There are lots of topics on here regarding the Scania v Volvo debate and rightly so-both totally excellent lorries. Arguably you could say these two Swedes are the best on the road-but are Mercs a close runner up in third?? My abiding memories, as a child of the 1970’s are of my Dads “Bullnose” Merc 14-18 he had for a few years on J.W.Q. Transport at the Reading depot.I always and still do think that proportionately, they just look good. I remember going with my Dad on many occasions, no power steering so swines to reverse, mostly metal inside so quite noisy and they are the first lorry I can remember with three windscreen wipers.The first question is, were they actually called “Bullnoses” or was that just an unofficial nickname for them?? J.W.Q. had a few of these motors and on a spot check in London one was found to be over length with a 40’ trailer so they had to order some 38’ ones instead! The first pic you can see this Bullnose wad a D plate so puts it to the 64-65 era and was basically B.R.S. cherry red and the second was a J plate and in J.W.Q.s later colours of white with a red stripe round the middle. Interestingly enough these motors must be still made by Mercedes as I’ve still seen them all over the place Including Greece, Turkey and Egypt. Over to you now chaps any info…?
Never drove one meself but can remember the JWQ ones.Did they have any based in Swindon ?
Last time i saw one the road was one of Bowdens (spelling) from Okehampton, they must have got their moneys worth out of them Mercs cos it was about 15 years ago iirc.
Suedehead:
Is that Peter Sutcliffe and Rolf Harris ? . . tin hat ready.
Both still driving at 66,Andrew Stokes the one withe glasses drove the Merc Peter Lloyd sitting drove a Guy big J for
them,mostly double shifted hauling from the Midlands to South Wales loaded both ways,they aslo had a Guy Warrior,
they would both probably admit that it was the best driving job they ever had.
Cheers Dave
I never had a “bullnose” merc but I did drive an LPS1418 for Waugh Transport of Newcastle
from 1976 to 1983, no rose tinted specs here. I must admit the thing was bombproof,
on the otherhand the whole world seemed to be uphill to the merc and then when you
did get it going it was you had to have your wits about you to stop it as the brakes were air
over hydraulic. How those south wales drivers coped with the braking day after day on the
“Heads of theValley” road is beyond me, I was a gibbering wreck when I knew I had to
descend Black Rock with 20 tons of steel from Ebbw Vale steelworks. The way we drive
now would be a recipe for disaster with the 1418 as it was a low gear job from the top to the
bottom and then hope the cafe lorrypark before the roundabout at Abergavenny was empty so
had enough room to stop and let the brakes cool down. Then of course it was the opposite
struggle climbing up from Monmouth to the M50. I also remember the M5 from Strensham
to Brum there were three hills with weight limits on the outside lane of the two lane stretch
where my brain power and parentage would regularly be called into question by anyone who
had the misfortune to be stuck behind me. Well enough reminicences from an old ■■■■
for today. ps only 96 weeks and 4days to go but who is counting?
Suedehead:
Never drove one meself but can remember the JWQ ones.Did they have any based in Swindon ?
Last time i saw one the road was one of Bowdens (spelling) from Okehampton, they must have got their moneys worth out of them Mercs cos it was about 15 years ago iirc.
In answer to your question-yes they did have them at Swindon-the two pics are Swindon motors the whte and red one has a load of “lamms” on it from L & H
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’re still out there Fred how you doing mate.
thanks harry long retired.
I have never been a fan of bonneted trucks but do have a soft spot for these old bulbous Mercs. They have a noddy car look to them and seem as though they are smiling.
One of my first dealings with one was in my first few weeks of tankering. I had to meet a German driver from Rinnen on Hull docks and show him the way to ICI Wilton. I had an F7 and he sat behind me up the A19 towards Thirsk, when we got onto the dual carriageway, he flashed me to stop and told me that I could drive faster as he could easily keep up. I told him I was driving fast and he dissed my little F7 that I was so proud of
I was supposed to show him the ropes in Wilton but he was my teacher that day and we tipped both tanks back to back as he had enough equipment in his boxes to join them together. 15 years later I was cleaning in Rinnen in Maxdorf and saw this old bullnose being used as a yard shunter. I would love to think it was the same one.
Hi,I love these old bonneted Mercs…LPS1418s I think the model is called,something thats always puzzled me is why Yiddle Davis bought them…remember the 2nd world war had only finished 20 years before and these were German lorries…the Mercedes salesman must have had some “balls” to knock on his door
Heres a couple.
bubbleman:
Hi,I love these old bonneted Mercs…LPS1418s I think the model is called,something thats always puzzled me is why Yiddle Davis bought them…remember the 2nd world war had only finished 20 years before and these were German lorries…the Mercedes salesman must have had some “balls” to knock on his door
Cheers Bubbs,
I know what you mean, my old Uncle will still not buy Japanese cars and will only have BUSH TV equipment, haven’t got the heart to tell him they are made in China
Drove one for Davis Bros in 1966,never heard them called Bullnose,it was just over the limit with 40 Footer on,average performer bad Brakes,great Cab comfortable compared with Bitish at the time especially if you had to Cab it. Davis buying German, never found that out Bubbs,crossed my mind a few times,they were supplied by Normands of Park Royal part exchange for a lot of Ford Traders.
hiya,
Did’nt Clabens have a lot on fridgework??, think i’ve seen pics on a thread on here maybe our pal Marc has featured them on his Scrapbook Memories.
thanks harry long retired.
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.
Don;t forget – Clive Price drove this Merc on changeover with these two great drivers.
Regards – Hywel —
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.
Don;t forget – Clive Price drove this Merc on changeover with these two great drivers.
Regards – Hywel —
Is that the Clive Price who runs the Scania’s now?
Sure did drive a bonneted Merc 1418 Reg EEH 777J Cost new in 1970 less than £5000 on the road , supplied by Bredbury Commercials who were the Merc truck agents at the time . Pulled a Fruehauf tipping trailer and as the Merc was a light weight unit so a payload over 22.5 ton was possible. Comfortable ride with the 3 seater cab and got along well on flat roads but 1in7 was its limit with 32tons going uphill , brakes air over oil so needed to keep trailer brakes adjusted to stop the thing. Think it had diff lock as a standard fitting? Traded a Merc 2023 3 axle unit in for this. which went into Oliver Harts fleet.
Reliable motor for its day with 8mpg . Drove it 4 years and it never let me down. 3piece-wheel ( Dave)
My Brother drove a long nose merc 1418 and I drove a flat fronted 1418, as far as the third contender after the F88 and 111, not a chance that would have to go to the DAF 2800 and to be honest as I’ve driven all of them, on distance work. ie Europe I’d take the daf anytime, more room. Merc brakes were bloody awful.
just to digress slightly : Some companies that i remember who ran them were Lenham storage & Welch’s of Stapleford
and he dissed my little F7 that I was so proud of 
