I have just returned from spending a couple of weeks exploring remote areas in the countries of Djibouti and Ethiopia in east Africa. Most of the time was spent way off the beaten track, but I did manage to get a few happy snaps to give you an impression of the trucking scene there. Temperatures were in the 40s C, so it’s a bit chilly coming back here!
I’ll start off with the Djibouti ones. Robert
Any ERF Robert ?
Dan Punchard:
Any ERF Robert ?
Alas, no mate! All LHD trucks. Robert
Many of these pictures taken in Djibouti actually show Ethiopian lorries plying between Djibouti port and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.
Now then, all those pictures above were taken by me. However, I’ve just found a few on the internet taken in Djibouti to throw into the arena - so here they are.
Well they certainly seem to like their Ivecos out there or are you being a bit biased there Robert, as a former owner, or perhaps due to the fact that its a colony of Italy? What about those horrible looking Chinese things? FL10 cab pressings? Thanks for posting and keep warm!
That’s some great shots Robert 
liked the look off those containers stuck in the back off dropside trailers
short walk:
Well they certainly seem to like their Ivecos out there or are you being a bit biased there Robert, as a former owner, or perhaps due to the fact that its a colony of Italy? What about those horrible looking Chinese things? FL10 cab pressings? Thanks for posting and keep warm!
I was thinking the Italy thing too
That light blue FL10 Chinese thing, the grille looked and lights looked slightly Merc late model Actros 3, or am I being a bit nerdy
Cheers Eddie and Short-walk! Your theory about the Ivecos and Italian colonialism is a good one, but actually Ivecos seem to ‘rule’ from Egypt, down through Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti. I think one of the reasons is because they are cheap 2nd hand and cheap (compared with Europe) to ‘do up’; but mostly it’s because they are strong. The Euro range cabs may be crap but the chassis and drive-line is strong, especially in the EuroTrakker - and you may have noticed that the EuroTrakker is the predominant model. It was seeing EuroTrakkers at work in Egypt that got me started on that thread I created about long-haul EuroTrakkers.
As for the high-roof FL10 cabbed Chinese units: they’re made by Howo and earlier ones were fitted with 9-speed Fuller look-alikes. The Iranian drivers told me that they were unreliable and fell to bits but they seem to be doing well in the far east. I watched them holding their own on the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan so they must be reasonably sound.
Robert
robert1952:
Cheers Eddie and Short-walk! Your theory about the Ivecos and Italian colonialism is a good one, but actually Ivecos seem to ‘rule’ from Egypt, down through Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti. I think one of the reasons is because they are cheap 2nd hand and cheap (compared with Europe) to ‘do up’; but mostly it’s because they are strong. The Euro range cabs may be crap but the chassis and drive-line is strong, especially in the EuroTrakker - and you may have noticed that the EuroTrakker is the predominant model. It was seeing EuroTrakkers at work in Egypt that got me started on that thread I created about long-haul EuroTrakkers.As for the high-roof FL10 cabbed Chinese units: they’re made by Howo and earlier ones were fitted with 9-speed Fuller look-alikes. The Iranian drivers told me that they were unreliable and fell to bits but they seem to be doing well in the far east. I watched them holding their own on the Karakoram Highway in Pakistan so they must be reasonably sound.
Robert
The Chinese are coming!
The son of a friend from Saudi days has exclusive UK rights to import ‘FAW’ trucks.
■■■■■■■■ Fuller, Rockwell.
Well built, comfortable cab…
But… So much cheaper.
John
Very interesting photos. Thank you, Robert, for posting. My favorite is the no-nonsense blue car-transporter with the red Stralis.
