Bewick:
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Cheers Bewick, a sight and site I’m pretty familiar with 
Hi Patrick
Yes converted Rogers tank transporter tri axle 8 inline converted to carry boats 9ft wide at front 12ft wide at rear, often caught out car drivers attempting to pass and gave up half way.
DISPATCHER:
Hi Patrick
Yes converted Rogers tank transporter tri axle 8 inline converted to carry boats 9ft wide at front 12ft wide at rear, often caught out car drivers attempting to pass and gave up half way.
This might be of interest to Herr Sutherland… I was only interested in the low loader, it’s a Doll, looks solid and clever build.
That Van Wieren Volvo looks sturdy. 13 axles over this side of the big river would be twice that length, it would be a four axle unit, tridem jeep, tridem trailer and a tridem stinger. Same concept, but a very different execution.
oiltreader:
Repost of Sisu heavies Patrick, don’t lose them this time
Oily
Ta Oily! It’s a age thingie you know… ahum… I’ll get me coat… 
Solid looking wagons eh, Scammell comes to mind!
newmercman:
That Van Wieren Volvo looks sturdy. 13 axles over this side of the big river would be twice that length, it would be a four axle unit, tridem jeep, tridem trailer and a tridem stinger. Same concept, but a very different execution.
That’s why I never can understand “their” legislations/solutions, it’s so much easier here! And hydraulically steered, pure bliss!
Who knows more about this outfit, Lift&Shift? Looks like ex-Wynns kit, was this a one off for a overseas project perchange?
From another shoe box, Pickford’s this time (NMP)
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I did love those Viewlines, Daddy of the Magnum, very low engine hump, proper mirrors with sound mountings, attached to the doorpost not the door. Like the Magnum this made the door restricted opening and thus the reason for the same climb up behind the wheels. Only problem was the heat of a giant windscreen in strong sunshine and the extreme loss of it in the winter with the standard heaters of the day. Tiny little steering wheel because of excellent power steering. Gawd knows how you’d turn it if the power failed though. 
Well before its time, fitted with a proper sleeper, heater and aircon, what a winner that could have been. Even so, I was surprised that it lasted such a comparatively little time. Perhaps a weight problem? I remember when the Premium came out, as a manager I was invited to a test track to check it out and asked the bloke, ‘yes it’s very nice but why bother, what’s wrong with the Magnum?’ He whispered confidentially behind his hand, ‘weight problems’. No idea if he was right, but whatever the reason my 2 favourite wagons as a driver.
I’ll agree with you on the Magnum, a very nice lorry to drive, such good vision both forwards and through the mirrors and thanks to the long wheelbase they rode very well, you could throw one around much more than you would think possible looking at one.
The Viewline though, not a chance, I’ve never driven one (thankfully) but if they drive the way they look they must be truly horrible.
pv83:
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120 EXM looks made of bits and pieces! I suppose it’s a recabbed truck of the '50s? A batch of interesting pictures as I like them.
Froggy55:
pv83:
.120 EXM looks made of bits and pieces! I suppose it’s a recabbed truck of the '50s? A batch of interesting pictures as I like them.
Does look like if someone had put some bits and pieces together in a shed, but I believe Atkinson sold them just like that. One of the older hands on here knows for sure I reckon
Spardo:
I did love those Viewlines, Daddy of the Magnum, very low engine hump, proper mirrors with sound mountings, attached to the doorpost not the door. Like the Magnum this made the door restricted opening and thus the reason for the same climb up behind the wheels. Only problem was the heat of a giant windscreen in strong sunshine and the extreme loss of it in the winter with the standard heaters of the day. Tiny little steering wheel because of excellent power steering. Gawd knows how you’d turn it if the power failed though.Well before its time, fitted with a proper sleeper, heater and aircon, what a winner that could have been. Even so, I was surprised that it lasted such a comparatively little time. Perhaps a weight problem? I remember when the Premium came out, as a manager I was invited to a test track to check it out and asked the bloke, ‘yes it’s very nice but why bother, what’s wrong with the Magnum?’ He whispered confidentially behind his hand, ‘weight problems’. No idea if he was right, but whatever the reason my 2 favourite wagons as a driver.
newmercman:
I’ll agree with you on the Magnum, a very nice lorry to drive, such good vision both forwards and through the mirrors and thanks to the long wheelbase they rode very well, you could throw one around much more than you would think possible looking at one.The Viewline though, not a chance, I’ve never driven one (thankfully) but if they drive the way they look they must be truly horrible.
Those Viewline’s were way ahead of their time, even by today standards they look… erm… a wee bit different, shall we say… How many survived? As there are enough Borderers on the rally scene, I’ve never seen a Viewline before making it’s appearance on said scene.
As for those AE’s or Magnums, I remember when they first came out, couldn’t believe my eyes! Never had the “pleasure” of driving one, but a couple of years ago a colleague of mine had one and was kind enough to “chauffeur” me to the nearest supermarket. It was already the Mk2 model, with the more normal dasboard and counters in it, but the rest of it was still Mk1 stuff, can’t really remember if I liked it or not. The best one to have is probably the last version they made with the high roof on it. Would like to try that for a week!
I’m not sure about the weight problems, as it would weigh about the same as the other usual suspects at the time?
pv83:
Those Viewline’s were way ahead of their time, even by today standards they look… erm… a wee bit different, shall we say…As for those AE’s or Magnums, I remember when they first came out, couldn’t believe my eyes! Never had the “pleasure” of driving one, but a couple of years ago a colleague of mine had one and was kind enough to “chauffeur” me to the nearest supermarket. It was already the Mk2 model, with the more normal dasboard and counters in it, but the rest of it was still Mk1 stuff, can’t really remember if I liked it or not. The best one to have is probably the last version they made with the high roof on it. Would like to try that for a week!
I’m not sure about the weight problems, as it would weigh about the same as the other usual suspects at the time?
I first drove the original in wagon and drag (traditional) form and, despite the rather severe, angular and dated dash arrangement loved it. Even without the last, high roof, version I could comfortably stand upright and walk around the flat floor. It had a fold down flat passenger seat back where I placed my washing bowl for a full strip wash in the morning and even a mirror. high up above the bunk, so I could look my prettiest before descending to the rest of the world below. The electric full width sunblind was a godsend mornings and evenings and, with the flick of a switch became a full front curtain for the night. Oh, and don’t dismiss the advantage of the old peage at the Dartford Tunnel where I simply set the brake and walked across the cab to pay the bill. Only thing I did not like was the ZF chuck-it-across-the-box gear lever to change ranges, did my elbow in did that. 
Cornering was adventurous until you got used to the fact that it wasn’t the truck tilting over at that alarming angle, just the excellent spring loaded cab.
I had only been with Gauthier 6 weeks when I had to go back to England to complete the sale of my flat. When I returned I called in on the Saturday to get my instructions but he merely said ‘come in on Monday at 8 and we’ll see’. As I had only been on a one month trial I thought I was getting the sack, but instead he handed me some keys and pointed to the brand new, yet unsignwritten, Magnum parked outside his office. ‘Look after it’ he said’. Couldn’t believe my luck, especially when I climbed aboard and saw the graceful sweep of the updated and much improved dashboard. 
Can’t see why you would not like the Viewline, NMM, to me it was beyond futuristic and, as I mentioned above, with modern facilities taken for granted these days, would have been a truly great truck. 240 Gardner is the best man to tell us about Viewlines in preservation. Doesn’t Killingbeck have a sleeper version still?
Gauthier majors on different marques for a time and then swaps. When I was there it was almost all Magnums except for some older Turboliners as wagon and drags (they always linger longer of course) and then started to buy in some Premiums and Stralis for a time. After I left I saw MANs reappearing (his Dad Henri, the founder, had some way back) and then Mercedes. Strange that because he did have some ‘New generation’ Mercs when I started, but only half a dozen and I was told that he didn’t like them (wish I had that epicyclic box in my Magnum though ) and they were all gone when I got back from England. Then big Dafs, big Mercs, Scanias (first small then bigger as with the Dafs and Mercs) and now I see that the place is swamped with big T range Renaults. Again the low cab to start with but now they are all big’uns. Despite his formal air (only older and long serving drivers address him as ‘tu’ even though his deputy, son Vincent, has never been ‘vous’) he is always thinking of the driver. I remember chatting about the Magnums on my first test drive with him in a Merc (thank goodness I was already familiar with the gearbox ) and he merely said ‘more comfort’. Oh, and btw, I have since a longtime joined the select band of ‘tutoyeurs’
Sorry for the extreme thread drift in an HH thread, got carried away. If I manage to get some pics of the modern fleet I’ll post them in Oily’s thread.
No need for apologies Spardo, quite interesting to read some of your experiences, even if it’s not HH related
I drove a MAN F2000 with that same gearchange, loved it, in my mind it worked better/faster than a switch on the gearlever. Only thing that I didn’t really liked was the diameter of the steering wheel, must have been about 22 inch!
And that EPS 'box you’ve mentioned… be glad you never had to drive a vehicle that was fitted with that!