"Good evening Brian," says Martin, "Attached please find a few pix I managed at Truckfest South West earlier this month. I am pretty sure that you will appreciate the 5-axle Scania operated by Wally Balsdon, Viridor's splendid new Volvo tridem, the superb PlantSpeed heavy haulers and last but not least the 'old' and the 'new' (well newer anyway) from Foden. Best Regards, Martin P."

Thanks very much for these Martin, these shots are fantastic!  Click through for more pictures, including a gorgeous vintage Foden and a very well presented Scania heavy-haulage unit.

Reg Crawford was kind enough to send me this press release from Volvo Trucks:

"Northampton-based international hauliers MAM Transport Services Ltd have ordered another sixteen Volvo FH-460 tractors and the Volvo Truck and Bus Centre East Anglia, Kettering Dealerpoint team also won the service contract for fourteen of MAM's Renault Magnums to boot. Six of the new Volvos went on the road in early May and they are all under a five-year Volvo contract maintenance agreement with Volvo Action Service cover. The remaining nine will be in service by the end of the year. MAM General Manager Chris Williamson explained, "Providing a reliable, fast and flexible service has helped us to build a first class base of satisfied customers and our use of Volvo trucks plays a part in that."

"He added, "We took a look at the bigger picture, not just the truck itself, and the service support we have had from the Volvo team at Kettering over the last five years has been impeccable. Volvo's Dynafleet Perform & Locate package is in its infancy with us, but it will be a very valuable tool." With a number of Volvo FH-420s already in the fleet, MAM's drivers are reported to be 'quietly impressed.' Fuel returns from the new FH-460s are very promising after less than a month on the road, Chris Williamson reported. "I'm impressed, one vehicle is managing in excess of ten to the gallon, so it looks good for the future when they have all settled in," he said."

"I came across this Titan Titan Heavyhitter in Saudi Arabia 1998" says Lex Meeder...well it's quite a beastie for Biglorryblog..the model is a Titan 5252 and it was workign for Heavylift.Now click through here for another Titan....

Eric Taylor isn a real Marathon Runner for he's sent me this and he says: "Brian, one sunny day in 1974 this beast paid a visit to the Aberdeen Leyland dealership where I worked. I know not why! It was a LHD 6x4 Cummins NT335 engined twin bunk sleeper cab Leyland Marathon 'demonstrator'. The scans are taken from 4"x4" photos, hence the small size. I noticed one of your army has a passion for all things Marathon...Eric." So what was it doing there?

Time for another great Mike Jeffries old-time truck painting on Biglorryblog ( I can't get another of them myself) and Mike says: " Hello Brian, the old Green Fleet seems to have been air-brushed from history for some reason, I can find nothing about it on the net and there are hardly any pictures of their vehicles in service. Back in the early sixties I used to work from their Hurst Street Birmingham depot and would welcome any info or tales from ex-drivers there especially the old Foden drivers. Mike. "  E-mail him on mike@transportartist.co.uk and don't forget to visit his great website at http://www.redbubble.com/people/artistjeffries too. 

(Only please remember this image of Mike's work is protected by international copyright law.)

Expert in all things 'Old Lorry' Peter Davies e-mails me to say: "Reading the bit about the first Volvo F86 and the earlier trials by Cubitt's I thought I'd add to the discussion with the attached ads showing that Volvo made a bid for the UK market as early as 1956. Indeed Commercial Motor conducted a number of road tests on bonneted Volvos between 1954 and 1957. As you can see the only models offered at that time were bonneted jobs. Other European countries, especially Holland, were converting Volvos to forward control and Volvo eventually got the message. One Dutch company to supply forward control cabs was Paul van Weelde."

Funny how you see things when you're driving along the road isn't it? On Tuesday on my way back from Volvo Biglorryblog was trundling southwards on the M20 when around Maidstone I spotted a white Fuso rigid truck with a dropside body heading in the opposite direction...it wasn't a Canter (too big), looked more like a 10-12-tonner. So I've been on the Mitsubishi Fuso website and as fas as I can make out the closest to it is an FM/FK or 'Fighter' So was it just a passing foreign visitor or an early arrival for UK Type Approval ahead of a UK launch?  I must ask my chums in Mercedes-Benz....and see whether they flinch...

Are you reading World Trucks Analysis from my old mate and blogging co-evil Ollie Dixon? If not you're missing out on the pithiest, punchiest commentary on the world truck manufacturing scene around! And the latest issue, which comes out next week, is packed with the usual exclusive, in-depth, no-holds barred stuff from Ollie  including a close look at the latest round of half-year/second rquarter esults from the likes of Volvo and Paccar (with his take on Bellevue's plans to target Brazil and Latin America) Plus the real story behind Daimler's latest denial to spin off it's truck business and the unexpected 'opportunities' for Euro-6  for Europe's truck and engine builders and a typically OD review on the recent buddying up between Scania and MAN! So where can you get a regular copy of WTA? Well simply e-mail subscriptions@worldtrucksanalysis.com for more information or go to http://www.worldtrucksanalysis.com/How can you afford to be without it? No WTA...no opinion!

"It's a mad crazy country in the wet..."went the old Rolf Harris song.But even torrential rain can't dampen the spirits of a classic Bulldog no matter how hard it pours..especially if it's this 1991 Valueliner featured on the excellent Mack Trucks Australia 'Heritage' picture gallery which you can find at http://www.macktrucks.com.au/index.cfm?MenuID=305 And there's lot's more golden oldie dogs on it.

All this talk of Foden and Poden has prompted Mike Davies to contact me with this real blast from the past which I well remember: "Hi Brian, the recent pictures of the F.C. Bennett S40 Foden/Poden's brought back many memories. At that time I was the area service engineer for Foden's (Service Inspector in Elworth speak) and Bennetts was a regular visit.Dick,John and Nigel Bennett were considered by Fodens to be a 'friendly fleet'" and with this in mind they agreed to operate a special test bench vehicle for evaluation on normal duties.The project was called 'The Silent Vehicle Project' and was based on a Rolls-powered S80." And click through here to read all about it only shhhhh!!!!

Things are certainly buzzing in Bellevue, Washington as Paccar announces its latest (and yet again improved) 2010 second quarter revenues and earnings, of which chairman and CEO Mark C. Pigott tells Biglorryblog: "Against a backdrop of global truck markets that are only gradually emerging from historically low levels, PACCAR's results reflect the benefits of higher truck and parts sales and improving financial services profits worldwide." And following yesterday's financial conference call, I learn from my old blogging co-evil Ollie Dixon that the US truck maker (which owns Peterbilt and Kenworth as well as DAF) has now got its sights on Brazil as the next market to attack---and with good reason considering Brazil's economy and truck market. To top it all off, DAF's 13-litre MX engine (called the Paccar MX in the US) has gone into full production and is now being fitted in Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks like the one above....talk about busy! So click through here for the full financials and commentary from BLB...

Looking for decent overnight parking just off the M1 yet close to London asks Biglorryblog? Well, Malcolm Dawson at Hemel Hempstead-based Furnell Transport tells me that "We have a few spaces at the moment in our truck park." Indeed he goes on to say: "The Furnell Maxted Road Lorry Park is well known and is registered as an operating centre. It's conveniently situated beside the M1 and the M25 at Maxted Road Hemel Hempstead on the Maylands Industrial Estate and is run by Furnell's Lorry Park Supervisor, Rob May. Rob is available on 07800 935779 or via the main Furnell switchboard number 01442 212744." And click through here for more..

Now here's a nice shot and it goes to show that there IS an alternative to a straight-foward 'three-quarter front' shot that clearly shows everything---but can come across as a bit boring reckons Biglorryblog! What's more white trucks with minimal livery are never easy to make interesting...so the fact that the snapper has cropped in close on the MAN  grille (getting the 'message' over quickly and effectively) then thrown in a nice bit of dynamic tilt and lined up the trucks behind the foreground motor certainly works for me...now click through here for more and what the story is all about!

Now here's something you don't see very often in the UK--a line-up of smart Hino tractors. But thanks to my Australia Truck Deadline news alert service I learn with interest that Sydney-based Chemsafe Logistics has turned to the strength and dependability of Hino trucks to deliver food and dangerous goods throughout New South Wales. Chemsafe runs a fleet of 33 Hinos, ranging from a small Dutro 300 Series with a van body through to a heavy-duty 700 Series SS prime movers, with many models in between.  And click through here to find out why!