KW » Sat Sep 09, 2006 11:20 pm That Portway ERF has jogged a few memories for me. Portway had a large depot in Faversham on Whitstable Rd. and as far as I can remember,before Portway they were called South Eastern Transport and before that,East Kent Packers. EKP had a large fruit packing plant,with the truck garage just down the road on the opposite side. And G.L. Baker,also of Faversham,used to run a couple of LHD ERF’s like the red one above the Portway pic on regular runs to Marks & Spencer in Paris. G.L.Baker later became Transhield,then BOC Transhield.
There you are: if that ‘red one’ (lost by fkbucket) is an NGC, I was right in supposing that GL Baker’s NGC (MMG 772P) ran the same Paris Marks & Sparks trip that I did later with a Euroshield E-series. I may also be shown right in supposing that those LHD NGCs were operated out of Faversham. I certainly don’t remember any other LHD ERFs running out of the Oare depot. More importantly, ‘KW’ refers to A COUPLE of LHD ERFs - so there might have been another NGC FFS!
EDIT: solved it! KW must have been referring to this article (below) which shows a Portway ERF in EKP fruit packers along with ‘the red one’ - guess what, an NGC!! Result. Now I reckon that we might well have TWO GL Baker NGCs to track down.
Well, here’s some more good news! A former GL Baker driver who drove MMG 772P has very kindly PM’d me to fill us in on some of its history.
For a start, he says it definitely had the ■■■■■■■ 335 and Fuller ‘box (so we can probably assume it was the 9-sp).
GL Baker, Faversham acquired it from AJ Bradick of Leyton (London) along with some Scanias. After that it went to Baker’s Silvertown depot to work on the NYK container contract. There was just one ERF NGC.
Many thanks to the contributor for this information!
DEANB:
Good stuff Robert, did he have any photos ■■?
So A J Bradick of Leyton,were the original owner’s then i assume Robert ■■
It would appear so, Dean. GL Baker acquired Bradick and some of their lorries. My contributor was with Faversham from '78 and the lorry dates from '75.
Further observation: that GL Baker picture must have been taken after it left the Faversham depot to work at the one in Silvertown, as it appears to be pulling a skelly with a NYK container on it . Robert
Not only new, but beautiful! What a lovely image! As you recently pointed out, this wagon did Portugal runs. Interesting to note its 40’ step-frame French-style (probably Trailor) tilt - the kind of trailer one associated with groupage work! Thank you Dean.
Not only new, but beautiful! What a lovely image! As you recently pointed out, this wagon did Portugal runs. Interesting to note its 40’ step-frame French-style (probably Trailor) tilt - the kind of trailer one associated with groupage work! Thank you Dean.
Robert
Probably pulling for Interoute or possibly Aquila out of Poole,and they both did alot of groupage.
wideboybob:
0just noticed this picture from about 1976. in the background is the cab of a VIJORE erf. scrapped ? or replaced with a B series cab?
You have a keen eye! That’s a 5MW cab. There was a Vijore 5MW with RHD. The 5MW that ended up with a B-series cab was in Richard Read livery. You can find out all about those on the RHD ERF 5MW thread and the LHD ERF 5MW thread! Robert
Meanwhile, here’s a progress report on Truckerash’s model. The chassis looking good now, and just look at that driver’s seat! It’s a perfect replica of the real thing as seen in the promo brochures of the day. Robert
ERF-NGC-European:
Meanwhile, here’s a progress report on Truckerash’s model. The chassis looking good now, and just look at that driver’s seat! It’s a perfect replica of the real thing as seen in the promo brochures of the day. Robert
10
Ashley is making a nice job of that chap,alot of work going into it ! Out of intrest when you have
it painted is it going to be like new or really skanky like its just come back from a middle east run ■■?
ERF-NGC-European:
Meanwhile, here’s a progress report on Truckerash’s model. The chassis looking good now, and just look at that driver’s seat! It’s a perfect replica of the real thing as seen in the promo brochures of the day. Robert
10
Ashley is making a nice job of that chap,alot of work going into it ! Out of intrest when you have
it painted is it going to be like new or really skanky like its just come back from a middle east run ■■?
Well, we did discuss that but I think it’s going to be unweathered! R
Further to the GL Baker NGC: it was suggested that there were two but if you remember, my contact who gave me the potted history of MMG 772P thought there was only one. This is fair comment if only one of them was in GL Baker’s livery! Newmercman, on the Kent Transport thread, has just suggested that the SECOND GL Baker NGC was painted in the livery of Van Omeran. He’s currently doing a bit more homework on that, and I will too so watch this space (we might have no.88 on the reg after all!).
. Robert
just noticed this picture from about 1976. in the background is the cab of a VIJORE erf. scrapped ? or replaced with a B series cab?
