HRS:
Hi Fergie47,
Uk problem was and in many ways still is “AGE” mainly bridges, all legislation, ie; manufacturers axle design weight reduced to UK design weight is down to the old bridges , thousands of em! distance from first axle on trailer to drive axle on unit, bridges etc etc.
All Uk truck and trailer manufacturers lived with this in the uk and built acordingly. Bridge height gave the cab hight requirements etc.
The M1 started the big change with engines, The 8 LXB 240 was a good engine untill motorways killed them so the old man stuck a turbo on and the 8 LXTD killed the company, motorways and very old bridges held us back.
Volvo UK wanted an 8x4 to work at 30 ton, Volvo said why!!! you have a 6x4 that is plated for 30 ton, after explaining UK legislation, ie downrating thier axles they said we will send you long wheelbase 6x4’es you stick a drag link and axle on so “IRVINE” Scotland came about.
Sorry mus’nt rant on, maybe this will give you a little insight into why the UK was behind, I am like the bridges,OLD, cheers Harvey
Hi Fergie 47
HRS…yes I agree to an extent, and did mention the government legislation regarding weights, but you made some valid points.
What I was really getting at was the power, always the smallest engines, maybe based on the idea that the smaller the engine, a 200 or 220 for example, the better on fuel, but that didn’t really happen as they struggled with the 32 tons, where a 290 or 330 would cruise all day at that weight, and the fuel consumption was probably getting close to the same or even better…
Today the hauler has no choice but to buy a reasonable large engine as that’s whats supplied via our foreign friends, and at 44t the UK is now competitive with Europe…I ran an F88 then an 89, there was nothing fuel wise in it…
An inretesting point you made was old bridges, hopefully they have all been beefed up over years to allow for the weight changes, as it can’t all be down to axle configuration.
It will be interesting to hear from the likes of Buzzer and MaggieD who both ran large fleets of mixed wagons and power configurations, and what effect it had on fuel economy…
Hi Dave,
I like Buzzer started out in round timber haulage,gross weight was always a problem loading in the woods it was all down to experience or guess work,I well remember loading on Goodwood estate alongside one of Ron Blackman’s (R.I.P) early Marathons I was in my Marshall with the 505 engine trying to keep up with the Marathon to the weighbridge as soon as the Marathon went on the weighbrige guy was out of his office shouting “Get that off my bridge it weighs 48 tons” this was in 32ton gross days !
It was always about tare weight for me in the U.K. hauling tilts loaded in France & Italy you had to have light tractor units,when I purchased the Robert Armstrong fleet I inherited 5 FL7 tractors together with the road tanks and 15 stepframe trailers to carry the tank containers. They did struggle and as you well know they were always on the limit when loaded,on the continent we were able to use 190-48 Turbostars,Renault Turboliners.Magnums, and F12 Globetrotters which were well on top of the job and a lot better for the driver.
As Pete mentioned the 1834 Merc was hard work for the driver but it was one of the lightest tractors at the time,and I purchased some to replace the FL7’s when they were worn out,and some Renault 290’s once again only because of the tare weight.
Fuel wise in the UK you were lucky to get 6.5mpg with the FL7’s loaded because like the driver they were working hard all the time, I can’t give you the exact figures on the continent because Charlieone has still got one of the DKV cards !!
I’d like to see some of these new lads pulling a Cassemobile loaded with skins,on a flat trailer up over the Mont Cenis with a Maggie Deutz 232 like Angie used to,whilst I was asleep. !!
never had to much trouble with axle weights sometimes 20+ pr axle did get a few caution, crawl speed, was one bridge
in north wales where trailer had to be winch over to reduce gross.
… wouldn’t get away with that today Chris…
HRS:
Hi Mate,
Re engines, I think it is all down to the governments desire to save the world.
Eruo 1…2…3…4…5…6 etc at each stage the criteria gete tighter, KL Commercials, ERF dealer in Southampton had an old B series erf 6 wheeler as a wrecker and I have driven that pulling a 38 ton outfit with no problems at all…180 Gardener.
We then had the “no substitute for litreage” …14 litre ■■■■■■■ 290…and up, then the euro started ticking off.
We now get a quart out of a pint pot, all slowly heading to, in my humble oppinion, to non fossil fuel.
Yes you are right, we were left behind with the continent, but ,hey, they never got wood worm in there cabs, cheers, Harvey.
Harvey
That’s what is so fascinating today, 44 ton, 450 - 500 hp and getting 9mpg…years back a 250 14 litre ■■■■■■■ in a transcontinental at 32 ton, even with a light foot you’d be lucky to get 6mpg, in that respect the savings today are more efficient per fuel / weight…however, that gain is at the loss of simplicity, today wagons are so complicated ( like cars) that few will ever survive in 30 or 40 years time to become classics on the show scene…and biggest disappointment is, they all look the same, de-badge them all and you couldn’t tell one from 'tother…
Yes Mate, could not agree more.
When I left the business hauliers were contracting more and more due to the high level of technology and residual value when they were finished with them. I spend most of my Sundays in a new MAN 460 and to be honest, sometimes I feel I am in the way being there !!!
In 1959 William R Selwood put this Foden FGTU 6/24 into service with it’s Gardner engine & 12 speed gearbox c/w a Tasker Little Giant trailer. Selwoods are still at the same Chandlers Ford location
Hi All,
Can not figure out how to just ask a question on this site, so have tagged in this Selwood post, great picture though.
I have been asked; As most trucks have now auto boxes, can a car driver with an auto box licience obtain an HGV licience passing on an auto box truck and then drive a manual box truck, or must they upgrade thier car licience first.■■? Harvey
HRS:
Hi All,
Can not figure out how to just ask a question on this site, so have tagged in this Selwood post, great picture though.
I have been asked; As most trucks have now auto boxes, can a car driver with an auto box licience obtain an HGV licience passing on an auto box truck and then drive a manual box truck, or must they upgrade thier car licience first.■■? Harvey
Harvey. A most interesting question.Will be interested in the answer.
On a nother topic. Is it the whiskers on a gooseberry that stops it becoming a grape?
While Im in this frame of mind.Have you ever seen sausages hanging up in a butchers shop?
It might be A390OPX with a few changes, but both OPX and LTR were both on Trilex wheels not as shown on 8wheeler , both had small Scammell emblems fitted on bonnet (donated by Scammells) signs on grills were removed before they were registered,also they were both uprated from 100 to 150tons at same time. Beacons and horns on roof look similar.
LR Man:
Hills of Botley Scammell S24 at Southampton docks.
Not the only Hills Scammell at Southampton Docks. Having been sold, A990OPX is awaiting shipment to Malta
Hi roolechat,
Was this the same Scammell in it’s new life in Malta ? with an extra axle.
Regards
Richard
I don’t think so, I would suggest that with what looks like it’s British Army spec Telehoist body,it was possibly/probably an ex Falkland Islands original 8 wheeler. Dispatcher has further commented on Trilex wheels plus uprating to 150 T capacity which would be ‘wasted’ on a 8 wheeler.
However,if you look closely at the So’ton Dock picture,there’s a corpulant Seagull resting on top of the exhaust stack but there isn’t one on the Maltese vehicle-that clinches it for me !!
HRS:
Hi All,
Can not figure out how to just ask a question on this site, so have tagged in this Selwood post, great picture though.
I have been asked; As most trucks have now auto boxes, can a car driver with an auto box licience obtain an HGV licience passing on an auto box truck and then drive a manual box truck, or must they upgrade thier car licience first.■■? Harvey
Good question, I don’t know about the car upgrade bit, but you can take your LGV in an auto and get a full licence enabling you to drive a manual truck which could get interesting if you had to drive an older vehicle with a proper box in it !
HRS:
Very true !!!
I take it you mean a two sticker■■? or do you mean one of those Eaton twin splitters, made for the girls. I can feel the flak allready.
I would think a Fuller 13 speed would sort a few ‘auto’ drivers out.
HiAll
Hope everyone is well just to get us back on page 1
Chris are you thinking of buying an eight wheeler like Danes if you pay the customers to work for them you could get below Metcalfs prices
Cheers
Rich
