Does anyone have any pictures of the Westerman drawbar fleet that they would like to share?
I was always intrigued by the sleeper pod vehicles that they had on old MAN day cabs, and then later they had the marsden double sleeper pods that are usually found on removal vehicles on normal cabs like Daf 85’s and in some instances scania 3 series.
I know they used to do a long time away from home, that space must have come in handy. You don’t see many of them in the uk anymore, Quickfreight look to have taken on their work as their trucks are identical.
Any pictures or stories from old drivers would be great.
This was BRS Wrexhams best effort at a wagon & drag from the time when Westermans were running out of con can
I remember Westermans had a few of the little MAN`s painted in the same colours as this at the time
As the years have gone on youll see that our place still have not got the idea of max load volume right as they still get the tallest body they can and then run it on standard wheels, these were near 2ft taller than the pallets of cans we carry
Now this is more like it
Did these come from something out of the Westerman camp or was it part of some take over ?
This Quickfreight motor was in our place a few weeks ago loading for Italy,
Sadly he had not that much to say to me me due to my lack of the polish language
the blue removals wagon is a replica of mine the daf that is expect mine isnt draw bar and is 40ft long… That allied pickfords wagon looks like the 1 that belongs to transworld removals the usually run volvo draw bars.
I remember tipping empty pallets off the Westermann trucks at Frank Lloyds in Wrexham Ind Est, in summer 1996. I don’t know too much about the company though - where were they from? I remember British and Dutch Westermanns, and I’m sure there were a few other nationalities as well. That nice low Continental height sure makes it easy to climb on to the back - not like scrambling up into a container from ground level…
Nianiamh - have you got any other photos of the trucks that used to run into the can? I remember Euroute from Poland, and of course BRS/Exel who I remember at the time had a fleet of K-reg MAN’s. And HJ Calver from Suffolk, who used to run in pulling Fransen Transport trailers.
plannerman:
I remember tipping empty pallets off the Westermann trucks at Frank Lloyds in Wrexham Ind Est, in summer 1996. I don’t know too much about the company though - where were they from? I remember British and Dutch Westermanns, and I’m sure there were a few other nationalities as well. That nice low Continental height sure makes it easy to climb on to the back - not like scrambling up into a container from ground level…
Nianiamh - have you got any other photos of the trucks that used to run into the can? I remember Euroute from Poland, and of course BRS/Exel who I remember at the time had a fleet of K-reg MAN’s. And HJ Calver from Suffolk, who used to run in pulling Fransen Transport trailers.
Them K reg MANs used to make that awful whine in low box with the little wheels on the drive axle, at the time of them on the i was on one of the red ex Kellogs wagon & drags running on the preforms out of gresford & the cans when it was quiet. Ive got no pics of them MANs with the little wheels but this link is all the Con Can pics i have with some of the Wreg MAN i had at the time. trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=22696
Imp:
Is that trailer on the Iveco in the first post really a single axle?
It sure is
There was a few polish motors in this week with full size wagon & drags
on just 3 axles with little 220hp MANs & DAFs, ill get some pic`s next time there in.
I know they used to do a long time away from home, that space must have come in handy. You don’t see many of them in the uk anymore,
I think there are only about 3 left on UK plates, most were owner drivers and small companys, at its peak there were over 140 UK regestered trucks.
Dave1980:
Quickfreight look to have taken on their work as their trucks are identical.
Quick freight had around 18 trucks on Westermann work in the late 90’s, but unlike the rest of the UK regestered Westermann trucks built by Transport Enterprises, Quickfreight made their own bodys, (I believe this was because they could make them stronger and lighter). They were involved in the introduction of Craiss to the UK, I believe as their UK agents. Up until recentley they were still doing Westermann work, but not in Westermann colours.
All Wheels swap bodys and Westmax trucks are part of Westermann as well.
Acording to their website they still control 750 trucks
I remember loading in Emmerich with a Westermann,had a reg.N1NJH.Think it was maybe Norman James Haulage or similar.Driver told me his boss had another whos reg. caused a laugh at first ferry checkin,M1NJH.Dont think dvla noticed that.I used to drive a similar Drawbar,it used to take ages to load,all handballed cartons,up to 1500 at a time.Was fit as a butchers dog in them days. Joe.
A good reminder about Westermann, Somewhere in the depths of the attic is a contract to work for them. I went to an interview and met someone from the Dunquerke office. I signed a piece of paper to say I would spend 80k on a drawbar outfit.
Then I woke up and smelt the coffee. I was very interested in the job but could not see how it paid unless you ran 24hrs and were in the right place at the right time for a reload.
I used to see them sat around for days, others were hardly given time to wipe their bum before the satellite bleeped.
I think that was a lucky escape that I didnt send the contract back
Very interested to see all these Westermann trucks.
If anyone wants a photo of my truck ( I ran it from 1987 to 1994) Let me have your email and I´ll send a copy to you.
Mine was an MAN 14.192 ( 14 ton rigid pulling a 16 ton double axle trailer with 192 horsepower engine ) It did approx 950,000 Kms in the 7 years I had it and was very reliable. It had the overcab sleeper made by Hatcher and my wife and I used to sleep in it. It was like being in a coffin but I was usually too Knackered to worry about that.
I started working for W/mann whilst living in the UK and was running every week to Berlin with various cargo. The return load was Car Parts for a major car manufacturer in Speke, Liverpool,
After 2 years we moved to Spain,and of course our Truck moved with us.
I then ususally did 3 week round trips normally form Elche with shoes for 3 drops Germany. Followed by 10 days or so in Northern Europe and then into the UK with a load of cans and out on a Friday night Via Portsmouth-Caen, for delivery of empty stillages to the Opel factory Zaragoza.
As I ran bent most of the time (not boasting, just the way it was ,my responsibility), for example I had to transit France on the Saturday which took up to 12 hours (Caen to Irun)stopping at my favourite restaurant for lunch, then putting a new card in the Tacho and heading for Irun. Heading down the N10 on a Saturday was a perilous task as the Gendarmerie were waiting for us. I spoke a certain amount of French and when stopped had a little story to tell the man. Generally (as it was quite a long story) the policemans eyes would glaze over ( particularily as my French wasn´t brilliant) and he would wave me on with a weary cynical look on his face.
In fact over 7 years I was only stopped a total of 6 times and only got fined once( in Germany for speeding, I ask you in an MAN 14.192■■)
These were good days with Westermann,earning a good living and I look back
on those days with pleasant memories.
I went back to my old job of Sales Manager for a major truck manufacturer this time in Saudi Arabia until I retired in 2001 (in Spain of course)
the daf that is expect mine isnt draw bar and is 40ft long… That allied pickfords wagon looks like the 1 that belongs to transworld removals the usually run volvo draw bars.
