I thought it was long overdue for some Pantechnicons on Biglorryblog so what beter way to start the weekend than to feature the latest 26-tonne Axor 2533L that's entered service with family-owned national and international removals specialist Martell's. The smart six-wheeler has a clean, 'green' Euro-5 330hp BlueTec engine and replaces a vehicle that did not comply with the London Low Emission Zone. Its five-container body plus large sleeper pod was built by Essex Bodies which also fitted a hefty, 3.0-tonne MBB tail-lift. Martell's is based in East Grinstead, West Sussex.
It seems that the company has quite a bit of history behind it as Martell's has been providing removals and storage services for more than half a century but the firm can trace its origins back to 1917, when William George Martell opened a shop selling bedsteads and prams in London's Elephant and Castle.
"Were delighted with our latest Mercedes," confirms Removals Manager Edward Kessell to Biglorryblog. "It's comfortable for our crews and certainly catches the eye on the road. The quality of Essex Bodies' work is also excellent, while the big, 3.0-tonne tail-lift allows us to handle large, heavy items for commercial clients that some removal firms cannot accommodate."
The firm runs a fleet of eight trucks, among them a 7.5-tonne Mercedes Atego 818 which it bought from Rossetts last year to undertake removals to and from the Channel Islands. Now click through here for more perfect Pantechnicons...
I spotted this blinged up behemoth at this year's Peterborough truckfest. renault premium based Pantehnicon belonging to Matthew james certainly looks the (removals) business. And for a quick pie(s) where does the term Pantechnicon come from? And what separates a Pantechnicon from any other sort of large bodied rigid? What is it with you Biglorryblog...? You're always asking questions!
A majestic fire proof London building a couple of centuries back that then proceeded to burn down (sounds like one of our success stories here!!) that stored furniture and other clearly flammable clobber. It morphed into a horse-drawn mobile unit for some strange reason in the period when London was still being polluted by second hand hay rather than diesel smoke and ended up as a self-powered unit when Dr Diesel had completed his magnum opus and eaten the (live, as opposed to mechanical) horse. Sounds like ancient Greek or Latin in origin, pan meaning everywhere. But as I failed my O level Greek back in the dark ages when my kids think everything was painted grey, maybe ignore this last bit......
I cheated and looked up "pantechnicon" in my Concise Oxford dictionary. It says "furniture warehouse (orig. name of a bazaar)".
As to the 2nd question, my guess is that it's different by reason of having a compartment over top of the cab; originally for freight before we had sleepers.
BTW, more trivia; my dear old nan always called coaches "charabancs", which after barely getting my "O" level in French, I realised came from "char-a-banc" (carriage with bench seat).
Loved the moving vans. My hubby and I spent time living in England and he became a truck driver. We lived in Coggeshall,Colchester,Essex, and in Braintree back in the early 60's. Loved your country. Was just looking up pantechnicon from an English authors book "Deric Longden" and found your site. Very nice. Will keep for the hubby to see. Thanks, God Bless