The first Olympic big sleeper came with the SP5 cab on the EC-series. And yes I drove them. I also drove the later ECX with the huge Olympic cab which was very roomy (but I didn’t like the Eaton Sychro box). I also drove (but never slept in) the ECT Olympic (which was a MAN TG with a Cummins and an ERF badge basically). Lovely to drive but I didn’t like their Comfort-Shift fussy 'box.
Yes, about 20 years ago. They were taken over by MAN who then discovered some naughty accounting and dropped the ERF name like a hot brick. That was the very end of ERF.
I last drove a truck on the road in Aug 2008. It was a Renault Premium Privilege (jolly good truck BTW), but I was also driving the ERF ECs and ECTs on the fleet. We were always fully loaded at 44t whichever direction we went in.
It’s a C-series, Rob. The later E-series was an improvement in many ways. I actually drove E-series ERFs on the Continent (Cummins 320 with Twin-splitter) and they were a joy to drive and live in to be honest, but that was in 1993 so as you say, difficult to compare with nowadays. The last C-series I drove was in 1986.
Loved the Magnums and even did long-haul in one.
Yeah I also had a Premium briefly.
My present Renault now is in another league in comparison.
Thing is Ro you would certainly find a difference driving an up to date truck, maybe even you would turn the ERF down 
…(despite given the fact if you were on Mastermind your specialist subject would undoubtedly be ERFs.eh? 
)
Just seen your Magnum reference btw…so you will already know what I mean.
I had one on demo at Belgium, lhd job with rotating passenger seat…I managed to keep hold of it for over a month…did not want to hand it back even though I had an XXL MAN.
TBH I’d only take that C-series ERF down the road for the fun of driving it, using all my old-fashioned skills. I’d certainly miss the home comforts of even a truck like the Stralis. A new Iveco is a very comfortable living space until it falls to bits the following year 
. The job has changed very significantly in the nearly 20 yrs since I last went on the road so I’m in no position to judge any more.
Over 22 years since I was behind the wheel of a heavy and that was a Magnum, best I’d ever driven, apart from the 'orrible wack it across the box gear lever.
I shared a meal at a bit of a do with (Peter?) Foden one day in the '90s think it was and he spoke of the Western Star setup as an alliance rather than a takeover, but as he seemed to be still involved, perhaps he would, wouldn’t he? Nice bloke though and I enjoyed reminiscing with him.
BTW, despite my admiration for ERFs I only remember ever driving one, that was way back in the '70s I think it would be, and the main thing I remember of it was the ratchet handbrake used to release itself on a whim it seemed. 
Demolished 30 feet of wall all by itself.
Yeah I once met Peter Foden at a hotel where him and his staff were doing a demonstration show on the ‘new’ E Series…around 86 ish would it be?
Seemed a friendly bloke, free drink and buffet into the bargain.
All the guys there were much older than me at the time,.and more established, big fleet owners and the like…but he still took the time to come and talk to me a young lad with one truck…an ERF obvs.
Is he still around?..I would guess not.
I gave a lift to a “trade plate carrying” driver a good few years ago. His job was collecting imported MAN manufactured “ERF’s” at Hull, sticking on ERF markings and then delivering them to dealerships. At least that’s what he told me just in case I’m talking rubbish 
Gone now. I’d have liked to have met him!
Probably about right. The ECTs were made in Germany as far as I know, but to ERF customers’ spec - ie it had a Cummins in it. Perhaps the ERF badges were put on it in Hull so as not to offend German sensibilities!
You wouldn’t be game to do it now, eh? Just in case…
I stopped picking up trade-platers when hi-jackers started carry trade-plates!
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Not a chance in hell. I once gave a lift to a young blonde girl and we ended up having sex. The only problem was that she was a screamer. Eventually I had to say to her “you need to stop screaming, you don’t want to turn this r@pe into a murder”.
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When I started driving, I never passed a hitch-hiker. Nowadays, it’s not worth the risk. Unfortunately as l met some interesting and decent people, thumbing. One fellow came from a farm in Derbyshire. He was backpacking. I picked him up between Sydney and Brisbane, as he was trying to get to a job on a cattle property near Roma, 500 k west of Brisbane. I took the fellow home, as it was late on a Friday night. We rang Queensland Rail and the coach companies and found out a McCaffs coach was his soonest option, on the Tuesday. He stayed with my family until my missus drove him to to the bus terminal. We got a Christmas card from him for years after.
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