Am I imagining it or did Smith’s have an artic system with a drive shaft from the diff of the unit to the trailer axle(s)?This was when the M40 was under construction.
Don’t know about Smiths, but Bennies did with Volvos.
Smiths never had multidrives, can’t say if they didn’t try them though. Like John said, Bennies had them when the M40 was done and I think they did the section up around Banbury and Gaydon from Wroxton.
After much “the new lorries are coming”, they were seen by Dad near Bicester Village today, minus signwriting-the death knell sounding for the 4000s then…
New one for Smiths, crap pic as its was a tad foggy this morning.
I wonder how heavy that’ll be with auto box and tailgate? The 57 reg Dafs only just get 15.5 tonnes on.
HEY Muckaway . you dont clean your wagon often so you cant have the new daf 
, 15 min a week is not good enough 
Forty minutes actually…
hope that 40 min is in your break
No chance-done while I’m waiting to find out what tomorrows first load will be…
Smiths first 3000 series L101 VLE (or Lovelee as it was referred to)
Repainted into new livery
Finally, written off after a rollover on the tip at Gill Mill
This is how I got my “foot in the door” on hire to Smiths (working for Sheehan Plant). The knavvy is a Priestman Lion, originally based at Stanton Harcourt and driven by the late Vic Griffin, seen here at Gill Mill late '98 driven by Roger Godfrey (ex Kingston Minerals at Hardwick). The Lion was used occasionally as a back-up machine.
nickyboy:
New one for Smiths, crap pic as its was a tad foggy this morning.
You should get to know your dealer fairly well if they are anything like our Dafs,had another v.o.rd this morning with the usual exhaust emissions warning light on they are terrible
ramone:
You should get to know your dealer fairly well if they are anything like our Dafs,had another v.o.rd this morning with the usual exhaust emissions warning light on they are terrible
They’ve got a lot to live upto; Jim Tarry’s had his V reg 4000 from new I think it’s only on it’s 2nd clutch, engine never been touched etc and done almost 1m km. There doesn’t seem to be a truck built specifically for tipper work nowadays-at a push I’d say Hino? 
Muckaway:
There doesn’t seem to be a truck built specifically for tipper work nowadays-at a push I’d say Hino?
Whadda ya mean Hino ?
What power is in that Daf Muckaway? A lad up here had a tarmac spec 6x4 with 360hp and auto box. Got 16t on with steel wheels, ally tar body, auto sheet and auto tailgate. That was 04-reg’d. I don’t know what they are like now but I remember they were hellishly jerky in reverse, the tarmac gangs hated it because he’d get 6-8 inches off the paver and if he stopped he was guaranteed to slam into the paver as soon as he even tickled the gas. Probably better now though I would think. Mind you muckshifting doesn’t require the same level of precision and skill as asphalt work… 
I think it’s a 360 (the 2x 57 regs are), Charlton/Thompson Superlite steel body and steel wheels. The reversing issue you mentioned has been mentioned by a couple of drivers; we do spread and tip on shingle work/reversing upto hoppers on concrete plants so slow reverse is needed-on the tip is different…
The 4000th 4000 series G160 BLM-one of the best motors
(Uncle) Allan Bowers moving clay for Clancy Docwra at Appleton, summer 2005
My first lorry on the left F517 RBY with Cat 300. Long serving driver Tony Gillam had this new before Trevor Ayres had it. A few agency drivers of very different abilities had it before me 
The lorry on the right was Dads’ last 8 wheeler before going on the artics. This has a Cat 395 and is currently languishing at Bletchington awaiting restoration-even though it could easily do a days work
Muckaway:
My first lorry on the left F517 RBY with Cat 300. Long serving driver Tony Gillam had this new before Trevor Ayres had it. A few agency drivers of very different abilities had it before me
Didn’t know Smiths used agency drivers.