Been talking to some of our older drivers about sleeping across boards an things before proper sleepercabs and pods and its been mentioned about this stowaway bed clled the cabbie for mandators.surely there was hardly space for big drivers from what i can see.Anybody got pictures of it.please?
Some of our Foden’s and Sed Ak 400’s had folding beds, on the Foden they folded so that they were vertical at the rear of the cab above the bonnet and then to use it you folded both seatbacks forward and dropped the bed onto the bonnet and then the two flaps folded out to rest on the seat cushions. The Sed Ak’s folded up at the rear of the cab, you then took both seat backs off (they pulled up and out) and then folded the bunk down across the width of the cab. I think that the Foden’s bed was made by BOALLOY at Congleton but I may be wrong. Some drivers just did the same as me and put a large cushion on the Sed Aks bonnet and laid across the cab.
Pete.
Is this any help,I got the wife to pose on it!!! 
Cheers Marc
That CT Cabbie looks reeeeeeeeeeeelly ■■■■■■ Trouble would be, getting up (I know) in the morning.
BTW, I’ve spent some time kipping on the engine cover of a Leyland Ergo and Foden… not the best.
If there are any old-time MAT drivers on this thread they will have a tale to tell – I can remember MAT drivers in Italy for 2 or 3 weeks at a time with Scanias day cabs fitted with pull down beds – I believe they were known as “couchette cabs” !!
I think these were illegal at that time in Germany if they were used as a sleeper – ok if you put up in hotel though !!
That advert for the ‘CT Cabbie’ brings back a few memory’s for me from the 70’s 
Must have been about 76 and not many people on UK work had sleeper cabs, but boy did we all want one 
At the time I was driving a DENNIS’ 16 tonner (they weren’t all made as bin wagons ) on general haulage and would regularly spend 3/4 nights away each week and always cabbed it. The usual work was down south (London) and the park up place was the old Bishopsgate Train Station,corner of Bethnal Green RD; (The Ramp) next to Spitalfields Market anyway there was a lad who worked for an own account operator/medical supplies manufacturer from the same town as the small Co; I worked for and he drove a very new Merc 1617 and didn’t really like associating with us grubby general haulage drivers who drove what looked like second hand bin wagons. One night he turns up on the lorry park with a ‘CT Cabbie’ fitted and from then on he never spoke to any of us again and he only ever went out with the lads who had a sleeper cab or some kind of bunk fitted? What was all that about 
What made me laugh more though was that it used to take him about 1/2 hour to get the bunk thingy sorted out to sleep on and then another 1/2 hour in the morning to put it all away, it took me 2mins to get my full length Vitafoam sofa ‘bed’ out and my fitted curtains pulled round and then I was out up Bethnal Green Rd for some food and a ■■■■ up The old Dennis had a very spacious but very, very basic fibreglass cab and the radio could only get radio 4. Aye well they were the good ole days
Regards
Dave Penn;
Big Leggy:
If there are any old-time MAT drivers on this thread they will have a tale to tell – I can remember MAT drivers in Italy for 2 or 3 weeks at a time with Scanias day cabs fitted with pull down beds – I believe they were known as “couchette cabs” !!
I think these were illegal at that time in Germany if they were used as a sleeper – ok if you put up in hotel though !!
I seem to recall Martintrux having loads of Day cab Scanias all regularly going over the water .Was a sleeper cab Scania that much more expensive in those days ■■? .
Rob Cambell
I’m not sure if price was an issue – perhaps it was more a case of adapting existing fleet vehicles as I don’t recall seeing any “brand new” trucks wth couchette cabs !
I do also recall some unions were against sleeper cabs – their concern [so they said] was drivers welfare (boocks) ! I was turned away from a car plant in Coventry by one of “Red Robbo’s” minions when I was to load body panels for Turkey because I had a sleeper cab. I got a local lad with a day cab to take my trailer in whilst I sat beside him – what a ck up, no wonder the British Car Industry died a death. The plant was then BMC I think & “Red Robbo” was the union man !!
HI all, reading about non-sleeper sleeper cabs brings back some memories. I used to run an 8 wheeled Scammel with the fibre glass cab, I modified a ‘lilo’ folding bed that hinged against the back of the cab, lovely and comfortable, but bloody cold in the winter! I also agree about the union problems . I once saw an Atki with a nest box on when I walked past I noticed a piece of wood across the front of the sleeper. I got talking to the driver and asked him what that was about? He said that he had been on holiday and while he was away the boss had had a sleeper fitted, he refused to use it and demanded that it was boarded up! I asked him why and he said that if it was’t he might be tempted to use it and as he was the shop steward he couldn’t.
I also had problems with shop stewards when loading for the M/E who thought I should use hotels every night!!! O HAPPY DAYS
The Bromilow Foden which hopefully I can post pics of soon ( on Astran thread) had had the passenger dash removed and a ‘kitchen’ fitted and the passenger seat removed and a high storage box fitted(so that it was level with the engine cover) with a roll up matress that lived on the engine cover, because there was no room you had to open the door and sort of balance on the step while you made up the bed then crawl in and get undressed and dressed lying down. It did many M/E trips (with different drivers )
Gavin
I had a mate (who shall be nameless but is no longer with us RIP) who made his bed up across the cab on a piece of ply & a foam matress which he would roll up when driving !!
He made his sleeping arrangements at Concorrezzo one night and went to bed (slightly inebriated) but never locked the door… Following morning I knocked his cab & when I got no reply opened the door – what happened next can be best described as burial at sea - the board tilted out and a body [luckily feet first] slid out onto the floor !! I put the mug of tea I’d made for him on the step & beat a hasty retreat !!
PMSL, now that was funny. I have also slept across the seat of certain motors and had a fold down bed in a FL6 that was a right pain. You had to get out to fold it up or down.
Slightly off subject I’m afraid (sorry) – After converting day cabs into sleepers with a “pull down” bed does anyone remember the roof pods you could fit to existing cabs ?
I seem to recall they were made by or called “Hatcher” !! Every time I mention it I just get blank looks – surely someone remembers them ■■
Big Leggy:
Slightly off subject I’m afraid (sorry) – After converting day cabs into sleepers with a “pull down” bed does anyone remember the roof pods you could fit to existing cabs ?[quote/]
It was because of an inqiry about waltons of Dover and propa lorry put us onto a picture of one with the pods that got my mates on changeover talking about the old days.the fun i missed out on
propa lorry big mate dunk drove with the other 2 woods when livin down that way.
Think Hatcher are still going strong and making them roof pod’s especially for 7/5 tonners who need the truck body for cube rather than weight.
I’ve driven a couple of these ‘pod sleepers’ in the past both DAF’s one a 2100 rigid and the other a 2500 close coupled drawbar, can’t remember whether they where Hatcher conversions or straight off the production line because at one time DAF also made a day cab tractor unit with a roof pod, IIRC Fransen’s had some like that.
Regards
Dave Penn;
Big Leggy:
I had a mate (who shall be nameless but is no longer with us RIP) who made his bed up across the cab on a piece of ply & a foam matress which he would roll up when driving !!
He made his sleeping arrangements at Concorrezzo one night and went to bed (slightly inebriated) but never locked the door… Following morning I knocked his cab & when I got no reply opened the door – what happened next can be best described as burial at sea - the board tilted out and a body [luckily feet first] slid out onto the floor !! I put the mug of tea I’d made for him on the step & beat a hasty retreat !!
I am crying with laughter at that one Leggy.It brought back the memory of those happy days when I used to kip on a 7ft long. 9inch wide scaffolding board, which was fitted to the back of my old F86 Volvo.It was hinged at the bottom edge, and held up by a clip.in the vertical position, when not in use.It was an engineering masterpiece.It was a bit of a contortion getting into the sleeping bag, while lying on the plank, (helped by the fact that I was a very, handball, roping and sheeting, fit 11 and a 1/2 stone then).But once in,it was a good kip,even if just a short one; especially after one of the 20+hr. days that I did then.aided by my 2 log books.I can visualize clearly, in my mind,s eye,your mate coming out of that door. My missus will probably complain that I have been laughing in my sleep again, when I get up in the morning.RIP.your late mate.
we dont do any nights out,but have an actros day cab rigid 04 plate,and that came with a bunk that folds down,hinged on rear of cab!stobarts 95 dafs wagon n drags had day cabs with the pods,i drove an man lt cab with one,took a bit of gettin used to,a nightmare to get out for a ■■■■ in the night,but lovely n dark for kippin in,but in summer…u were cooked all the way thru! 
bubbleman i meant to say thanks for the picture of the bunk and of mrs bubbleman 
and when you see the cost (early80s ?) you can see why scaffy an cushions done the trick
Blimey u lot had the life of luxury what was wrong with a hammock I had mine slung under the trailer so did Graham Soper I spent many a cool night under the stars on my ME days still got it I might put it on E bay should make a fortune like the Cola-Cowboys book wait a min I will sell as one lot any offers
Roger(rita)haywood
Big Leggy:
Slightly off subject I’m afraid (sorry) – After converting day cabs into sleepers with a “pull down” bed does anyone remember the roof pods you could fit to existing cabs ?
I seem to recall they were made by or called “Hatcher” !! Every time I mention it I just get blank looks – surely someone remembers them ■■
the hatcher pod !.didnt a driver get trapped in one of those a few years back when it set on fire and couldnt get out
curnock:
Big Leggy:
Slightly off subject I’m afraid (sorry) – After converting day cabs into sleepers with a “pull down” bed does anyone remember the roof pods you could fit to existing cabs ?
I seem to recall they were made by or called “Hatcher” !! Every time I mention it I just get blank looks – surely someone remembers them ■■the hatcher pod !.didnt a driver get trapped in one of those a few years back when it set on fire and couldnt get out
Think that’s why new ones have an escape hatch. I only used one once, think it was on a Cargo, hated the ■■■■ thing.
DAFMAD, yes I used an FL6 sometimes when I was on for Owens; always suspected that it was based on the Bedford TK, horrible cab. Even at 5’8" I found it cramped to sleep in, one of my oppos on Owens was over 6 foot tall and built like a prop, how he ever coped with that little matchbox I’ll never know.
At least with the FL6 you could use the bunk without having to fold it down and mess about like you do on the DAF LF series, even if it was a bit cramped. The DAF sleeper is a bind, OK for an odd night out but a real pain if you’re away all week.
We’ve got an old ERF at our mill, day cab ECS but has the fold-down bed behind the seat, no curtains and no night heater. Rather pointless I’d have thought.