robert1952:
Well now, of course if we were running together with similar loads for the same destination I’d sit behind you happily contemplating the pleasant and leisurely meal we’d be sharing at a favourite routier at about midday; sloshed down with plenty of vin de table to keep us content as we rolled down les routes nationale
in the sun-dappled afternoon. Naturally, if it was snowing hard we’d simply cancel and go on the ■■■■. Cheers CF! (■■■■■). Robert
Absolutely and what might have been if only I’d got the chance to put my first class 2 licence, which for some reason I always valued more than my class 1 with preference of truck type to match,to good use in the day,with an employer who didn’t associate the Bedford badge with the TK and who realised that rigid drivers make the best drawbar drivers.
Around 1980, I remember the Dammam GM importer (sorry can’t remember who it was) had about 40 of these in the standard red colour. I also can’t remember who bought them, but I thought they looked brilliant!
Sadly, too late into the market.
My life is full of ‘what ifs’, so I appreciate it might simply not have occurred to Bedford at the time, and also the design may have evolved from looking at Swedish imports…
but ‘what if’ they had released this beast on the UK market with ■■■■■■■ or Gardner (sorry CF) power plants in 1970?
I’d like to see “CF” reverse that draw bar into a bay without uncoupling I know a man who could, sadly no longer with us! I once took a ten bob bet off a Slinger in the Abbey, there was one bay that was in behind a wall and we used to tip Signode banding there maybe once a month and always off the trailer, so this day Eric swings round and lines up the drawbar and this mouthy Slinger comes onto the bay and shouts “no chance Boyo he’ll never back that trailer in here” so I says I’ll have you bet that that trailer is going straight into that bay in one easy go ! Your on mate how about 10 bob ? I says OK make it a quid if you like but he just stuck to 10 bob which was worth something in 66/67. So by this time the overhead crane had arrived and the was another couple of Slingers there as well. So I give the the wave to say the bay was clear and there was no crap on the floor to puncture a tyre. So Eric pope the trailer straight in ! Now this mouthy Slinger was now getting mass stick of his mates and for two pins he wouldn’t have “coughed” the ten bob but they shamed him into it boy did they give him some stick ! And do you know my mate Eric the driver never forgot that incident he was still reminding me of the “incident” 2 or 3 months before he passed away, used to chuckle no end about the 10 bob I won but he got his share in “teas” no danger ! Cheers Bewick.
I’d like to see “CF” reverse that draw bar into a bay without uncoupling I know a man who could, sadly no longer with us! I once took a ten bob bet off a Slinger in the Abbey, there was one bay that was in behind a wall and we used to tip Signode banding there maybe once a month and always off the trailer, so this day Eric swings round and lines up the drawbar and this mouthy Slinger comes onto the bay and shouts “no chance Boyo he’ll never back that trailer in here” so I says I’ll have you bet that that trailer is going straight into that bay in one easy go ! Your on mate how about 10 bob ? I says OK make it a quid if you like but he just stuck to 10 bob which was worth something in 66/67. So by this time the overhead crane had arrived and the was another couple of Slingers there as well. So I give the the wave to say the bay was clear and there was no crap on the floor to puncture a tyre. So Eric pope the trailer straight in ! Now this mouthy Slinger was now getting mass stick of his mates and for two pins he wouldn’t have “coughed” the ten bob but they shamed him into it boy did they give him some stick ! And do you know my mate Eric the driver never forgot that incident he was still reminding me of the “incident” 2 or 3 months before he passed away, used to chuckle no end about the 10 bob I won but he got his share in “teas” no danger ! Cheers Bewick.
Bewick:
I’d like to see “CF” reverse that draw bar into a bay
Blimey Bewick have you read any of my posts elsewhere.On that note why would I want to uncouple it to reverse it and don’t judge everyone by your own standards.
I’m no expert but I would think that it is a lot harder to manouver the trailer about when it is uncoupled from the lorry, or maybe I’m just thick! Let the truck do the work for you, you know it makes sense.
windrush:
I’m no expert but I would think that it is a lot harder to manouver the trailer about when it is uncoupled from the lorry, or maybe I’m just thick! Let the truck do the work for you, you know it makes sense.
Pete.
It’s possible with the Dinky ones . Though manoeuvring the trailer between that jar of marmalade and the teapot with one eye closed can be quite a challenge. robert
Hi! Found this in an old truck mag from 1981. This is the first sold TM in Sweden. The owner was impresed how good it pulled and cozy and quiet the cab was.
That Marmeth TM (Natua, I’ve loaded steel tubes from their yard) is a bit of an oddball really for a French tractor. Firstly 3 axle tractor in France until recently was “Special Types” or their equivalent and not for general road haulage. If it was a tag axle, did Bedford do tag axles from the factory? If not it was a conversion and would have been soooo difficult to get through French type approval.
gazzer:
That Marmeth TM (Natua, I’ve loaded steel tubes from their yard) is a bit of an oddball really for a French tractor. Firstly 3 axle tractor in France until recently was “Special Types” or their equivalent and not for general road haulage. If it was a tag axle, did Bedford do tag axles from the factory? If not it was a conversion and would have been soooo difficult to get through French type approval.
Think it may be factory spec as they offered the TM in 6x2 and 6x4 .
I know a man who could, sadly no longer with us! I once took a ten bob bet off a Slinger in the Abbey, there was one bay that was in behind a wall and we used to tip Signode banding there maybe once a month and always off the trailer, so this day Eric swings round and lines up the drawbar and this mouthy Slinger comes onto the bay and shouts “no chance Boyo he’ll never back that trailer in here” so I says I’ll have you bet that that trailer is going straight into that bay in one easy go ! Your on mate how about 10 bob ? I says OK make it a quid if you like but he just stuck to 10 bob which was worth something in 66/67. So by this time the overhead crane had arrived and the was another couple of Slingers there as well. So I give the the wave to say the bay was clear and there was no crap on the floor to puncture a tyre. So Eric pope the trailer straight in ! 
Now this mouthy Slinger was now getting mass stick of his mates and for two pins he wouldn’t have “coughed” the ten bob but they shamed him into it boy did they give him some stick ! And do you know my mate Eric the driver never forgot that incident he was still reminding me of the “incident” 2 or 3 months before he passed away, used to chuckle no end about the 10 bob I won but he got his share in “teas” no danger ! Cheers Bewick.
