Guy

[bewick]

Retired Old ■■■■:
Great to have you back, Saviem. The “log in” request was due to the site having crashed while you were away on other duties.
As you say, there was very little to compare with AEC engines- my little Mercury performed brilliantly, always loaded to 24 tons with a tandem axle trailer.
I’m sure we all hope that The Force was not with you for too long and that the sciatica will allow you to sweeten the officers with a bag of your inferior Maris Pipers.

Do we need to start a “whip round” for “Saviems” bail if the Gendarmes have felt his collar and whipped him away in the Moria ? which Nick will they have him banged up in ? I hope he didn’t hurt himself too bad when he fell,there are enough pot holes in the A449 without him making another !! Cheers Bewick.

[robert1952]

Tore myself away from today’s news - Yemen disintegrating, Saudi’s king dead, our esteemed leaders and would-be leaders squabbling about TV debates, Russia on the rampage, Isis painting their empire map pinker…

Then suddenly was I plunged by Saviem, Gingerfold and Bewick into the real world! TNUK is quite an antidote at times! Robert

[sammyopisite]

Bewick:

Retired Old ■■■■:
Great to have you back, Saviem. The “log in” request was due to the site having crashed while you were away on other duties.
As you say, there was very little to compare with AEC engines- my little Mercury performed brilliantly, always loaded to 24 tons with a tandem axle trailer.
I’m sure we all hope that The Force was not with you for too long and that the sciatica will allow you to sweeten the officers with a bag of your inferior Maris Pipers.

Do we need to start a “whip round” for “Saviems” bail if the Gendarmes have felt his collar and whipped him away in the Moria ? which Nick will they have him banged up in ? I hope he didn’t hurt himself too bad when he fell,there are enough pot holes in the A449 without him making another !! Cheers Bewick.

Dennis if you get the gyrocopter ready we will borrow one of those Israeli armoured bull dozers and wip it onto the borrowed low loader and when Saviem is limping out of the rubble you can whisk him off shore where he will be safe and you can keep an eye on him from your window
cheers Johnnie

P S I ain’t told them about borrowing the required kit so keep it quiet

[retired_old_fart]

I have inside information that a retired businessman from ■■■■■■■ is making a few million pounds available from his retirement fund to post bail for such an honest and worthy chap. Just seems such a shame that a lad of Saviem’s obvious integrity should get himself involved with us lunatics.

[saviem]

Evening Gentlemen,…as I lay upon my sick bed, wondering why ye drummer from the Muppetts was serenading me, for such is the thumping within my cranial cavities…(for they are truly empty places)…I was seized with forboding, both from Mdme Saviems dire warnings regarding my future, should I not refrain from trying to work as a young man…and my realisation that my previous post regarding Guy, contained two unforgivable innacuracies, which I have now set out to correct…although passing through the kitchen on the way to the office, (converted Cow Shed)…elucidated some fearfull threats from both Mdme, et Madmoselle Saviem…and they gave me a time limit, so I have to work quickly…

Thank you for your kind solicitations, they are much appreciated, Dennis, I promise that my head was softer than the A449…Johnnie, no need for the armoured CAT, (and those Israilites, are tough cookies, and look after their kit well)… gingerfold, oh if only my life was conventional, and free from drama…One of our friends is an eminent Consultant Psychologist, who one night after dinner was expounding his theory that we all set an age parameter in our Brain, that dictated our mental processing age, and our outlook on life, turning to me he said…“you will always be 16”!!!

The Constabulary visit, conducted by a rather elegant blonde constable of the female gender…seeing me emerge from my lair, bandaged like a Sikh Holy Man, and walking like a one legged pirate, with one and a half real “shiners”…she commenced to regail me with the “alleged” fact that I had driven away from a “clamping team” and endangered their well being. I was not impressed, and in conversational terms gave the true facts…and as I had parked my steeds under one of those shiny CC TV things, requested that she examine same…and offered her a cup of Earl Grey…

Sadly she obviously had received an "alternative " report, and warned this limping geriatric about my future conduct, and attending A&E with a tractor and trailer!!! Apparantly I should have called an Ambulance!!!..Is it me or has the World lost its common sense■■?..Upon that second the Cavalry arrived,… Mdme, et Mdmselle, …(both Lawyers of some repute and skill)…the attendant verbal blood bath made this poor old soul cringe…said Constable left our premise in some disorder… then I got it in the neck…but I think that it may be ongoing…

But back to Guy, and my erroneous post above…Of course the Raymond Baxter outside broadcast was for the 1958 show, and the Invincible he drove in was for long time Guy customer Bulwark Transport, fitted with a 4000 gallon Bilston made Thompson Bros tank, and powered by the new Gardner 6LX. (64 was the Big J launch)

That magical looking Invincible/Warrior/and sometimes even the diminutive Otter,( on whose chassis it looked less than impressive), cab was designed by Ron Thomas, a Guy design engineer from 1947. His influence for the cab, (surely one of the most handsome ever to grace a UK chassis), was drawn from, on the top half, Virgil Exnors Plymouth US car range, and the steel front bumper, radiator grill and bottom half was pure Ford Thunderbird.It had provision for an Eko radio, a cigarette lighter, and sunvisor over the twin windscreens. Plus a cab heater as standard. Removal of the top fibreglass half was claimed to be a 15 minute job…but on the worn 180 ■■■■■■■ example I purchased took a lot of heat and effort over 3 hours!!! (But she did have a bit of age in her)!!

Trevor Dudley designed the chassis, Rubery Owen pressed, with split air braking, air assisted handbrake, and a robust yet light construction, and all pure Guy. Trevor Dudley went on to collate Girlings anti skid braking system.

Engines were by Gardner, Rolls Royce , ■■■■■■■■ and Meadows .Gearboxes by Brown, Leyland, Fuller and Meadows. Arguably if the range had faults, it was too accommodating, and more important it was sold far too cheaply for the engineering, and build quality put into each one. There was little profit in what became a very desirable range.

There was also an export range using a bonneted version of the Ron Thomas cab, which was well received. I remember visiting a client in Belgium with a local dealer who was trying to sell him a V8 Saviem, and on his office wall was a photograph of a bonneted Invincible, with a tank trailer…and that was what he wanted to talk about…just how good the Guy had been to run!

ROF mentioned his Warrior tractor unit at 24tons, that must have been the one with the Eaton 2 speed, the standard single speed spiral bevel back end being limited, (ho, ho), to 22 tons. The Warrior light 8, with her AEC470, Eaton 2 speed single drive,and 6 speed overdrive was not the only “light” Warrior, there was also the Light 6, with a Leyland 375, single drive, and a payload potential of 13plus tons, (if run legally)!!!Dennis Meirs from Bushbury Wolverhampton ran one with a Milk Tank body, most handsome in silver, grey, and pale blue.

The last versions of the Invincible cab, shown at the 63 Motor Show, had full length doors shielding internal steps, a foretaste of the ex Dodge engineer ,Cliff Elliotts, Big J range to come. Cliff had been recruited by William Lyons to create, and bring to fruition a new Daimler lorry range…but then Lyons acquired the financially bust Guy for a derisory £800000 , and shortly afterwards from Associated British Oil Engines he acquired Henry Meadows right next door!

Lyons drove the new lorry venture forward with great vigor, experimental multi axle chassis were equipped with disc braking, and how about a tilting version of the Sankey LAD cab…but Motor Panels, (a Rubery Owen company were to win the day…but the Big J is another story, for another day…and what was planned for Henry Meadows…

Im away…Cheerio for now.

[retired_old_fart]

Saviem:
ROF mentioned his Warrior tractor unit at 24tons, that must have been the one with the Eaton 2 speed, the standard single speed spiral bevel back end being limited, (ho, ho), to 22 tons.

That blow on the head must have been more serious than you thought, old chap- the 470 engine that I was extolling was hiding under the Park Royal bonnet of a genuine Southall born Mercury. None of your mongrels for me, pal!
On a more personal note, it does cross the mind that having such female members of your family must, at times, be something of a double-edged sword? And, if one may be so bold, may I suggest the acquisition of a laptop, or even one of these new-fangled tablets? You could then slip into the toilet for twenty minutes or so without incurring the accumulated wrath of “Them indoors”. Such an instrument could possibly be financed by the proceeds of this year’s crop of Maris Pipers, if only you can be persuaded to
lift them BEFORE the rainy season. Operation of the technology should be no problem to an experienced Scarab driver.
Always happy to help,
your friend ROF.

[moomooland]

[b_waddy]

Hi, Folks , I remember B,R,S, Q/ Ferry having 4 Big J with ■■■■■■■ in E reg ran day and night on nights the had to pull up Kelsall HIll ,my mate drank in the pub at the top on right hand side ,about 8 tish the locals used to hang on to there Glasses as the roar off them GUYS , Shook the tables and glasses ,just a bit of useless info , Cheers Barry

[john_west]

Retired Old ■■■■:

Saviem:
ROF mentioned his Warrior tractor unit at 24tons, that must have been the one with the Eaton 2 speed, the standard single speed spiral bevel back end being limited, (ho, ho), to 22 tons.

That blow on the head must have been more serious than you thought, old chap- the 470 engine that I was extolling was hiding under the Park Royal bonnet of a genuine Southall born Mercury. None of your mongrels for me, pal!
On a more personal note, it does cross the mind that having such female members of your family must, at times, be something of a double-edged sword? And, if one may be so bold, may I suggest the acquisition of a laptop, or even one of these new-fangled tablets? You could then slip into the toilet for twenty minutes or so without incurring the accumulated wrath of “Them indoors”. Such an instrument could possibly be financed by the proceeds of this year’s crop of Maris Pipers, if only you can be persuaded to
lift them BEFORE the rainy season. Operation of the technology should be no problem to an experienced Scarab driver.
Always happy to help,
your friend ROF.

Scarab. There’s a name to conjure with! Only the Brits would name a truck (sorry, lorry) after a Dung Beatle!

Guy Otter! At least they had the Invincible. Leyland Beaver. Surely they provided some hairy moments. Octopus. Hmmm…

Bit like calling an aircraft an Albatross. It probably was. Hang that round your neck! Chipmunk - cut your teeth on that.

John

[erf-ngc-european]

We gather from here that Rolls, ■■■■■■■■ Gardner and Meadows engines variously went into Guy Warriors. Has anyone ever heard of a Warrior with a two-stroke (of any make)? Someone asked me about this the other day.

[gingerfold]

No, but it could have been a possibility.

[bewick]

gingerfold:
No, but it could have been a possibility.

Some manufacturers always did try out “odd ball funnies” most of which never caught on never mind go into production but hey! if you don’t try to think outside the box it would be a very dull life, and I can vouch for this from personal experience ! But we won’t go there as it was bloody painful at times That’s Life !! I did it my way ! This could be a song ? Cheers Bewick.

[erf-ngc-european]

Bewick:

gingerfold:
No, but it could have been a possibility.

Some manufacturers always did try out “odd ball funnies” most of which never caught on never mind go into production but hey! if you don’t try to think outside the box it would be a very dull life, and I can vouch for this from personal experience ! But we won’t go there as it was bloody painful at times That’s Life !! I did it my way ! This could be a song ? Cheers Bewick.

Well if had a mythical two-stroke, at least we can rule out it having an 8LXB! Robert

[retired_old_fart]

Don’t tell me he’s got a barn full of strokers as well!?!?+

[john_west]

Call me old fashioned. This is one of my favourite ‘lorries’ of all time. I think the design is brilliant. I like this colour too. I think my favourites were the blue ones W Keith & Sons, Flookburgh, cut down into units from eight wheelers in about 1968, when they had several motors on for Millom iron works. Don’t have any photos. If anyone does, please upload. The good old government closed the ironworks down overnight. The traffic commissioners generously transferred his contract ‘A’ licences to full ‘A’ licences iirc. They had 150 Gardners and air over hydraulic I think, and converted them into 6x2s I think (Bewick remembers better than I!)

They had an ordinary headboard with a rearward facing fog lamp to light up the company name at night. Looked brilliant coming down Shap at night as I was on my way up.

Philips group London Carriers ran Guy Invincibles. Huge green van trailers with ‘London Carriers’ in small letters in the centre of the trailers. They used to stop at the jungle on shap and I thought they looked great!

Bill Keith

(Errington Keith as christened, but you can see why he called himself Bill! - Brother Andy was named after my dad, Albert, but at 15 decided he didn’t like ‘Bertie’ any more and changed to his middle name. This may have been partly influenced by the milkman at Haverthwaite, where we spent our summers with our Aunt Nell and Uncle Jack, calling him Werty Best! Still as John West, Middle Cut, I’ve taken some flack myself over the years.)

Anyway, Bill was a great engineer. He put Leyland 600 (680?) engines into Fords to carry Bowater Scott tissue, for reliability and mpg reasons, instead of the Ford engines. I admired him greatly.

One of their drivers from Millom had driven a 150 Gardner Guy forever on the ironworks contract and I met him many times after it was converted to a tractor unit. I think he’d driven it from new. I’m ashamed to admit that I can’t remember his name, but also met him in the late '80s - early '90s. By then he was on crutches, sitting outside the ‘Workies’ club. I had an Amtrak franchise then, which covered Millom and I used to stop and chat.

He remembered his fury when a driver stalled in front of him missing his gear on a bank. Since he had 24tons 14cwt on, he struggled to get going again! It did 42 flat out. I asked him how often it broke down. It had never broken down while he had been driving it in what? 10 years?

I particularly like this shot with the van trailer. I hated flats! Sorry Dennis, the idea of spending an hour or two roping in the ■■■■■■■ rain, after balancing on an 8 foot high unstable load of boxed bogroll unrolling sheets never appealed to me. Close the doors and drive away! Two straight sides in the mirrors!

Vans and Tautliners, the future in the 1970s!

John

[erf-ngc-european]

Well, here’s a fine pic (found online) of the model that replaced it! Robert

[scania81]

ERF-NGC-European:
Well, here’s a fine pic (found online) of the model that replaced it! Robert

0

KY depot code would be Peterborough branch.

[tonyj105]

that matches the load ,looks like London brick trailer

[scania81]

tonyj105:
that matches the load ,looks like London brick trailer

The old code was LK.
A bridgend tramper told me he would avoid bunkering fuel there.
The fleet engineer always walked around looking for defects on outbased motors.
What was a routine fuel up could be a 2 day delay.

[erf-ngc-european]

Here’s Benkku’s treatment of the subject! Robert