Juddian:
Yeah i reckon you were describing the 13 speed Fuller Andie, but Christ its been a few years since.Shall we throw Fodens 12 speed 3 range box into the discussion to help simplify things, with the three unequal ranges
Is that the one with two gear sticks?
Darkside:
Juddian:
Yeah i reckon you were describing the 13 speed Fuller Andie, but Christ its been a few years since.Shall we throw Fodens 12 speed 3 range box into the discussion to help simplify things, with the three unequal ranges
Is that the one with two gear sticks?
At one time yes (thankfully before my time, phew 
), but later the range shift lever moved to the top right of the dashboard, if you can call that lump of grey painted cast steel bolted directly to the steering column, in turn bolted directly to the chassis, through which every road shock would pass directly to your hands 
a dashboard…a baptism of fire when you got handed one of those just after passing your lorry test.
Later the range change moved to the gearstick same as other lorries, but was still the same basic design with its unequal shifts, by the time S80 then later on Haulmaster arrived the box seemed a lot easier to use, whether it was easier or just experience made it easier, or gradually more powerful engines so timing wasn’t so critical i don’t know.
It was really the first twin splitter in some ways, but the shift pattern was confusing as hell at first and this box bit back if you didn’t get it right, if you lost it you could end up coming to a complete halt and starting again.
The standard method of going up the box was,
1L 2L 3L 4L 2D 2H 3D 3H 4D 4H or you could go 1L 2L 3L then back into 1D…but after that i forget the sequence, the latter method gave you one more gear to reach top and the heady heights of 48mph 
I am sure my dad or one of his mates had a two stroke Foden for a while,and if you got the wrong gear, you could get the engine running backwards.
Darkside:
I am sure my dad or one of his mates had a two stroke Foden for a while,and if you got the wrong gear, you could get the engine running backwards.
Quite possibly, i’ve seen Gardner 180 LXB and 201 LXC firing up and running backwards though thankfully never quite managed it mesen, usually happens following a stall where the engine stops just at the right point on a compression stroke and when the clutch or PTO pressure (as in one memorable event) released, that held compression being enough to send the piston back down and away she goes.
Takes a few seconds to work out whats happening, the engine sounds a bit odd, though not unduly different, but exhaust dust is coming out the air intake 
If you want to see a Foden two stroke with 12 speed box being driven bloody well try this youtube.com/watch?v=5pwhm_xoDiY note the range shifter up on the top right of the dash.
anecdote, first place i drove artics for they’d recently got rid of the two strokes, and one lad i know fairly well had been the driver of one, the boss had just taken delivery of his pride and joy, and MGBGT and was cruising down the M1 at a casual running in 60 when he had his doors blown off by one of his own two strokes doing a steady 75, yes the driver got the sack upon return, i’d love to have been sitting beside Bob the gaffer when that stroker went past it must have sounded glorious
Just imagine how hard it was to steer that 8 legger with a load on.
Santa:
Just imagine how hard it was to steer that 8 legger with a load on.
Yeah you wouldn’t pick a fight with the bloke who drove it, who probably handballed 20 tons of bags on and off it every day as well, he didn’t need a gym membership, but probably now needs hearing aids.
JIMBO47:
0 here you go for the young’uns born after 1990 what it looked like.
I did an agency gig about twenty years ago in an old ERF and that had this shift in it. When I arrived at the yard one of their regular blokes took me around the industrial estate a couple of times to get the hang of it and then off I went from Poole to south Wales and back.
Coming out of Bath on the way home up the hill on the '36 managed to drop the ball and came to a halt 
but apart from that had no problems.
Never seen or driven one since.
Fantastic story in my opinion, well written, gripping stuff and educational. I have my christmas refrigeration stories ready to post for christmas eve. It is a true fridge mans tale where I was visited by the ghosts of refrigeration, past, present and future. Everyone loves a refrigeration tale and they should also love your tale of the carpet deliveries.
JIMBO47:
0 hehe …can anybody else remember THIS monkey on a stick!
If I squint a little and turn my head slightly to one side I see Lucifer holding a trident laughing back at me ? Anyone else see that lol , thanks for the photo Jimbo, never seen one and never want to try and fail at using one lol !
2stickpg is wrong title its on one stick…came across some real lulus over here from many types o twin sticks to fuller 11LL s ,always helped if I remembered the colour o the buttons.
