When I started driving artics for Fred Flintstone, all the tractor units had trailer brakes which operated only the brakes on the trailer. Someone at least had recognisied where and why a jacknife starts, at the drive axle. In slippery conditions and if non urgent, gentle pressure on that was all that was needed to slow down safely. Quite erroneously it was called ‘the deadman’s handle’, when in fact it was quite the opposite.
Spardo:
When I started driving artics for Fred Flintstone, all the tractor units had trailer brakes which operated only the brakes on the trailer. Someone at least had recognisied where and why a jacknife starts, at the drive axle. In slippery conditions and if non urgent, gentle pressure on that was all that was needed to slow down safely. Quite erroneously it was called ‘the deadman’s handle’, when in fact it was quite the opposite.
Agreed! Dash-mounted trailer brakes were excellent, Spardo. Scania 2-series had 'em. ERF Europeans had 'em. With judicious use under slippery conditions they were a life saver. Sadly, like so many good things, they were abused by the few. Subbies and O/Ds were apt to save wear & tear on their units by using someone else’s trailer brakes to do all the work - especially on traction work. They were outlawed - I believe under EU rules - in the '90s IIRC. A sad loss.
Buzzer
Lawrence Dunbar:
0
Hiya,
Larry I’ve still got my AA key it also opened RAC boxes very
handy and they didn’t stink of pee. Got owt up North or if
up North got owt down South ?.
Lawrence Dunbar:
0
Was the Motorman’s Cafe the one on the A1 with a sloping lorry park to the right of your picture Larry?
ERF-NGC-European:
Spardo:
When I started driving artics for Fred Flintstone, all the tractor units had trailer brakes which operated only the brakes on the trailer. Someone at least had recognisied where and why a jacknife starts, at the drive axle. In slippery conditions and if non urgent, gentle pressure on that was all that was needed to slow down safely. Quite erroneously it was called ‘the deadman’s handle’, when in fact it was quite the opposite.Agreed! Dash-mounted trailer brakes were excellent, Spardo. Scania 2-series had 'em. ERF Europeans had 'em. With judicious use under slippery conditions they were a life saver. Sadly, like so many good things, they were abused by the few. Subbies and O/Ds were apt to save wear & tear on their units by using someone else’s trailer brakes to do all the work - especially on traction work. They were outlawed - I believe under EU rules - in the '90s IIRC. A sad loss.
Surely they weren’t outlawed to protect one section of the haulage community, do you kow what the official reason was Robert?
Spardo:
ERF-NGC-European:
Spardo:
When I started driving artics for Fred Flintstone, all the tractor units had trailer brakes which operated only the brakes on the trailer. Someone at least had recognisied where and why a jacknife starts, at the drive axle. In slippery conditions and if non urgent, gentle pressure on that was all that was needed to slow down safely. Quite erroneously it was called ‘the deadman’s handle’, when in fact it was quite the opposite.Agreed! Dash-mounted trailer brakes were excellent, Spardo. Scania 2-series had 'em. ERF Europeans had 'em. With judicious use under slippery conditions they were a life saver. Sadly, like so many good things, they were abused by the few. Subbies and O/Ds were apt to save wear & tear on their units by using someone else’s trailer brakes to do all the work - especially on traction work. They were outlawed - I believe under EU rules - in the '90s IIRC. A sad loss.
Surely they weren’t outlawed to protect one section of the haulage community, do you kow what the official reason was Robert?
'fraid not.
Ro
Spardo:
Lawrence Dunbar:
0Was the Motorman’s Cafe the one on the A1 with a sloping lorry park to the right of your picture Larry?
No Motormans is on the A62 on The Standedge Rd. The only one with a ramp that I know was The Hilltop Cafe at Blyth near Worksop on the A 1.
Buzzer
Lawrence Dunbar:
Spardo:
Lawrence Dunbar:
0Was the Motorman’s Cafe the one on the A1 with a sloping lorry park to the right of your picture Larry?
No Motormans is on the A62 on The Standedge Rd. The only one with a ramp that I know was The Hilltop Cafe at Blyth near Worksop on the A 1.
Ah, Standedge wasn’t a route I would use normally but the one I’m thinking of was further north than Blyth, it might have been more or less opposite a cafe on the other side, Woodlands or Woodside, something like that.
Northbound from Nottingham I suppose the most familiar to me would be Scotch Corner or Stainmore. Especially the latter with its roaring fire in wintertime. 
Buzzer:
Buzzer
I quite like the Rare MAN, even though I reckon those really good sized mirrors for the day might have vibrated a bit with only one anchor point as far as I can see.
Spardo:
Buzzer:
BuzzerI quite like the Rare MAN, even though I reckon those really good sized mirrors for the day might have vibrated a bit with only one anchor point as far as I can see.
Trilex wheels too! Nice styling. Spanish. I wonder who build the cab.
Good to see a pic of a B.N Gray cattle truck, they had a largish fleet and the yard was on the main road from Reading.
Pete.
