November 2009 Archives

I can't believe that five people managed to find a link between Pegasso and the Modec. I was convinced that one was almost impossible to do within 6 degrees, let alone in 2!

Hopefully this one will prove to be a little more difficult - but with you lot I very much doubt it.

How many degrees of separation are there between the Scammell Crusader and the Hanomag? Good luck!

By the way, please feel free to suggest some 'Degrees of Separation' trucks of your own. But I'd appreciate it if you could send some suitable pics along please.

If you happen to be in New Zealand next April, you might want to head to Colac for the first-ever Mack Munster. According to Atki Pete there will be 'a big turnout of the famous B61, the unit that really put Mack on the map over here in the early 50s'. Which should make it a must-attend event for all Mack enthusiasts.
And while we are talking about Macks, Pete's got a question. Does anyone know who Lanova is? 'This Mack engine I saw in New Zealand (which I think belongs to the B61) has it stamped on the exhaust manifold', he says.

Since Mr Weatherley has more holidays than Thomas Cook (ATOL protected, T&Cs apply) we've been told asked to muck in and 'get blogging' while he's away so we thought we'd show you NFT's new bespoke double-deck reefer unit complete with proud boss David Frankish.

Biglorryblog is on holiday now until next Friday but in the meantime here's something to tickle the fancy of all you bus anoraks! And Andrew Blacklock, secretary of the Hunter Valley Classic Commercial Vehicle Club in Oz surely knows how to get Biglorryblog's attention too...shove in a classic WWII fighter somewhere in the picture and you're guaranteed to get it on the blog! Especially if it's a Curtis P40 (but which type eh? Warhawk? Kittyhawk? Tomahawk? For a pie naturally!) Anyroadup Andrew asks: "Brian, can you help through Biglorryblog? I am looking for further photos of this 1961 Leyland Atlantean whilst in service in England...It was originally with Scout Motors as fleet number 3, then to Ribble Motors as fleet number 1971.UK registration number PRN143.?" And to prove it here it is in Ribble colours!

Now click through here for more...and how it ended up in Oz!

BIGLORRYBLOG IS AWAY ON HOLIDAY AND WON'T RETURN TILL FRIDAY DECEMBER 4th SO STAY CALM LADS AND I'LL RETURN WTH SOME GOOD STUFF...I PROMISE!

However, following on from Bob Tuck's entry yesterday I thought you might like to see what's on MY window sill (the socks on the radiator are my daughters...) And for a pie what are the trucks on either side in the display cases? Now click through here for a close up on the one in the middle...

Now here's a couple of 'Likely Lads'. While I am away on holiday till next Friday Biglorryblog's man 'North 'o'' the Border ' John Henderson has gamely stepped into the breach and joined in the fun that is BLB's 'My first truck series' and he says: "Here's my contribution which I'll no doubt be ribbed  senseless about! The pic of the two young lads was taken in August 1967, after my first day at primary school. I'm on the left with the Shell/BP tanker and my younger brother David got the livestock float. Apparently the promise of new toy lorries was all part of the bribery process to actually persuade me to attend the place of learning! Needless to say after a few days there, I was looking forward to leaving education at 16 and working with trucks. Thankfully brother David still has diesel in his veins too and has a useful involvement with a couple of firms in his spare time, alongside a vast collection of photographs and truck models...." Now click through here for John's first truck 'proper'.....

And here's another one to keep you busy over the weekend. How many degrees of separation are there between the Atkinson Defender and the Mercedes-Benz Axor? Brian might be on his holidays, but he's given me permission to hand out pies to anyone who takes part.

By the way, if you can think of any really challenging trucks for a 'Degrees of Separation' game, then please let me know.

Well I'm really impressed that two of you have managed to link the Kalmar with the Iveco Stralis in just 3 degrees of separation.

What about another one? How many degrees of separation are there between the Pegaso and the Modec? I'll be very surprised if anyone can do this in 3 degrees.

If you've ever taken a look at the superb Hemmings Blog you'll be familiar with a game they play called Degrees of Separation.
The idea is that blog extraordinaire Dan Strohl chooses two utterly different makes of car, and asks people to find a link. The expert who can link the two vehicles in the least number of degrees of separation, wins. It looks like a lot of fun, and I was wondering whether it could work on BigLorryBlog too.
To give you an idea of how it works, let me walk you through an example that recently appeared on Hemmings.
Dan Strohl asked whether anyone out there could link a Jowett to a Ferrari - and incredibly, quite a few people could. Here are some examples:

Andre Roy managed it in 10 degrees:
1.Jowett made parts for Blackburn & General Aircraft Company and was eventually take over by them.
2.Blackburn was absorbed into Hawker Siddeley.
3.Hawker Siddeley merged with others to become British Aerospace.
4.British Aerospace merged various times to become BAE Systems,
5.BAE Systems is a partner in the Eurofighter
6.Another partner in the Eurofighter is Alenia Aeronautica
7.Alenia Aeronautica is the successor to Aeritalia
8.Aeritalia was formed by the merger of Aerfer and Fiat Aviazione
9.Fiat Aviazione was part of the FIAT empire
10.The FIAT empire also now controls Ferrari.

Dave was able to link them in 6 degrees:
1.Well Jowett's factories were bought by International Harvester of all people
2.International Harvester did work with Raymond Loewy
who also designed the Avanti
3.The Avanti used various engines including a Chevrolet V8
4.GM owned Chevrolet
5.GM paid a large sum of money not to buy Fiat
6.Fiat controls Ferrari

And Kit Foster did it in four degrees:
1.Ferrari is under Fiat rule.
2.In the 1980s, Morgan used Fiat twin-cam engines.
3.Earlier, Morgan had used Meadows gearboxes.
4. Jowett used Meadows gearboxes until 1951.

Have you got the idea yet? Well let's play.
For a pie, how many degrees of separation are there between the Kalmar and the Iveco Stralis?

BIGLORRYBLOG IS ON HOLIDAY--BUT I'LL BE BACK ON FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER. I'LL BE POSTING UP A SINGLE BIT OF 'WALLPAPER' EACH DAY SO STAY CALM GUYS, I'LL BE BACK SOON... AND CLICK THROUGH HERE FOR A PIE QUIZ...

Just before I disappear for a week with Mrs BLB here's a timber teaser... Martin Barnes, project manager at Navarm in Somerset has contacted me to ask: "Do you remember which haulier was using a few years back 6X2 self steer tag axle tractor units in Scotland for timber work? I think either CM, T&D, or Truck did a feature on the unit which again I think was an MAN. If you can not recall such a vehicle ever having been created then I will give up badgering MAN for one! I look forward to your sage-like recollections, Martin."

Well so far the best I've managed to come up with is via 'Mr Timber' himself Bob Tuck who responded: "Just remembered I took a snap of this MAN TGA tag axle unit up in Northern Scotland 2 years ago. I was dong a story on a Hino six wheeler + drag for T&D (which you may have put me onto) and this MAN was just passing. Hope it helps with the earlier query. Just thought about it this morning while out walking in the rain! Bob".

You and Johnny Ray together then? So does anyone else recognise the truck or know who owns it... And is it a rear-steer? Meanwhile, John Henderson has promised to have a look at his archives too so who knows we might yet help Martin! And if you do know Martin's e-mail is martinbarnes@navarm.com

Now I'm sure I don't need to tell you that you're looking at a rather nice cutaway of an Allison automatic transmision. And why am I showing you this. Simply because Allison is adding a second 'DEEP' reverse gear on all its 4700 and 4800 transmisions from the middle of next year. And it's to provide greater control and engine braking on steep gradients and improve manoeuvrability for operators in the construction and mining sectors... When a driver selects second reverse it gives what Allison charmingly calls a 'slow creep capability' (I used to have that until the wife caught me at it) with high engine speeds. And with a mechanical ratio of 17.12, it will have an effective torque converter multiplied ratio up to 32.5:1. So just in case you've been feeling a little 'high' when you've been backing up you big dumper then this is clearly the auto for you!

Dennis Child has sent me this picture of a pretty hefty C-500 tractor which is apparently for sale. And he says: "Maybe Jerry in Africa would be interested?" Well if he is then all he has to do is contact Biglorryblog who has a few of the details... OK?

Ever wondered how they make the venerable Iveco ACCO in Australia? Well of course you have, you wouldn't be reading Biglorryblog now would you? Well thanks to AtkiPete Lynch all can now be revealed - so click through here and prepare yourself for a power-boost trip down the ACCO assembly line in Australia from start to finish! With a surprise thrown in at the end too...

How about this for a bit of traditional 'black & white' tarmac laying? I can smell it now! And I have my old mate Alan McGuiness (owner and driver of some of the smartest tippers around - and star of T&D) for these great old time tippers. "Hello Brian," he says, "I was pleased to see the Derbyshire Granite Foden picture on the blog, I like to see local trucks, especially vintage ones and thought you might like to see the attached photos from my collection. Regards, Alan." And click through here for more vintage eight-leggers...

Biglorryblog's favourite cloggie Iep van der Meer (you MUST check out his website on http://iepvandermeer.nl/ for some terrific truck stuff) has sent me this interesting little story in how to convert you pick-up to a mini-artic or waggon and drag... Like this.

"Hello Brian," says Iep, "Today the Dutch press was invited by Isuzu and a company called 'Fifth Wheel. The product they sell is in fact a replacement for a fifth wheel - so the name isn't that smart but the product shure is! The news is that there is no fifth wheel but a small round hole that catches a ball which is mounted on the trailer. Big advantage is that when you don't pull a trailer you can use the complete loading space on the truck or the pickup." And click through her to see what Iep means...

Now here's a truck photo that does exactly what is says on the can...don't you think? Oil refineries and terminals are never easy places to work in...not least due to 'Elfin Safety'...and flash photography is usually verboten. So you've normally got to work with what you can location and lighting-wise. This seems to be OK though, good composition of a truck 'in its normal working environment' PLUS a nice bit of 'blurred' action from the driver who's clearly wearing all the necessary PPE kit---easy to forget! And good blurring isn't easy with a digital camera. Now click through here for what it's all about.. and some more nice shots.

Last one for tonight and this should please AtkiPete (or is that now ACCOPete?) Lynch. Anyroadup Cam McFadyen has joined the stream on 'My First Lorry' and he says: "Hi Brian, this was my first truck - my memory isn`t what it once was, however, I think it was about a 1977 ACCO 3070B, 903 Cummins, 9-speed Roadranger,I bought it in about 1986 from my (shakey) memory. See ya, Cam!"

You know me, I can't resist a nice fire engine photo - especially if it's of a fire engine making its first public appearance at the Emergency Services Show 2009 (Stoneleigh Park Coventry 24-25 November). And obviously it's the latest Scania Magirus Multistar Combined Aerial Rescue Appliance (CARA), the result of a development partnership involving two Fire and Rescue services, Cambridgeshire and Hereford & Worcester, Scania, G. B. Fire, and Firebuy Ltd.And to find out more about this rather splendid machine click through here.

Now I know what you're thinking...'Why have you shown us this picture of a Volvo VN day cab tractor Biglorryblog?' Well I'll tell you. Talon Logistics, Inc of the good old US of A recently took delivery of its first EPA2010-certified trucks from Volvo Trucks North America, with two more delivered since. To date Talon has ordered a total of 23 EPA'10 Volvo VN Day cabs for its fleet...so there. And as you ask I can tell you they're all powered by Volvo's D13 405hp diesel (the Americvan's have their own ratings) and Volvo I-Shift automated manual transmissions. Now click through here for more....

What time does your milkman call? Biglorryblog's is known to visit 'the close' at around 2:00am and I think he's got an old diesel Transit... Or at least it sounds like it at 2:00am in the morning... Be that as it may home delivery customers of Dairycrest, Britain's leading chilled dairy foods company, can look forward to even quieter mornings, following its investment in a new fleet of 80 clean, 'green' Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 311CDI milk floats for its milk & more operation, which delivers to more than 1.3 million homes across the UK. And why quieter mornings? Because they're all fitted with Merc's ECO-Start system - and if you click through here you can read all about it...

Stumbled on to thos on YouTube..not a bad bit of recovery don't you think...?

Tony Miller at Fabco, and a recent convert to Biglorryblog has sent me this curiosity to me and he says: "Brian, I see you have some Mertz info on your site. Here is an image I have of a 4x4 model Fabco supplied the front steer drive axles and transfer case for. Tony." And for a pie who can tell me what it's used for?

"Hi Brian," says Rufo, "Greetings again from the Northern Territories. A few weeks ago AtkiPete Lynch responded to my blog on the early ShellCo Atkinson roadtrains with a wish for some more info about an ellusive V12-71 GM powered Atkinson that was built for roadtrain work in the Northern Territory also in the late 60s. Well here's a couple of photos that I've managed to acquire.The truck was supplied new to Kittle Bros. Transport,Tennant Creek, 300 miles north of Alice Springs. Kittles were,amoung other things, the local BP agents and had the contract to supply all the fuel and lubricants to Peko Mines (copper and gold) at nearby Warrego. The Atkinson went on the road three or four months before the first of the Shell Atkinsons in early 1968.Driver was Ian Cowan. The top shot shows the Atkinson,when new,pulling out of Dinah Beach Rd,Darwin having just loaded at the BP Terminal." Now click through here fore more... And I bet AtkiPete is all a quiver by now!

Biglorryblog tips his hat to George Fry for his outstanding truck spotting on BLB's favourite Finnish weather road webcams. "Four pics at random across Finnish weather webcams." he says... At 'random' mate? Hey c'mon now George you must have spent a while finding these didn't you? Anyroadup I am impressed sir! And I've made a mental note of all thse particular webcams as they're obviously the ones for waggon-spotting! Now click through here for more...

Talking of classic eight-leggers and 'My First Truck' on Biglorryblog, Brian 'Mr Foden' Lomas' has sent me this and he says: "Being a Buxton lad this DG and a Saturday morning ride in it gave me a life-long interest in Fodens and led to a wonderful career in their employ. Buxton was a hotbed of Fodens either transporting limestone or passing through. Hillhead Quarries - Derbyshire Granite - Road Products - Earles Cement - Sam Longson - Richard Johnson and Nephew - etc etc. My uncle drove for Duron Brake and Clutch Linings Ltd and delivered to that Citadel known as Fodens of Elworth.In the school holidays I rode "shotgun" and being shown round the Assembly line at Elworth was equivalent to a visit to the Taj Mahal. Happy memories indeed. Regards, Brian."

Last one from me for tonight, and it's from ace truck painter Andrew Cooper. "Hi Brian, and fellow bloggers. I am really enjoying the 'my first lorry' series. Mine has to be NNY 248E "Kenfig Princess"one of a pair of two-pedal Leyland Beavers bought by Joint Motorways, brand new in 1968. Aaah... Now I know I was only 3-years-old at the time, but that was the first truck my Father had driven from new and the first one I remember him with. The above photo shows, my Dad (who is now 69-years-old) as the fresh-faced 28-year-old on the driver's side. The other chap in the photo is the son of one of Joint's ex-fitter's who took the picture." Now click through here for more...

You see? It's not ony in Britain where it's been raining says Biglorryblog. Andrew Blacklock has sent me "...some photos from yesterday's (Sunday 22nd November) HCVC Victoria display day at Sandown (Melbourne)." and it was wet there too! And for a pie what is it?

Now click through here for a whole shed-load of stuff including classic Pommie, Yankee and German trucks!

I have been neglecting 'The Old Vic' (Hungerford), as he sent me this some tinme back and I've been sitting on this. "Hi Brian, I was wondering if enough time has gone by for me to tempt you with a few more photos from Boof Wedding's Truck show in Auckland last month. The first vehicle I saw when I walked in wasn't a truck, but this 1934 Ford V8. What's so special about that, you may ask. Nothing really, except that a car just like this (ours was actually a 1933 model, but almost identical) was the first family car my father bought, when I was 16, and was the car that I got my driving licence in...

"Then there are some big ones belonging to TranzCarr Heavy Haulage, a C500 KW and an Oshkosh....." Now click through here for more...

In response to my request for Biglorryblog readers to send me photos of your 'first truck' John O displays a neat bit of 'lateral thinking!' Not so much because it's a Foden (well duh!) but because it's a model--I hadn't thought of that... "Hello Brian, sorry to be so predictable, but here's 'my first lorry', which probably explains a lot! I still have it and here it is photographed in this morning's Spanish sunshine. It was new at Christmas 1949 and cost my parents 10/-. Running costs - zero; depreciation - plus several hundred percent! Regards John O." Well it's worth more than 10-Bob now John, especially if you've still got the original box. And click through here for more...

Graham Keedwell contacts BLB to say: "Here's the latest lorry we have. We hope to enter it in next year's shows - as well as getting another 22 years worth of work out of it. same as my 142 Scania! This has been painted by Tor Trucks, artwork by Matt and engineering work by Chassis Engineering of Stoke on Trent, additional sign writting by Mike Cole of Swansea, chassis lengthened by Humphries Engineering, Llanharan. This lorry has its first working outing on ???????????? Graham." Well we look forward to see the pictures of it at work Graham!

"Milk and two sugars, please! " Says Pete Jones, "Newly-restored 1929 Sentinel DG6 Steam Waggon seen at 2009 Bloxham Steam Rally!" And what a beauty too... I'll have a hobnob with mine says Biglorryblog.

I though its's been a while since Biglorryblog has ehard from his cheeky krafty Kiwi Rod Simmonds and I awake this morning to find he's sent me this beauty: "Peter 'KW' Richmond's new K108" he says... Smart rig and a typical New Zealand 8x4 configuration too.

"Hi", says Helen. "Just been looking through the brilliant Scania pics on your site. Am attaching a photo I took in Kefalonia this year of a great Scania - hope it might be good enough for next years calendar!" Well I hate to disappoint you Helen but the chances are the 2010 calendar has already been shot, printed and is ready to roll. So if they haven't got this one in by now it probably hasn't made the cut...

It's go-anywhere, electric drive, Le Tourneau Transporter time again on Biglorryblog! Funny how one day I know very little about something---then, thanks to the BLB anorak army, my cup runneth over! I've Ed Burrows to thank (once again) for this selection...

"Dear Brian, " he says, "The BLB community will I am sure be interested in the accompanying LeTourneau T Series Transporter brochure and a couple of photos of these vehicles. I obtained the brochure circa 1960. The photos were supplied to me by Eric C. Orlemann, whose third LeTourneau book, 'R.G. LeTourneau Heavy Equipment, The Electric Drive Era, 1953-1970' was published in October 2009." Now click through here to see a veritable cornucopia of Le Tourneau stuff that will impress even 'The Brochure King' !!!

Gentlemen of the Biglorryblog Anorak Army, I salute you! At the risk of sounding a touch prideful I thought you might like to know that at around 6.00pm last night Biglorryblog registered its 10,000th comment since switching over to the current blogging platform in July 2007 (Although BLB regulars will know it's been going for a lot longer - so long even I can't remember when it first started... Maybe 2004?) Anyway since July '07 I've posted 4,900 stories wth the help of Clutchslip and Will Shiers and a few others, thereby prompting a average return of 2.04 comments per blog... Based on an average of 6.55 posts per day across 865 days... And BLB now enjoys over a million page-views a year... Pretty good going from you guys - and that's really what I wanted to say - thanks for all the comments. feedback, information, personal recollections, insults and yes even flamin' requests for lists of Eddie Stobart names! And my congratulatiions to Tony Hawkridge for posting up comment 10,000 and to Bob Beech who came in at 9,999! At the risk of gushing I'll simply say BLB would be nothing without my beloved army... And click through here for a celebratory pie quiz!

Biglorryblog's roving reporter Nick Garlick has e-mailed me to say: "Hi Brian, thought you'd like this one and so might Martin P. A convoy of these US Freightliners spotted on the Austrian/German border last week. As I approached the trucks camera in hand they roared off. Not to worry I snapped this pair later on in the day! Regards,Nick." That's what I like Nick... Once he sees a good story he'll get it!

 

"Blogmeister," says that loveable old curmudgeon 'The Boss' "Take the night off, I am too traumatised to supply the blog with anything this week. Thought I would take a pic of this big black chicken which seemed friendly enough,a close up... Not my best idea. A split second after this pic was taken this Tyronausaurus Rex of the wing flared up, extending it's massive wings to full length, it's beak going like Mike Tyson's fists and it was off, after me! Ran like hell I did, fortunately the chicken's little joke was soon over and I, gasping for breath, made it back to the truck. Best leave wild life to David whats'isname who wouldn't be stupid enough to use a flash, Doh! The Boss." Don't you know that's no oridinary swan mate...? That's a black AUSSIE Swan... And they're tougher than flamin' Crocodile Dundee!

The latest entry for 'My First truck' is certainly unusual. It comes from Mike Ponsonby BA who adds: "Hi Brian, my 'First Truck' was this 1965 Foden FC.20 chassis fitted with a FD6 two-stroke engine and 12 speed transmission, on two different sticks! The crane was a 22RB Crane by Ruston Bucyrus Ltd of Lincoln, with manually operated outriggers that trapped ones fingers if not very careful." Now click through here for more...

Rufo has made a welcome retuirn to Biglorryblog to say: "Hi Brian,with regard to Gary Richard's blog on the Shay Gap Macks.Yes,there were definately three built in 1972.
Here is a better  pic of one of them lifted off the cover of MTAs house magazine"The Bulldog Bulletin".I've often wondered over the years what had become of them.I thought they would probably have been made into washing machines by now. What of their semi trailers.Are they in the long grass there somewhere,too? Rufo."

Looking at Twitter (and you can 'follow' Biglorryblog on said young-persons' communication medium) I notice that Clutchslip has posted up this picture from (I should imagine) the recent Kortrijk Trailer Show. And why would you want to put a container on its end like this...? Well click through here and all will be revealed thanks to BLB...

So what do you make of this beast?! One of the great pleasures of doing Biglorryblog is that you learn something new every day from a community of real enthusiasts. And I have two people to thank for reminding me about the wonderful Sterling T26 8x8 army truck and tank transporter---the brainchild of US military vehicle designer and innovator Steve Hodges. First BLB is grateful to Ed Burrows for sending me his original article on the subject in TRUCKING and reminding me of its existence...but in particular it's a Biglorryblog BIG thank-you to Tony Gibbs, author of "Sterling T26 Discovered", the definitive work on this go-anywhere truck and the man who very kindly allowed me to use a couple of his pictures---and you can read all about the T26 Sterling and how to get a copy of Tony's book by visiting his excellent website http://web.me.com/tony.gibbs2/Sterling_T26_/Home.html

Not only has Tony amassed a great deal of information and illustrations on the truck through the course of his pain-staking research, thanks to his skills learnt in a previous career as an industrial designer he has also created fascinating CAD reproductions of what the cab (seen above) and various other Sterling T26 components looked like---and it's VERY impressive stuff!  Now click through here for more....

'The Brochure King' (AKA Rich Stanier) is the first to come back to Biglofryblog's request for 'My First truck' shots and says: "Hi Brian, great idea for the 'first lorry' feature. Here's mine - not exactly my first lorry, but the first lorry that I got to know well. My Dad saved this 1949 Guy Otter, NVT 979, in the early 1970's and I spent many happy hours playing in it as a truck-mad 4 year old. Fortunately it's still around now in preservation. Rich." Now clock through here for more Otter oddities...

Hello.....the boys are obviously on 'a shout' somewhere...but where exactly is it wonders Biglorryblog? Can you guess where in the world this fire truck is working? Well click through here and all will be revealed....

Here's a new one on me... And it comes to Biglorryblog via Mick Flynn who says: "Eyup mate, loving all the great pictures and info on the Biglorryblog. There's a new site where all the people who make trucking videos are listed, which might interest your readers. And here's a link to it on my video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stulJjvJsC8 Cheers, Mick." And a neat site too. I must get around to posting something on it... The video clip Mick has supplied is great - looks like Canada to me? Train rather gives the game away... What thinkest thou oh 'Keeper of the Flame'? Meanwhile thanks Mick, good stuff! And if you want to find out more about the YTTrucking Video Promo and how you can get on it click through here...

'Hobble-along You-know who' e-mails me this gem and to say: "Hi Brian, just read the piece of Scott's Pacfic Truck Club---good work. So hope you can pass on these two pics to him - my entire photo collection of Aussie Pacifics!! In 1978 I had a Summer job when I was going through college in the workshop at the Tasmanian government run hydro dam project at Tullah. We had Haulpaks and Pacifics engaged in the earthworks. From memory, there were 6 Pacifics - Cummins NTC 335, big Allison auto and Clark (??) rear axles." And in case you've been asleep at the back the 'Scott' Gary is referring to is Scott McKenzie, webmeister of two of the best trucking websites around -- i.e. for the famous brands of Pacific http://www.pacifictruckclub.org and Hayes http://www.hayestruckclub.org/ trucks. Scott has recently revamped both sites (so worth a visit). Now click through here for more..... 

Dominic Billerwell has just given me a great idea (well I think it's great anyway). He's sent me this picture and says: "Here are photos of my first truck in Canberra---a petrol-engined International R190 prime mover, single-drive. That was in 1973, now 36 years later and over 3 million km later I have retired.Dominic." And what an intresting shot, not just for the truck (which Vic will no doubt enjoy) but the 'newness of the suburb in Canberra---and click through here to see what I mean...and what that great idea is!

How about this for a family reunion? Sharp-eyed Biglorryblog readers will have already worked out that it's celebrating the the 75th anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows racing cars which first blazed to victory on the world's racetracks back in 1934. The men who handled these magnificent racing throughbreds have long become legends - men like Rudolf Caracciola and Manfred von Brauchitsch. However, neither the Silver Arrows of yesteryear nor those of today rolled to the racetrack under their own power.

And there you have it in a nutshell - race car transporters... I thought this selection might amuse and entertain, not least Clutchslip who I seem to recall is one of the hallowed few who has driven the 1955 'Blue Wonder' - the 'fastest truck in the world' according to M-B and the truck that hauled Moss and Jenk's famous Mille Miglia race winner down to Italy. So here we are, old and new together from the 1954 transporter, through the aforementioned Blue Wonder to the Actros transporter that will be used by the 2010 Mercedes Grand Prix works team... Click and enjoy.

Seeing Tony MIller's two-headed tunnel washer reminded me of a previous Biglorryblog story I posted up some time ago and it features this twin-cabbed pushme-pullyou MAN fire truck that works in the Mont Blanc tunnel.. ..I can't recall whether it has two engines as well but I do remember that it went equally fast in either direction....if any BLB MAN buffs know more about it do post up a comment..now click through here for more shots of it in action....

Tony Miller has e-mail me this commercial vehicle curiosity and to say: "I thoroughly enjoy your well put together and informative blog on big and unusual trucks. Here are a couple strange ones my company, Fabco Automotive Corp, built in the 1960's.  The 'two headed' vehicle was built by Fabco to clean tunnels in the San Francisco Bay Area."

 
And how about that MP? All of which begs the question what truck chassis was it based on Tony?  Meanwhile he says: "I have hundreds of photos, brochures and article about unusual or extreme vehicles we built of have been involved with since 1917.  I'll see about gathering up some for your site if you like. Best regards, Tony." Well naturally I LIKE very much Tony, Please fire them over as they sound perfect Biglorryblog fodder..and to prove it click through here for another of Tony's odd-ball trucks which you can see by clicking through here.... 

And who might this Sepia-toned Superstar be? yes it's Ray 'Digging Australia out of debt' Jay' and his Big Mack to go (or it wil go once he's done with it). And if you haven't already seen his video walkaround on the truck on www.aussiebigbangers.4t.com the brilliant website created by Dave Hecker then I'd suggest you extract the digit and get clicking now. Ray JJay of course will be familiar to all BLB regulars as both a commentator and owner of an Aussie Atki--and there's a YouTube clip of his Atki too...keep ';em running Ray Jay!.  

I have 'Two-Stroke' to thank for this and yes it's a real live person hitching a lift (or hanging on for dear life depending on your point of view) to the doors of a container on the back of an artic in South Africa recently. I don't know who to credit for the picture, unfortunately, though it's obviously shot through the windscreen of a following car on a cell-phone. However, I wouldn't mind betting this has already gone around the global blogosphere three times if not more! He must have very strong hands... And his feet are resting on the locking bar handles... Now click through here to see what happened next...

I was just wondering where that slack-jawed idler Agent Reg had got to when he fires this over to me...it's Northchapel Transport's spanking new FH-440 8x2 rigid. "Why Volvo?" says owner Shane Lucking, boss of the West Sussex plant and general transport operator: "Because they're extremely reliable and they do everything we ask of them, since we can get them built to our exact specification. We need our vehicles to be able to handle anything from a mini-digger to a 26-tonne crane to a multi-modal container. They're comfortable, too - this FH is very much a driver's truck, pleasant to work in with plenty of cab space."  Now click through here to find out more....

 "Good Morrow Sire" says a very polite 'Kepper of the Flame Martin Phippard."Not that it's any great shakes here at present what with murderous skies, howling winds the ever-present precipitation. Oh, me lumbago! But at least we can hope to add a glimmer of sunlight to Gary (hop-along) Richards' day. His affection for the big old Bulldog knows no bounds."

"So herewith a selection of what I hope are interesting (or inneresting if you're from the far side of the pond) images from the early/mid 1970s, some from Aus, a couple from Canada (the G M Smith outfits) and the massive Aycock heavy hauler from the U.S. Gotta love those Bulldogs!  BR Martin P.".  And click through here for more.....

My good cloggie mate Henk Kruit has sent me this "Hi Brian, more pictures of FIAT-Ferraris!
This is a 1957 FIAT 682R Transporter." And by way of contrast here's a picture of the modern day equivalent from Ron Johl....

And Ron lights the blue touch paper by saying: "Brian, now here is a modern transporter from Truckfest Peterborough---complete with its racing car, and much nicer looking than that old Fiat!!" Hmmmm I'm not sure you'll have the Biglorryblog cognescenti with you on that mate...! And click through here for more old-time transporters from Henk!

"Hi mate," says David Hecker from the wonderful www.aussiebigbangers.4t.com website 
"There's another Ray Jay movie on YouTube " and here's the link for it which shows yer man talking about his latest restoration project---an unusual resin cab (yes that's right) Mack 700.
http://www.youtube.com/user/aussiebigbangers#p/u/1/ySJLVPT9-pg

So get clicking---as it's a wonderful bit of history and thanks to Dave and Ray Jay for the great walkround..

Oh hellooo....what's all this. A strange truck and an even stranger story...it could only mean one thing. yes Biglorryblog's 'Good Man in Africa' jerry Burley is back with more bizarre tales from the Dark Continent....and he says: "BLB, I think the midday sun is finally doing it for me, but let me squeeze out one further missive before checking in for my on-going Friday pm elbow-flexing therapy. After a 9 months 'gestation period', followed by a long and difficult trip along the 'delivery canal', our Tatra 815 has finally arrived here.  It has been a long wait.....

"But first 'Nature Notes'", combined with a bit of an OIA moment, and the back of a slightly strange minibus. Owned by two Ugandan ex-national team rugby players I have known here for years, who run this surprisingly successful mobile disco business, under the name of PlatinumDJSug - as you would! 'Uganda's Illest' is some claim, believe me, although they may actually not be too far off the mark...Now click through hee for the full story on the Tatra...

Can you guess what it is yet? Cam McFadyen of Queensland Tilt Tray fame has kindly e-mailed me to say: "Hi Brian, there has been a little bit of activity on the paint front. It is probably finished as we speak, However, I`m about to board the Kerosene Kangaroo and head off to what isn`t the tropical paradice of Melbourne to check the famous Sandown truck show.So more pictures will have to wait until next week. No doubt Pete will have the pics of Sandown, I`ll see if I can do a cameo appearance in the back ground! All the best,Cam." And click through here for more shots of Cam's Reo in the paint booth....

The things I get asked eh? Still it's all in a good cause. Sandy Austin has contacted Biglorryblog to say: "I'm getting married in May next year - I'm a truck driver, Scania being my favourite and since being with my partner she has grown to love them too--to the extent that her dream would be to have a white Scania longline as her wedding transport. Anybody out there know if this is possible at all and if so, how? Any ideas, contacts etc would be extremely welcome to sandy.a@hotmail.co.uk Sandy." Well I don't have a Longline myself (more's the pity) but I know a man who's been known to have the odd one or two now and then. Step forward that fine chap Mick, Mick Moody International fame (and you can visit the website) or call 01472 345600 http://www.moodyinternational.co.uk/trucks_for_sale I reckon Mick would be a good place to start...the picture above is one he used to have though  suspect it's now been sold...but if you're after the ultimate wagon for your wedding why not this one--and click through here to check it out?

Last one for tonight and it's a Biglorryblog evening Pie Quizzer! So look sharp anorak army! It's from Pete Jones who says: "This photo is of a 1950s Ferrari racing car transporter---a bit different to the transporters of today's racing teams in Formula 1.Any one know the make of truck?" So coem on...let's be having you!

You know, I just love you guys... As soon as ask a simple question 'BLAMMO!' You start piling in with fantastic stuff! (Stop in BLB you're gushing...) Anyroadup I'm most grateful to Ed Burrows who has sent me these pictures: "Hi Brian, thought you'd appreciate a few more LeTourneau images. And by the way, Eric Orlemann has just had new book out - although it's mostly on heavy plant/earthmovers, which of course is fair do's: LeT load carrying vehicles were few and far between. That said, the biggest was the best and the biggest wheeled vehicle cable of free movement there has ever been, or ever will be. Bold statement, but unchallengeable."

Ed continues: "I mean, would you want to argue with the US Army's 13-unit electric hub motor all-wheel-drive Overland Train MkII, built for the US Army Transportation Research and Development Command? A 'mere' 382 tonnes GCW and 'small' 137 tonnes payload! Okay, ALE - and indeed the lumbering South African Pacifics you are so obsessed with - could probably beat that, most days of the week. But the 382 tonnes of the Overland Train MII moved off-road, at up to 20 mph. And we're talking 1962, which was a very happening year indeed, on many fronts. So it was not at all untoward for LeT engineers - who thought under a big Texas sky - to decide to power their behemoth by four 873 kW gas turbine generator sets!" And click through here for more...

Well it was only a matter of time before Chris G really started to show why he's 'Mr Atkinson' and he kicks off with this news story from Commercial Motor from December 1968 (though surely the sun didn't shine in the '60s after September?)

Followed swiftly by a great shot of the prototype Viewline cab..now click through here for much, much more!

Hello... What's that slowly rusting in a quiet corner of the yard?

Hmmm... Got a touch of down-under Bulldog about it don't you think...? And click through here to see it in all its glory in a previous life - and some classic Aussie Atkinsons too...

Now here's something you don't see everyday on Biglorryblog....got a big engine (you can tell that just by the traditor covers) and a very low slung cab...but what exactly does it do? Well click through here and you'll find out...

 Hope the bridge takes it skipper! Although saying that it obviously can---otherwise Dennis and his merry men from ROTRAN wouldn't be driving across it with a 325-ton transformer and 6000hp of go-power courtesy of five 8x8 Tractomas monster pullers and a 10x10 Tractomas pusher up the back! ()oh yeas, don't forget the ginormous beam trailer too). And anyway this happened yesterday so I guess we'd have heard if it didn't make it across!

Yes it's South African heavy-hitter time again on Biglorryblog and you can see that it probably wouldn't be a good idea to try and go in the opposite direction to Dennis's convoy on this particular corner! Now click through for more...

Well almost last one... Just got this under the wire before she sees me! My thanks to Daniel Andersson in Sweden who says: "Hello! I found this clip on YouTube, Perhaps you've seen it before. It´s a nice clip and has a very nice sounding Scania in a forest in Germany." Well that should please Mr Garlick no end... And it does sound 'throbby and roarty!' Meanwhile Daniel says: "Thank you for a very nice blog, I look at it every day. best regards." Nice to hear you enjoy it Daniel - interesting clip too, as the camera work is pretty steady! The driver seems to be having a bit of fun with the forest track too... (the word means pretty much the same in any language... ) But his reversing is impressive and he gets there in the end--complete with a grateful sigh of relief too... But a nice bit of driving!

Last one for today as I'm about to get ready to help Mrs BLB with the odd little chore or twelve - i.e. as in... "Oi you! Get off that computer!" (Sound familiar?) Anyroadup it's another request for help, this time from AtkIPete Lynch who says: "G'day Brian, just wondering if your lads can identify this old Thornycroft. I think is about a 3-tonner, 4-cylinder petrol and has been parked up since 1957... I am currently trying to work out just how I could sneak it into the back yard without my missus noticing... Cheers, Pete." If she's anything like Mrs BLB you've got no chance mate... Eyes like the proverbial hawk... (With infra-red night vision goggles attached too).

Now here's an interesting one... Stefan Seifert has e-mailed Biglorryblog to say: "Hello guys, I'm a model constructor form Germany and I'm planing to build a dump trailer like this one in the picture. Therefore I need to know the manufactor and type of this trailer? And as I've seen that you have a large collection of truck pictures I'm hoping that you could help me. Greetings from Germany. Stefan." Well does anyone have a clue on this? It's certainly a rather unusual 'double' rear-bogie arrangement. Stefan didn't say what the nationality of the operator in his pictures was but for some reason I'm thinking maybe Turkey? So are these Tirsan trailers? Or from further afield like Oz or South America? Or does anyone else have any ideas? And click through here for the shot of the front end...

Fancy an original Volvo F16.470? Thanks to a tip-off from 'Two-Stroke', looking through the classified pages of Commercial Motor - where you'll also find all sorts of fine used trucks and equipment on the 'Buy & Sell' section of the roadtransport.com werbsite at http://www.roadtransport.com/buyandsell/default.aspx - I notice that my old chum Malcolm Harrison is conducting a dispersal auction for TK Gornall and amongst the assorted haulage, agricultural, garage and vintage kit is this 1991 F16 tractor... Indeed there's also a 1988 one listed too. Now click through here for more and the details of the auction day...

Now here's something you don';t see everyday... A cabover US car transporter but what's that strange looking prime mover up front... Can you guess (for a pie) what it is? And another...

...One. Featuring the famous 'Dan's Deals on Wheels.' Now click through here for more car transporters ancient and modern and one that's gone to blazes (literally)...

How about this for a REAL piece of history? And as usual it's all down to Scott McKenzie, webmeister of two of the best trucking websites around -- i.e. for the famous brands of Pacific http://www.pacifictruckclub.org and Hayes http://www.hayestruckclub.org/ trucks. Scott has recently revamped both sites (so worth a visit) and he was interested in the recent Biglorryblog posts from Peter Geany in NZ and his family's P9 Pacific (more on that in a minute). But first how about this for a moment captured in time? Looking at the caption on Scott's website (and thanks for the use of it) It's the FIRST Pacific truck ever built, powered by a Hercules diesel and made in May 1947. And these were the men who built it. The caption says "This truck was bought by Bowater's Pulp and Paper in Newfoundland. 3,000 miles away from the factory in Vancouver B.C. Vancouver, B.C.." And the photo comes courtesy of the H. Rabe collection. Now click through here for more

Once again I have Don at the trucktastic Adclassix website, the world's best retro depository for old and new truck, van, pickup and 4x4 and also car ads - and don't take my word for it, just go and see for yourself using this handy quick as a flash Biglorryblog webblink www.adclassix.com/truckindex.htm. Meanwhile, I've been trying without success to find some more pictures of this strange beast. What you see here is the original 1955 ad for the Letourneau Arctic Freight Train in black & white. showing one belogning to Alaska Freight Lines Inc. In action. Capable of carrying 175 tons in temperatures reaching minus 50°F. So can anyone provide me with more pictures/information on it--and especially pictures!?. Usual e-mail address biglorryblog@googlemail.com and click through here for one more...

'Hello... What's all this then?' (as Bender Rodriguez would say...) A smart Volvo dustcart, next to one of Britain's most iconic landmarks...? Word reaches Biglorryblog that after 18 months of positive preliminary field trials Volvo has upgraded what it describes as "the world's first hybrid refuse truck" based on its FE six wheeler, which has gained new components and software and is being tested by Veolia Environmental Services in central London." And you can read all about it (and how you can see it on a video clip) by clicking through here!

Now for a real memory jogger....Santa Fe Transport..ring any bells? Fred Everiss has sent me these shots and says: 'My father used to work there (18years) and drove OFX 800W." I then asked Fred if Santa Fe still exists and he replies...

 "No, John Chandler sold out to Wincanton in the late '80s and Wincanton closed it down in the '90s. After a spell in America John Chandler came back and started up Atchison Topeka!" Now click through here for more....

More Viewlines, this time it's courtesy of Gyles Carpenter who says: "Greetings Brian, a couple of Atki Viewlines from the archives, BVB 457H seen at Chatham Dockyard, and WWT 909G seen at Onslow Park steam rally regards, Gyles." And click through here for one more...

"Hello Brian, " says Ron Johl, "Seeing  as you wanted a picture of a driver in white overalls I found this ,not a lorrry but a Traction Engine and also a piece of live history in the world of transportation the engine is still going strong at almost 90-years old, how many modern day vehicles will still be here in 90yrs?" And to see what Ron means click on this link... http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=374 meanwhile, I thought I'd add a few steamers myself...starting with the one above...now click through here for more..

"Hey Brian," says Hobble - along Gary Richards, Biglorryblog's man downunder for Mack and Volvo: "Thought the Army might be interested to see these pole haulers belonging to NSW based Herb Blanchard Haulage. The region is known for its forests of tall and straight timber and Blanchards have specialied in their haulage, from the days with their trusty N12 and extendable triaxle trailer to the current special FM480 Globetrotter 8x4 prime-mover seen above." Now click through here for more...

Here's a SMART-looking Peterbilt 365 dump truck says Bigloryblog... Only look more closer and you can see it's actually a model! Yes really and if you don't believe me I suggest you high-tail it down to www.timstrucks.com, the website of ace model-maker Tim Ahlborn from St. Ignace, in the great state of Michigan (where all the great big roadtrains come from). And the attention to detail on Tim's trucks is just amazing... Now click through here for more...

One truck that has always, and indeed continues, to fascinate Biglorryblog is the Atkinson Viewline with its tall cab and massive front windscreen. And my interst has been re-kindled by these pictures which have been very kindly provided by Mike Ponsonby BA...it also seems there was a Viewline and 'THE' Viewline--insofar as there were only six made with the radiator fitted inside a flatter-fronted grille as you can see see below---as opposed to the tradtional Atki radiator sticking through thee front of the grille which was used on other Viewlines like the one above provided by Mike...

And thanks to an earlier comment from Richard Stanier I now know the Viewline was unveiled as a modern alternative to the existing cab at the (I think) 1966 Motor Show as it's pictured here." Now click through here for more from Mike P and Chris Gardner 'Mr Atki' himself! 

Honestly, if it's not freezing it's boiling eh? The 'Keeper of the Flame' Martin Phippard returns to BLB with photos from his recent trip to Israel and sends me this snap and comment: "Hi Brian, perhaps you would consider posting these few pictures of 'Men at Work' taken by my young friend and fellow truck nut Itsik Levy in the Negev Desert earlier this week. BR Martin.".

Still all for a good cause I'd say...especially if you a big DAF double bottom trailer rig in the picture...now click through here for more......

It's that time of year when we can all play spot the lorry on the Finnish weather webcam website! http://www.tiehallinto.fi/alk/english/frames/kelikamerat-frame.html And here's a popular location that I'm sure you all recognise....taken at 17.43 when the road is just a bit icy..and then some...yes it's the old TIE 7 RAJALLE 5KM (ITÄÄN) location in the South of Finalnd---as if you needed telling eh? Now click through here for the same site a little bit later....

Bob Tuck has sent these long-serving lorries to me and he says: "Brian, while looking up the images of Mike Ogg's Scammell you ran recently, I came across these shots of Orkney which were taken on the same trip north in mid 2005. I know the place is a particular favourite of yours and perhaps you can give us all some chapter and verse of what these motors do all day as the place is a bit small - isn't it? And of course I hope you can find room to show the Italian POW's chapel - what a magic place that is. Bob." Now click thriough here for Bob's shots...

File it under "....all that glisters is not gold" Word reaches Biglorryblog that the Volvo Group, Sinotruk (BVI) and China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Corporation (CNHTC) have signed an agreement whereby Sinotruk (BVI), a wholly- owned subsidiary of China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Corporation, and CNHTC agrees to purchase all of Volvo Group's equity interest in Jinan Huawo Truck Corporation (Joint Venture), in which Volvo Group currently holds a 50% equity interest. The agreement has to be approvedl by the PRC authorities. The partnership commenced in 2003 and according to the Swedes: "...the Joint Venture has for various reasons not become the business success that both parties had expected." Hmmm.... what was that old saying about 'It wasn't what you do say..it's what you don't say'?

Yikes a biggun! Yes strange beasts and unusual trucks...it could only mean one thing. Biglorryblog's 'Good Man in Africa' Jerry Burley has returned and he says: " It's a pleasure to see another example of the post-Great War policy of 'swords to ploughshares' conversion being implemented here on 'The Dark Continent'."

"This is a (presumably?) former Deutsches Heer 6x6 MAN truck, now in private hands contracted to the UN for de-mining ops in - you guessed it - Southern Sudan. But some wildlife first and how's that for a 'you shall have a fishy, on a little dishy', caught (I believe by a line fisherman, rather than a trawler) off Mossel Bay in SA a couple of weeks back. Our wagon dragging second cousins from 'Dahn Sarf' are well used to big sharks but this was of sufficient size to even bring out a local TV station to have a 'butchers'." Err...should that be 'fishmongers' JB? Anyroadup click through here fir the ful story and a very unusual DAF too!

Not, as you might think, a new genetically-modified driver with six arms capable of REALLY multi-tasking..but a clever photographic way of showing the ergonomic layout of the latest R Series Scania, which incidentally, was also one of the reasons why it's been voted International Truck of the Year in 2010. And the official award handover ceremony takes place next month at the company's HQ in Sodertalje....And how come Biglorryblog played a part in this? Well because I am UK jury member on the 22-strong European-wide International Truck of the Year Jury that's why.   Now click through here for the complete story and the final voting figures...

Talk about East meets West... And a rather nice picture too from that loveable old curmudgeon 'The Boss' who returns to Biglorryblog in time for his regular Sunday evening slot and he says: "Blog Meister, I was going to hire one of those big Russian transport planes to take 'Maggie' to the USA,get a few pics for the blog,just like Renault did on it's Route 66 epic. Only why bother? It's cheaper and easier just to do it in France! So America's aerodynamic masterpiece the T2000 meets Maggie,the French brick!" Now click through here for more...

Ron Johl has sent me these shots from Truckfest 2008 and says: "Here's a couple you need sun-glasses for! Starting with the very shiny Finnish 'Shogun' Scania--in fact I had to go back several times to get some decent shots as the vehicle was like a magnet attracting a large crowd so it was a case of picking your moments."

"And here's what you'd call "A Swedish Big Bonneted Bruiser"---a very smart 142M from (I think) the Netherlands. Only picture's simply cannot do justice to the two vehicles---they have to be seen in real life to appreciate the art work and what must be hours of polishing. All the best, Ron." Now click through here for more of them...

"Morning Brian, says Gyles Carpenter. "I thought you might like to see Roger Mortimore's Detroit powered Scammell Crusader seen working at Chatham Historic Dockyard.
Kind regards Gyles." And who wouldn't? Now click through here for more...

Browsing through the excellent 'owners' photo gallery' bit of the drivers' lounge section of the Kenworth website - find it here http://www.kenworth.com/5400_own_gal.asp and Biglorryblog's eye was caught by this clever little devil! They both belong to Jacques Auger of (I think) Ontario (the state abbreviation was given as ON so is that right Martin?)  And it says the big one is used for real work while the little one is not only perfect in every detail, it also has its own little tank trailer to pull too....neat eh? Now click through here for another one from the gallery...

Eric Preston provides Biglorryblog with this rather unusual 'juxtaposition' and says: "Hi
please find attached this photo of a large load at Southampton. I dropped a crane off at the docks and could not resist this shot. Eric." You know mate, you could almost believe it was on the back of your low-loader trailer---now that would be some heavy haulage movement!

Now that's what I call an 'exhibition' truck...And for a pie what is it (and don't say 'Volvo' I can see that errr...duh!) Anyroadup Kim Bendtsen has sent me this and says here's a picture of one of our promotion trucks! And check out the company's websites too at www.scandilogistics.eu and www.scandipromotion.eu or 'Promotion on wheels & mobile exhibition.'

And click through here for more..

And what a fine sentiment for a waste disposal company says Biglorryblog...and click through here and you'll see the kind of impressive kit the Norwegians have to call upon...and boy does it 'suck'!

The questions I get asked...so who can help this gent? Graham Walker e-mails me to say: "Hi, I found your site while looking for info about the Scania DS8 engine - that great picture in March 2008 of the Vintage Scania. We have a DS8 engine in a Dutch barge (the barge is 1928 vintage but the engine date is not known), and the oil pressure was down to 1.5 bar at 1000 rpm, on 10W/40 grade oil. Is this OK? Screwing down the relief valve bumped up the pressure to 4 bar, but is this necessary?  Any advice from your readers would be very welcome. Even better would be a source for a workshop manual for that engine...! Many thanks for your help, Graham." Well what about it guys..and if you know post a comment up. And I am grateful to wikipedia 'commons' for this copyright picture of an LB80. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Scania_L80  Now click through here for another classic bonneted Swede....

Well note QUITE the last one for the night on Biglorryblog as I have Timothy Hall for tipping me off to this story...and Dan Strohl, associate editor at the excellent Hemmings Motor News on http://blog.hemmings.com who tracked down a decent-sized picture for me. The story concerns a year-long trial conducted in Holland with this 'boat-tail' trailer by PART--which as everyone knows is the Platform for Aerodynamic Road transport and you can see what they do by clicking on this link http://www.part20.eu/en/ Anyway it seems, together with a number of industry partners they have been testing various boat-tail configurations like the one above and they've achieved an up to 7.5% fuel saving after a year's trials. Not bad eh? Of course there's the small matter of docking dock compatibility but click through here for what other work has been done on boat-tails...and that loading dock solution...

Last one for tonight and what better way to step into the weekend than with a 'proper' martini with three queen olives (no 'twist' thank you), Fats Domino's 'Be my guest tonight' coming through the speakers and the news that Civil Engineering and piling company Dawson Wam

www.dawsonwam.co.uk has reaffirmed its faith in the three-pointed star by adding the fifth consecutive Mercedes-Benz heavy haulage tractor unit to its fleet. And what a beauty it is too. The 80-tonne rated 6x4 Actros 2646 arrived via Newtownabbey dealer Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI), and is now hard at work delivering construction materials, plant and machinery to sites all over Ireland. So click through here for the full story and more piccies...

Les Freathy, Biglorryblog's 'Man of Kent' (or is it 'Kentish Man' I can never remember how you decide which is which...) has fired this old warrior over to me and he says: "Brian, two photos of the Scammell Crusader wrecker, ex-Nickolls of Folkestone. It was parked up on a farm last year and in the hands of Ovendens but I've been informed it has now been sold on. The truck is originally ex-Pickfords, although the crane and body are ex-army  Leyland Martian recovery hence the large rear overhang. The truck was based on the quarry about a mile from my home. You had not need for an alarm clock as when it started up early in the morning the Detriot Diesel did the job for you! cheers Les."

What else would you do? "G'day Brian," says AtkiPete Lynch. "A road sign that will confuse the average driver. I would be surprised if anyone outside of Melbourne knows how this business works...." Now click through here for miore....

It's a photographer's nightmare...a silver truck on a grey overcast day..So what can you do about it? Bounce in a bit of flash in the front, turn on the lights and give it a bit of the old Biglorryblog 'dynamic' tilt...Alternatively try this..and click through here to find out what I mean....

John Shepherd has contacted Biglorryblog me to say: "Just thought I'd send you a couple of pictures of A. Stevens Volvos---the F10 was taken at BSC Malleable works at Stockton on Tees with the driver just chaining load of 70 ft pipes down... I was his 'mate'.  Now click through here for one more...

How's this for a beautiful panoramic view..? Complete with a Scammell logger too says Biglorryblog! Peter Geany continues with his much-beloved tales of his family's classic timber trucks from New Zealand. "Here are some of our Crusaders," he says, "We had five but I seem always to have photographed the same vehicle for some reason!  Two of the photo's where taken in our yard with highway loads of about 36 tons gross. NZ weight regs were a constantly moving target during the 60's and 70's and we went from 38 tons gross on 6 axles to 37 tons on 5 which yielded a greater payload and cheaper logging gear" Now click through here for more... 

At first glance this Iveco might look like one of those Dutch-built Strators, but in actual fact what we have here is the real thing - a genuine Australian-built RHD, 550hp PowerStar.
This isn't the first time that this truck has appeared on BLB, because back in June we showed you it sitting outside Irish dealer Jennings Truck Centre.
Since then it has been purchased by Derbyshire-based Scotts Heavy Haulage (who know a thing or two about running decent kit), and is now working hard for a living.
Bryan Scott explains that he fell in love with the PowerStar when he saw one in New Zealand. He then spent a year striking a deal with Jennings, which had imported it with just 7000km on the clock.
Bryan is delighted with the truck, reckons it's better than any Scania T-Cab or Volvo VN, and say the driver thinks it's the 'Dog's b******s'.

I have to say that when I first saw this e-mail with 47 ATTACHMENTS(!) sitting in my normal biglorryblog@googlemail.com letterbox my heart plummeted! But then 'WOW!' As I started to open them up I have to admit I was well-and-truly hooked. And Biglorryblog is most grateful to 'Budgie' Smith in Southampton for these pictures from [I'd guess the late 70's and maybe early 80s-BLB] of classic Middle-East runs to Saudi and Iran. "Feel free to use them on your website",he says...so I will mate! I'll see if I can get him to tell me a bit more about them by and by...anyroadup first a selection of Transcontis and their drivers getting into and out of various scrapes!

The one at the very top is someone who I guess was running with Budgie at the time, suffering from a bit of a 'hangover'....and there's the man himself..or at least I assume that's Budgie--he's leaning against 'Budgie''s Ford...now click through here for some fabulous Middle East memories... 

A sun-bleached road, a double trailer truck,...Australia? Think again. Biglorryblog's very own 'Keeper of the Flame' Martin Phippard has returned from a trip to Israel and says: "Good morning Brian, The DAF road train you see here is one of several operating between the Dead Sea Works hauling phosphates to the southernmost place in Israel, the Port of Eilat...

 
"And now for something 'completely' different. This Leyland was actually built in Ashdod [as opposed to Ashford which is where Bigloryblog lives--- and I'm sure I would have noticed something like that--BLB], Israel until 1972/73. Not a lot is known about these trucks." So can anyone in the anorak army provide more information? Now click through here for more... 

Doing my weekly troll around Commercial Motor's 'Buy & Sell' section on www.roadtransport.com what should I find but this rather splendid machine, and quite an unusual one too. It's a '54-plate (2005) Foden Alpha XL with a 420hp Cummins ISM (so far so good) Jake Brake (getting even better) , midlift axle and slider (always useful) alloy wheels and tank, air-con, fridge (it just gets better). But what really caught Biglorryblog's eye was that it has an AS-Tronic auto. This is news to me as the only other Cummins-powered Foden with the two-pedal auto I ever encountered was a metallic blue Foden demonstrator that I saw once or twice. But it seems not---unless of course this is the same machine which could be possible I suppose. But imagine that...a Cummins ISM and an AS-Tronic---talk about the best of both worlds. One careful owner too. And where can you get your hands on it? Why, from those helpful people at Walker Movements and, naturally, via this link

http://www.roadtransport.com/buyandsell/advert/03982_foden_alpha_xl_new_generation_6_x_2_tractor_unit_2005_fj54_syv-leicestershire-1764652.htm?&PageNumber=3&Keywords=Foden

Now click through here for another Biglorryblog 'classic' classified...

Regular Biglorryblog readers may well recall that bitumen manufacturer Nynas UK was to trial the Monityre tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) within its 42- strong truck distribution fleet. Well it's been suffciently impressed with the performance of the system during those trials to have Monityre installed on six new Volvo FM12 Globetrotter 6x2 tractor units which have recently gone into service distributing the company's bitumen products from its refinery and head office in Ellesmere Port to major road construction companies across the UK. Now click through here for the full story!

It's Official...Santa has got himself some new little helpers for Christmas thanks to the Merry Munchkins of Munich! Yes once again the German truck maker is providing two smart (TGX) tractors, specially decorated for the Yuletide, which will be used to bring a bit of Xmas sparkle to the eyes (and not just of the kids) at various Children's Villages and kindergartens all round Germany, from the first Sunday in Advent to Christmas Eve.... Well Ho! Ho! Ho! Says Biglorryblog (and that's one in the eye for those show-off Coca-Cola chaps with their American trucks!) Now click through here for more photos!

I know the cost of diesel is high---but there's got to be an easier way to save the stuff! And having recently finished a cracking book about the race to the South Pole ('Death on the Ice by Robert Ryan '-- 'I couldn't put it down', Biglorryblog) I was naturally struck by this example of modern day 'man-handling'...and err...'woman-handling' too! (Hold on, that doesn't sound right). Anyroadup, word reaches BLB of any excellent stunt for charity held by distribution specialist Parcels to Ireland, who knew exactly where to turn for some heavyweight support at its 20^th anniversary party. The Rugby-based firm called on Coventry Mercedes-Benz dealer Gerard Mann Commercial Vehicles, which pitched in by providing an Axor X tractor unit for the truck-pulling event - and a team to pull it too! Now click through here to read all about it and how much P to I raised...I'm impressed.

Hold on lads...I've got an idea...and my name..is Biglorryblog. Nah...I'll be out most of tomorrow playing with Scania's new R Series (are you bleedin' mad?) So I may not be able to post much up, if at all, tomorrow. So for a pie (and to keep you busy until Friday) what was the coach that featured in the literally cliff-hanging conclusion to 'The Italian Job?'  Clue: It's not the one above....I'm off to empty the bins now..tarraaa..and who said journalism was glamorous?

I've said it before (and no doubt I'll keep on saying it until you cry 'Enough Biglorryblog already!' But I continue to be impressed with how much further down the road the Americans seem to be with hybrid HEAVY trucks. Take this diesel-electric Mack Granite hybrid tractor built by the Bulldog manufacturer for the US Air Force. And thanks to its latest generation heavy-duty hybrid technology it already meets the forthcoming 'near-zero' EPA2010 emissions regulations. Now click through here for the details...

I thought it was long overdue that Biglorryblog brought you some pictures of the double tough tippers from Astra SpA, the Italian specialist vehicle dvision of Iveco which uses Ivecop drivetrain stuff underneath its own unique cabs and you can see more of their range of tippers, heavy haulers and articulated and rigid dump trucks by clikicking on this website http://140.99.29.8/presentazione_eng.htm Meanwhile, keep reading to see a rather strange Astra artic....

The much-beloved 'Old Vic' Hungerford must think I'm neglecting him (or else have nothing better to do than grumble about his preferred choice of gearbox) Well I owe him an apology for I've been sitting on this curio for far too long...Vic e-mails me to say: "Brian, I remember you commenting a little while ago on the size of the radiator grille on a Ford Loosely-Built, well how about this one?!" How about it indeed and click through here for more big-nose beauties!

Here's a man who looks happy in his work and why wouldn't he considering the truck he's driving..but it's not exactly what you'd call 'modern'...indeed the curving windscreen, simple dash and lack of head restraint on the seat should be a dead give away...and in the words of the great Rolf Harris: 'Can you guess what it is yet?' Well don't worry if you can't as Biglorryblog has the full explanation waiting for you once you've clicked through here!

Regular readers of Biglorryblog will recall my recent post of Wayne Westwood's Dad and his immaculate Diamond T. Well Wayne tells me that a while back while it was still working with TNT some 'gentleman' dropped a container on it...sort of 'done to a T' you might say.... Wayne says: "As promised, some photos of the ol Diamond back in 1988, looking the worse for wear, after a couple of rounds with a container, accidently dropped from a forklift...and the 3 old girls proudly on display outside the Transport Hall of Fame in Alice Springs in 2005. cheers..Wayne."

I can only imagine what your Dad said at the time Wayne..possibly something along the lines of 'Gosh..what a silly fellow you are to have such an unfortunate mishap..?" Meanwhile, Cam McFadyen tells me his T resto is coming along so by and by so I hope we'll have a report and pix on it.

Ah..ha!!!!!yes it's a early morning, can't sleep cup of tea and digestive quiz for the Biglorryblog anorak faithful...and if you can name all of these you're a better man than me Gunga Din!

Looks like a real 'Friday afternoon' build motor..and click through here for more

The things I get asked on Biglorryblog..if it's not a request for a list of Eddie Stobart names (contact the fan club) it's something altogether more prosaic...like this one from StandardPrompt which says: "Dear Sirs, we are the STANDARD PROMPT Company. We have a new project about X-ray Truck.The Thailand Government is wanting them. We would like catalog about X-ray Truck for detecting drugs. Please reply, best regards, THAMRONGSAK C.STANDARD PROMPT CO ., LTD." And the e-mail address is standardprompt@gmail.com  So just in case you know how to lay your hands on a truck-mounted n X-ray machine, or you know a man who does, perhaps you'd like to help this company out...?

Peter Lynch has kindly ended my confusion regarding B-Doubles and B-Trains."Here is a B-Double, above" he says...,

"Now here is a pocket B-Double..."

"....and here is a B train  (B67 to be precise)" You know I think Pete might just be sending a message to the Kiwis..don't you? And what was that song that Duke Ellington wrote about a train...?

Now here's something you don't see every day....Les Freathy has sent me this shot of a four axle (possibly 8x6?) GINAF based on a DAF 95 Series operated by Range Heavy haulage. les says he shot it in Sandwich in Kent... whatever happened to it I wonder? And for another classic 'Truck of Kent' click through here.....

Peter Geany, Biglorryblog's long-lost Kiwi mate who returned to New Zealand after a spell of working for Cummins over here and the Middle East says: "How about some Pacifics?" Works for me PG, and I know a few BLB timber anoraks who can never say no to a Pacific--especially one of them in Poland! Peter continues: "Brian, JV Geany Ltd [the family firm - BLB] had a reputation for quite a number of firsts, and another was the first on/off highway model Pacific Truck in NZ a P9.  New Zealand Forest products (NZFP) and Kiangaroa Logging Company (KLC) operated the larger off-highway P10s. However, our P9 had the same engine as most P10's of the day, an NTC335, with a 13speed fuller and Rockwell SSHD rears. Despite the highway spec this was one tough truck, and we operated it as an off-highway unit too. "   Now click through here for more!

Question: Whatever happened to lorry drivers wearing white boiler suits? Here you see two Watneys drivers wearing the more 'traditional' version while curvy model, Miss 'April Showers' (38, 22, 36) demonstrates the ill-feted, one-piece, white Spandex cat suit that was to due to replace the old-fashioned garment. And how well Biglorryblog recalls the disastrous launch event in the mid-60s when, to the gasps of horror from Her Majesty's truck press, April's elastic socks got tragically caught in the step ring....and...well I can't bring myself to describe what happened next...Needless to say it's imprinted on BLB's brain forever. (And for a pie who has got any more shots of British HGV drivers wearing white boiler suits? I seem to recall all of Tate & Lyle's drivers had them)....And what's sparked all this off? Click through here....

Now here's a bloke that really needs a 'Bridging loan'...in fact he needs the whole flamin' bridge!  And in case you're wondering where this is Biglorryblog has Fernando Cazara of Brazil and the fabulous http://www.favoritescania.com/main.php 'The Favourite Scania' section of the www.scania.com website where you can enter your own big Swede and vote on the pictures already on the site...and you know at least they've saved on the planks so that bridge has got to be eco-friendly....

Still you've got to feel sorry for this bloke (Fabio) he's managed to park his truck on top of a giaat ants' nest....(and it probably didn't help when his mate the Volvo driver smeared it with honey...) now click through here for one more....

Now that's what I call a 'hot tip(per)'...trawling through my in-box this afternoon I stumbled across these pictures sent to me yonks ago by Steve Sturgess. As far as I can tell they're from Shell's annual truck beauty show and calendar shoot for its Shell Rotella Superrigs calendar which took place in June (so you can see how upt-to-date this is) in Oak Grove Petro truckstop just outside of Kansas City, Missouri. These shots show the first runner up Pat Eilen's spectacular black Peterbilt and MAC tub trailer pictured above...and click through here for more....

Neil Temple clearly knows how to get around me...with a Unimog picture and what better than another Moggie fire-fighter! "Hi Brian, today I was at the 'Powered by Mercedes Benz 2009' end of Grand Prix season bash at Mercedes Benz World, near Brooklands. There were many interesting vehicles at the event and as soon as I saw this magnificent Moggie I thought of you and the blog. It belongs to the Surrey Fire & Rescue service and as i'm sure you'll agree is quite a machine!"

Blimey! Talk about a moody sky...you'd expect a UFO, Magneto or even 'The Big Yin' to pop out of the black purple clouds in this photo...followed closely by several bolts of lightning too!  And is it all genuine or a clever bit of photoshoppery? I've no idea but it's certainly an eye-catching truck snap! And Biglorryblog can also reveal it's just one of four new Mercedes Actros MegaSpace tractors that have joined the fleet of high-profile Yorkshire haulier Ken Mallinson--now click through here for more...

Pay attention! In case you think this is a truck parked alongside a trailer read on....Vic Hungerford e-mails me to say: "Hi Brian, following on from Bob Tuck's photos the other day about tipping trailers, 4-axle dog trailers are normally used here in NZ, and in Australia as Pete has said. I'm sure Bob would have seen many of them when he was here as they have been around for years. These photos are taken from Jackson RoadHaul's website showing a small part of their fleet....but the first photo shows how the tipping is done; the trailer is still connected to the truck. The driver backs the trailer up to the tipping point, tips the load off then pulls forward and jack-knifes the trailer to this position and tips the truckload