Absolutely positively...on it's side! My old mate John Hodges at TNT has the day off and been rummaging through the archives. And he's come up with these terrific shots from a time when the 'elfin safety' wasn't to be found..... ! "Hi Brian," he says "Driver training? No,this was a stunt driver at the TNT open day in 1988.None of this today---H&S says No! He actually drove all the way round the Hub like this..."
reminds me of the original Roadrunner TV ad driven by that French stuntman. Perhaps Martin Hayes can tell me who that was...and supply me with a picture of it too?
Next we have "An early truck racer.This was a subby called Roy Fox from ayup Accrington,this unit would be on trunk the following week! GB may be interested in this.." And if only he'd done it with the trailer John--just think of the advertising TNT would have got!
John adds; "How about driving this 3000 miles across OZ Brian,I know its a Globetrotter,and probably badged as an F12,as the 16 wasn,t available..Probably luxury in the early 80s." As I recall the TNT stood for Thomas Nationwide Transport named after Ken Thomas. CM's then junior neww reporter Murdo Morrison (now lofty editor of Flight International magazine) interviewed Ken who told him how he started business hauling a consignment of lavatory pans..only Ken didn't call them that!
Now John says: "I,don't know if the Royal Mail have ever printed any,stamps with early Marathon and TK pictures... .If you ever see one,get it,they are very collectable! Now click through here for one more....
John continues: "How about this old one Brian? Brand new in1983,no requirements for sideguards or spray suppresion then.The unit is a C series ERF with the 8 LXCT Gardner." Ahh those were the days mate...those were the days.
Re the 'Toughest Truck on Two Wheels' ad for the original Leyland Roadrunner (in 1984 - 4 years before the TNT version!) the stunt driver was one Gilbert Bataille. The Frenchman performed initially in the TV ad and then at various other venues - including circling the full F1 cicruit at Silverstone! (See BLB 10 July 2007 for more - and for a YouTube version of the famous ad, still regarded by creative folks as one of the greatest of all time - irrespective of subject or budget!).
Hi John, the good old days ...the ones we worked nights LOL
I remember those hub open days, the driver was same bloke from the Montego advert, Bartelle???? or something similar?,what ever happened to the old F12 you had to take trailers for test, that would have been a good one to keep, I will look out some of the pics from 021 milton...Happy Days!
Graham