Regarding interior fittings/trim/quality, I get the impression from the photos that the 400/401 was a cut above the Sandbach makes, in that regard at least. Was that the case?
Probably so, it was a nice enough cab and easier to access driver wise (although all those recesses in the centre console were a nightmare to keep clean in quarry conditions), but the rest of the truck chassis-wise was poor compared to Fodens. Probably cheaper though, you get what you pay for I guess, and I believe that our area was the only Tilcon region that had them as I never saw any others. They were bought when Fodens were in short supply, although we did have three 200’s and one 300 but they were also replaced with eight wheeler Fodens after their drivers got their class 2 licence.
Seddon’s components policy on various models going back to the 1950s was a bit of a lottery at times. They would frequently use whatever was available at the time to get a truck built, even if it was from another model or series. As a teenager I spent many an interesting evening at the spares counter at Woodstock factory whilst the parts man tried to work out how some part I wanted had ended up on the model I was quoting to him. But it was all on the chassis build sheet when he looked at it.
bluenosebulls:
Did anyone run the 401/411s on the middle east run
Look for the posts on here about OHS Transport, who ran LHD 400 Series to the Middle East - there’s also a thread on LHD 400 Series.
A Whittle subby also ran at least two 400 Series on M/E on traction for Whittle
If you check out page 1 on my thread “Russian/middle east/other unusual detinations” that’s on the second page of the forum,
the Whittle article is on page 1 !
Has anyone driven / owned a seddon 401? any memories inparticular?
Does anyone recall (exact model fails me!) the updated range of the 401? H-regs i think… had nicer looking interiors? Think these were out prior to seddon focusing on the strato’s! any help greatly appeciated, also any photos!
james
Ive driven 401s and the later model the 411.The411 i had was when i drove for sheldons of tottington,later bury and little lever.It had a gardner 350 in it,the engine was the pits the worst they made,but when it was running ok the truck was good.Sorry not got any pics but im sure you remember the firm,not far from you.
I used to Drive a short wheelbase 401 daycab unit occasionally.It sort of come
free with a tank trailer the firm bought. It started off as a yard shunter then got put back on the road. It had a 290 14 litre big cam ■■■■■■■ then it got swapped for a 320 14 litre ■■■■■■■■■■ was on a “D” plate so no speed limiter
and it had a 9 speed roadranger. The brakes when running bob tail were lethal
would just lock up. Because it was short wheel base they had to move the 5th wheel back almost pass the back axle to couple up to the longer pin 13.6 metre trailers. It could be a real handfull when loaded.
i remember ye mate h and w had depot in the east end next to the bypass to beckton there was small chap we glasses drove a sed ak he was there for years
Don’t remember driving any 401’s. Although drove and owned two 400 series.
Last Atki I had was a 411, ex Air Products with an E 320 ■■■■■■■■ I ran it for about 4 years and scrapped it.
As I remember the 411 had " 13 tonne" rated springs, which were so hard it shook me and the motor to pieces. It was bloody good at going around corners
though!! I think the brakes were quite good too. Mine was a 1988 E reg. The real let down was the Spanish made back axle, which was rubbish.
I thought the 411 was a real anti-climax, it had no cab suspension, except for rubber bump stops and was like a facelifted 401, which looked like an effort to clear old stock before the Strato was launched.Twin splitter was good.
My brother drove a 401 for Ken Scott Transport back in the early eightys. I was only nine at the time, but i remember it well, it seemed realy plush inside with that light tan trim, as a small boy i was immpressed. I think it was an x reg only had a 265 rolls in it, supposedly opened up to a 290.
Fond memories those.
i had a V reg one back in 1990 doing ireland, 250 ■■■■■■■■ horse shoe gearbox “wrong way round” bunk was sat on 3 old plastic milk creates, what a thing that was,
GKR 217V, was the reg of it, i drove it for marsh freight in dewsbury for around 4 or 5 mths i think, then left to go back to brs leeds
but had a few 401"s and 411"s in my time “leaking windscreens well leaks every bloody where” in the things
Drove a V reg 400 eight legger tipper for a couple of years, 201 Gardner, Fuller box (like silk) and the comfiest truck I have ever driven. Only two problems, the cabs rusted after about seven years which Foden didn’t and high unladen weight. They ran at 30.50 tons but could only carry a 19.40 payload, when mine was sold the transport manager told me that it had never made a profit as it was losing nearly a half ton each load! Trucks were all costed on a payload of 20 tons. They also had a terrible steering lock and you really struggled to get into places that the Foden’s accessed easily.
I had one of these, F reg, 400 ■■■■■■■ twin speed fuller, nothing could live with it. On my first trip to Barcelona with this wagon I was loaded with 23tons of waste paper on a supercube,
As many on here will know there are a few climbs between the border & Barcelona, A Dane with a 142/143 passed me on the flat, but on the climbs, I left him way behind, after maybe 3/4 times, Danes made sign for coffee, next services, Dane asked what sort of Truck is that, British I said, and when I leave here that will be the last you will see of me.
But that did not happen, I was weekended, so went to Salou for weekend, guess what Dane had told everyone about this wagon, result, everyone wanted to drive it.
On the old road from the Frejus Tunnel to Susa the Jake Brake gave me the confidence to overtake, something I would not have done i wagons I had driven before.
