BigLorryBlog

I was just wondering where that slack-jawed idler Agent Reg had got to when he fires this over to me...it's Northchapel Transport's spanking new FH-440 8x2 rigid. "Why Volvo?" says owner Shane Lucking, boss of the West Sussex plant and general transport operator: "Because they're extremely reliable and they do everything we ask of them, since we can get them built to our exact specification. We need our vehicles to be able to handle anything from a mini-digger to a 26-tonne crane to a multi-modal container. They're comfortable, too - this FH is very much a driver's truck, pleasant to work in with plenty of cab space."  Now click through here to find out more....

 "Good Morrow Sire" says a very polite 'Kepper of the Flame Martin Phippard."Not that it's any great shakes here at present what with murderous skies, howling winds the ever-present precipitation. Oh, me lumbago! But at least we can hope to add a glimmer of sunlight to Gary (hop-along) Richards' day. His affection for the big old Bulldog knows no bounds."

"So herewith a selection of what I hope are interesting (or inneresting if you're from the far side of the pond) images from the early/mid 1970s, some from Aus, a couple from Canada (the G M Smith outfits) and the massive Aycock heavy hauler from the U.S. Gotta love those Bulldogs!  BR Martin P.".  And click through here for more.....

My good cloggie mate Henk Kruit has sent me this "Hi Brian, more pictures of FIAT-Ferraris!
This is a 1957 FIAT 682R Transporter." And by way of contrast here's a picture of the modern day equivalent from Ron Johl....

And Ron lights the blue touch paper by saying: "Brian, now here is a modern transporter from Truckfest Peterborough---complete with its racing car, and much nicer looking than that old Fiat!!" Hmmmm I'm not sure you'll have the Biglorryblog cognescenti with you on that mate...! And click through here for more old-time transporters from Henk!

"Hi mate," says David Hecker from the wonderful www.aussiebigbangers.4t.com website 
"There's another Ray Jay movie on YouTube " and here's the link for it which shows yer man talking about his latest restoration project---an unusual resin cab (yes that's right) Mack 700.
http://www.youtube.com/user/aussiebigbangers#p/u/1/ySJLVPT9-pg

So get clicking---as it's a wonderful bit of history and thanks to Dave and Ray Jay for the great walkround..

Oh hellooo....what's all this. A strange truck and an even stranger story...it could only mean one thing. yes Biglorryblog's 'Good Man in Africa' jerry Burley is back with more bizarre tales from the Dark Continent....and he says: "BLB, I think the midday sun is finally doing it for me, but let me squeeze out one further missive before checking in for my on-going Friday pm elbow-flexing therapy. After a 9 months 'gestation period', followed by a long and difficult trip along the 'delivery canal', our Tatra 815 has finally arrived here.  It has been a long wait.....

"But first 'Nature Notes'", combined with a bit of an OIA moment, and the back of a slightly strange minibus. Owned by two Ugandan ex-national team rugby players I have known here for years, who run this surprisingly successful mobile disco business, under the name of PlatinumDJSug - as you would! 'Uganda's Illest' is some claim, believe me, although they may actually not be too far off the mark...Now click through hee for the full story on the Tatra...

Can you guess what it is yet? Cam McFadyen of Queensland Tilt Tray fame has kindly e-mailed me to say: "Hi Brian, there has been a little bit of activity on the paint front. It is probably finished as we speak, However, I`m about to board the Kerosene Kangaroo and head off to what isn`t the tropical paradice of Melbourne to check the famous Sandown truck show.So more pictures will have to wait until next week. No doubt Pete will have the pics of Sandown, I`ll see if I can do a cameo appearance in the back ground! All the best,Cam." And click through here for more shots of Cam's Reo in the paint booth....

The things I get asked eh? Still it's all in a good cause. Sandy Austin has contacted Biglorryblog to say: "I'm getting married in May next year - I'm a truck driver, Scania being my favourite and since being with my partner she has grown to love them too--to the extent that her dream would be to have a white Scania longline as her wedding transport. Anybody out there know if this is possible at all and if so, how? Any ideas, contacts etc would be extremely welcome to sandy.a@hotmail.co.uk Sandy." Well I don't have a Longline myself (more's the pity) but I know a man who's been known to have the odd one or two now and then. Step forward that fine chap Mick, Mick Moody International fame (and you can visit the website) or call 01472 345600 http://www.moodyinternational.co.uk/trucks_for_sale I reckon Mick would be a good place to start...the picture above is one he used to have though  suspect it's now been sold...but if you're after the ultimate wagon for your wedding why not this one--and click through here to check it out?

Last one for tonight and it's a Biglorryblog evening Pie Quizzer! So look sharp anorak army! It's from Pete Jones who says: "This photo is of a 1950s Ferrari racing car transporter---a bit different to the transporters of today's racing teams in Formula 1.Any one know the make of truck?" So coem on...let's be having you!

You know, I just love you guys..as soon as ask a simple question 'BLAMMO!' You start piling in with fantastic stuff! (Stop in BLB you're gushing...) Anyroadup I'm most grateful to Ed Burrows who has sent me these pictures: "Hi Brian, thought you'd appreciate a few more LeTourneau images. And by the way, Eric Orlemann has just had new book out - although it's mostly on heavy plant/earthmovers, which of course is fair dos: LeT load carrying vehicles were few and far between. That said, the biggest was the best and the biggest wheeled vehicle cable of free movement there has ever been, or ever will be. Bold statement, but unchallengeable." 

Ed continues: "I mean, would you want to argue with the US Army's 13-unit electric hub motor all-wheel-drive Overland Train MkII, built for the US Army Transportation Research and Development Command? A 'mere' 382 tonnes GCW and 'small' 137 tonnes payload! Okay, ALE - and indeed the lumbering South African Pacifics you are so obsessed with - could probably beat that, most days of the week. But the 382 tonnes of the Overland Train MII moved off-road, at up to 20 mph. And we're talking 1962, which was a very happening year indeed, on many fronts. So it was not at all untoward for LeT engineers - who thought under a big Texas sky - to decide to power their behemoth by four 873 kW gas turbine generator sets!" And click through here for more... 

Well it was only a matter of time before Chris G really started to show why he's 'Mr Atkinson' and he kicks off with this news story from Commercial Motor from December 1968 (though surely the sun didn't shine in the '60s after September?)

Followed swiftly by a great shot of the prototype Viewline cab..now click through here for much, much more!

Hello... What's that slowly rusting in a quiet corner of the yard?

Hmmm... Got a touch of down-under Bulldog about it don't you think...? And click through here to see it in all its glory in a previous life - and some classic Aussie Atkinsons too...

Now here's something you don't see everyday on Biglorryblog....got a big engine (you can tell that just by the traditor covers) and a very low slung cab...but what exactly does it do? Well click through here and you'll find out...

 Hope the bridge takes it skipper! Although saying that it obviously can---otherwise Dennis and his merry men from ROTRAN wouldn't be driving across it with a 325-ton transformer and 6000hp of go-power courtesy of five 8x8 Tractomas monster pullers and a 10x10 Tractomas pusher up the back! ()oh yeas, don't forget the ginormous beam trailer too). And anyway this happened yesterday so I guess we'd have heard if it didn't make it across!

Yes it's South African heavy-hitter time again on Biglorryblog and you can see that it probably wouldn't be a good idea to try and go in the opposite direction to Dennis's convoy on this particular corner! Now click through for more...

Well almost last one... Just got this under the wire before she sees me! My thanks to Daniel Andersson in Sweden who says: "Hello! I found this clip on YouTube, Perhaps you've seen it before. It´s a nice clip and has a very nice sounding Scania in a forest in Germany." Well that should please Mr Garlick no end... And it does sound 'throbby and roarty!' Meanwhile Daniel says: "Thank you for a very nice blog, I look at it every day. best regards." Nice to hear you enjoy it Daniel - interesting clip too, as the camera work is pretty steady! The driver seems to be having a bit of fun with the forest track too... (the word means pretty much the same in any language... ) But his reversing is impressive and he gets there in the end--complete with a grateful sigh of relief too... But a nice bit of driving!

Last one for today as I'm about to get ready to help Mrs BLB with the odd little chore or twelve - i.e. as in... "Oi you! Get off that computer!" (Sound familiar?) Anyroadup it's another request for help, this time from AtkIPete Lynch who says: "G'day Brian, just wondering if your lads can identify this old Thornycroft. I think is about a 3-tonner, 4-cylinder petrol and has been parked up since 1957... I am currently trying to work out just how I could sneak it into the back yard without my missus noticing... Cheers, Pete." If she's anything like Mrs BLB you've got no chance mate... Eyes like the proverbial hawk... (With infra-red night vision goggles attached too).

Now here's an interesting one... Stefan Seifert has e-mailed Biglorryblog to say: "Hello guys, I'm a model constructor form Germany and I'm planing to build a dump trailer like this one in the picture. Therefore I need to know the manufactor and type of this trailer? And as I've seen that you have a large collection of truck pictures I'm hoping that you could help me. Greetings from Germany. Stefan." Well does anyone have a clue on this? It's certainly a rather unusual 'double' rear-bogie arrangement. Stefan didn't say what the nationality of the operator in his pictures was but for some reason I'm thinking maybe Turkey? So are these Tirsan trailers? Or from further afield like Oz or South America? Or does anyone else have any ideas? And click through here for the shot of the front end...