I´m so impressed

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS OLD TIME LORRIES, COMPANIES AND DRIVERS (INTERACT
1

Hi all as have experience of driving Lorries! :wink:

I’m so impressed when I see how many old Lorries of English make and even Swedish as is restored and saved from the past. Needless to say this phenomenon isn’t so common in Sweden. Either is many Lorries scrapped or have rousted up. It is a shame from my view. Of source we have some yesteryear Lorries and I will attach a link so you guys can see old Scania Vabis, Scania, Volvo and much more. Check out this link: kranbil.just.nu/

Click on “Tunga rallyt” on the left side and then click on 2001, 2002, 2003 and Nordic Trophy.

I know In England there have been found many manufactures of Lorry’s such AEG, Albion, Atkinson, Bedford, Commer, Dennis, ERF, Foden, Leyland (as former Scania Vabis had a cooperation with around the technique of the engine), Ford, GUY and Scammell.

Scania Vabis?? You guys need an explanation. From the beginning Scania developed wagons to the railway. Lather they began develops cars and trucks. Vabis in Malmö was a manufactory as also made wagons for the railway and Scania acquired Vabis. Lather the factory change its name to SCANIA due to a dispute between Mercedes about the use of the name Vabis. Check out this link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scania_AB

  1. Can someone tell me why many Lorry makers no longer is alive. What happened yet? When I looked on many old photos many makes seems use the same cabin as seems be so old-fashioned and ugly (pardon me for saying that) but I don’t know if you guys agree when you compare them with DAF, Volvo and Scania. The English Lorries seem be reliable and well built and I think the makers of these Lorries holds the World Record Title who was the best to build 6 and 8 wheelers especially the front wheelers arrangement. And the 8 wheelers seem to take at least 15-18 tons or it is too little? A 3 axle Lorry in Sweden could carry 11 ton during the same time (50-60th century). Have Volvo 88/89 and Scania 140/141 any fault to the fact many old makes have disappeared.

  2. Also why was Scamell so good pull heavy goods so early? Had they a RR engine as was stronger than a normal engine, low gear and a very strong rear axle?

  3. And what is your option about the Gardner engine. I seem have been a good one so long they were alive and could develop their engines.

  4. Am wrong if I say Man, DAF and perhaps have been more popular than Volvo and to a certain extent Scania? Especially DAF´s sleep cabin seems have got good marks from you guys.

I have even read some of you are asking if an engine as are outputting 250-290 HP is enough for a single lorry. What do you guys say when I tell you this fact:

During year 1963 my father got a new 3-axle Volvo Titan Turbo developing 230 HP. He was pulling a 3 axle 10 meters trailer (together 6 axles and 22 wheels) He was hauling wooden chips on both truck and trailer with a total gross weight of 56 ton. I followed with him and I can say this engine was a real workhorse. He could hold 70 km/hour as was the law this time and running up a hill the truck was constantly running at 20 km/hour. He had 12 a positions gearbox as gave him 10 forward and 2 back and of source high/low position.

I think you guys not will be worry because Volvos engines are very strong and are able carry what they are developed for perhaps more as I feel it.

Regards
Lagu13 :slight_smile:

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Thanks.Nice pictures on that site :sunglasses:

3

Welcome to Trucknet, Lagu, and thanks for the links.

I think the answer to your query as to why so many world famous British marques have disappeared is:

  1. They rested on their laurels thinking they had a guaranteed market in the British Commonwealth and didn’t need to update and improve their products, especially in the area of driver comfort when the likes of Volvo and Scania-Vabis started to arrive in the 1970s.
  2. Unlike in other countries, they didn’t receive any favours from the state which, in the case of Leyland at least, had actively caused its demise by forcing it into alliance with the failing car industry.

I drove Macks in the north of Australia in the 1960s and even then could see all the firms operating British makes (mainly Fodens and Leylands) gradually changing over to American or going out of business. Since then of course European trucks have made great inroads but sadly they no longer include British.

4

Thank you Spardo for the warm welcome and for your explain about my questions. Glad you guys liked the links.

Regards
Lagu :smiley: