Thanks to Jimmy Key for sending me this fantastic picture of one of the most unusual trucks I have ever seen.
Jimmy suggests that I feature the Foden in Truck & Driver's Picture Post section - which sounds like a great idea. The only problem is that I don't know what to say about it.
What is it? Who built it? Does it still exist?
Can anyone shed any light on 'JLN 357D'?
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This page contains a single entry by Will Shiers published on July 14, 2008 9:54 AM.
Driving the Oshkosh HET 1070F. Tales of a wet day and a great big tank transporter on Biglorryblog... was the previous entry in this blog.
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Its a Foden S20 aircraft refueller that was built by Thompson's in the early 1960's. Whats left of the livery,white over green suggests it was possibly a BP Air motor.
Thats got to be worth restoring !It looks nearly complete.
I understand that the Foden 6x4 and 8x4 tractor units were usually operated by Esso so the pictured truck has probably been resprayed at some time from red with pale grey/white lining. The large compartment begind the cab housed the pump and hose reel systems. Air BP used similar white painted tankers based on AEC Mammoth Major MK V 6x4 tractor units and I understand that an almost complete example of one of these has recently been found in Norway.
Yes, these were used as Heathrow I believe and were interesting in that they were "dromedary" tractors with a load area behind the cab and ahead of the fifth wheel that carried hose reels and associated discharge equipment. As Barney says, it looks like a restoration project just waiting to happen. A fantastic looking vehicle and a brilliant find.
if you log onto ebay.you will find a very similar outfit in similar condition, up for sale.
I've followed Andrew's advice to look on e-bay and I found the item. From my reading of the advert there are three of the wee beasties for sale, ex the Concorde programme at Filton, Bristol. From what I can see they are currently located at Ringwood, Hants.
Been doing some digging in a magazine and have found spec details of this monster's baby brother, a 6x4 Foden FRTU6/70 'Python' superfueller in Esso livery. The vehicle had a three-compartment tank with a capacity of 12,000 gallons and ran on a Carrimore bogie. Similar designs were mounted on AEC Mammoth Major chassis with refuelling gear manufactured by Zwicky and the alloy tanks made by AST Ltd, Hamble. I am not sure if the Foden in the snap is a 'Python', but I suspect that the spec is probably quite similar.
Belay my last! Another magazine article suggests that some Python refuellers were hauled by 8x4 Foden KR6/24 tipper chassis adapted as tractor units and powered by Rolls-Royce C6NFR six-cylinder engines. Looks like that is what we have in the picture.
The foden in question resides in the B.W.O.C yard in weston super mare short for Bob Wane Oil Company. The ex concorde ones are mickey mouse cab so are different,they were still at filton in 2003
Just seen this picture. Wow!
Thought you would be interested to know my Dad use to drive one of these beasts for ESSO.
It was painted in white livery, with 12000 tons
of aircraft fuel onboard. He certainly had some tales to tell on refueling aircraft.
Trying to find a vintage picture or model for
nostalgic reasons.