Eastern Europe galore :)

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS OLD TIME LORRIES, COMPANIES AND DRIVERS (INTERACT
1

Someone asked me long time ago if I can post some pics of the trucks from there…

I posted few I did myself, but today I have time and found some nice collections that I can share in here… :slight_smile:

Most of this trucks are still working today, as you can see they are often owned by farmers, so they only work during the harvest season. Still old Star with petrol engines are popular, as many of them are converted to LPG. And Kamaz and Tatra are still kings of the construction industry - they are indestructable and (especially Tatras) have very good off road capabilities, so even if the company owns modern trucks, they usually keep also few of them for when they need something extra :slight_smile:

So enjoy :slight_smile:

Star (Made in Poland, manufacturer of light and mid size truck, and also fire engine, off road and other special vehicles, now owned by MAN, brand discontinued)















Believe or not, some of these antic fire engines still work in voluntary Fire Brigades (these are kind of charity organization, they use vehicles that they buy or obtain from donations, some of them are not in the best financial condition, so they use some stuff that should long be having warm home in the transport museums):




And here Star 266 prepared for Paris - Dakar rally in 1989:

Jelcz (Made in Poland, manufacturer of mid to heavy size trucks, also fire engines etc, now manufactures only military trucks)









This rugs on the front are to keep engine warm during the winter.





LIAZ (related to Skoda), Czechoslovakia. Brand discontinued.





Tatra (Made in Czechoslovakia, now Czech republic, manufacturer of wide range trucks with very good off road capablilities, also cars (up to 2000), second oldest truck namufacturer in the word).



Tatra road artic is very unusual view, there was only short series of them made for long distance transport (but there are many log trucks from this manufacturer).





Robur (Eastern Germany, manufacturer of light trucks and vans)

Kamaz (Soviet Union, now Russia, manufacturer of heavy trucks, mostly tippers).




MAZ (Belarus)

Steyr (austria), still quite popular in Poland, especially as tipper:







here we can see what happened to this brand :slight_smile: But unlike ERF I think they still make some… At least in China :slight_smile:

Csepel (Hungary):



(this Csepel is fitted with Jelcz cab, we were exchangint them with Hungarians for rear differentials and Ikarus buses)

The cooperation was lasting for years:

They were also taking our Star cabs:

And now, guess who took them over:
:slight_smile:

Kraz (Russia):



These still serve in Polish army:


Kraz is still doing well…

And here some proper recovery vehicle:



IFA (East Germany, discontinued):




Praga (Czechoslovakia):




Praga Longline :grimacing:

Ural (USSR) - still popular in Polish Army:

Avia:





Avia, as you can see, was basically licensed renault light truck and van, later the company was taken over by Daewoo, and I don’t know who owns them now, but they are still made:

Other:
This is Stalowa Wola polish crane, mounted (I think) on Tatra frame:

Deutz, I think it’s from West Germany, but I am not sure… Still working hard in one of the voluntary Fire Brigades:

And for something lighter:

Nysa (Made in Poland, discontinued)


upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c … Krakow.jpg
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c … ockpit.jpg


Yes, people in Easter Bloc were also going for holidays! :slight_smile:

Older one:

Iconic Communist Police Van:

Nysa became a synonime for the whole class of the vehicles, just like here you call “transit van” or “Luton van” the whole class of the vehicle, not only Fords or boxes made in Luton.

Żuk:
wwojnar.com/photoblog/wp-content … engine.jpg

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c … %C3%B3w_(3.jpg


There were even serious prototypes made for the camper version:

…but it all ended in usuall way for centally planned economy:
:slight_smile:

Both Żuks and Nysas were made in Poland well into 1990 (i think Zuk made it a bit longer), so they are still a comon sight in Polish roads, as well as in other countries (for example Hungary).

Tarpan:



Tarpan is a curiosity. It was a prototype that was constructed with faulty parts from other models, and then for some crazy reason made into production for 20 odd years… :slight_smile:

UAZ (Soviet Union, still made in Russia):

Multicar, East Germany (I think that was some branch of IFA but they are still made):



Ok, thats enought wasting time for today :slight_smile:

Most of the pics above are made by donio from a Polish forum, other are some random internet finds :slight_smile:

2

Thanks for posting these up Orys, I remeber seeing most of them at some time, I like The Kraz wrecker truck it looks like a real old monster…

3

Just an observation.

Most of the earlier pics were low roof day cabs.

Is this a common thing or just coincidence?

4

I don’t think there was much high roof trucks in 70s and that’s when most of them were designed.

As for Star trucks, there were rarely used for long distance jobs, I don’t even think they had sleeper cabs.

As for Jelcz, most of these which were doing long distance jobs are long gone, most of these you still can see on the road belong to farmers or builders.

And also, haulage in communist country looked different: there werent’ 1000s of private companies, road haulage (and passenger transport) was dominated by a PKS conglomerate (PKS stands for PaÅ„stwowa Komunikacja Samochodowa - State Owned Motor Transport), they had depots in every bigger town, and they had hotels for their drivers. So actually instead of being parked somewhere in some lay-by, most of the nights your truck was parked in one of their yards and you were sleeping in their hotel.

Of course there were other companies, some big state owned factories had their own trucks, some farmers also had trucks, but vast majority of transport was done by PKS. So bunks were rather exeption than the rule.

5

Interesting, I like to see photo’s of Eastern European transport but can I see the influence of some Western European manufacturers in the older photo’s. The likes of DAF, Fiat, Foden and ERF/MAN. Please post more.

6

Thank you for posting those very interesting and stirs the memory and I cannot recall too many western European wagons with high roof cabs in the 70s I think it was early to mid 80s when high roofs were introduced

cheers Johnnie

7

Wrinkly:
Interesting, I like to see photo’s of Eastern European transport but can I see the influence of some Western European manufacturers in the older photo’s. The likes of DAF, Fiat, Foden and ERF/MAN. Please post more.

Which ones do you mean that are influenced?

8

A really good selection of Eastern European commercials pictures, still see a good selection of those on a daily basis here in Bulgaria although not Polish marques. Will try and take some local pics when the snow goes.