B/W village scenes…some with a lorry
pv83:
Fergie47:
Davidoff:
Seen today not far from Martigny, Switzerland.One of Saviem’s favourites and probably the last of Berliet’s V8s still in active service in Switzerland.
Enjoy.
Junior…it’s not working…it must have broken down, clogged fuel filter perhaps ?..
Same here…thought I was doing sommat wrong…as usual…
Johhny, you IT wizard! We need your help mate…
This link should work - click here → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kin_oLYl_os
Some great pictures again from Fergie and Patrick. Thank you.
pv83:
Fergie47:
Davidoff:
Seen today not far from Martigny, Switzerland.One of Saviem’s favourites and probably the last of Berliet’s V8s still in active service in Switzerland.
Enjoy.
Junior…it’s not working…it must have broken down, clogged fuel filter perhaps ?..
Same here…thought I was doing sommat wrong…as usual…
Johhny, you IT wizard! We need your help mate…
So sorry Gents,
I just realised that I had mistakenly marked the video as “private” on youtube.
You should now be able to view it!
Apologies again
David
pv83:
Back in the late 80’s when I was a young lad (no comments please…) me mum took my brother and me to the Amsterdam Motorshow…If I wasn’t already infected with the lorrie virus, it surely must have happended there and then…
Beautiful pictures here Patrick, absolutely stunning.
That must have been in 1986-87 I would think. Scania were still demonstrating the 2 series (I believe the 3 series came out somewhere in 1988, and Renault upgraded from R370 to R390 (by adding an intercooler) in 1986.
Love those good old DAF 2800s/3300s/3600s.They really looked great.
What make was the turbocharged V8 engine in the FTFs?
There were not many such blocks about in them days and they didn’t have their own in-house unit, did they? So could have been Merc / Scania (though doubt they would have sold their flagship V8 to a competitor) / Magirus Deutz / IVECO… Or an outsider like Mack?
Fergie47:
Two old pic’s to finish off with…
The usual good way to start a week. When I used to go regularly to Switzerland (2002-2004), Saurer trucks were still common on the roads; mainly forward cabs, but also the bonneted ones for road works.
Unlike you, we had a lovely week-end here. I’m afraid electric cuts should be more and more regular in France, with the privatising of the Electricity supply board… I too have a generator, and a good idea is to fit an extra 12 Volt LED lighting circuit feeding on a car battery; just a couple of bulbs in every main room.
Fergie47:
Saurer / Berna…
Remarkable pictures these are Dave!
And your photo hunter has been roaming right in the area where I live for some of those lorries are very familiar sights, in som cases just 5kms away from where I live.
Number one has been parked up on a yard n the village of Charrat for many years, and hasn’t moved. I was driving past it yesterday and was thinking to myself what a nice 6x4 tractor unit she would make!
Number two is a very rare model, a Saurer V8. Only three known in preservation but I guess there will be some more safely tucked away on dry and safe sheds. I am told that they were not particularly reliable…
Number 4 - that must be a recent picture of these two BERNAs (a sister make to Saurer). Those two are the only ones I know of that are still in active service.
Froggy55 is quite right, in 2002-2004 these would still have been very common on Swiss roads, although from then they quickly started disappearing due to the appearance (and increasing cost) of the Heavy Vehicle Fee (HSV).
A scheme about which you can read more here: https://www.are.admin.ch/are/en/home/transport-and-infrastructure/data/distance-related-heavy-vehicle-fee--hvf-.html. This fee is calculated on the basis of three criteria including and especially the vehicle’s emissions standards. Obviously, all Saurers without exceptions are classified as EURO 0 hence the most punitive taxation. I wonder how these two can still make an economic living…
The last one - beautiful restoration.
I wonder if somehow that is actually my own picture! I have been doing truck photography for a number of years and I took a picture of that lorry in 2011 when I visited the Friderici open days. I took my shot under the exact same weather circumstances, in the same location in Tolochenaz (where Friderici Special are based). That is not where this lorry normally “resides”. moreover that particular spot is in fact a loading bay which is awkward access for a lorry so that pose will not have existed very often. Funny how you sometimes circle back to what might actually be your own shots…
Anyhow, a super restoration, although I am told (have never verified so don’t quote me on this) that Friderici never actually operated Saurers as part of their own fleet, they always embraced less usual marques, Kenworth by the tens then Fodens in later years along with a sizeable portion of Mercedes and IVECOs.
Anyhow, what a beautiful machine.
Thanks again Dave/Fergie47 for posting
Froggy…led lights, not a bad idea if the electric went out more, this was storm damage, normally it’s pretty reliable…
Davidoff …Junior, it never ceases to amaze me the coincidences on here…the first wagon just up the road from you, and the last photo probably taken by you…I wonder if Friderici ever put a Foden into preservation, they had some cracking wagon and drags and 6X4 tractors…and they looked good in those colours…
Davidoff:
pv83:
Back in the late 80’s when I was a young lad (no comments please…) me mum took my brother and me to the Amsterdam Motorshow…If I wasn’t already infected with the lorrie virus, it surely must have happended there and then…Beautiful pictures here Patrick, absolutely stunning.
That must have been in 1986-87 I would think. Scania were still demonstrating the 2 series (I believe the 3 series came out somewhere in 1988, and Renault upgraded from R370 to R390 (by adding an intercooler) in 1986.Love those good old DAF 2800s/3300s/3600s.They really looked great.
What make was the turbocharged V8 engine in the FTFs?
There were not many such blocks about in them days and they didn’t have their own in-house unit, did they? So could have been Merc / Scania (though doubt they would have sold their flagship V8 to a competitor) / Magirus Deutz / IVECO… Or an outsider like Mack?
Cheers mate, although I have to admit I can’t take any credit for those pic’s… I did however attended the following editions, seen the introduction of the Scanny 3 series, which later was updated into that streamline version…and let’s not forget the introduction of the Renault AE…now that was something else indeed…
Aye, those 2800/3300/3600 DAF series, best looking ones they ever build in my humble opinion…although I’m really keen on having a 95, or the first XF series…
No, you’re a bit wrong about the FTF’s there mate, they were fitted with Detroit Diesels, never heard those screaming past then that surely is a sound you’re not likely to forget…
They didn’t do “in house” production, everything was bought in, cabs (motor panel), axles, gearboxes (mainly Allison) and the engines…rumour has it there was a V12 version as well, but I’ve never seen proof of that…
Fergie47:
High winds here at the beginning of the week, a total of 110,000 homes without electricity for a couple of days, including ours…luckily we’ve an old Honda generator, so kept the fridge, freezer tv and phone going over the period.
The local Gendarmes knocked on the door early morning after the storms to organise those of us with chainsaws to help clear the local lanes cutting up fallen trees, just can’t imagine that happing in the UK. Had three trees of our own fallen, and as the sun came out the last few days been busy sorting the garden and field out …So back to rain today, time for a few pic’s…
Haulage before lorries…horses working hard…
Last pic does it for me mate, ta for posting!
That Friderici one looks like it’s up to the task…
A 100% Berliet fleet! Mostly TR 250 with the “Relaxe” cab, but the one on the left is a TR 260; I passed my licence on the same model in 1980.
Hi there, just picked this up. It is an FTF which is a Dutch Truck. I got this info off the internet and the truck comes to Gaydon most year. The owner is pretty approachable to and will happily tell you all about it…
"The firm was a Dutch haulage contractor that started building trailers after the 2nd World war, and then imported Mack trucks to assemble from 1952. When Mack started there own factory in Holland in 1964 Floor’s decided to build there own trucks from bought in components. The started building them under the FTF brand in 1966, using Mack parts and Detroit Diesel engines, Motor Panels cabs from Britain and Fuller or Allison Transmissions gearboxes and axles. The firm specialises in heavy duty 6x2, 6x4, 6x6, 8x4, 8x8 and 10x8 chassis. A lot for the Dutch Bulk tipper market were they are tailored to the axle loading regs allowing a higher capacity than std trucks from mainstream manufacturers.
Floor ceased its production of FTF trucks in 1995, after 30 years. The reason given was that development costs were too high with the increasingly complicate rules,and a down turn in the market. The last truck that was built was a type FD-8.20D1 road train for ECT. Floor trucks operation had built around 650 FTF trucks over a period of 30 years"
Could some of you tell me what’s this truck, at the very end of the video? Looks like a Scammell, but sounds like a 2-stroke engine; GM/Detroit powered? Thanks!
[/quote]
Froggy55:
A 100% Berliet fleet! Mostly TR 250 with the “Relaxe” cab, but the one on the left is a TR 260; I passed my licence on the same model in 1980.
Hello Froggy
You say the motor in the front is a TR260.
But if I look very closely on that picture, I cannot see the three little horizontal vents in the front panel, in between the radiator grill and the windscreen.
The absence of those three little vents was the distinctive feature of the TR300 with its (very fragile) V8. Apart from that they looked identical to the TR260 with its Trilex rims (“roues artillerie”). Yes, at the same time the V8 badge is missing but they were known for their tendency for falling off anyhow…
What do you think?
[I do realise this is the saddest form of geekiness…]
Regards
David
Davidoff:
Froggy55:
A 100% Berliet fleet! Mostly TR 250 with the “Relaxe” cab, but the one on the left is a TR 260; I passed my licence on the same model in 1980.Hello Froggy
You say the motor in the front is a TR260.
But if I look very closely on that picture, I cannot see the three little horizontal vents in the front panel, in between the radiator grill and the windscreen.
The absence of those three little vents was the distinctive feature of the TR300 with its (very fragile) V8. Apart from that they looked identical to the TR260 with its Trilex rims (“roues artillerie”). Yes, at the same time the V8 badge is missing but they were known for their tendency for falling off anyhow…
What do you think?
[I do realise this is the saddest form of geekiness…]
Regards
David
It’s all about the detail… 
Davidoff:
Hello Froggy
You say the motor in the front is a TR260.
But if I look very closely on that picture, I cannot see the three little horizontal vents in the front panel, in between the radiator grill and the windscreen.
The absence of those three little vents was the distinctive feature of the TR300 with its (very fragile) V8. Apart from that they looked identical to the TR260 with its Trilex rims (“roues artillerie”). Yes, at the same time the V8 badge is missing but they were known for their tendency for falling off anyhow…
What do you think?
[I do realise this is the saddest form of geekiness…]
Regards
David
Wow, I never spotted that, after years of musing over TRs! I looked through my library of downloaded/stolen photographs, and the only exception to the rule was this one, with some sort of explanation in the caption:
What was the rule about the disc wheels? Were 300s artillerie seulement?
[zb]
anorak:Davidoff:
Hello Froggy
You say the motor in the front is a TR260.
But if I look very closely on that picture, I cannot see the three little horizontal vents in the front panel, in between the radiator grill and the windscreen.
The absence of those three little vents was the distinctive feature of the TR300 with its (very fragile) V8. Apart from that they looked identical to the TR260 with its Trilex rims (“roues artillerie”). Yes, at the same time the V8 badge is missing but they were known for their tendency for falling off anyhow…
What do you think?
[I do realise this is the saddest form of geekiness…]
Regards
DavidWow, I never spotted that, after years of musing over TRs! I looked through my library of downloaded/stolen photographs, and the only exception to the rule was this one, with some sort of explanation in the caption:
What was the rule about the disc wheels? Were 300s artillerie seulement?
Hello [ZB]Anorak
All of these details I know courtesy of my mate Julien near Paris. He is the true expert on Renault’s R-series. Absolutely unbeatable.
I understand that the first Berliets with the new KB2400 cab (which later became Renault’s R series) first came out with the naturally-aspirated straight-6 (straight inheritance from the TR250 with Relaxe cab) along with the new, high-end V825 block, which was also naturally-aspirated.
Both motors came with the Artillerie rims. You will note the absence of these three little vents on the front panel. That ws the only tiny detail that gave the TR300 V8 away from the TR260.
Here is a photo the last known TR300 still in existence. Taken at Julien’s some Months back.
All credit for the photo (and maintenance of this motor) go to Julien.
Those of you attending Locomotion in June this year will be able to meet Julien in person. All going well, he should bring along two of his vehicles: both French, both legendary, both V8-motioned. I will say no more.
Another interesting person to meet there is Jean-Michel, a man who used to be one of Berliet’s chief motorists. When he joined Berliet in the early 70’s, his first project was to fix the reliability problems inherent to the first generation of the V8.
Jean-Michel intends to attend Locomotion as a visitor. Incidentally he happens to be fluent in English.
Maybe one day I might manage to convince him to join this forum and provide some input. I have the honour of speaking to him previously, his knowledge is similar to our late friend’s.
Regards
David