Guesty44:
boyzee:
I took this photo while working in north africa back in 1981/83.Lots of bonneted trucks running through the dessert back then.
Guesty44:
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:
retriever:
TautlinerTerry:
Hi there Chaps I’ve been trawling through my holiday pics and through my archive and here’s some more “Bullnose” pics. I’ve come to the conclusion that "Bullnose " was definately a nickname for these bonneted Mercs. I know there was an old car called a Bullnose Morris but I couldn’t imagine Mercedes calling one of their lorries a “Bullnose” !? I wonder if it was just a nickname given to them by J.W.Q. drivers ■■
This picture was taken by the late Roger Kenney and is copyright to Roundoak Publishing but it can stay here. It was taken in the late 1960s when he visited their depot.
hiya,
The driver of this motor the only one of it’s type that Bowker ever had was driven by a good pal of mine Freddie Guest,
it’s been over forty years since we ran together and had a jar or two when off duty, hope you are keeping well mate.
thanks harry long retired.
Hiya Archie bumped this up for old times sake
Guesty44:
harry_gill:
retriever:
TautlinerTerry:
Hi there Chaps I’ve been trawling through my holiday pics and through my archive and here’s some more “Bullnose” pics. I’ve come to the conclusion that "Bullnose " was definately a nickname for these bonneted Mercs. I know there was an old car called a Bullnose Morris but I couldn’t imagine Mercedes calling one of their lorries a “Bullnose” !? I wonder if it was just a nickname given to them by J.W.Q. drivers ■■
This picture was taken by the late Roger Kenney and is copyright to Roundoak Publishing but it can stay here. It was taken in the late 1960s when he visited their depot.
hiya,
The driver of this motor the only one of it’s type that Bowker ever had was driven by a good pal of mine Freddie Guest,
it’s been over forty years since we ran together and had a jar or two when off duty, hope you are keeping well mate.
thanks harry long retired.1
Hiya Archie bumped this up for old times sake
It was Jack Leach + Angus who had the two flat fronted mercs
Hope these will jog your memory.There a few Bowker lads on here
from them there bygone days
Take care.
GUESTY44
Never drove one, but saw thousands of the buggers in the Middle-East and North Africa - like these. Notice that frigo trailer in the bottom pic! Robert 
hey, I think that it was the only nose lorry which sold well in the UK. Speak about before the the '80’s.
We were the longest in Europ who bought nose lorries together with France for tankers) and the
Nederlands (for tankers). Even we had a lot of them with tilts,before police controls realy took off. 
Even the Volvo South America was sold by Volco because of asks of hauliers and not even freaks wanted them.
In the '60’s and '70’s it was a roomy cab for sleeping out, as it looked small, but no engine hump and sweep out the passengers seat.
Cheers Eric,
tiptop495:
hey, I think that it was the only nose lorry which sold well in the UK. Speak about before the the '80’s.
We were the longest in Europ who bought nose lorries together with France for tankers) and the
Nederlands (for tankers). Even we had a lot of them with tilts,before police controls realy took off.
Even the Volvo South America was sold by Volco because of asks of hauliers and not even freaks wanted them.
In the '60’s and '70’s it was a roomy cab for sleeping out, as it looked small, but no engine hump and sweep out the passengers seat.Cheers Eric,
Maximum length regulations ruled them out in UK, and in any case we needed the engine in the cab to keep us warm! Robert 
robert1952:
tiptop495:
hey, I think that it was the only nose lorry which sold well in the UK. Speak about before the the '80’s.
We were the longest in Europ who bought nose lorries together with France for tankers) and the
Nederlands (for tankers). Even we had a lot of them with tilts,before police controls realy took off.
Even the Volvo South America was sold by Volco because of asks of hauliers and not even freaks wanted them.
In the '60’s and '70’s it was a roomy cab for sleeping out, as it looked small, but no engine hump and sweep out the passengers seat.Cheers Eric,
Maximum length regulations ruled them out in UK, and in any case we needed the engine in the cab to keep us warm! Robert
hiya,
Surely the Scammell Handyman of similar “nose length” sold one or two in the UK.
they must have been similarly proportioned and plenty did general haulage long
before the Merc poked it’s “nose” in. Just being a nuisance.
thanks harry, long retired.
harry_gill:
robert1952:
tiptop495:
hey, I think that it was the only nose lorry which sold well in the UK. Speak about before the the '80’s.
We were the longest in Europ who bought nose lorries together with France for tankers) and the
Nederlands (for tankers). Even we had a lot of them with tilts,before police controls realy took off.
Even the Volvo South America was sold by Volco because of asks of hauliers and not even freaks wanted them.
In the '60’s and '70’s it was a roomy cab for sleeping out, as it looked small, but no engine hump and sweep out the passengers seat.Cheers Eric,
Maximum length regulations ruled them out in UK, and in any case we needed the engine in the cab to keep us warm! Robert
hiya,
Surely the Scammell Handyman of similar “nose length” sold one or two in the UK.
they must have been similarly proportioned and plenty did general haulage long
before the Merc poked it’s “nose” in. Just being a nuisance.
thanks harry, long retired.
Yes, I remember United Dairies had what seemed like hundreds of them! Robert 
harry_gill:
robert1952:
tiptop495:
hey, I think that it was the only nose lorry which sold well in the UK. Speak about before the the '80’s.
We were the longest in Europ who bought nose lorries together with France for tankers) and the
Nederlands (for tankers). Even we had a lot of them with tilts,before police controls realy took off.
Even the Volvo South America was sold by Volco because of asks of hauliers and not even freaks wanted them.
In the '60’s and '70’s it was a roomy cab for sleeping out, as it looked small, but no engine hump and sweep out the passengers seat.Cheers Eric,
Maximum length regulations ruled them out in UK, and in any case we needed the engine in the cab to keep us warm! Robert
hiya,
Surely the Scammell Handyman of similar “nose length” sold one or two in the UK.
they must have been similarly proportioned and plenty did general haulage long
before the Merc poked it’s “nose” in. Just being a nuisance.
thanks harry, long retired.
Harry leave the angel,s water alone before thinking as the bonneted Scammell was the HIGHWAYMAN the Handyman was a cab over 
cheers Johnnie 
sammyopisite:
harry_gill:
robert1952:
tiptop495:
hey, I think that it was the only nose lorry which sold well in the UK. Speak about before the the '80’s.
We were the longest in Europ who bought nose lorries together with France for tankers) and the
Nederlands (for tankers). Even we had a lot of them with tilts,before police controls realy took off.
Even the Volvo South America was sold by Volco because of asks of hauliers and not even freaks wanted them.
In the '60’s and '70’s it was a roomy cab for sleeping out, as it looked small, but no engine hump and sweep out the passengers seat.Cheers Eric,
Maximum length regulations ruled them out in UK, and in any case we needed the engine in the cab to keep us warm! Robert
hiya,
Surely the Scammell Handyman of similar “nose length” sold one or two in the UK.
they must have been similarly proportioned and plenty did general haulage long
before the Merc poked it’s “nose” in. Just being a nuisance.
thanks harry, long retired.Harry leave the angel,s water alone before thinking
cheers Johnnie
hiya,
Should’ve known better Johnnie I have driven both, yep’ and the Highwayman
was by far the first and foremost an ex-Shell motor who along with ICI ran
boat loads of them, I am now tee-total as that pig flying past your window
will verify Oh’ and at my age I’m allowed the odd mistake so there, fill er’ up.
thanks harry, long retired.
Hiya have you seen the clip OLD LORRIES WORKING their,s plenty of really smart bullnose tippers on there.
the clip is a show where trucks are driving round loading and tipping its worth alook
Hiya,
Just bumping this forwards to enable Archie Paice to find it a bit easier.
thanks harry, long retired.
harry_gill:
Hiya,
Just bumping this forwards to enable Archie Paice to find it a bit easier.
thanks harry, long retired.
Hiya Harry/Archie.maybe I put this on aswell but cant remember,
Early days before it was painted if you remember Harry.
Freddie.
GUESTY44
I was a driver for Gorden Eaton (Forsbrook) who in 1971 traded a Merc 2023 6x2 tractor unit in to newly appointed Mecedes Benz dealers “Bredbury Motors” Stockport in part ex for a new bonneted 1418 reg EEH 333J. Being mainly on tipper work and pulling a Fruehaf tipper trailer it tared off at 10tons giving a really good legal pay load for the day of 22tons. It was good on the flat but anything steeper than 1 in 7 loaded was a challenge, brakes were ok but a 20second warning before stopping was essential, it was reliable comfortable and warm.
As others have said they were a little over length with a 40` trailer as i found out in a roadside check at Paisley resulting in a £25 fine . P.S. The 2023 reg BEH 666H was purchased by Oliver Hart Chorley and went into their tipping fleet… Dave
Hello, I did for a couple of years.
Brilliant photos modelwreckerman
Wards used to run some unusual stuff as I recall.
Dave the Renegade:
This Mercedes belonged to Llanelly Steel Co Ltd,who kept their three artics in the yard of the firm that I drove for in Kington Herefordshire.
What colour would this have been painted?
Thanks
A Dutch MB from Wielemaker of then Koudekerke and nowadays Middelburg (Zeeland) and they are still
loyal to MB with quite a big fleet on waste-management, construction logistics and heavy transport.
