June 2009 Archives

Biglorryblog never ceases to be amazed and impressed by the fantastic golden nuggests that 'The Brochure King' (aka Richard Stanier) has stashed away in his archives - including all kinds of stuff I've never even heard of... Like the truck above! "Hi Brian", he says. "I enjoyed the interesting recent piece on the rise and rise of the Globetrotter cab, and I have found a few photos of my own to send in. The F16 Globetrotter designated the 'Imperial' was an impressive machine. This truck had a particularly high specification of extras in the cab, and the photo is taken from a Swedish brochure. Does anyone know if similar vehicles were ever available in the UK?" Well The imperial is definitely a new one on me... Has any else heard of it? I seem to recall a special edition called 'The Viking' but not this one. And click through here for more 'I never knew that' cab moments!

If it's registered in the outback of Australia you can bet it will be somethign strange... So click through here to find out what.

Russ Hurley has sent these over to Biglorryblog and says: "Hi BLB, as if one set of showmen's Fodens wasn't enough (see BLB April) Epping Forest is blessed yet again with an entourage of them. So here we are, exclusively for BLB, a nice batch from Sandbach in the weekend sunshine." And for a pie what's the one above?

Now click through here for more...

"Here's a Foden Feast from the 1980s" says Bigloryblog's very own kraft kiwi who has more pictures of Kiwi and Aussie trucks than I can shake a stick at. And he's sent me tnis selection of old and new style cab Fodens from New Zealand.

Now click through here for more...

Imagine a world where trucks have their own priority 'green lanes' And why not says Biglorryblog? I am gretaful to Two-Stroke for firing this over to me. It comes from Volvo Trucks and is part of their crystal ball gazing that's also delivered their 2020 Vision Truck and you can see it on this clip... Enjoy the future!

I've already booked my test drive...!

This may not look like it, but what you're seeing here is a very special Mitsubishi Fuso Canter. How so Oh Great One? I hear you say. Well because it's one of three Canters who carry special kit to measure the wear and tear on road surfaces in city centres and throughout Britain's B, C and unclassified road networks. Armed with an array of high-tech (isn't it always?) electrical equipment to measure the skid resistance of highways the Canter triplets are helping road engineers plan when the carriageway need resurfacings.

They're run by Bristol-based W.D.M. www.wdm.co.uk which builds and supplies specialist road survey vehicles, as well as providing surveying services to public sector and large civil engineering contractors. Their arrivals follow the successful introduction of an identical Canter, which entered service last year.

Now pay attention as here's the 'science bit'. On each vehicle there's a device called a SCRIM - which as you all know stands for Sideway-force Coefficient Routine Investigation Machine which features all sorts of complex electronic monitoring doodads linked to a free-rotating wheel, which is aligned at 20 degrees to the direction of travel. Got that so far? Now water from a 2,000-litre tank is sprayed onto the road in the path of this wheel, and the wet road skidding resistance generated by the surface can then be accurately assessed. Easy eh? Meanwhile the Canter's Double crewcab handily houses all the computer gubbins used by the two-man team of driver and operator to carry out surveys. Now click through here for more...

Oh dear... Poor old World Truck Blog (read his latest pithy comment on the Global truck scene on www.roadtransport.com) is not a happy bunny... Though frankly I can't see why he wouldn't be delighted to spend time in a truck like this. "Mrs WTB is moving offices," he says, "a journey of some five miles - and my money is on a very long weekend." At that point he was overcome with emotion... However, Biglorryblog is astounded that Ollie wouldn't want to drive such a fine piece of American vehicular enginering even with a somewhat idiosyncratic offside (for a left hooker) wing as you can see in his photo... You know your problem Ollie? You've just been spoilt with a diet of plush, over-specced, decadent European trucks. You're in the US of A now you know! Although clearly it's not just the same language that divides us...

Biglorryblog has Mike Blenkinsop over in La Belle France to thank for this piece of important information! Hi Brian, he says: "You might be interested in this recent announcement."

Beke's and not a football in sight!

11, Route de Fontainebleau - RN7 - 94400 VITRY SUR SEINE

20 min from the center of Paris - From Porte D'Italie. Website: http://beke.sa.free.fr/

WE ARE CLOSING DOWN!! ALL OUR SPARE PARTS HAVE TO BE SOLD OR SCRAPPED BEFORE 2010.

400 TONNES OF MECHANICAL PARTS FOR U.S WWII VEHICLES:

• DODGE 4X4 - 6X6
• GMC
• CHEVROLET
• AUTOCAR 7144 - 814 4
• FEDERAL
• DIAMOND T
• WHITE
• BROCKWAY
• DIAMOND M20
• PACIFIC
• WARD LA FRANCE
• REO M35 - M52

AND FRENCH POST WAR VEHICLES:

I thought it was long overdue that we had a big wrecker on Biglorryblog. And the fact that Widnes-based, Hough Green Garage has increased its fleet of HGV recovery vehicles with another prestigious Volvo truck provides BLB with the perfect excuse to have one. The new 6x4 Volvo FH-520, with 14-speed manual gearbox has been added to complement HGG's other heavy recovery vehicles, including two other Volvo trucks - a flagship Volvo FH16 and a Volvo FM. And here they are.

Now click through here for more...

Calling all military vehcile enthusiasts and owners! Gather round chaps. What's the connection between this gentleman and the following forthcoming event which coincidentally looks to be great fun?

Well to be honest the link is somewhat tenuous but the person at the top just approaching terminal velocity is none other than Paul 'Biggles' Bratton, of SDC Trailers fame and keen military vehicle enthusiast. He's seen here at the wheel of his Willys Jeep at last weekend's D-Day anniversary run of the Trent Valley Military Vehicle Trust at Newark. The picture comes from fellow Trent Valley MVT member Neil Stevens.

And the 'Get some in' poster? Well click through to get a full explanation of the event from Neil and how military vehicle owners and enthusiasts might possibly participate in it too.

Empty winding roads, spectacular scenery and a Volvo FH16.660 with a Globetrotter cab to carry me along. Well sometimes Biglorryblog gets the breaks and that's me on the go with the picture taken by my good mate Torstein Magelssen, PR and market communications supremo for Volvo trucks in Norway - who kindly set me up for an exclusive drive in the XXL a week ago. And who could complain about that? Now click through for a couple more... And remember, jealousy isn't an attractive feature in anyone!

Nick Garlick was somewhat surprised when he pulled up behind this coil carrier. "Brian, pulled up behind this rig in Holland and wondered why he'd left his back doors open when I realized he had... Realistic eh? Regards, Nick." It's what they call a 'trompe l'oeil' (that's yer actual french Nick) Oooh get you Biglorryblog...

Dennis Child has kindly sent me these two shots and says: "Ttransformers (x2) 122-ton on route to Zimbabwe." And above there's one...

And here's the other...!

OK Biglorrybog... So you're showing us a photo of the back of a big black tipping trailer... What's so interesting about that? Big deal. Well if I told you that what you're looking at could save you up to 15% off your next fuel bill would that interest you? Better click through here then to find out how?

I am grateful to You-know-who for sending me this link. .Just in case you haven't seen this it's the latest Volvo video feature on a major road train customer's experience in Oz... Aussies voices and Swedish subtitles - truly an international production! And to see it just click through here:

http://magazine.volvotrucks.com/volvopavag/Artiklar/Internationell/2009/2_09/Customer_Story_video/TV_Roadtrains_i_Australien/

It seems Biglorryblog's recent post on the futuristic Routemaster 2020, with its front and rear steering modules, developed by Carl Henderson at Silvertip design has created a bit of a stir in terms of feedback and comments...Carl says: "Brian, the Routemaster page looks well. In answer to Russ's initial comment on the Routemaster please find attached are a couple of additional images"

"One showing the body mounted mirrors more clearly and the other a view through the off-side mirror. On your main blog page at one point the comment count on the RM article went to ten but there is only eight shown on the web page. I appreciate you will likely be busy but is there a problem with the automated link updating process. If possible/appropriate I would like to continue the discussion with Russ and Peter on your blog. Carl." Well Russ and Peter carry on commenting!

A new view of a familiar picture on Biglorryblog....How to transport 3.5-tonners in China...on the back of a VERY long  artic.

Still this blokes definitely got the hump...or two. And for a spit in the eye from a camel what do you call a camel with three humps? Now click through here for one more...

You wouldn't want to break down here would you? It's funny how some stories come back to you like Halley's comet... Or a dose of fried onions... But speaking of things 'Astral' I'm grateful to Simon Wood that young roister-doister at Mercedes-Benz who very kindly provided me with these pictures of a special Scheurle carrier which if I remember correctly is being used to move giant lenses or mirrors, (or pasties... Well something giant anyway) as part of the extension of the European Southern Observatory in Chile... Which I spotted in the latest edition of MB's 'Transport' magazine.

You can clearly see how wide those carriers were and the fact that it took a while to get them up into the high Andes to the observatory... The photographer was Luis Roa/ALMA and click through here for one more.

Last one for tonight....I found this whilst browsing through YouTube...nice Aussie Heavy haulage clip caption says: "Here are the big HHA rigs coming up into Darlington Park Quarry - Working hard up the big hill. Check out the Wheel Spin on the old Super Liner - Need more concrete in the counter weight box.." I'll take their word for it!

Yesterday, as if you all needed telling, was Volvo's 'Capital Market Day' in Eskilstuna, Sweden where Volvo CEO Leif Johansson talked about the truck makers plans and also let slip that the Group had developed its own in-house medium-heavy engine for trucks and buses scheduled for launch in 2010. Apparently the first of these new 'proprietary' (at least that's what the Swedes call them) "Group-wide medium-heavy diesel engines will be launched next year" ...But the big question (which Leif Johansson neglected to address) was what will they be used in?

Group wide means shared by Volvo, Mack and Renault... But medium/heavy? Biglorryblog's first thought was that it was a new range of home-brewed medium-duty diesels to replace the Deutz-supplied engines (naturally 'tweaked' by Volvo) which are currently used in the FL range... But click through here, for my blogging co-evil Ollie Dixon (he of Word Truck Blog on www.roadtransport.com) soon put me in my place with an official release from Deutz!

Careful with that glass... You wouldn't want to drop it! As a big fan of 'anniversary trucks' Biglorryblog learns that Aldridge-based Brownhills Glass is marking its 30th birthday with a new Eurocargo 12 tonne rigid, built onto Iveco's special 'EL' low height chassis, complete with striking 'All Blacks' livery with Maori graphics, to highlight the company's milestone achievement and set it apart from the BG's traditional brown and cream liveried fleet.

Mounted with bodywork by Supertrucks of St Helens, the Eurocargo features a nearside external rack set at a five degree 'angle of lean' (that's the techie term so I understand) , together with double internal racks with ratchet straps for the secure transport of glass. The low chassis is also a good idea as it ensures safe and easy access for crew when loading and unloading the vehicle. Now click through here for more...

Never being a shrinking violet Road Rat says "Dear BLB, after all your posts about the biggest truck cabs I've also found the smallest truck cab too. Damm I'm good!" And if you don't believe old RR try looking at it from the side...

Tight fit or what...? I can't see the average 'hefty' US trucker fitting in there... But who knows? Put a top sleeper on it and you've got yourself a 'Philips' Concept' truck too! Anyroadup click through here to see a real WHOPPA of a cab... Yes, it's showtime!

The driver of battered Tata has just driven the 170-mile journey from Jaipur to Delhi - and apparently it only took him two days (on account of three breakdowns en-route). That's two days with no air conditioning in triple digit temperatures! Judging by the puddle on the tarmac, I reckon the return journey is going to take even longer.

Further to the recent flurry of Globetrotter postings on Biglorryblog, John Comer, Volvo's product manager for the UK and Ireland tells me: "Following on with the Globetrotter theme, the Globetrotter cab is now even popular in regional distribution where 75% of all FM tractors have the Globetrotter cab and the new FM11 models with air suspension have the option of the new LXL cab.

"But prior to the FM launch in 1998 you could order the original Globetrotter cab via special order on the FL7/10 and FL12. A small number were sold into the UK and some were converted into refuse crew cabs. This example also includes the FL construction adaption that was developed by the Irvine design team in the early nineties for all wheel drive and straight front axle applications note the headlight blanks and their reposition into the front bumper. Also note the higher cab position required lower swinging steps."

I'm grateful to Joe Hupp (Central NSW BigLorryBlog contributor and latterly a new Truck & Driver Reader) for tipping me off to this gem on YouTube showing what I assume is a Kiwi driver in his Foden listening to 'Convoy'...Joe says For a pie what's the model?" before adding, "It's sad that Australia never saw the modern Fodens! Joe." 

Hello what's going on here? Don't worry it's all above board and kosher as it comes from Biglorryblog's 'Man North 'o' the Border' John Henderson who says: "Hi Brian, at the end of May, I spent a day with the Allelys crew and their new MAN TGX 680 8x4 prime mover, shifting a transformer from Edinburgh's Leith Docks to a wind farm substation high in the East Lothian hills."

John continues: "Together with its helpers the new MAN/Goldhofer combination was running at around 350-tonnes plus gross and our route took us down the A1, then onto the back roads for the ascent into the hills. Did we make it unscathed?" he asks. Well click through here for more!

Further to the latest Press Release on '30 years of the Globetrotter cab', the Towering Titan of Truck Tittle-tattle Nigel Hanwell has fired over these two video links to me and says: "

You may be interested to view the attached videos for your online magazines, blogs etc.

Volvo Globetrotter cab as of 1979

http://volvo.qbrick.com/index.aspx?cid=2&mode=3&mid=324

Volvo Globetrotter cab as of 2009

http://volvo.qbrick.com/index.aspx?cid=2&mode=3&mid=325

Hope they work..." Well they do so far Nigel and thanks!

Cheers

Remember when truck cabs (and truck drivers) looked this? It's obviously the season for BIG cab stories on Biglorryblog..as we haven't had so many for ages. Still why not when Volvo 's Globetrotter cab has just celebrated its 30th anniversary?

Ironically, for such an iconic truck, when the very first Globetrotter was launched, (and the one above is the original debut show truck from I think 1979) Volvo only expected to sell a few hundred or so a year. However, it quickly caught on and 30 years after it first appeared nine out of ten new FH trucks sport a Globetrotter cabin.

Of course what really gave the Globetrotter cab some reall oomph behind it was a 16-litre lump! Put one withthe other and you've got a legendary lorry... Now click through here for the full and unabridged Globetrotter story...!

That krafty Kiwi and Biglorryblog stalwart Rod Simmonds has very kindly sent me a digital brochure for the mighty Kenworth K108 'Made in Asutralia' cabover, from whence these images come from...

And he says: "All the details on the K108 attached, they have come along way, used to be called Kidney Crushers given harsh ride, now almost(!) as smooth as Europeans! Can't beat a KW Aerodyne, one day I will have one! Regards, ROD."

Well it looks an impressive beast to BLB... Not least inside and if you want to see what the Aussies and Kiwis get for their money click through here now...

"Hello Brian"., says Biglorryblog's 'Man North 'o' the Border!' John Henderson. "It's not often we Scots have something to shout about in sport, but Andy Murray's weekend win at Queen's Club has certainly boosted morale north o' the border." And with good reason John. I've always thought him a young man of great pontential----let's hope he can unlock all of it. And nice to see him appearing on the road too as John explains.

"Here's a Hayton Coulthard trailer used on their Highland Spring mineral water job which fits the bill perfectly. Its lettering says 'Going all the Way,' lets hope he does just that at Wimbledon." Now click through here for more....

Graham Bellman of 'Steel Boys' fame has rightly reminded Biglorryblog about 'Truckers' the sadly-departed TV show. "Hi Brian," says Graham, "Remember this then... 1987? BBC TV series featuring James Hazeldine, as a small time haulier, filmed in the Warrington area, featured ERF B series, Seddon Atkinson 400s, DAF 2800, and Merc SKs"

Graham continues:"This truck has been saved in the livery of Pickard Freight Haul, by Simon Hill, and for me was the truck of the show! Great memories of the TV series came flooding back, as we remembered things like phoning from a 'phone box' to get the next load... And if the bloke in the office had a stammer it cost you 6p (3 x 2p) to get the info! Not that anyone 'ran bent' in those days but things were a bit more relaxed in the 70/80s, or is it me...? Simon, great restoration. Hope to see you around the shows." And for a pie what does that latin quote translate too...?

Of course if we're talking real TV haulage shows nothing will ever compare with 'The Brothers'... Right guys? And click through here to find out how you can get your hands on the complete Series 1 DVD!

Biglorryblog is delighted to hear that Nikki King OBE, the no-nonsense, straight-talking ladyboss of Isuzu Truck (UK) (and the person who's done more to put Isuzu trucks on the map in Britain than anyone else) was awarded a PwC Lifetime Achievement Award at the First Women Awards in London last Thursday night. I spoke to her on the evening of the awards bunfight and in true form she told me 'I'm not going to win!' Well she has and that's that. The judges of the award, sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers, said she was a 'beacon of female talent' and provided 'an outstanding role model and leadership figure for women at every stage of their career'. To which BLB says I'll buy that! Good on you Nikki.

Check out this old Ford D Series I found in Zambia - it was tucked away in a far-flung corner of Ndola-based Kasembo Transport's yard. This was the company's first-ever truck - and for this reason they've decided they'll never part with it.

With poor driver training, an abundance of drink-driving and shocking road conditions, it's no shock that crashes are commonplace. In fact, I met one Zambian haulier who lost 10% of his 70-strong workforce in drink driving accidents last year alone.

Kasembo actually has a good track record in terms of accidents - although clearly they do still happen. Two men died in this horrific wreck earlier this year. Nobody knows whether the driver or his illegal (non-qualified) passenger were at the wheel at the time of the accident.

Although Kasembo runs a predominantly Volvo fleet (all used trucks imported from the UK), there are a couple of exceptions. This old Leyland Comet is one of them.

Although the truck is in generally good condition, the engine was knackered. Rather than scrap a perfectly good vehicle the decision was made to fit it with a used Volvo FL engine. What you can see here is the Volvo-powered truck starting-up for the very first time.

Read the full Zambia story in August's Truck & Driver.

Now this IS a real 'management exercise'... Or how to get over 30 classic trucks and trailers into the delivery yard at the back of Volvo Trucks's HQ at Warwick! But they did it - naturally - as this was 'The Steel Boys' Classics on the Road annual run and as promised here are Biglorryblog's 'stills' from the gathering including some of Andrew Cooper's fully complete 'Project Peterbilt'. Anyway my thanks to Graham and Steve and all the steelers for allowing me to get under foot. BLB would welcome any information on your vehicles if you fancy posting up a short comment with details on the model and what you've done to it.

And here were some of the the first arrivals at Warwick including this pair of classic Globetrotters... That original F cab is still a winner in my book... Now click through here for all the others...

Biglorryblog 'regular' Rod Simmonds in New Zealand has joined in the 'BIG CABOVER' debate with this ofering. It's the Kenworth K100G 'Fatboy' 2.8 'Aerodyne'!

And here. if I understand Rod correctly is the current version... Now that's what I call a BIG cabover and the 2.8m refers to the bumper-to-back-of-cab measurement. Now click through here for one more...

Biglorryblog's 'Man at Milton Keynes' Nick Smith has sent me this. "Brian, I always wondered why the securing ring chained to the 5th wheel handle was called a dog clip, well I spotted this at Truckfest on the DAF stand and wondered if I've had it wrong all these years. Surely the clip on the chain is the dog clip not the handle, but looks like no one told old rover or his owner. Have a great day, planet MB Tongwell is currently enjoying a large thunderstorm! Regards, Nick."

Yes, I know it's not a truck! However I'm pretty confident that some of you are petrolheads as well as dieselheads - and therefore might be able to help me identify it.

It was photographed in an Illinois salvage yard a few years ago. As you can see, somebody has de-chromed it - which makes identifying it rather difficult. They've even shaved the door handles.

I'm guessing it was built in 53 or 54 - and is probably a GM product. Am I close?

Transaid boss Chris Saunders sent me this photograph he took on a recent trip to Mozambique. 'I'll let the experts advise on the vintage and value,' he says.

Transaid is doing some great stuff in Zambia at the moment (which you can read about in August's Truck & Driver magazine). Thanks to the generosity of MAN Truck & Bus, which has so far donated four tractor units, the charity is able to train a few hundred drivers each year. Fortunately the trucks it donated are rather better than this one!

Biglorryblog's blogging co-evil Ollie Dixon, he of the pithy World Truck Blog on www.roadtransport.com has sent me this photo and says: "Diesel cheaper than petrol shocker in Dallas Texas..." Well what do you know? Maybe the Yanks have got it right after all... Now where's my passport?

I tell you what. 'The Boss' is a hard man to please... But the loveable old curmudgeon does have a slight point when he says: "BLB, so Brian get's to visit Sweden, land of free luv and smorgasbord to look at a larger bunk, Yea! OK whatever, XXL... Just like buying an XXL tee- shirt that's too small! Sorry Volvo you must try harder, I'm not impressed, Scania do it so much better." Of course he's referring to the Longline (and there's one he spotted in Farnce). But to leap to Volvo's defence I reckon XXL is more than worthy of consideration even if its extra 245mm isn't quite the same as Longline's extra 1.3m! And clearly it's so long The Boss has struggled to get it all in on his photo! Andyroadup click through here for more on Dean Bling...!

Well here they are in all their glory..the magnificent Steel Boys on the final leg of their 'Classics on the Roll' trip down to Gaydon. This shows them leaving Volvo Trucks at Warwick, which sponsored their annual run and fed and watered them too. As usual the assembled wagons were of the highest quality---a real tribute to all those taking part and also organisers Graham Bellman and Steve Evans. And watch out for Andrew Cooper's restored Peterbilt....meanwhile click through here for the tail-enders.

Downloading tip...if you're having trouble playing this YouTube clip -- i.e.you have a modest broadband connection and it keeps stopping to allow the downloading video to 'catch-up' here's a clever tip (and I have my son Christopher to thank for showing it to me) on the bottom left of the video is the play button. When it's playing you'll see it showing two vertical bars. Well once you've started it off, click on the two bars which stops the picture but the video continues to download (you'll see the two bars become the usual triangle). Wait a couple of minutes as it downloads to the end (or as near to the end as makes no difference) and then click on the play triangle again and you'll have it without breaks....

Yes it's time again for Biglorryblog's 'Good Man in Africa' to file his usual wacky tales from the Dark Continent... And he says: "Brian, the wildlife pix today come from our shy and retiring cousins across the continent in Nigeria, West Africa, and demonstrate how wild and vicious animals can become loving house pets, whilst still being used to extort cash from terrified passers-by."

Jerry adds: "This is a real 'OIA' - I think in UK you would be dressed up in one of those gimping, back-to-front white dinner jackets and sectioned for life for trying this. Take it from one who knows a hyena is not a lovely creature at the best of times (and one of these two clearly nips a bit too, as its heavily muzzled), but a baboon as a pet?! God, why would you? Have you ever seen, or smelled, what they leave behind at regular intervals? Different folks, different strokes..." Anyway click through here to find out the REAL reason why Jerry B has e-mailed me and it involves that popular 4x4 from Solihull...

And so to Volvo Warwck yesterday to meet up with the 'Steel Boys' for their 'Classics on the Roll' 2009 run, which coincidentally is sponsored by Volvo, down to the Gaydon truck show. In addition to providing a convenient rallying point Volvo also had lunch and refreshments for them too. A nice touch - and not just for Volvo operators either. Arriving early I spot this - the very first right-hand-drive FH16.700 in the UK... And naturally I thought you'd like to see it too as a brief video walkaround. And later I drove it bobtail down to Gaydon as 'tail-end charlie' for the Steel Boys (and I'll post up my report on the Steel Boys run shortly)

With just 10 minutes to catch up with what was at Gaydon and the 2009 Classic Truck Show I stumbled onto this pair of beautiful bulldogs. Can't say I've seen them before on the show circuit but they looked very smart. So for some pies tell me the model, year and engines!

A beautifully-restored F86 with single headlights... So when was Volvo's little warrior launched in the UK? And click through here for more...

As mentioned in my last post on Gaydon I had little more than 30 minutes for a quick powerboost trip around the trucks but managed to grab what I could (or what appealed to me). Not the best way, I'd have loved to have stayed the whole weekend! Anyway I was struck by this MAN (I think F90) as it's not something I've seen before and it brought back a few memories on BRS although I can't for the life of me remember who, what or where Morton's was and where they came into the BRS empire... So perhaps someone can tell me?

And for another (easy) pie who designed the cab on the truck on the right? Meanwhile, click through here for more from Gaydon...

Well sometimes you just have to grab what you can and having arrived at Gaydon at just after 3:00pm (having travelled down the M40 with The Steel Boys from Volvo at Warwick who played host to the Steel Boys gathering and sponsored their run) I had about 30 minutes max to cover Gaydon before I had to hit the road and be back home in Kent by 6:30 (and it was only a 173 miles...) so clearly I had to get my skates on an apologies to Crane King Cog and Two-Stroke for the here-today/gone today impression from BLB! Anyroadup here's what caught my fancy and you can earn lots of pies for knowing what they all are. However, I thought I'd start with this duo---or as I like to call it, 'The First and the Last' ERF. And I'm pretty sure Dancers had the last ECT in the shop! And speaking of the Steel Boys I'll post up their cavalcade and a YouTube video shortly...

And as we're singing the praises of Edwin Richard here's another of his babies.....now click through here for the BLB's best of Gaydon, and start working for those pies!

"Hi Brian," says Gyles Carpeneter who was obviously at this weekend's Gaydon Classic Truck Show (as was Biglorryblog and you'll find out soon what I did there too). Anyway he says: "One of the stars of Gaydon 2009 for me was this William Gilder 1962 LAD cabbed Leyland Octopus, MAGNIFICENT!" Now click through here for one more from Gyles and Gaydon.

"HI BRIAN. OUT IN MALTA AGAIN" says Ashley 'The Malteaser' Lovering, " BUT WILL BE HOME FOR MY RUN ON THE 21ST. OUR FRIEND TONY IN MALTA IS NOT WELL AT THE MOMENT AND HAD A NASTY OP LAST WEDNESDAY. IF YOU CAN SEND A BIG BLB GET WELL I AM SURE HE WILL APPRECIATE IT.  THANKS ASH."

Well of course and from all of us at Biglorryblog we wish Tony Cauchi a speedy recovery on the George Cross Island! And to cheer him up here's one of his pictures featuring a Scammell having a 'busman's holiday.'

"G'day Brian," says AtkiPete Lynch in that endearing jaunty 'she'll be right' manner he has. "A few great lorries from the Steam Rally at Echuca. Might be a good selection for your Sunday quiz? Cheers Pete." Well funny you should say that Pete as I was just wondering what to do with all these pies...? Now click through here for some more brain-teasers...

Did you know, says Biglorryblog (and not a  lot of people know this) that this week coming is National Bike Week? You didn't? Well I do because CEMEX UK, the building materials provider, is advising cyclists on how to stay safe around its trucks as part of events run throughout the country for NBW. And opver the next seven days a CEMEX ready-mixed concrete lorry or aggregates tipper, with a range of safety features aimed at vulnerable road users such as cyclists, wil be on display in York, Bristol, Cambridge and Manchester---which makes sound sense to BLB. Indeed, visitors to the events will be able to go into the cab of the vehicle to see the area of visibility around the vehicle and learn from the driver about ways to ensure their own safety. And not before time either! Anyroadup click through here to see what else CEMEX is doing to keep other road users safe.

You can't keep a good man (or van for that matter) down says Biglorryblog. esepecially if it's my mate Julian Milnes and he's in front of a video camera. Following on in the lastest of outr series of RTTV video roadtests on www.roadtransport.com Julian brings you the monster 2009 Commercial Motor Group Van test which features no less than six (count 'em) high-cube vans from Ford, Renault, Fiat, Citroen, Vauxhall and VW. And to see Julian's video verdict on that little lot all you've got to do is click through on this link! 

http://www.roadtransport.com/StaticPages/video.htm

talk about easy! So if you want to see which van was 'the man', go to it!

Biglorryblog has been at the Classic Truck Show at Gaydon this afternoon so be sure to check in with me tomorrow to see the best of the 'Golden Oldies' and 'The Steel Boys' run too! Don't miss it.

"Hi Brian, " says Gyles Carpenter, "Whilst we cannot compete with Road Rat's Canadian snow (and wouldn't want to), I thought you might like this shot of Glenn Harley's Leyland Super Comet seen at Brough Truckstop last year. All the best Gyles." And if you're looking for a decent oldie trucking Christmas card shot I reckon Gyles has got it for you! Now click through here for a 'cracking' set of shots of a Albion truck delivering the 'water of life...'

I thought it was about time I featured a few more shots from Gary Rowlands, Foden's ex-marketing supremo and now full-time photographer (his real passion in life) and you can see more of his work on this website http://www.garyrowlands.com or on www.flickr.com/photos/rolophoto/.

"Here are a few from the North East" says Gary - and the one above provides the perfect timely reminder about using the natural surroundings to help frame a truck... Now click through here for one more...

Thanks to Torstein Magelssen, Volvo's manager for market communications and PR in Norway Biglorryblog was able to drive and sleep in the massive FH XXL cab this week. It's 245mm longer than your standard FH Globetrotter cab and was originally developed for the Australian market before being launched in Norway earlier this year. How come we don't have it? because the clever Norwegians have longer 17.5m long artic limits and that's why the extra deep XXL FH cab can run with a standard 13.6m trailer over there. So yet again we miss out on great ideas! No click through here to see what it's like inside

Gyles Carpenter has been following the thread on Eric Vick and whether or not it hauled to North Africa and he's sent me this picture to further confirm the fact it indeed did wander far and wide... with a Gardiner 240-powered ERF. "Brian," says Gyles, "Eric Vick B Series seen on the 2008 Gloucester Wander run."

And the legend on the front says it all...

It's obviously the day for 'new handovers', on Biglorryblog! Anyroadup, there are Axors... And there there's the Axor 'X@, the special edition artic with all sorts of goodies and Somerset haulier JB Wheaton and Sons www.jbwheaton.co.uk has became one of the first operators in Britain to get its hands on one after having put one through tkis paces over an intensive 19-day trial. "We kept the Axor X moving pretty well non-stop, with plenty of trunking through the night," director Gary Wheaton tells Biglorryblog. "It proved to be fuel-efficient and popular with our drivers, which was no surprise given that it's so well appointed. All in all, we were very impressed." Now clck through here for more...

"Hi Brian," says Martin Phippard. "Perhaps you can blog this and make reference to the fact that someone mentioned Aboods Transport recently. It's a fact that they were certainly more than capable of carrying out very competent conversions. For example the Delta-cab Foden still owned and driven by Tony Saba as recently as 2006 when I saw it had a Rolls Royce diesel in place of the original 8LXB and an Abood-modified Hendrickson suspension. And, as you can see, the unit itself was still in really great shape, a credit to the Abood outfit. Many thanks, Martin." Well top marks to them (and I thought it was an Aussie Atki when I first looked at it!)

Howard Pettigrew has sent me this shot of an old Commer 'knocker' and says: "Brian, an email from Vic jogged my memory that I should have sent these to you a little sooner. I recently went to Australia for a week where I finally met an old Sydney mate who I had only known through email and phone. Bruce Gunter is a fellow Commer enthusiast and is one of the members of the unofficial Commer Club of Australia. There is quite a group of them from different states that now meet regularly to travel to shows and generally help each other out. While in Sydney on business, I caught up with Bruce for a wonderful Sunday morning where he took me across Sydney in his 1957 Mk III, along with his father Geoff. HIs father was a keen Commer man and operated on, along with Bruce's uncles. You can read all about those early days here;

http://www.commer.org.nz/Commer_Connections/Bruce_Gunter.html

We went to meet up with Ross Firth who operates a small workshop near Sydney airport in the south. Ross has collected up a number of toys that I thought BLB readers might be interested in. Now click through here for more...

Who is this man...? And why does he look quietly satisfied with himself? Well could it be that he's just taken delivery of 'the World's most powerful series production truck?" Yes the factory gates at Volvo's Tuve truck plant near Gothenburg have opened and the very first FH16.700 has rolled out and into the arms of Tore Aase who will use it on Norway's hilly west coast on long-haul operations hauling equipment for the oil industry where its 700hp and stonking 3,150 Nm of torque will be put to good use!

"The reason why we chose the FH16 700 is that we haul loads of up to 50-tonnes. The roads are often narrow and there may be kilometre-long gradients of between 6-10%, so you can never really have too much power," says Tore, who's the boss of Spesial og Tungtransport AS, located in Förde, 170 kilometres north of Bergen. And click through here for more and a video clip of the handover - which will please Torstein!

Last one for tonight... Gyles Carpenter has sent me this shot. And although you can't see it the bloke driving it has a grin like a Cheshire Cat. But then the man behind the wheel is Bob 'Mr Classic' Tuck' and try and keep him out of the cab of a classic waggon! Anyway Gyles says: "Hi Brian, this is a shot of Bob Tuck driving Barry's Scammell Highwayman on the 2007 Scammell road run in Kent." They were made for each other!

It looks as if Biglorryblog regular Vic Hungerford is about to get is beloved International all muddy... But then he tells me it's been raining a bit in New Zealand...

Now click through here to find out what it's all about...

Gary Richards, Biglorryblog's man for top Volvo and Mack stories down-under has sent me this selection... And in case you're wondering what the hell these are... They're palm nuts (well obviously I knew that). And they need trucks like this to harvest them...

An I imagine a bag load of palm nuts weighs quite a bit too. Anyway, Gary tells me: "Hi Brian, I thought you might like to see some more hard-working Volvos working in New Britain, Papua, New Guinea, harvesting a huge amount of palm nuts - for the production of palm oil."

"The first observation you will see in the vegetation and equipment bears little resemblance to what you see in 'old' Britain... No surprise there!"

The FMs are specially adapted for the application - to handle "jungle bashing" needed to recover the nut harvest i.e. the full frontal mesh guard, double bumpers, raised muffler and fuel tanks, etc."

Today, the island is a tranquil location, helping humanity by growing a renewable energy source...

And the palm nuts are at the top of the very tall tree the guy is leaning against! But the island it hasn't always been the quiet paradise it might appear... And click through here to see what Gary means!"

No it's not a dreadful mistake at the bodybuilders! Or a truck that's just run into the back of a coach... In fact it's a very clever way to combine a passenger carrying vehicle and a load carrier at the same time. Just after I dropped off the FH16.660 XXL this morning (see my earlier blog) at a Volvo Truck Centre near Oslo airport I spied this rather splendid beast. in the dealership's car park. Torstein Magelssen PR and market communication manager for Norway tells me it's actually used by a travelling theatre group as it can carry both the cast and support team plus all their gear and props in the back. It works for me! Now click through here for an old-timer...

OK so I've been a bit busy for blogging... But then I have had a worthwhile distraction. Namely driving the wonderful Volvo FH Globetrotter XXL in Norway. And in case you're wondering, the XXL is the extra long (by 245mm) FH Globetrotter cab that's only available in Australia (indeed XXL was developed originally for the Aussies) and Norway. Why Norway? Because their 17.5m artic length limit means that they can run with the extra long XXL without being overlength... Well having been launched in Norway a couple of months ago clearly it was my duty to check it out and arrange a drive and a sleepover in one.

And here's the man who made it all possible. Volvo's manager for market communications and PR in Norway, Torstein Magelssen who provided me with an spanking new XXL FH16.660 (it was only the second one built) and a trailer and even a set of Norwegian trade plates! And together (with Torstein in his car leading the way) we set out on the road from Oslo and north up the E6 to the picturesque town of Hamar as our overnight stop where I'd sleep in the XXL... And along the way all sorts of fun things happened... So click through here to see how I also bumped into two of Nick Garlick's mates along the way... And a very nice Norwegian fireman with an access platform.

Eric Vick is one of the best Known Hauliers from the Gloucestershire area for many a year his trucks have been seen all over Europe.

But one question often asked is, did the company as the writing on the front of their trucks says ever venture as far as the Middle East?

Well via the TruckNet UK forums We have the answer and another photo of a smashing fleet, Click through to see more...

Thanks to Biglorryblog's excellent daily US news alert from www.etrucker.com and Commercial Carrier Journal Biglorryblog learns that General Motors has decided to wind down its medium-duty truck operations after four years of working with multiple potential buyers, including Navistar International. According to the CCJ story GM says production of the Chevy Kodiak (above) and GMC TopKick medium-duty trucks (below) at the company's plant in Flint, Michigan will finish come the end of July. The factory also makes Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, as well as medium-duty trucks for Isuzu Motors." Interesting story I thought, but what can I use to illustrate it?

I know, I'll fire off an e-mail to 'The Brochure King' as he's BOUND to have some appropriate phtos... And behold it came to pass that in less than 10 minutes I got an e-amil back from Richard Stanier with these shots!. Now that's what I call service Rich! Anyway click through here for more...

How about this for a big bus Boris? Carl Henderson, of Silvertip trailer fame which you can easily read all about at the website www.silvertipdesign.com has (quite rightly) taken Biglorryblog to task when it comes to my interest in LHVs and longer trailers in partocular. "Hi Brian," he says. "I see that you still have your fingers on the pulse of the transport industry - if not your hands around the throat of innovation!"

"I have an issue with your portrayal of the UK's LHV study and how in place of our 16m SCM semitrailer you choose to always post a picture of, and comment on, the German 14.9m version. If I am mistaken I apologise."

Well you're not mistaken Carl - but only because I probably don't have any recent pix of the Silvertiop trailer which, if my mind serves me right, you did with Don-Bur... But I digresss.

Carl continues: "I saw Volvo's impressive 2020 vision on the BLB site recently and have added a comment on the need to also optimise the loading units to enhance transport efficiency and promote combined transport where appropriate etc. I have just spoken with Bob Tuck who came to see our long semitrailer in Richmond. After an interesting talk he suggested your readers may be interested in our SCM version of what we consider a 'viable' Routemaster concept and an entry in Boris Johnson's 'a new bus for London' competition. The winning concepts were from Alan Ponsford and others see link http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5370981.ece.

If you'd like any further information on the bus or a drive with the SCM semitrailer please let me know. Carl. PS. I like the BLB site - keep up the good work!" Well it's nice to know I got there in the end and how about Carl's great design for the Routemaster bus for the year 2020 using front and rear steering moduels to give it a great turning circle with a double deck jumbo body? Now click through here fore more...

"Hi Brian", Martin 'Keeper of the Flame' Phippard writes me to say: "Seeing the picture of the Plastic Atki from Pete reminded me that we have just completed our latest DVD programme, BULK HAUL 2. This looks at some bulk operations from Australia and New Zealand and features a plastic Atki with an sweet-singing 8V92 Detroit as well as the uique Godfrey bonneted twin-steer Kenworths, the first quad-quad Argosy-Feldbinder bulk tanker unit in NZ, a hard-working B-double from Yeoval and some AB-triple side-tipping Western Stars operated by Emerald Council! And by way of contrast there's a Finnish Sisu cassette combination working in the snowy forests of Northern Finland."

This DVD programme produced under the CPP banner in conjunction with Nynehead Books is available by contacting www.nynehead-books.co.uk. And don't worry AtkiPete Lynch, your copy went in the post yesterday! Thanks and keep up the good blogging work. Martin P." And I trust I can expect a 'review copy' too?

Now THAT's what I call a classic line-up... Sitting in the Aussie outback. "G'day Brian," says AtkiPete Lynch with his bush hat and corks... "Here's few of the big names in Australian trucking, Mack, Kenworth and Western Star line up at Cagney Homestead in South Australia." Pete goes on to say... "The finest of them all was a truck known as the Atkinson, which I may have mentioned previously..." Well maybe once or twice. And for a pie tell Biglorryblog what those models are... and for a real Aussie outback battler click through here... But first here's one Pete shot earlier...

I can see where you're coming from Pete!

Liker Halley's Comet Biglorryblog has returned to Biglorryblog and with one I've not seen before. Yes it's 'Border Scafell' and it comes from Gyles Carpenter who says: "Hi Brian, another ERF C-series restored into its old livery, this time Robson's of Carlisle." And click through here for another shot of it in all its glory - plus a great selection of Classic Scottish Motors on the Move!

What was it that Norman Tebbit said about how his Dad 'got on his bike' during the 30s recession and looked for work. Well Jason Fruen (that's him on the right) took a similar DIY to finding a job - only with a 'sandwich board' - which ended up with him finding gainful employment (and a lot of publicity besides!) with a leading CV spares and replacement parts supplier. HGV Direct, whose Manchester branch is based on Warren Road in Trafford Park, offered Jason Fruen (40) a job as parts sales advisor after managing director Simon Smedley and his wife read about his story. And click through here to see what they story was!

Never mind the tools left in the van overnight... We want to know about the cakes left in the trailer... Only unfortunately there are none left in this one! As ever Biglorryblog seems to tumble into a parallel universe whenever he's on his way to work... But what kind of cakes would you find in the back of this truck? Click through here to find out...!

Dennis Child, he of the world's best toyset at ROTRAN Multi-Axle and keen South African heavy hitter snapper has sent Biglorryblog this rather mean and magnificent mega-mover. He says: "Western Star arrival - one of six - at Durban Harbour yesterday..."

And all des-res mod-cons inside too by the looks of it. Complete with wood veneer dash and steering wheel. Meanwhile, click through here to see how they then transported this four-axle Western Star... Well they didn't want to drive it would they...? It's brand new!

'NOT SO OLD' Road Rat (or at least that's what he says), tells Biglorryblog: "Hi Brian, I know that we should all be thinking of a nice beach somewhere, sipping a nice cold beer, watching some lovely, ahahmm. I nearly lost myself there. Anyway as I was driving through a blizzard the other day, Saturday to be precise. Yes it snows here in Canada on the 6th of June, apparently regularly!" Now click through here for more... And what happens when snow gets up your chassis... Ooh errr...

After the somewhat crappy day (or afternoon to be precise) I've just had Bigloryblog has been delighted to receive an e-mail this evening from Torstein Magelssen, market communication manager for Volvo Trucks in Norway to say that he's sorted out a drive and sleep-over for me on Wednesday in the new Volvo FH16 with the extra long XXL cab (it's the same one used by the Aussies down-under...) Well hell someone has to do it and it might as well be me...! Anyroadup along with Torstein's help that Towering Titan of Truck Tittle-Tattle Nigel Hanwell (aka Volvo Trucks' UK lofty PR wallah) has also had a hand in it (though he's on holiday now... It's all about timing eh Nigel?) So I owe him a drink sometime... Or maybe even a pie. Meanwhile click through here for the XXL in all its glory.

Funnily enough I was just wondering where that slack-jawed idler 'Agent Reg' had got to when he tell me that well-respected bulk tipping and heavy haulage specialist Banks Bros. Transport has put 12 (count them) new Volvo FH-440 Euro 5 artics into service in the West Cornforth, Co. Durham company's 16 strong fleet. But how on earth can anyone afford to buy 12 new tractors in this economic climate wonders Biglorryblog? Agent Reg pipes up to explain it all: "The new trucks are fleet replacements and will used to service a new open cast coal mine near Cramlington as well as transport other bulk products. They'll be de-fleeted after a service life of five-years."

I see... What's more he tells me that the family-owned company purchased the 6x2 tractor units from Volvo Truck and Bus Centre North & Scotland and were handed over at the dealership's newly-opened Teesside depot next to the A19 at Stockton on Tees.The dealership also provided driver and digital tacho training through their in-house Driver Development department. Meanwhile click through here for more...

It was all going so well too too. Early start and up to Grantham to see Fruehauf Tippers. Jone done by 11:45 and head back to Sutton with an ETA of 3:30ish. Good run down the A1(M), even time for a sandwich at Baldock service then crapsville on the M25, where I lose over an hour in a traffic jam while the emergency servcies clear up a accident involving a number of cars in the M25 roadworks between J16 and J17. What a bunch of plonkers! By the time I get to the head of the queue it's all be tidied up only there's now a broken down 7.5-tonner while the HA closes two lanes... ARRRGH! Still this did made me smile... (albeit briefly). Shows a very pragmatic approach to providing a true '24-Hour service' if you ask me, they're only flesh and blood after all...

Regular Bigloryblog readers will no doubt recall the recent launch of the 'small training wheels' mid-lift axle option on the Mercedes' Axor and Actros which saves a fair bit off the kerbweight of either tractor. Well building materials giant Lafarge is evaluating a pair of Merc tractors with those self-same small-wheeled mid-lift axles against similarly-specified products from three rival manufacturers.

One is a premium Actros, the other is the UK's first Axor to be equipped with the new axle, which is fitted on line at the Mercedes-Benz truck factory in Woerth, Germany. Both trucks are based at Lafarge Cement's terminal facility in Northfleet, Kent, and pulling bulk powder tankers.

Mid-lift axles on standard 6x2 Mercedes tractors have 22.5in wheels and 7.1-tonne plated weights. However, the new mid-lift axle offers a 250kg weight saving thanks to its 17.5in wheels and despite its lower, 4.3-tonne rating it can be specified on vehicles operating at 44 tonnes gcw. Not surprisingly, Merc reckons: "The new axle is also ideally suited to cement tanker operators such as Lafarge, who need as much space as possible on their chassis for ancillary equipment." Anyroadup click through here for what Lafarge has to say about it all...

The road from Dehi to Agra is littered with the remains of wrecked trucks, and having witnessed the quality of the driving firsthand I can understand why. Never before have I experienced such bad driving standards!

No windscreen, only one headlight, and presumably appalling handling. But it's still pretty good by Indian standards!

It didn't take much for this heavily overloaded cart to leave the road. Incredibly the camel that was pulling it survived injury-free. Note the camel dung in the corner of the photo!

If a truck kills a pedestrian the driver needs to run for his life! If he's caught there's every chance that he's going to be burned alive - along with his truck.

I lost count of how many burned-out trucks I saw!

Click below for more photos...

Following my request for Biglorryblog readers to send me shots of their desktop wallpaper I've had this one sent to me by Rikki Chequer, community manager at TruckNet UK. "Hi Brian," he says, "As per your request for screen shots of desk top backgrounds, here is my current desktop, A 420 T cab before it was plated up to 65 tonnes It was used transporting road planers from job-to-job around the country, Surprisingly one of the reasons it was bought was for manoeuvrability in town centres, the Topliner Scanias he also had on the fleet had to have far longer trailers, with the T cab the long conveyor on the planers could sit over the top of the cab "a La" car transporters which meant a far shorter overall wheelbase.

I had this truck for a couple years before my then boss bought a 530 T cab. I should really drop down my old boss's yard and see if either of them are still running. Rikki." Nice truck (and Chris G, I haven't forgotten you desktops!)

Few pics for you mate.says Biglorryblog's newly-discovered chum David Hecker who runs the excellent www.aussiebigbangers.4t.com and who says of the above picture: "Scania is one of Many from Gympie, Queensland. They do the news paper runs at night. Have been trying to get a shot of this one for a while it was going past the tyre joint the other morning when I was getting new steer tyres . so I got a shot with my phone camera." Some rigid truck David, and the turning circle must be rather how shall we say... 'Interesting'?"

David goes on to say about his 'day (well night actually) job': "Again photos from my phone. [what would we do without them asks BLB] not sure if these are worth posting but up to you as they are a bit rough... Iveco and KW... (I drive the Kenworth) waiting outside the depot for our trailers to start our night runs."

"The picture below is of my old girl hooked up ready to go says David."

.

Now click through here for more great nighttime depot shots from David and an ancient abandoned Atki too!

What's caught this horses attention asks Biglorryblog's 'Man North 'o' the Border' John Henderson? Well click through here now... And the clue is... That thing in the foreground may have something to do with it!

I forget now... But how many 'r's are there in 'Phwoaarrrrr!" Anyroadup Biglorryblog brings you this politically-incorrect image thanks to Alex Saville who says: "Afraid my PC has been 'Off the road' after it crashed! (If it had a Cummins engine it would be going like a 'Hummin' Cummin's' should!) Normal service will be resumed shortly! In the meantime, here are some scans of a Ford Transit book that I am sure came in TRUCK magazine a number of years ago." I guess it would be celebrating 20 years at the time...?

"That Greengrocer looks familiar, though!" adds Alex. And not without reason too although I'm sure he was better known for his 'bunch of fives' rather than a bunch of bananas... Yes it's Our 'Enery who featured in a number of transit pubicity photos not least as his greengrocery business (run I believe with his brother George?) had one... Now click through here for more...

Now this is just driving TOO close to the truck in front don't you think...? Cameron McFadyen, one of Biglorryblog's loyal contributors up in Queensland at http://www.seqtt.com.au/ (and whose surname I always seem to mis-spell!) has set up the perfect saturday pie quiz with this lot and says: "Spotted this conglomeration in a yard for sale during a little drive to the west on Thursday. It appears to be a 70`s Leyland with a KW cab sort of fitted. After looking at the way the cab was mounted, I think you would take a bit of consideration before applying the brakes."

There`s plenty of room under the cab for the engine. Is it a V8 Perkins? Looks like it`s just waiting for it`s one careful owner. See ya, Cam."

Well what do you think? And click through here for the ultimate ancient Aussie pie quiz!

Remember I asked you some time ago to send your desktop wallpaper shots to Biglorryblog. Well Caspar has done that and says: "Hello Brian! I hope that desktop pictures contest isn't over yet, so I've included my picture in this email. The picture was taken in Poland in 2007 at a local truckstop. We used to have that white Scania as a ''workhorse'' but it got sold because company closed down." Like BLB Caspar adds: "I have too many unused icons on my desktop, so I''ll keep it as clean as I can! Regards and greetings from Estonia."

Last one for today guys. When you're up to your axles in muck and bullets, there's really only one thing going to pull you out of it... A big dozer! Thanks to YouTube and Dirtslinger I can bring you a tanker being hauled out of oilfield mud! Any idea what the truck is?

Now THAT's what I call a tough-looking rigid! Here's one that should please Vladimir too. Thanks to my good frends at the Agency of Business Relations, Minsk, in Belarus Biglorryblog can bring you the exclusive story on the latest product to roll out of the front doors of the wonderful MZKT Minsk wheel tractor plant. And here it, MZKT's new chassis complete with anti-aircraft equipment "Osa" (NATO classification - SA-8 'Gecko') which appeared at the recent military exhibition "MILEX-2009" in Minsk. This double-tough 6x6 follows in the footsteps of MZKT's indestructible oilfield support and military trucks.  Now click through here for more details...

Are you one of the many artic operators throughout Europe who run Schmitz trailers...? Well the good news for you is that from now on you only need one number to contact the Schmitz Cargobull breakdown service in an emergency.

And simply by calling 00 800 24 227 462 855 which is free of charge (and I'll repeat that number at the end of this blog) CARGOBULL euroservice of the blue elephant will leap to your assistance regardless of where you are in Europe! Now click through here for more...

"G'day Brian," says Atki Pete who has sent me this shot after my post about 'alternative' cabs on Atkinson trucks... "There were a few other cabs fitted to Atkinson trucks." he adds, "The first one is the metal framed dump truck cab, not sure if any have survived in the UK but they were used on heavy haulage units out here. I think these were bought in rather than made by Atkinson. This photo is from the Atkinson in-house magazine." (Which I truist won't object to it appearing on Biglorryblog...

"The second one is the Atkinson 4870/International T line cab, a development of that fitted to the ACCO. Lance Hocking in Adelaide sent me this fine example. There were also variations of our RP plastic cab such as the one fitted to the DCA crash tenders see http://www.fire-engine-photos.com/picture/number5810.asp which Swishy found for me. They must have made their own cabs in Africa as well, not a lot of info on what Atkinson did down there, unless one of your readers can help. Cheers Pete."

Biglorryblog is impressed by the fact that Culina Logistics is supporting the British Limbless Ex Service men's Association (BLESMA) http://www.blesma.org/ by featuring the charity's logo emblazoned across one of its artics. Operating from the company's Milton Keynes site, the vehicle will cover around 100,000 miles a year as it travels the length and breadth of the country - raising awareness for the cause, whilst distributing food and drink products to major supermarket retailers. Now click through here for more...

Now pay attention everybody because here's today's 'serious' story which is "ALL ABOUT NOISE!" Apart from people like Bob Tuck and others who love getting into old trucks few would argue with Biglorryblog that today's motors are quieter than ever before... And not just outside, but on the inside too. Indeed, for the boffins who work at Volvo Trucks' sound lab the day job is all about controlling in-cab noise levels. According to Volvo: "A truck driver experiences a variety of different sounds while working, some of which might be considered pleasant but, for the most part, the work of the sound engineers focuses on keeping unwelcome noise to a bare minimum." Fair enoughski. So click through here to read about how they do it... And a politically-incorrect remark from BLB... Ooohh errr missus...

Hello what's going on here wonders Biglorryblog? Has the driver of this car been out collecting kindling and got carried away? Thanks to BLB regular Peter Murray I can tell you that this all happened down under "In Fletchers Kaingaroa Forest," explains Peter... Although naturally, as this is BLB, nothing is as straightforward as it seems in this report of car/log truck collision in New Zealand...

As BLB regulars will recall the Kiwis run big logging outfits known as 'stem trucks' which carry long trimmed trunks that hang off the back of a tractor trailer/dolly combination. All legal and above board and a something I've blogged on in the past... Now to find out the full amazing story click through here...

Thanks to Rod in NZ Bigblorryblog can bring you the original 'Darth Vader' grille Aussie bigbanger the Iveco PowerStar...

Also available as a rigid... Now click through here for one more.

Biglorryblog is grateful to David Hecker whose website you should visit at www.aussiebigbangers.4t.com. David sent me these shots of a fire engine that thought it was a submarine... And says: "It had 2000 km on the clock and happened up near Tewantin in the recent heavy rain." Now click through here for more...

I wil hopefully be adding pictures and questions that appear on our community forums in the hope that BLB's mighty army can shed some extra light on them...

To start with there is this unusual beastie I must admit its a new one on me, the cab and doors have the look of the Volvo F88/89 series, the bonnet looks distinctly Scammell and the badging on the front is HHT apart from that I know nothing, all and any information gratefully recieved...

Now click through for a rather newer Heavy haulage tractor.

Oh the wonders of modern technology.Someone sent me this via their phone and myphotos on Vodafone (The modern world... Don'tcha just love it?) And it appears to me to be the mythical Iveco PowerStar that I've heard was recently imported into Ireland (rather than a Strator) but nobody knew where it was. Well here (I think) it is outside Jennings Truck Centre (indeed it appears to have a Jennings logo on the side too). So what else can anyone tell me about it? Front and centre oh anorak army... (Irish Division)

"Hi Brian, " says Nick Garlick. "I just boarded the Superfast ferry to Ancona from Patras (Greece). Having delivered a load of drilling equipment to Kavala I spotted this Turkish truck heading west. It would appear to be and anglo-Yorkshire/Turkish company with a name like EYUP! Im sure you'd agree. Brought a smile to my face... Regards, Nick G." Presumably it has a sister company Nick... 'Eybygum'?

Not that long ago Biglorryblog posted up some stuff from Cam and Pete on the recent Heritage Truck Show downunder held, I believe at Beenliegh? Anyroadup in particular my attention was grabbed by this immaculate Diamond T 950 (for a quick pie what year?) owned and restored by Ian and Dawn Lee. Thanks to some help from Cam I was put in touch with David Hecker who runs the excellent www.aussiebigbangers.4t.com (a site that all poms should visit!) and David has very kindly allowed me to reproduce a few more shots of the handsome Diamond from his website.

But what I really like is the way the sleeper box has slide out extensions on either side which effectively doubles the room inside. This is such a good idea you wonder whether any other manufacturer has ever tried to put this concept into produiction... Or have they? And was this just a 'local' Aussie sleeper solution or something common to all Diamond T tractors? BLB anorak army respond please! Anyway click through here for more shots from David's great website.

Now that's what you call ROAD KILL. Dead hippos, dead trucks, dead cranes... Yes it could only mean another dispatch from 'The Dark Continent' from Biglorryblog's 'Good Man in Africa' Jerry Burley. And if you're of a nerevous disposition..ook away now. "Its been an 'interesting' couple of days for some of us here."says JB. "But first our regular natural history lesson. Well, that two tonne hippo is now history anyway. A fine example that happened this week, on a main road, when the wildlife and a bush-bound-bus doing 'Warp-Factor-5-Jim-we're-breakin'-up speed' had a head-butting contest. The hippo lost and even the bus, seen here from its undamaged behind checking out the scenery by the roadside, wasn't too pretty at the other end of it all either. Bit bigger than the average badger or red deer, and even they can still take the chin spoiler off your pimped up Ferrari I guess. We get the occasional case of similar comings-together with elephants, but that's for another day.... Now click through here for more mechanical mayhem featuring Team Burley' and a lot of dead trucks...

But to give you a taste of what's to come try this...

No doubt many Biglorryblog readers have been following with interest the tales from Keith 'Road Rat' Revell www.road-rat.com who recently gave up working as a 'Steady Eddie' and made the jump over to a new life in Canada. Anyroadup he's e-mailed me this picture and says: "Hi Brian, you can now show all my loyal fans and followers my new 'Beast of Burden' and she is too. These North American Trucks are not all they are cracked up to be. You see them in photos and in movies and you think "oh I'd love to drive that across America", well I have now!" And click through here for more and a shot of RR before his departure...

Vic Hungerford has sent in more shots of his travels in ew Zealand but wait a minute... That's not his beloved International! What goes on? "Hi Brian," he says. "It's a bit of a coincidence considering all the photos of Iveco Strators that have been on Biglorryblog lately, but have a look at what I was driving today. What's this, I hear you ask, has Vic gone all soft in the head in his old age and swapped his Canadian truck for an Australian European? Surely his International hasn't broken down!" Well, my thoughts exactly Vic.

"No, nothing as drastic as either of those; just that the Inter was in for a scheduled service and a replacement windscreen so I got landed with this Powerstar for the day. It is a Cursor-engined model with the 12-speed automatic, unlike a lot of the Powerstars here which have Cummins engines and 18 speed Roadrangers, so it is more European than American. I tried to hide if I saw anyone I knew coming towards me! Cheers, Vic." To which BLB replies: Yah... Get away with you. I bet you loved it. Auto box, put your left leg up on the dash... You've got it too easy mate! Now click through here for more...

I found this great clip of the Finnish 'National all-comers gravel-laying Champion' in his Sisu waggon and drag whilst surfing through YouTube. Anyway I thought it would make a nice last post for Biglorryblog to sign off with... So it's goodnight from him and see you all tomorrow.

Thanks to my good chum Rikki Chequer community manager at TrucknetUK, the best ever website for drivers (and which you can find it and become a member by clicking on this link http://www.roadtransport.com/StaticPages/drivers.htm ) I learn that 'Kermit' the unique stretched XF 'Super Dooper' Space Cab  has changed hands. It was originally owned by Richard Rollinson (that's him pictured above with his pride and joy back in 2007) who up until recently was working and driving it along with his partner Annie Price. I met Richard and Annie up at Alconbury some time ago and found them to be great people---subsequently we featured both them and Kermit (in all its 530hp AS-tronic glory) in T&D back in August 2007.

However, some time ago Richard rang me to tell me that a combination of rising diesel prices and ill-health have forced him to call it a day----so very reluctantly he' put his unique Daf tractor up for sale. And when I say unique that's how much more room you have up against a Scania Topline! All very sad as the cab extension was done to a very impressive standard---although Richard and Annie had still to do a lot of work to finish off the interior. Anyway I'm now told it's in new hands and click through here to find out who's the lucky owner of Kermit and what they plan to do with it...

One good turn deserves another I reckon - and Biglorryblog is happy to reciprocate to 'The Brochure King' who earlier sent me some shots of Krupp-cabbed trucks. Well here are three I spotted in the vintage and classic truck hall at last year's Hanover Truck Show.

There were certainly some beauties there in immaculate condition (those Germans are soooo meticulous..) Not sure what the year/model is... Anyone?

And here's another bonneted bruiser... What became of Krupp I wonder ? Now click through here for more...

Biglorryblog welcomes back Gyles Carpenter especially with shots like this. "Here's a few more from the NE Scotland run," he says, "Including some Atki's for the enthusiasts!" Mind you I'll happily start off with this one if it's all the same. Not least as it prompts a question. In the dim dark recesses of Biglorryblog's mind I seem to recall a 'Danny Stewart' was connected with controlled temperature giant Christian Salvesen during the 80s... Is there any connection between him and the Daniel Stewart above? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick... Now click through here for those Atkis!

What would good old Rudy have made of it all eh? With diesel engine emissions poised to become even cleaner this October when we adopt Euro-5 Biglorryblog is reminded of just how far we've come by Volvo Trucks which says that while: "Pressure for the development of environmentally-optimised technology is increasing, the answer need not lie solely with electric or hybrid solutions. Tomorrow's most energy-efficient engines are already more than a hundred years old, but all the indicators are that the diesel engine still has a lot to offer!" Of course a cynic might answer: "Well you would say that you make the bloomin' things!" But I'd dismiss that kind of daft chit-chat with a swift kick up the environmentals!

No, the truth is BLB continues to find it astonishing how, over the past 20 years, diesel engineers have made the compression ignition engine, cleaner, leaner and quieter than ever before. Now click through here for a concise hoistory of the diesel engine - and where experts think it's going tomorrow.

Biglorryblog's 'Man North 'o' the Border' John Henderson has rattled off this prompt reply to my request for shots of old Gibb's trucks and says: Hi Brian, great pictures of Gibbs 'Flower of Scotland' from Gyles, which I suspect may have been taken on the 2009 Highland Historic Vehicle Run back in May? The C series tractor was restored by its new owner, James Gray of Gray & Adams and currently there's a period fridge van being refettled for it to pull. The whole outfit should be present at Truckfest Scotland, where all being well, I 'll report on it for Truck & Driver."

John adds; "James Gray found the ERF in Reive & Grossart's Abington yard, where there are still plenty of old motors awaiting a bit of TLC (see top photo.) I've also included a pic of A753 ESO when it worked full time for a living. Best regards, John. Great stuff JH and I love the 'elephants' graveyard!

'Shut it you Slag!' Yells Biglorryblog whilst skidding to a halt in his err... KAMAG 'Slag Pot Carrier' and what a fine beast it is. With a 90-tonne tare weight and 100-tonne payload this is obviously no lightweight (as you can see from this picture of it here being craned onto its transport ready to be shipped to a steel mill in Seoul in Korea. (Sdorty of a Korea progression you might say...?) Anyroad up, it will be used for the disposal of liquid slag which as we all know is a by-product within a steel producing plant. Unfortunately, the slag is rather 'warm' (i.e. up to 1,300°C) and very aggressive. 'Oii! Are you looking at my bird?' Therefore, the slag pot transporter must (in the words of KAMAG) 'Be extremely reliable in order to manage the challenging mission of carrying the liquid slag in special slag pots to the dumpsite.'

Now click through here for more mighty KAMAG machines on their way to Korea!

Now here's a curiosity from AtkiPete in Oz. Clearly in the '50s money was tight downunder and while the Aussies could usually afford to build a swimming pool in the back yard the extra money for a diving board was just too much for them... So they invented the mobile diving platform and for a glass of the amber nectar and half a crown the 'diving board man' (usually a mate of the Ice Man and Dunny Man) would come around into the yard and off you went head first... (Or not). Actually Pete says: "G'day Brian, I see one of your army has a great website showing the lastest in boom trucks or cherrypickers as we call them. Here is a much older tower wagon used by the Ballarat tramways to repair overhead wiring. It is on a 1952 Bedford chassis and the insulated wooden platform is raised by an hydralic ram, powered by the gearbox PTO. Would this be the oldest 'boom truck' still in active service? Cheers Pete."

'The Brochure King' is back on Biglorryblog and says: "Hi Brian, I've cobbled together a few images relating to recent(ish) bloggings. Im not sure whether you have blogged the Krupp-cabbed Atki again for the benefit of your recent Anorak Army recruits, or to make sure us old-timers are paying attention, but it occurred to me that I don 't recall seeing the original Krupp-cabbed Krupp for a while, so have a 1964 Krupp 811 on me!" Now click through for more including Sentinel steamers, Leyland National ambulances and a weird Scania!

Flower of Scotland? Now what could that possibly mean? Well click through here to find out...

Fancy a six-tonne payload, on an 11-tonne reefer? Like a short, four-week build lead-time and a comprehensive 3-year 'bumper-to-bumper' warranty? Then you'll love the standard features of the new 11-tonne 'Forward' F110.210 4x2 refrigerated truck that Isuzu has just added to its UK 'complete truck' product line-up. To help promote it Isuzu has teamed up with leading refrigerated bodybuilder Lamberet and fridge manufacturer Carrier Transicold, and built the exact truck as a customer demonstrator vehicle. The result? An eye-catching moving advertisement that also highlights the many operating benefits of choosing Isuzu's new 11-tonne 'Forward' for temperature-controlled transport Now click through here for more...

After an all-too-long absence Biglorryblog favourite Krafty Kiwi Rod Simmonds has returned to the fray and responded to my recent posting on the old-style Freightliner cabover and says: "Yes FLB been around a long time in NZ, tough as old boots but hardly comfortable!"

And Rod being Rod he's got plenty of photos of the venerable FLB! Now click through here for more...

Trust 'The Brochure King' to come up with something appropriate on hearing the sad news concerning GM. "Hi Brian," he says, "In the light of GM filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, I thought it would be a good opportunity to pay tribute to happier times when the 'General' was a major force in heavy truck making. Staring off with this, a late model Astro 95 tractor unit. These were built in massive numbers and were also available badged as a Chevrolet Titan."

"Next is a Detroit Diesel-powered 'crackerbox' model from 1967. It looks like one of the 'Detroit Specials' with the multi-axle trailer." Now click through here for a really old-time 'Jimmy'...

Are you looking at me? I said: "ARE YOUSE LOOKIN' AT ME?" Yes this mean motor scooter is certainly a rather a hefty beast. And not the sort of big lorry you'd want to meet down a dark alley... But then it IS the Iveco 8x8 Trakker logistics vehicle with the Krauss-Maffei Wegman (KMW) protected cab which will shortly enter service with both the British and German armed forces. Based on the rugged, proven all terrain 8x8 Iveco chassis, the KMW-cabbed Trakker currently offers the highest level of ballistic, mine and IED protection of any vehicle in this class. Well I'm not about to argue with it. And click through here for some high-flying military Trakkers too!

Ever seen one of these before? For a pie wha tis it...? Yes it's got a 'Big A' on the front but that's never a Atki cab... So what's going on here? If you want the answer you'll have to go to www.trucknetUK.com and check out the Old-Time Forums, and select 'Scrap Book Memories' which features past pages from Commercial Motor and you'll see this picture and the caption which identifies it. And I have Rikki Chequer, community manager for TrucknetUK to thank for tipping me off to this gem. So what are you waiting for?