Came across this earlier today at Burton fair.
I thought I was familiar with most ERF variants, but I’ve never heard of an E12TX 325 before - can anyone enlighten me?
(over to you, Robert1952!)
Steve
I had a E12 fitted with a Perkins/Rolls 375 it was an absolute cracker of a lorry before that I had a E12 fitted with the Gardner 6LXDT another great reliable lorry both fitted with the Eaton twin splitter
I didn’t drive an E-series with the TX engine (only ■■■■■■■ E14s), but I did drive an EC with the 12-litre TX that ran on LNG. It was an artic and I only had it for a couple of days delivering round London, but it had a Twin-splitter and pulled well! Robert
Many thanks for the info, chaps. I knew that you would know, Robert.
BTW, didn’t ANYTHING which had a twinsplitter pull well? I remember when they first came out, I was working at Stamps and a driver from each depot was trained how to use it and then we had to go back and teach all the others at our depot. Some drivers really loved them - which I did - but others could never manage them come what may! (I was going to put ’ while they had a hole in their wotsit’, but it probably would have got censored!)
Steve
This ERF model was a popular choice with the major oil companies such as BP for a few years. A cheaper tractor unit than either a ■■■■■■■ or Gardner powered ERF.
In 1992 Pat Kennett conducted a Euro Test Special around the Ardennes route with a European spec E-series which met France’s type-approval rules. But this test vehicle had RHD instead of LHD! However, the machine acquitted itself remarkably well. The new European E-series was to be offered as either an E12.400 (Perkins TX) or an E14.410 (■■■■■■■■■ connected to either an Eaton Twin-splitter or the semi-automated version, SAMT. They were the choices.
At the end of the Euro Test, Pat Kennett reports that:
‘For the initial markets of France, Spain and Portugal, a working network of distributors is in the process of being established, with long-term targets of 18 in France and 12 in Spain. In addition ERF’s ‘European Freeway’ system has the support of nearly 1000 independent workshops in 16 countries.’
We are then reminded that the E12 version costs only two-thirds of the cost of a DAF 95 and that: ‘Even allowing for good distributor margins and service cost provisions, ERF can expect good commercial figures without being accused of ‘dumping’.
robert1952:
…We are then reminded that the E12 version costs only two-thirds of the cost of a DAF 95 and that: ‘Even allowing for good distributor margins and service cost provisions, ERF can expect good commercial figures without being accused of ‘dumping’.
Two thirds the price? That’s dumping, full stop, unless the product contains only two thirds the metal. What a load of blx they used to print, and probably still do.
[zb]
anorak:robert1952:
…We are then reminded that the E12 version costs only two-thirds of the cost of a DAF 95 and that: ‘Even allowing for good distributor margins and service cost provisions, ERF can expect good commercial figures without being accused of ‘dumping’.Two thirds the price? That’s dumping, full stop, unless the product contains only two thirds the metal. What a load of blx they used to print, and probably still do.
Well, the export bit is a red herring on this particular thread. I suppose a lot would have depended on whether the cost was two-thirds the price of a domestic UK E12TX. Robert
I remember that road test and all the associated press coverage that ERF was targeting the European market and had ambitions of establishing a dealer network in Europe. Nothing much ever came of those ambitious plans.
gingerfold:
I remember that road test and all the associated press coverage that ERF was targeting the European market and had ambitions of establishing a dealer network in Europe. Nothing much ever came of those ambitious plans.
That’s right. ERF had pulled out of Europe in '79, then after the dissolution of the EU borders they had another crack at it - didn’t last long, as you say. A flutter of E-series followed by a flutter of high-powered EC-series, all with LHD and then it was over. Robert
gingerfold:
This ERF model was a popular choice with the major oil companies such as BP for a few years. A cheaper tractor unit than either a ■■■■■■■ or Gardner powered ERF.
How did these later versions of the RR engine fare for durability, compared to the ■■■■■■■ and Gardner? While I am on the subject, why were they cheaper than ■■■■■■■ in the first place- was there less stuff on an Eagle than on an NTC?
[zb]
anorak:gingerfold:
This ERF model was a popular choice with the major oil companies such as BP for a few years. A cheaper tractor unit than either a ■■■■■■■ or Gardner powered ERF.How did these later versions of the RR engine fare for durability, compared to the ■■■■■■■ and Gardner? While I am on the subject, why were they cheaper than ■■■■■■■ in the first place- was there less stuff on an Eagle than on an NTC?
We ran about a dozen Perkins/Rolls ERFs after having a lot of reliability problems with the ■■■■■■■ L10
They gave us sterling service and I can’t recall any problems other than the odd fuel pump and injector overhaul
(They did tend to smoke a bit )
But give them their due they covered some massive mileage and fuel consumption was decent
We ran about 10 EC12s fitted with the 400TX again very reliable
Then when ■■■■■■■ launched the M11
We went back to ■■■■■■■ as the fuel consumption was unbeatable
