.
The bridge, yes what a feat of engineering that is, almost 6klms long and 6 lanes wide, free for motorbikes too although i still took the ferry as it gives one the feeling of actually going somewhere different.
Here are a couple of pic’s of Bridgetown taken from the ferry, must of changed somewhat to what you may remember.
Again, click on them once, then twice, for the big f-off version.
Steve.
hiya,
Thank’s for that Steve, the views haven’t altered much since 1995 when I was last
there, but quite a bit more high rise than it appeared in the mid 50s, the hotel I
stayed at for four days was the Pan Pacific went there from the Cameron Highlands
having spent several days in Kuala Lumpur prior to that, then from Penang down to
Singapore for a few days before flying back to KL and home, I used to drive army
vehicles usually AEC matadors from KL to Alor Star on the Thai border the road in
those days was dense jungle both sides, although it never happened to me there was
always a chance of terrorist attack hence we always had an armoured vehicle ■■■■■■
the roads not being the best in those far off days it was always a long slow run and if
a driver you kept your sten gun primed and ready on your knee.
thanks harry, long retired.
Those trucks may not be all they appear,as in maybe not that old,as for non eurpean markets MB still make the bullnoses,AFAIAK in the south african and brazilian
factories,and probably others too.
Worked for a few months for harrisons of oldham.cant remember exact year sometime in the 70s, they had a small place in preston. i drove a mercedes 1418 (bench seat)hated the useless thing. did not stay long .
240 Gardner:
Suttons Tony:
Bowkers Long nosed Merc was an ex Charles Poulter Motor this and two flat front Mercs were bought from Yiddels and were only about a year old but had very high milage and appeared to have missed being serviced or have any maintance done. i should think the Turkish Mechanics who Davis Bros employed working in mud and under canvas just accidently missed them!..TonyThis being one of them…
Bullnose mercedes before and after painting (HARRY)
Guesty44:
harry_gill:
hiya,
Bowkers had a long nosed Merc of i think 1966 vintage it’s featured on the “NORTHWEST TRUCKS” site Bowkers page a pal of mine drove it and loved it i moved it off the pumps once and parked it up it did’nt feel like it had power steering a distance of about 50 yards was enough for me, if you’r
thanks harry long retired.Good to catch up again harry brought back some memo seeing my old motor.
in bowkers then harry.
guesty.
Guesty44:
Guesty44:
harry_gill:
hiya,
Bowkers had a long nosed Merc of i think 1966 vintage it’s featured on the “NORTHWEST TRUCKS” site Bowkers page a pal of mine drove it and loved it i moved it off the pumps once and parked it up it did’nt feel like it had power steering a distance of about 50 yards was enough for me, if you’r
thanks harry long retired.Good to catch up again harry brought back some memo seeing my old motor.
in bowkers then harry.
guesty.
hiya,
Yes Fred a good time was had by all, a great crew of drivers, one exception “Snidey”
did he have any mates ■■, I never spoke other than to tell him to “go away” in my
own way I know little Leachy couldn’t stand him and Smithy never spoke to him our
pal Stan Hindle would pass the time of day with him but Stan was a nice fellah’ and
wouldn’t tell anybody o p""s off.
thanks harry, long retired.
I took this photo while working in north africa back in 1981/83.Lots of bonneted trucks running through the dessert back then.
