Nice shot of one of the Bewick 4 wheelers,a 13 ton GVW Dodge stood in the depot at Milnthorpe prior to leaving for Glenrothes in Fife with a Paper making machine roll that required re-facing.This roll would be valued at around £100K and we had special G.I.T. insurance for each movement.
Bewick:
Not being a Foden “enthusiast” I wasn’t quite sure which version required the driver to have C. V. joint in his neck!! but I do recall that Robson Foden drivers were afflicted with “crank neck”!!! Cheers Dennis.
They just grew too tall that’s all Dennis! Fodens were no worse than a Bedford TK in that department, my only complaint with a Foden (being 6 ft 5 ins tall) was that the gearlever got in the way of the clutch pedal due to the steering column being low, I soon got used to bending my left leg towards the right to get it between the gearstick and underneath the steering wheel. A good job that t’other gearlever was on the dashboard and you didnt need the clutch a lot. 
But then driver comfort was never a priority in those days.
Pete.
Evening all, Dennis I always rated those little Dodge lorries, well powered at 7.5 and13tons with Mr Perkins 354, and they were quite light. Following the Peugeot Citroen merger into RVI I did meet quite a few of the Dodge people, and they had some excellent lorry designers and engineers, they had really been through the mill with Chrysler, and I was amazed at their resiliance. Dodge had quite a following in Europe, and one or two very handy Dealers, but with the utter confusion and corporate, and product blood letting following the Berliet Saviem merger it was pretty obvious that there would be no future for the product, however the “new” Commando range was to be launched at Le Touquet sur Plage, and all the arrangements had been made. The idea was “Commandos storm Europe”, In early dark evening, before assembled clients and dignitaries, in the municiple restaurant overlooking the beach area the lights would dim, the beach would be illuminated with powerful searchlights, the sound system would pick up the noise of an approaching Hoverspeed Hovercraft getting louder as it neared the shore. It would roar into view, land at the waters edge, disgourge several versions of the Commando range, which heralded by loud and spectacular pyrotechnics would shoot over the sand on specially prepared steel sand roadways. They did not, the crew of the Hovercraft were blinded by the beach illuminating search lights, so dropped the Commandos in the wrong place, whose drivers could not find the steel roadway and became spectacularly embedded in the soft sand, an ignominious end to a very expensive launch programme!!! Nothing wrong with the trucks, just the over expensed PR people, who I understand blamed everyone except themselves. Although I was nothing to do with the product, or the farcical proceedings, I did feel embarresed to say the least. Im going to drown these unhappy memories with a little chilled Bollinger, Bon Nuit mes braves.
windrush:
Bewick:
Not being a Foden “enthusiast” I wasn’t quite sure which version required the driver to have C. V. joint in his neck!! but I do recall that Robson Foden drivers were afflicted with “crank neck”!!! Cheers Dennis.They just grew too tall that’s all Dennis! Fodens were no worse than a Bedford TK in that department, my only complaint with a Foden (being 6 ft 5 ins tall) was that the gearlever got in the way of the clutch pedal due to the steering column being low, I soon got used to bending my left leg towards the right to get it between the gearstick and underneath the steering wheel. A good job that t’other gearlever was on the dashboard and you didnt need the clutch a lot.
Pete.
Hiya Pete,being 5 inches shorter than you I must say I never had a problem “visionwise” with the TK although having never sat in a Foden cab I can only recall the negative “cracks” I used to hear about the Foden driving position!! When you consider at which end of the market each of the marques occupied and the price differential I think Fodens should have been ashamed of themselves producing such a poxy cab as regards to driver comfort!! But I suppose that they(Fodens) were at the pinnacle of the then phylosophy " The driver is irrelavent" it’s what the g’uvnor wants that matters!! I wouldn’t have a Foden in my yard,they were total crap!! and thats being kind!!! My opinion only,of course! Cheers Dennis.
Inch by inch “Saviem” we are drawing you out and getting to the bottom as to what,by any stretch of the imagination,has been a very “interesting” corporate life spent in “the land of Le Frog”.No wonder you are now deleriously happy to follow the calling of a “country yokel”!!! Now own up,what part did you really play at that vehicle launch? Running the free bar by the sound of it!!! Cheers Dennis.
Last one to-night,4 legs not wheels!!! Big win at York raceway with “Dalestar” Pleasant interlude from running 100 artics!!
Hope there are enough 4wheel Fodens here for you Dennis 
Four wheelers, kings of the London markets!
Here’s mine 1938 and now.
Bernard
albion1938:
Four wheelers, kings of the London markets!
Here’s mine 1938 and now.
Bernard
I’m a little worried about the roping in the first pic, middle sections ok, but what about the front and back.
I’m a little worried about the roping in the first pic, middle sections ok, but what about the front and back.
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That’s how they did it in the old days, didn’t go fast enough for it to fall off!
Seriously though, that picture was taken when it was new in 1938, that’s the farm mechanic standing alongside, it was being loaded for market when the photographer turned up to take a picture for the bodybuilder’s album, and got him to pose it.
It really did run like that though albeit with more ropes, carrying flowers from Iver in Bucks to the London markets.
Bernard
albion1938:
I’m a little worried about the roping in the first pic, middle sections ok, but what about the front and back.
That’s how they did it in the old days, didn’t go fast enough for it to fall off!
Seriously though, that picture was taken when it was new in 1938, that’s the farm mechanic standing alongside, it was being loaded for market when the photographer turned up to take a picture for the bodybuilder’s album, and got him to pose it.
It really did run like that though albeit with more ropes, carrying flowers from Iver in Bucks to the London markets.
Bernard
There still looks like a distinct lack of dollies on this side of the body though 
Some Vulcan four wheelers courtesy of Roy Morgan.
Hello all, Dennis, that aye arf a bostin oss! loads of them rand Dudley way, them quicker than the buzz, and yow can get the Grannies shoppin on em, as well as the missus!! See ya our kid.
Here’s a Vulcan my wifes grandfather used to drive.
Plus a few more oldies from the 50s/60s
The next two photos are just a couple of many that can be seen & purchased through Bob Hobbs at transportphotos.com/road/photo
Bewick:
Last one to-night,4 legs not wheels!!! Big win at York raceway with “Dalestar” Pleasant interlude from running 100 artics!!
Is that your horse Dennis? … it`s like you 
Muckaway:
Hope there are enough 4wheel Fodens here for you Dennis
Spot on that shot Nathan! Were they actually all 4 wheelers or were some of them 8 wheelers? Obviously that one on the left is your one!!! Would be interesting if the clock could be turned back to give you a shot at working conditions in those days eh! Cheers Dennis.
They drink a lot of milk in Morcambe---------in the mornings .
Saviem:
Hello all, Dennis, that aye arf a bostin oss! loads of them rand Dudley way, them quicker than the buzz, and yow can get the Grannies shoppin on em, as well as the missus!! See ya our kid.
There was nothing as good or as fast as that fella in the West Midlands!! Yow am must tek my word for it our kid!! Dennis.